Helmets

[Questions]

Hello folks,

I am a soon to be Spyder owner when I return from deploying. I have been lurking this site for the past couple months and have been extremely informed with all the good and not so good things about the Spyder. Thank you all for the info.

I havent been on a bike for a number of years and helmet technology has obviously grown by leap and bounds. I am undecided as to what type to get. I am leaning towards a modular type..much easier to lift up so the cop at the gate can ID me. And I read they provide a bit more ventilation. But then I have read they have an issue where if you were to have an accident they can lift up..Not Good. A full face, of course would not have that issue, but I live in Texas and its hot as Hades in the summer. Soooo...my question is..What helmet do you wear and why?

Once again, thanks for all the good info you all have posted on this site.

Jay

 

[BajaRon]

Hello folks,

I am a soon to be Spyder owner when I return from deploying. I have been lurking this site for the past couple months and have been extremely informed with all the good and not so good things about the Spyder. Thank you all for the info.

I havent been on a bike for a number of years and helmet technology has obviously grown by leap and bounds. I am undecided as to what type to get. I am leaning towards a modular type..much easier to lift up so the cop at the gate can ID me. And I read they provide a bit more ventilation. But then I have read they have an issue where if you were to have an accident they can lift up..Not Good. A full face, of course would not have that issue, but I live in Texas and its hot as Hades in the summer. Soooo...my question is..What helmet do you wear and why?

Once again, thanks for all the good info you all have posted on this site.

Jay

welcome

Hope your "Lurking" days are over!

I am a full face helmet wearer. I like high protection with low weight. These priorities are fullfilled best in a full face helmet. Modular helmets are more convenient but heavier and give less protection (though a well made modular should not come open in an accident).

There are plenty of modular lovers here and this design certainly has some advantages over 3/4 open face and full face helmets. You always give something up to get something. So your priorities will make your decision for you.

I am sure you'll get a lot of great advise from this bunch.

Good luck on your helmet selection and happy riding!

 

[NancysToy]

Buy one that fits, and that you try on first. I would not buy my first helmet mail-order.

 

[M2Wild]

Should alway try it on in person before buying. Full is safer than half or cap. Most people buy for its look and functionality. Adquate vent is important if it gets hot. DOT approved Snell rated is a must. It's your head (and you only got one) so don't skimp on $$$. Buy something comfortable that you want to wear it all the time. But if you are just tooting around town, a skull cap might be enough.

I am sure our resident helmet guru Motad will chim in at some point.

 

[scudrunner]

We got the Scorpion EXO-900. Transformer modular. The chin part raises up (easier to get on) and it can be removed and used as a 3/4 helmet. A little heavier than full face, but I haven't found them to be uncomfortable. The chin piece seems to lock in place pretty well. Good features including a smoke visor that pulls down in either the 3/4 or full face. The only thing I need now is an oxygen mask!

 

[BajaRon]

Should alway try it on in person before buying. Full is safer than half or cap. Most people buy for its look and functionality. Adquate vent is important if it gets hot. DOT approved Snell rated is a must. It's your head (and you only got one) so don't skimp on $$$. Buy something comfortable that you want to wear it all the time. But if you are just tooting around town, a skull cap might be enough.

I am sure our resident helmet guru Motad will chim in at some point.

I don't believe that any of the Modular helmets are Snell rated.

Actually, there is a lot of good data showing that a Snell rated helmet causes greater brain injury than a DOT only rated helmet. in other words, your Snell helmet may hold up better in an accident but your head will not.

Snell ratings were developed (and are still heavily influenced) by the auto racing industry. What is good for the goose is not necessarily good for the gander in this case.

I have not researched the new 2010 Snell motorcycle helmet requirements yet. There may be some improvement for the MC rider with their latest requiremnts because there has been a lot of heat put on Snell to make a legitmante separate standard for MC helmets to improve safety.

The Snell standard makes the helmet harder shelled. While a harder shell may sound good it does not give added protection to a MC rider (real world). In fact it reduces protection because more impact is transferred to the head/brain with a Snell rated helmet than a DOT only helmet.

Unfortunately, marketing (Snell has done a great job here) has convinced the majority that "Snell is a must". This has forced manufacturers to bow to the will of the consumer even though it makes the helmet more expensive, heavier and less safe.

There are some very good quality DOT only helmets out there and I would not hesitate to purchase one if it fulfills all your other needs.

 

[retired1]

Helmet?

I've owned several helmets and now use an AGV Miglia modular. Before I bought it I found and tried one on at a dealer and then bought it off the 'net, saving substantial $$$. It works well for me. I wear glasses and found it impossible to put a full coverage helmet on with them on, and still have it fit tight enough. When I stop I just flip it up and fuel and don't have to take it off to take a drink or speak clearly etc. For me , the modular style gives me the most protection and convenience of any other helmet offered. Just my opinion!

 

[Gordy]

I couldnt have said it better:2thumbs:

 

[scudrunner]

I wear glasses and found it impossible to put a full coverage helmet on with them on,

My sentiments exactly. My wife also has a titanium bracket in her neck, finds it difficult at best to put on a full face.
And no, they are NOT SNELL approved. But I believe (as BajaRon hit on) that it's the inside of the helmet that is going to provide the most protection and hopefully the outside will absorb impact by shedding parts.

 

[TonyMac]

Welcome :spyder:Lover!

If you live near San Antonio, I would highly recommend Moto Liberty on 281 just north of Bitters (there's also another in Dallas). They are a real motorcycle accessory shop and they will spend the necessary time to help you find the right helmet that fits.

I had been wearing a modular HJC helmet that was XXL and when I went to Moto Liberty, they measured my head and found out I should be wearing a Large. That is 2 sizes too big and a real safety hazard.

I wound up buying a full face Arai and I really love it. It fits like an old shoe and is very comfortable. The ventilation is excellent even in this God awful Texas heat. I would take safety over convenience any day.

I also wear glasses and found many helmets difficult to use with them, especially the light thin frames I wear, but the new Arai as special slots that get the glasses on with really no problems at all.

 

[Prense01]

Welcome :spyder:Lover!

If you live near San Antonio, I would highly recommend Moto Liberty on 281 just north of Bitters (there's also another in Dallas). They are a real motorcycle accessory shop and they will spend the necessary time to help you find the right helmet that fits.

I had been wearing a modular HJC helmet that was XXL and when I went to Moto Liberty, they measured my head and found out I should be wearing a Large. That is 2 sizes too big and a real safety hazard.

I wound up buying a full face Arai and I really love it. It fits like an old shoe and is very comfortable. The ventilation is excellent even in this God awful Texas heat. I would take safety over convenience any day.

I also wear glasses and found many helmets difficult to use with them, especially the light thin frames I wear, but the new Arai as special slots that get the glasses on with really no problems at all.

Which model Arai? My wife wears glasses, and she has a tough time putting them on after donning a helmet.

Chris :doorag:

 

[Smylinacha]

Hi! In warm weather I wear a little shorty - pretty much next to nothing and we do not have a helmet law here in CT. When it's cold I was wearing a 3/4 but I looked too much like Kazoo so i switched to a modular full face. I just don't like the weight of helmets. I got a Zamp which is very light and fits me well but I'd rather wear my shorty.

I like the modular so I can put it up to breath and feel less constricted.

 

[Arachnid]

This is the Blade Helmet.
I have found this to be a great compromise You can get them in several colors and dif. shields. I think Lamont has one. I have a batch of different helmets which I wear at different times of the year. ie. full face modular in the winter and shorty in the hot summer. And this in between.
Hope this helps.
By the way ----- Welcome Aboard!
Mike

 

[BajaRon]

My sentiments exactly. My wife also has a titanium bracket in her neck, finds it difficult at best to put on a full face.
And no, they are NOT SNELL approved. But I believe (as BajaRon hit on) that it's the inside of the helmet that is going to provide the most protection and hopefully the outside will absorb impact by shedding parts.

It is a bit difficult to put glasses on with a full face helmet (and impossible to put the helmet on with glasses in place). I just deal with it because the few seconds it takes me to put glasses on is well worth the many hours of reduced helmet weight on my head.

The helmet absorbs impact by crushing. The stiffer/harder shell required by Snell inhibits this crushing action which transfers more force to the head/brain. The idea is to get maximim helmet sacrifice and minimum energy transferred to the head.

As a general rule, DOT only helmets get the job done better than Snell rated helmets.

 

[Questions]

Thanks for all the info!!

I am currently stationed at Dyess AFB in Abilene Tx. This place is on the outskirts of the desert so it heats up pretty good during the summer months...heck, and fall too! I am not so concerned with weight as I am with ventilation. Deploying as much as I do to some "hot spots", figuratively and literally, I am not a stranger to heat. There is a motorcycle shop in town, but they never seem to be open when I go past, so my other option is Wamart. My eye has been on that Scorpion EXO-900 modular, since it provides so many options. I see that it is DOT approved, but I dont see SNELL associated with that. Am I missing something there? I also that it is ECE approved. I know that Europe has some tough standards. Whenever I see some that is TUV it has to be good. But, like it has been stated above...I only have one head in a lifetime...so I better protect it!!

 

[G-Man]

This is the Fulmer AF 9B. Lightweight, DOT Approved, SNELL constructed. Full view faceshield and built in sun visor. Not as costrophobic as a full face, or as top heavy as a modular when the front is up. Great helmet.

 

[scudrunner]

My eye has been on that Scorpion EXO-900 modular, since it provides so many options.

As I mentioned in a previous posting, they are not SNELL. I don't think the modular helmets would meet Snell requirements no matter how hard they made them. But they are versatile. You can remove the jaw portion and put the included visor on to make it a 3/4. Also has a bladder in the neck collar you can pump up to fit better and cut out some of the outside noise.

 

[bikeguy]

If you live near San Antonio, I would highly recommend Moto Liberty on 281 just north of Bitters (there's also another in Dallas). They are a real motorcycle accessory shop and they will spend the necessary time to help you find the right helmet that fits.

I agree. It's really hard to find a place where the staff knows and understands helmets. And helmets are much harder to fit properly than most people (and salesmen) realize. Most people wear a helmet that is too large and is still uncomfortable. The Moto Liberty staff are as good as you'll find.

Cotton

 

[BajaRon]

Modular helmets cannot meet Snell requirements because of their flip-up design so you aren't going to find any that have the Snell sticker.

The ECE standard is better suited to MC helmets than the Snell rating. It is tougher than the DOT rating. Instead of concentrating on exterior penetration (as Snell does) the ECE standard is more heavily weighted towards the helmets ability to absorb impact and protect the brain. This is a much more important aspect to a MC rider.

 

[2manycars]

A further Helmet question

I have owned so many helmets I lost track. I like a modular helmet and can not find one that fits comfortably,

The Shark Evoline is close-though it is a bit tight in the forehead-it is however the only one with enough room for my chin and a microphone. The thing also weighs a ton-and feels it after a long ride.

The N43 Nolan is OK-though the chin bar makes it too tight for a microphone, and though the sides fit, I always end up with a red mark on my forehead, that I am constantly adjusting it for ear comfort.

Here is a list of what I have tried-all modular

Nolan-N43, N102, N103
HJC- Sy Max
Nexx-X30
Vemar Jiano
Shark Evoline
Shoei Multitec
KBC-FFR

I think that covers them all. I have owned many of them, and tried on the rest.

The difficulty is that you need to mail order the helmet and do not know until it arrives how the fit will be. I even tried a helmet from England-they have so many nicer looking and better choices than the DOT ones. It was the wrong size, and by the time I paid for customs, and the return postage it cost me a fortune.

Virtually every dealer within driving/riding distance carries the Shoie or the HJC brand.

I need a helmet with a long front to back length. If the N43 had a larger chinbar-and I do not know why the chin bar comes in a one size fits all, or i would simply order a larger chin-bar.

I wear an XL as a rule and like the idea of an integral sunshield (flip down).

I welcome any and all suggestions regarding manufacturer and where to order.

As always thanks for everyones input.