The HJC RPHA 11 Pro is the update to the popular RPHA 10 Pro.
RPHA helmets are a step above the average HJC product line.
They are a showcase for HJC’s helmet building talents, according to the company.
The pricing is also a step above the average HJC helmet.
But the RPHA 11 Pro is a solid competitor to just about any other high-end motorcycle helmet available.
And when you look at it that way, the price is actually fairly reasonable.
The RPHA 11 Pro is very light, utilizing a composite shell.
Some grams were no doubt shaved because the RPHA 11 Pro loses the Snell certification found on the RPHA 10 and RPHA 10 Pro.
It’s comfortable and it has high-quality construction and many different color combinations.
Probably the best feature of the RPHA 11 Pro is the ventilation, which is outstanding.
The top vent system, with its unique roller “micro” opening system, pours a huge amount of air on to the rider’s head.
The chin vent also has a special feature, with an extra slider on the inside of the chin bar to control air flow massive amounts down to a trickle.
About the only downside of the helmet is noise control. It’s not too loud at average speeds or when riding motorcycle without a windscreen or fairing.
But the composite shell does seem to resonate with buffeting sounds and some windscreens can a bit more noise than we’d like.
Overall, the RPHA 11 Pro is an outstanding helmet however and it surprises in many ways.
Paint, Graphics And Overall Quality
The RPHA 11 Pro — indeed, the entire RPHA series — comes in a wide variety of colorful graphics, including Spiderman, Venom versions and more.
There are fewer choices for solid colors; just black, white and the “Semi-Flat Titanium” shown here. It would be nice to have a choice of red, orange and yellow. And maybe blue and green and…
The shell is made from something you won’t find on pedestrian HJC helmets — it’s HJC’s “Premium Integrated Matrix Plus (PIM+)”, a composite blend of carbon fiber, Aramid, fiberglass and “organic non-woven fabric.”
The composite shell means the RPHA 11 Pro is very light weight but with a solid feel.
The overall quality is outstanding, although only long-time webBikeWorld readers will know that just about everything has excellent quality today, compared to 18 years ago when webBikeWorld started.
Back then, using the words “quality” and “motorcycle gear” together really meant something, because compared to now, well, there was a lot of junk for sale, including (and especially) helmets.
In any case, the overall finish and also the moving parts on the RPHA 11 Pro show attention to detail and operate smoothly.
The switchgear is especially noteworthy and the roller top vent openings — an RPHA signature feature — make a noticeable difference. You’ll need that amount of control for the top vents, because the air literally pours into this helmet.
And how about the chin vent, which has dual controls with a slider the outside and the inside? We’ll get into all of that in the ventilation section below.
More Details
The liner is the latest HJC type, similar to the new HJC DS-X1 dual-sport helmet we reviewed just a couple of weeks ago. It’s apparently a new design, different from previous HJC helmets we’ve reviewed.
The liner is fully removable and the RPHA 11 Pro includes the emergency release straps on the cheek pads.
An owner-installable chin curtain is also included; it’s very nicely made but be sure to follow the instructions explicitly when you install it. If you do, it’s a breeze but if you don’t, you’ll struggle with it (don’t ask).
Score: We give the HJC RPHA 11 Pro an “Outstanding” rating for overall quality. See the Summary Table at the bottom of the page for a description of our rating system.