NHTSA Complaint #10484671 — 2004 HONDA GL1800

HJC SYMAX II MODULAR HELMET COMPLAINT BOTH MY FRIEND AND I, [XXX] (WITNESS), BOTH RIDING 30 YEARS, WERE TRAVELING.ON THE BLUE RIDGE PKWY ENTERING THE PARKWAY AT WAYNESBORO, VA TO AVOID THE SKYLINE DRIVE. AROUND 7:15 WE DECIDED TO HEAD TO ROANOKE WHERE WE WOULD HAVE CELL AND INTERNET. HEADED SOUTH ON BRP. I HAS EXPRESSED CONCERNS ABOUT DEER. APPROX 5 MINUTES LATER, DEER RAN ACROSS THE ROAD FORCING BOTH OF US TO BRAKE HEAVILY. APPROX 5 MINUTES LATER, SEVERAL MORE DEER RAN ACROSS THE ROAD IN FRONT OF ME. 2 COMPLETED THE CROSSING A 3RD REVERSED DIRECTION. 5 MINUTES LATER AS WE APPROACHED (SOUTHBOUND) AN OVERLOOK, 3 MORE DEER DASHED ACROSS THE ROAD FROM THE LEFT. AS BEST I CAN REMEMBER THEY WERE ADOLESCENCE. ONE PASSED IN FRONT OF MY GOLDWING, POSSIBLY CLIPPING HIS FRONT WHEEL AND DESTABILIZING HIM. A SECOND PASSED BEHIND, AND THE THIRD SLAMMED INTO THE SIDE OF THE BIKE. I WAS EJECTED FROM THE BIKE ON THE RIGHT SIDE. I BARREL-ROLLED TO THE RIGHT ONTO THE GRASS SHOULDER. THE JAW PROTECTOR FROM HIS CONVERTIBLE FULL FACE HELMET HAD BROKEN OFF HIS HELMET (HJC SYMAX II (AN APPARENT HELMET FAILURE). THOUGH THE BRACKET WAS STILL FULLY INTACT, THE RIGHT SIDE PLASTIC ATTACHMENT POINT TO THE 3/4 FACE HELMET BROKE OFF LEAVING ME WITH JUST A 3/4 FACE HELMET FOR 9 OF 10 ROLLS ON THE PAVEMENT. IF IS CLEAR THAT THE SYMAX II FAILURE RESULTED IN ME ROLLING FROM THE 2ND TO THE 10TH ROLL AS IF I WAS WEARING A 3/4 FACE HELMET. I WAS TOTALLY UNPROTECTED EXCEPT FOR A HOOD. THIS HELMET IS UNSAFE AND SHOULD BE VOLUNTARILY RECALLED BY HJC AND REPLACED WITH AT LEAST A SYMAX III, AT A MINIMUM, WHICH HAS A BOLT ATTACHING THE PLASTIC MALFUNCTIONED PIECE GOING THROUGH IT TO ENSURE THAT THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN. WEARING THE RIGHT GEAR, ALL THE TIME IS ESSENTIAL AND THE HJC SYMAX II IS NOT SAFE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR