Helmet Type

[ViperRon]

I personally use a full face and if you have the money suggest one of the better quality helments. I have taken a few bad blows and the full face has saved me where I am sure I would have had face damage with a 3/4.

One thing to test is the vents for airflow it makes a big difference in keeping cool. Most have vents but many do not work well. Another thought is the color. Some colors will be much hotter in the sun if sitting still.

The other thing to look for is interior construction and foam. If it looks cheap it probably is and the thing that kills life of a helment is when the foam comes appart. I am also not sure that all foam coatings protect equally. True there are other parts of the build of the helment but check the interior for comfort and fit.

Remember also with full face it will fit your head a little tighter if you size it right. After wearing a little while it will form fit to your head a little better so if it is not a little uncomfortable in the begining it might be a little loose. If you are unsure get someone who really knows to help you. Its a shame when someone buys a high quality helment for protection and poor fit puts them at risk.

[Erik the Red]

So I'll give my warning first... I would recommend to make sure you have, at a minimum, a face shield on a 3/4 if you value the skin on your face. In our last MSF BRC, we had a student go down and that shield was the only thing that kept her chin from hitting the pavement and sliding. But it saved her a LOT of pain and grief.

To give you a visual, imagine you're standing on the side of a road, and a car is driving toward you at, say, even just 25mph. Someone in the car is holding a brick out the window & it's lined up with your face. You can guess where I'm going with this scenario... but that's what it'd feel like if you fell off your bike with no face protection at 25 mph. And you can extrapolate out to other speeds and decide for yourself if that's a risk you're willing to take.

That being said, I got a good deal on a Shoei full face and I love it. Super comfortable (fits my head shape), good ventilation, great peripheral view.

Even though it's a great helmet, a modular will probably be my next purchase just to have the convenience of a flip up.

If you go and try on some helmets, and a pricey one is the one that is the most comfortable for you, get a cheaper one now, but try putting $20 out of each paycheck into an envelope labeled 'Helmet' and by next year, you'll be able to afford that new one -unless you like the really pricey ones.

[Cuda 69]

test ride your helmet, not all sizes are the same for each brands.

[LoHo]

Hey, I am willing to part with the modular I had on when the car pulled out and totaled my bike, and would have totaled me if I'd had less than a full face on. It is in pretty good shape except for the marks on the right temple where it hit the car's bumper, and the chin and face shield where it skidded along the pavement.

I have a selection of cool helmets, including a Harleyesque donor's cap, which I love to wear unless there's a chance I could be in a wreck. So if you know the ride will be incident free, wear what you want...of course, I was commuting to work when I had my close encounter of the last kind.

[CatatonicBug]

I'm just concerned with riding this summer when the temps are over a hundred.. There just isnt enough beer to compensate for that..

Lee
(Sparks)

I'll have to disagree with that. Not the beer part, but the riding in higher temps. If you wear the right gear, the temps never get too high to ride comfortably. Yes, it can get a bit warm if you are stuck at a light, but as long as you keep moving, you'll be fine in a full-face helmet, a mesh jacket, vented gloves and jeans. The mesh jacket makes all the difference in the heat. It controls evaporation, so all your sweat doesn't just instantly dry up, and you can benefit from your body's natural cooling mechanism.

Oh, and NEVER ride with a modular helmet with the face shield flipped up! They are not designed to work that way. It's like wearing a jacket without zipping it up.

[madmax-im]

I have just retired after 5 yrs my Shoei TZ-R FF helmet...very good quality moderately priced...but not bargain basement ...you do get what you pay for up to a point...as for style of helmet...I have a new FF Shoei Qwest which is very nice...vents ok not as well as the TZ-R though. I also have a 3 year old HJC Symax2 modular. I like it very much for warmer weather riding...its a nice pearl white as well. about the only complaint i have with it that I like to ride with the face shield part open and at hwy speeds headwind buffeting always shuts the shield...constant battle if i keep my head in the wind wher I want the air...but the fit is perfect and it also has a built in sun visor that can pop down or retract by a spring action button. Overall your head is worth alot so one should not compromise on quality or style of helmet...which in my case is a reccomendation you go with a FF design.
I do haave some safety concerns when we compare a FF design to a Modular...over on another board I heard a story about a guy wearing aa Nolan N102/3 not sure which...but had a side impact right where the modular hinges are and because there is less space there between you and the helmet makes you more prone to a head injury along the temples of your head...Whereas compared to a normal FF design you dont have this space limitation so you have a more of a buffer in the same situation.
back 5 yrs ago I had a Nolan N102 but it was too heavy and it the hinge mechanism failed after about 3.5 yrs meaning it would no longer line up when you tried to close it...

[EricHa]

Like I said, the modular won't be as tough as the solid helmet like the HJC CL-16, but it's a HECK of a lot more functional realistically, and a much better option than any 3/4 or half helmet. Also, I suggest finding some place that has the type of helmet you're looking at and go try one on. I've had some really uncomfortable helmets over the years by buying blind. I mean.. every 2X helmet (Insert your size here..) fits every head, right? Everyones head is the same shape.. right? Hello? lol.

I still trust the Snell standard. If you look at some of the junk that gets DOT certification......

I do believe that a modular can provide great protection, and are far better than a 1/2 or 3/4. I just don't have any issues with a full face.

[trbig]

Mine has, the HJC CL-16. One of the least expensive helmets with both DOT and Snell 2010 safety certification.....

http://www.webbikeworld.com/r2/motor...met/hjc/cl-16/

Well there you have yet another discussion. Last I read, NO modular helmets could attain the Snell rating. That being said, there are reports that the Snell rated helmet is actually worse for a rider's head injuries. Something to do with the fact that they must sustain a much higher blunt force testing without breaking, which transfers more of that energy to the skull.. or something. Do some reading and form your own conclusions.

Like I said, the modular won't be as tough as the solid helmet like the HJC CL-16, but it's a HECK of a lot more functional realistically, and a much better option than any 3/4 or half helmet. Also, I suggest finding some place that has the type of helmet you're looking at and go try one on. I've had some really uncomfortable helmets over the years by buying blind. I mean.. every 2X helmet (Insert your size here..) fits every head, right? Everyones head is the same shape.. right? Hello? lol.

[EricHa]

Lee,

Before you spring $$, see if your choice has been reviewed by the pros.

http://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcyc...le-helmets.htm

Mine has, the HJC CL-16. One of the least expensive helmets with both DOT and Snell 2010 safety certification.....

http://www.webbikeworld.com/r2/motorcycle-helmet/hjc/cl-16/

[fredintoon]

I have filthy habits too but not that one.

- - - It is a very comfortable helmet though. Awesome for someone who chews snuff like me, just flip up the front and spit, - - -

Hi Jeff,
you are joking, right? If not, the flip front enhances your chances of surviving a bike crash at the same time as it improves your chance of contracting lip and tongue cancer from chewing snuff.

[jetmechmarty]

Lee,

Before you spring $$, see if your choice has been reviewed by the pros.

http://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcycle-helmets/motorcycle-helmets.htm

[sparks]

Thanks for the input. I found a site that sells "hawk" modular helmets for about 90 bux.. That's the route I think I'll go.. I can run down to Wally World and get a full face for 70 or 80 bux.. I'm just concerned with riding this summer when the temps are over a hundred.. There just isnt enough beer to compensate for that..

Lee
(Sparks)

[jetmechmarty]

I have an Arai full helmet, an HJC 3/4 helmet, and a Shamp 1/2 helmet. They all sit on the same shelf and one is as easy to grab as another. I like the 1/2 helmet because I like the wind in my face and when behind a fairing I can hear my surroundings much better, although with no fairing earplugs are a must. I find that more than 75% of the time the Arai full face helmet is on my head. Maybe even 90%. It gives me a better feeling of security. The biggest detractor is that it prevents one from picking their nose. Also, I have to move my head a bit to see my mirrors or clocks. Fortunately, I can not say which is better in an accident. In the times I've been down, I haven't yet scratched a helmet, but that doesn't mean I'll ride without one. I should also add that the 3/4 helmet doesn't see much use as it is quite a compromise of the other two choices. I hope this is helpful.

[trbig]

They say a modular isn't as strong as the regular full helmets in the chin-bar area, but like many others, I use one. It makes donning the helmet WAY easier. As stated, I can leave my sunglasses on when I put it on, I can lift the chin-bar to take a drink, sneeze/cough, get a little more air flow going slower speeds through town, or talk to my riding partner at stoplights. It also helps get rid of the occasional errant bug/bee that inevitably finds it's way into my helmet.

So just in case they are weaker, turn your head to the side just before impact! lol. Still going to give you better protection than the half helmet "Brain bucket".

[TADracer]

Hi Lee,
gonna get more opinions than on a tire thread with this one.

Ain't that the truth!

Choose whichever lid that fits the look and performance you want for your particular ride style. But alomst as important is the fit. Make sure you fit properly because a helmet that fits incorrectly can become a liability in a crash.