Helmets

[rwk5159]

What kind of helmets do you guys ride with?

My 3/4 wants to rip my head off at anything about 50 MPH.

[MrOzz]

I use a full face depending on riding conditions.

I will wear my 3/4 on hot days for local rides.

[XSive Okie]

Full face, but it's a Simpson dirt track helmet (tear-off holders intact). Someday I'll break down and get an actual m/c helmet!

[CatatonicBug]

Nothing but a full-face for me. The Gmax GM68 to be specific. And a modular does not count as a full-face helmet IMO.

Here's why I do a full-face:

[latexeses]

Amen to that Bug!

[cywelchjr]

Having a scare under my lower lip from my bars impacting my lower lip in a situation where with a full face helmet nothing would have happened has made me determine to always wear a full face helmet. However, I count a modular as full face mostly, but not enough to go out a buy one while I still have a perfectly good full face helmet.

[Elevener]

I voted other because modular was missing. I call it full face but realize under impact it may be susceptible to releasing. A compromise.

[patk12345]

I wear a full face and always will. I used to only wear a helmet if I was hiiting the highway, or if there was rain in the forecast, until one night on the way home from work. The forecast had been for rain, so I was wearing my helmet. It never did end up raining, but I got cut off by a cab less than a block from work. I locked up the front brakes, the road was strongly sloped for drainage, so the front wheel went out from under me, and I went down head first. That helmet saved my life, the 6" gash accross the top of it is testament to that. Instead of ending up in a coffin, or a wheelchair, I cracked a couple of ribs, picked up the bike and road it safely home. Lesson learned.

[WMarshy]

I have a HJC CL-15... cheap, comfortable and not too heavy. It has a removable liner that can be washed, and a quick disconnect face sheild makes changing shields easy. Its not a bad helmit but I am considering getting a new one as this one has a lot of wind noise at 55 MPH and above. If Im riding long distance and going to be on the bike for ~60 miles or more I use ear plugs, other wise my ears will have a slight ring in them after I park. The shield has some deltas too... seems to take too much effort to close the shield, I cracked my shield about 1" near the detent "post" on the shield by the latch. I called the company and they consider the sheild and latch a wear item and were not willing to help in any way. The latching mechanism wore out and was binding on one side and I had to buy a new set at $15 within ~6 months of owning the helmit but, a new set did seem to fix the opening closing effort... overall, not the best $85 I have ever spent but it does its job. I think its one of those areas where "ya get what ya pay for" holds true...

Any recommendations for a good helmit in the 100-200 dollar range? Not looking for anything flashy, just something quiet that has user friendly shield and good vent...

[skipt]

I voted fullface, not realizing modular was not considered full face by some
(and it was not listed seperately). I have had two , a HJC and now a Shoei .
The HJC was crash tested and performed very well.


Skip

[xsroadrunner]

I have 4 helmets of which one has been retired its a Nolan N 102 modular,too heavy,noisy and the latching mechanism is out of alignmant and wont shut properly. My othe 3 helmets ,! Shoei full face TZ-R and 1 Shoei FF Qwest and lastly a HJC SyMax 2 modular. Of all of them I like the Qwest 1st and the TZ-R 2nd and HJC last. Many yrs ago all i would use was a 1/2 cop top helmet. Times have changed.

[GaleB]

While we are on the subject of helmets, I just bought a new one (3/4+ shield for around town) and the salesperson said helmets need to be replaced every five years without an impact and immediately if subjected to impact. I could understand about replacing if helmet "hit the road" but do they really wear that much in a five year period? I planned on using my full face helmet during this upcoming ride but, although it feels and looks brand new, it is closer to 7 or 8 years old. Any opinions???

[MaximPhil]

While we are on the subject of helmets, I just bought a new one (3/4+ shield for around town) and the salesperson said helmets need to be replaced every five years without an impact and immediately if subjected to impact. I could understand about replacing if helmet "hit the road" but do they really wear that much in a five year period? I planned on using my full face helmet during this upcoming ride but, although it feels and looks brand new, it is closer to 7 or 8 years old. Any opinions???

Hi Gale,
The helmet industry certainly would like us all to replace our helemts every 5 years. The testing labs tell us that the foam deteriorates over time.
Your description of looks and feels brand new would make me happy to continue wearing it.
Phil

[fredintoon]

I use a flip-face because of the hassle of putting a full-face on and off with glasses on and because I got a great deal on it.
About whether one should wear a helmet.
I've been riding since 1955, must have owned over 100 bikes in that time and fell off every one of them.
Always wore a helmet.
Always landed on my arse.
Helmets are a good thing.

[jwhughes3]

I use 2

Most of the time I grab a half helmet that has a flip face mask on it - allows for cruising around at low speeds and flip the mask down to get on the freeway and not worry about bugs. Wife has one too and allows her to see better.

For a long freeway trip or in colder weather we have modular flip ups with a bluetooth to talk - I feel generally a little bit more protected with the modular vs the half, but either is more protection than the ballcaps or fabric helmets that most cruiser riders around here wear - I can see riding without a helmet around the block - but to go into traffic or on roads with cars I feel very vulnerable without at least the half helmet.

John