The HJC i80 combines two features popular with touring riders - a flipfront chinbar and a peak to help shield the eyes from low sunlight.
It replaces the C80 in HJC's range and, while it's not a perfect helmet, I think it's an improvement on the one it replaces.
At around £200-£230 at the time of review, it's a reasonably affordable option for riders who want a peaked flipfront helmet. There aren't many alternatives at this price, and I've found the i80 gets plenty of things right.
A size medium weighed 1790g on our scales, which is 150g lighter than the old C80. That's welcome, especially as the C80 was the heaviest helmet we'd weighed for our reviews.
I've spent time wearing the i80 on a Suzuki V-Strom 1050 and, while there are some frustrations with the peak and visor mechanism, there's also plenty to like.
Fit & comfort
I found the i80 comfortable and more conventional in its sizing than the C80.
In the old helmet I had to go up from my usual medium to a large, but the i80 fitted me well in my normal medium. If you've worn other HJC helmets, I'd be fairly confident about starting with your usual size.
The comfort liner is relatively simple, consisting of a skullpad and a second section combining the cheekpads and neckroll. It's nothing particularly fancy, but it's comfortable enough and feels a step above the most basic helmet interiors.
HJC have also made life easier for spectacle wearers. Thinner sections at the top of the cheekpads create room for glasses arms, and I found this worked a treat. I could get my glasses into position without any real difficulty.
The flipfront mechanism is straightforward. Pushing the red button at the front releases the chinbar, which lifts while the peak pivots backwards to make room for the visor.
There's good resistance at the top of its travel to help stop the chinbar dropping back down, and a locking switch provides extra security.
I did find the helmet became noticeably front-heavy with the chinbar raised, something that's also been mentioned in customer feedback. It's worth bearing in mind if you expect to ride regularly in the open-face configuration.
Noise & aerodynamics
The peak is the biggest influence on the i80's noise performance. I rode with it fitted and found it generated a fair amount of noise. It was a grinding sound that seemed to come from the tip of the peak vibrating in the airflow.
That was on a Suzuki V-Strom 1050, with me sitting at 5ft 10in tall. A different rider height, bike or screen could produce a very different result, so I wouldn't assume everyone will experience the same thing.
The peak is intended to block glare from low sunlight, and it does help. However, it sits quite high, so it doesn't offer as much shade as I'd like.
Removing it and riding in what HJC calls street mode should give a sleeker, quieter experience.
Unfortunately, swapping between peaked and unpeaked configurations isn't as convenient as it could be. Removing the peak involves prising off covers on either side, undoing screws and fitting replacement covers supplied with the helmet.
I found the original covers rather fragile and would avoid removing and refitting them regularly. In fact, I ended up with black replacement covers on my grey helmet because they were the only ones I could get hold of as spares.
If I wanted to switch between the two configurations frequently, I'd be tempted to leave those covers off rather than risk breaking them.
For me, the i80 makes more sense if you choose your preferred configuration and stick with it.
Vision & visor
The i80 has a large eyeport, which is one of the real benefits of this style of helmet.
Peripheral vision is very good, and the open view should appeal to riders who sometimes feel enclosed or claustrophobic in a conventional full-face helmet.
The main visor has two intermediate positions as it lowers from fully open. Both have fairly strong stops, and I found they stayed in place at around 40mph on the V-Strom.
My biggest criticism is the lack of a proper cracked-open position.
Even at its smallest opening, the visor lets in considerably more air than I'd want when looking for just a little ventilation. Riders who regularly use a slightly open visor will probably find that frustrating.
Once the visor reaches the bottom seal, pressing the central tab locks it shut. There's no separate release button – lifting either of the two tabs overcomes the lock.
The mechanism is quite firm, and there's another quirk worth knowing about. If you raise the chinbar while the visor is open, the visor and chinbar lock together. Close the chinbar again and the two remain linked, which takes some getting used to.
A Pinlock 70 anti-mist insert is supplied, but it's not fitted to the visor. That's unfortunate because removing the visor to install it is fiddlier than it should be.
It took me around five minutes, with the main challenges being removing the potentially fragile covers, dealing with the screws and keeping grease from the visor mechanism away from the visor and Pinlock. Removing the screws can also allow the chinbar and helmet sections to separate.
It's not especially difficult, but it's more involved than fitting a Pinlock ought to be. I'd recommend asking the shop to fit it when buying the helmet.
The internal sun visor is much better news. I found the tint level good and the amount of drop generous, and there's an adjustment to limit its travel if the lower edge touches your nose.
I also wore the helmet in fairly low temperatures and didn't experience any misting on the sun visor, which was pleasing.
Ventilation
Ventilation is a mixed experience, though there are some definite positives. There are two vents on the chinbar. The lower one brings in a little cooling air, but I didn't find the effect particularly noticeable.
The upper chinbar vent is more useful. It directs air through the top of the chinbar towards the visor, and I found it effective enough to clear mist from my glasses while riding in cold conditions.
That's a practical benefit, especially for spectacle wearers who know how frustrating condensation can be.
The top vent is the strongest of the three. It delivers a very noticeable flow of air over the head, which impressed me.
I don't always find top vents particularly effective on polycarbonate helmets, but HJC have done a good job here.
Overall, I was happy with the ventilation, particularly the top vent and the ability to clear mist from my glasses.
Fastening & safety
The i80 uses a micrometric buckle to secure the chinstrap, which is exactly what I'd expect from a touring-focused flipfront helmet.
It meets the ECE 22.06 safety standard and is dual-homologated, meaning it's approved for road use with the chinbar either closed or locked open.
That's useful for riders who want the flexibility of occasionally riding in open-face mode, though I'd be mindful of the extra front-heavy feeling I experienced with the chinbar raised.
There's no ACU Gold approval for track use. There was no SHARP rating available at the time of review, but the i80 has subsequently been awarded a respectable four-star SHARP rating.
Intercom compatibility
Intercom compatibility is one of the i80's stronger points, and it's something owners have praised in their reviews.
Unlike some HJC helmets, the i80 doesn't have dedicated preparation for one of the brand's own intercom systems. That gives riders more freedom to fit whichever communications unit they prefer.
The speaker recesses are large enough for 45mm speakers, which were the biggest available through Sportsbikeshop at the time of review.
There's also a dedicated space on the lower-left edge where a clamp mount can slide around the shell.
That makes fitting a universal intercom straightforward, without having to work around awkward mounting covers or position the control unit further back than you'd like.
For riders who already own an intercom and want to transfer it to a new helmet, that's a definite plus.
Final thoughts
I think the HJC i80 is a decent peaked flipfront helmet, especially considering its price.
It improves on the C80 with a useful reduction in weight and more conventional sizing, while retaining the versatility that makes this style of helmet attractive to touring and adventure-bike riders.
I found it comfortable, particularly with glasses, and liked the large eyeport, effective sun visor and impressive top ventilation. The freedom to fit almost any intercom is another strong point.
The drawbacks are mostly around the peak and visor. The peak generated a fair amount of noise in my riding conditions, changing between configurations is too fiddly, and the absence of a proper cracked-open visor position is a disappointment.
Customer feedback reflects some of those compromises. At our last check (October 2026), the i80 averaged 4.0 out of five from 26 customer reviews. Noise and awkward visor removal came up fairly regularly, and a couple of owners reported sun visor mechanisms jamming, which would be covered under warranty.
That said, the written feedback was generally more positive than the scores might suggest.
At £199.99 for plain colours and £229.99 for graphics at the time of review, I think the i80 is worth considering, alongside the Scorpion ADX-2.
I've worn both and would say they're closely matched. I'd recommend trying them on to see which suits your head shape best, rather than choosing purely on specifications.
There are more expensive alternatives, including the Nexx X.Lifecountry and Schuberth E2, but they involve a considerable jump in price.
If you don't plan to remove the peak regularly and can live without a proper cracked-open visor position, I think the HJC i80 is a good option for the money.
