In praise of face shields

[bikeguy]

I've been riding bikes for a long time and for most of that time I wore an open face helmet whether on dirt or on the street. On dirt I wore goggles but on the street I usually just wore sunglasses or prescription lenses because, after all, I was behind a windshield. What was going to hit me in the face? Well, today I found out.

I got my first full face (well, modular) helmet about 5 years ago and I'm on my second now, a Shoei Multitec. Today I was behind and gaining on an oilfield tanker truck at about 70 MPH, just getting ready to pass it on a 2 lane road. A rock came off the truck's tire and it's trajectory was just right to come over the top of the windshield and hit my face shield hard enough to gouge a pretty good spot on it. Though it didn't hurt, I really felt the impact. The windshield was all the way down but I'm short so I was still looking through it, not over it. Though I've had a few bugs fly in from the side and hit me I never expected a rock, or anything else, to be able to get past the windshield and hit me in the head but this one sure did.

I'm really glad I had the shield on and it was closed. I'm also glad to find out that a hit as hard as that one scarred the Shoei's shield but didn't break it. From where the rock hit, I don't think I would have had an eye injury or anything really serious but I could definitely have lost a tooth and would have undoubtedly been sore for some time. Got my attention. I still have a really nice Shoei open face helmet that I sometimes wore on hot summer days. I won't be doing that anymore.

Cotton

[spyder-dude]

Glad your ok. Yeah I wonder how a lot of the harley guys with no wind shields and half helmets do it. I got hit by a bug once in the face and now almost always where a shield....escpecially when on the highway. I have a stone mark in one of my shoei helmets on the top....it left a pretty big chip.

[boborgera]

He who rides without a face shield has no respect for his face.

[NancysToy]

I used to ride with a 3/4 (open-face) helmet when behind a big windshield. In 2004 I crashed my BMW, and took a full face plant into a farmer's field. I happened to be wearing a full-face helmet only because it was very cold outside that day. That saved my face, and probably my life, as I was knocked unconscious for four hours as it was. I have not worn an open helmet since, except for parades. You never know what will happen...best to prepare for the unexpected.

[Blue Star]

When I went down in 2006 on my two-wheeler my helmet was scrapped all along the eye opening on the left side. While I don't remember the slide, that scrap tells me a slid on my face, or at least my left side, some distance. I was glad it was my helmet, and not my face.

[ARtraveler]

I wont ryde my motorcycles without face shields either. You just never know when something bad will happen. Better safe than sorry is my motto.

[arntufun]

I wear a full face 100% of the time for two reasons.

1. My contacts for my eyes would dry out in 5 minutes if I didn't.
2. So I do not need a high windshield on my Spyder.

[Ga Blue Knight]

I wear wrap around safety glasses that I got at work that look like Oakley's with my face shield equipped 3/4 helmet. But always wear a full face helmet if I am going on the interstate or long trips. My Spyder is an RS but has the 25" touring shield which I can see over. I find that the constant wind on an unprotected face can be tiring as well.

[gypsy_100]

When my wife and I were on our annual PA to west coast ride last June on the Gold Wing, we were on the back roads of OR/WA and hit a deer at a full 55 mph. My wife suffered a mild concussion in spite of her Arai full-face helmet. Without it, she'd be a goner. At some point we both slid with our faces dragging on the pavement as is proven by one look at our face shields and surrounding helmet. All I can think of is what my face would look like if it had done the sliding instead. "All the gear, all the time." Period. We basically walked away (after an ambulance ride and 3 hrs in the emergency room getting checked out). Due to 1) being very lucky; and 2) full high-quality gear from top to bottom. Never ride without it.

[dancogan]

When my wife and I were on our annual PA to west coast ride last June on the Gold Wing, we were on the back roads of OR/WA and hit a deer at a full 55 mph. My wife suffered a mild concussion in spite of her Arai full-face helmet. Without it, she'd be a goner. At some point we both slid with our faces dragging on the pavement as is proven by one look at our face shields and surrounding helmet. ...

I still remember from my MSF class: the instructor told us the vast majority of accidents result in head contact with the ground, and the vast majority of those are face plants. We always wear full face helmets.

[Bob Denman]

Face shields keep the June Bugs at bay. Never mind the serious stuff; ride through a swarm of them once and you'll never forget it!
ATGATT!

[spyder3]

I wear a full face (modular) shield and sun visor down all the time. This way all the pretty women can't tell what I look like....and thats a good thing!

I guess its safer to, my wife can't see my roaming eyes!

[tofriendscreek]

A small group of us were on our way to Lamont's and Maggie Valley last June. We were cruising toward a construction area on I-65 approaching the bridge across the Ohio River. We had slowed down in anticipation when in an instant a rock or small piece of concrete hit my visor. The hit caused my head to snapback. The impact was hard enough to break the hinge of the visor where it attaches to the helmet. The visor didn't break. I had to hold it in place till we could find a place to pull off. The very noticeable mark on the visor was in line with my left eye. I thanked the Lord over and over for safety gear and His protection. Amen.


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[Bob Denman]

I wear a full face (modular) shield and sun visor down all the time. This way all the pretty women can't tell what I look like....and thats a good thing!

I guess its safer to, my wife can't see my roaming eyes!

So I guess that a visor can life your life in many different ways!

[Yfactor]

My son's helmet after 70 mph laydown on the freeway.

100_1579.jpg

[spyder3]

My son's helmet after 70 mph laydown on the freeway.

100_1579.jpg

Wow, if you need to see more than that to wear a helmet...

[chickridin]

I'm so glad to hear the outcome was a good one! I have a Harley half helmet that I LOVE and used to wear in the warm weather but, since I've been riding my Spyder, and although I do have a tall windshield, it seems I get hit in the face with just about everything from bugs to stones. I have another helmet, a 3/4 with a full shield, that I now wear at all times. I've thanked that helmet many times!

[thehawk]

Wow, if you need to see more than that to wear a helmet...

Years ago someone said (may have been Roger Hull of MCN) if you have a $10 head, wear a $10 helmet. Pretty well sums it up IMHBAO.

thehawk

[vampyregirl]

Face shields keep the June Bugs at bay. Never mind the serious stuff; ride through a swarm of them once and you'll never forget it!
ATGATT!

Those are a summer tradition around here too!!! I've had numerous bugs stuck to my face shield!!! YUCK!!!

Got hit in the head (while wearing my full face helmet) with a rock once. Scared the hell out of me!!! Probably would have caused a cut without the helmet, I think!!! I always wear gloves as well. Got hit in the hand with a stone. That kind of stung a bit!!

[ARtraveler]

I mentioned this in a thread long long ago.

I also learned the hard way, to keep the jacket zipped up and the collar closed.

While riding my 750 Hondamatic--no windshield--I drove through a swarm of bees out in the country and a whole bunch of them ended up down my shirt. Fortunately, I am not allergic to bee stings--but they sure did hurt. I pulled over to the side of the road very quickly, and I must have been a sight as I was pounding on my chest trying to kill them.

[DocRags]

ERags had a bird fly into his helmet shield while we were on the interstate awhile back...sure did make a loud noise and scared the heck out of me (probably him, too, if he was honest) Knocked his face shield off the hinge on one side. Afterwards, we were both discussing what a 2-wheel motorcycle rider with no helmet on would have ended up looking like since there was no warning the bird was coming prior to the "clunk." We always wear helmets/shields even though Florida doesn't have a helmet law...the most expensive thing on the bike is your brain (well, maybe not HIS ), so it's a "no-brainer" (forgive the pun) to protect it!

[Wattsmyname]

That was a classic Bell Helmet ad from the 1970's I do believe,

Years ago someone said (may have been Roger Hull of MCN) if you have a $10 head, wear a $10 helmet. Pretty well sums it up IMHBAO.

thehawk

[thehawk]

That was a classic Bell Helmet ad from the 1970's I do believe,

That sounds about right. They were the leaders around that time.

thehawk

[Mr. White]

Hey, Bikeguy...a couple of years ago, my bunch were riding to Big Bend from San Antonio. We hit a hail storm....heavy hail and NO where to seek shelter...we were west of Sanderson. Big trouble. I have worn a FF helmet for years. Some of my buddies had 1/2 and 3/4 helmets on. We have windshields but some of the guys had painful face damage due to the hail.

[pierrelogic]

I used to ride with a 3/4 (open-face) helmet when behind a big windshield. In 2004 I crashed my BMW, and took a full face plant into a farmer's field. I happened to be wearing a full-face helmet only because it was very cold outside that day. That saved my face, and probably my life, as I was knocked unconscious for four hours as it was. I have not worn an open helmet since, except for parades. You never know what will happen...best to prepare for the unexpected.

Man Scotty. Face plant? Someone as looking out for you that day.