In praise of face shields

[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) :yikes: 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 :thumbup, so it's a "no-brainer" (forgive the pun) to protect it!

 

[Wattsmyname]

Helmet

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.

:spyder2:

 

[pierrelogic]

:thumbup: 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. nojoke

 

[bikeguy]

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.

:spyder2:

I've ridden that road, George, and you're right that there is nowhere to find any shelter. I remember stopping for a short rest beside a large pile of road maintenance gravel just because it was SOMETHING. I also remember a buzzard dive bombing me on that road with a - uh - dropping. Just barely missed. Wouldn't have caused any injury but it sure would have been nasty.

And, DocRags, I also had a bird hit me in the top of the helmet once. I was on my first street bike, an RD350 Yamaha and I rode it like I was still on a dirt bike with an open face Bell helmet and goggles. The bird hit the helmet visor and I guess it just split it. Had a streak of blood over the top of the helmet and blood and feathers on the goggles. But, of course, the RD350 didn't have a windshield so that lesson didn't apply to later rides with windshields - I thought. I'm a slow learner sometimes.

Cotton

 

[Bob Denman]

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.

:yikes:
:yikes::yikes:
:yikes::yikes::yikes: I'd start using Bee repellant as a deodorant manybe! :roflblack:

 

[TuckMiddle]

Speed channal

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.

Watch one of their 30 minute segments of "Wheeled Accidents" or whatever it's called. Skateboards, motorcycles, bikes, ATV, ect. When these folks go flying, virtually 90% land head first and on the face. There is a little humor in some of them, but the 2 wheeled accidents are incredable. And of course, few wear helmets because they are so smart they don't need them.

Tuck

 

[Bob Denman]

"Dumbest Stuff on Wheels"? :roflblack: :thumbup:

 

[currin20fan]

Helmets

As a new rider, I have been reading these posts about wearing helmets. Scared the hell out of me! I do have a 3/4 helmet and a "half" helmet. In my neck of the woods, I have found the 3/4 helmet with face shield to be just too dang hot and its heavy. Makes my neck hurt after awhile. So, I wear the half helmet. It has a very small shield for the eyes which I rarely use. I need to wear perscription glasses and have found that over the glasses sunglasses work very well. BUT, now all of you have me rethinking. I don't ride the 2 wheelers nor am I a passenger on them. Don't care for them. I love my spyder. So now, the big questions is the "helmet". Any solutions for helmets that are not so dang heavy and hot? You all have made me a believer even though I do feel safe on the spyder.:helpsmilie:

 

[Bob Denman]

Well I'm glad that this thread has you thinking about options... :thumbup:
Weight and bulk of the helmets... The pricier ones are usually made out of something that is lighter, but still gives equal protection. Your best bet is to pick them up and see if you notice a difference in the weight; there's a good chance that you will.
Ventilation? You can't test them in the stores, but the more vents the better! :2thumbs: Again; you've just got to pay your dues by spending time comparing the differenct brands and models.
You also might want to keep in mind that the helmet isn't there for comfort; it's there for when the :cus: has just hit the fan and you're Guardian Angel happens to be taking a coffee break... :shocked: ATGATT! :2thumbs:

 

[spyder3]

As a new rider, I have been reading these posts about wearing helmets. Scared the hell out of me! I do have a 3/4 helmet and a "half" helmet. In my neck of the woods, I have found the 3/4 helmet with face shield to be just too dang hot and its heavy. Makes my neck hurt after awhile. So, I wear the half helmet. It has a very small shield for the eyes which I rarely use. I need to wear perscription glasses and have found that over the glasses sunglasses work very well. BUT, now all of you have me rethinking. I don't ride the 2 wheelers nor am I a passenger on them. Don't care for them. I love my spyder. So now, the big questions is the "helmet". Any solutions for helmets that are not so dang heavy and hot? You all have made me a believer even though I do feel safe on the spyder.:helpsmilie:

I'm a rookie also, but I won't wear anything but full protection no matter how hot it is. When i cheat, its with the pants, I wear jeans for a very short trip to store only. Other than that its ATGATT.

I wear a schuberth flip-up which has a really nice sunshade built in along with internal communications. Is it hot? Yes. Heavy? Its one of the lighter flip-ups according to schuberth. But still you know its there. Do i feel safe wearing it. YES

So, if it comes down to safe vs hot. Thats your decision.:lecturef_smilie:

 

[zrc]

:joke: Call your local gym and hit up a PT for some neck exercises! ~~ :joke:

In all seriousness, I wear a FF helm because the first one I had after re-purchasing a bike was a gift from a friend, and I was going to go to something smaller, and on my FIRST ride out on my spyder I got the middle above the visor marked up by a healthy sized rock thrown from an 18 wheeler, and that was pretty much that, easily coulda marked up my pretty face

I am considering a half helm for riding on the beach or trolling through town, but I tend to end up pushing all speed limits wherever I am, so FF is the answer for my insanity.

I rode in FL with no helmet at PCB for new years, and I liked it, but its not me I am worried about it, its all the other mentally challenged / preoccupied drivers in this world that terrify me.

 

[bikeguy]

As a new rider, I have been reading these posts about wearing helmets. Scared the hell out of me! I do have a 3/4 helmet and a "half" helmet. In my neck of the woods, I have found the 3/4 helmet with face shield to be just too dang hot and its heavy. Makes my neck hurt after awhile. So, I wear the half helmet. It has a very small shield for the eyes which I rarely use. I need to wear perscription glasses and have found that over the glasses sunglasses work very well. BUT, now all of you have me rethinking. I don't ride the 2 wheelers nor am I a passenger on them. Don't care for them. I love my spyder. So now, the big questions is the "helmet". Any solutions for helmets that are not so dang heavy and hot? You all have made me a believer even though I do feel safe on the spyder.:helpsmilie:

First, I wasn't trying to convince anyone to wear a full face helmet or, for that matter, a helmet at all. What others wear or don't wear is their business, not mine. I was honestly surprised that a rock managed to come over the windshield and hit my face shield. Just thought that possibility might be something that others might want to know.

I don't claim to know much about helmets, just what feels comfortable to me. Bajaron probably knows more about helmets and can offer more advice on them than anyone on this forum. He has Arai helmets for sale at very good prices and they don't get better than Arais. I will say this, my Shoei Multitec is one of the few helmets I've owned that I feel comfortable wearing all day long. It's not the lightest helmet around by any means but it fits me well and has good ventilation. It is almost as comfortable to wear as my Shoei open face. The shield can be cracked open just a touch to let in a little more air on hot days while still being securely closed. I would agree with Bob Denman about trying out various helmets for weight and asking others about ventilation. Finally, bad as I hate to say it, like many other things you get what you pay for espcially when it comes to comfort. I know from experience. I've tried most of the cheap brands.

Cotton

 

[Bob Denman]

:shocked: You're absolutely right! BajaRon should have been dragged ino this discussion a long time ago!
What was I thinking?? pps:

 

[spyder3]

:shocked: You're absolutely right! BajaRon should have been dragged ino this discussion a long time ago!
What was I thinking?? pps:

probably the same thing i was thinking...:dontknow:

 

[currin20fan]

Helmet

:joke: Call your local gym and hit up a PT for some neck exercises! ~~ :joke:

In all seriousness, I wear a FF helm because the first one I had after re-purchasing a bike was a gift from a friend, and I was going to go to something smaller, and on my FIRST ride out on my spyder I got the middle above the visor marked up by a healthy sized rock thrown from an 18 wheeler, and that was pretty much that, easily coulda marked up my pretty face

I am considering a half helm for riding on the beach or trolling through town, but I tend to end up pushing all speed limits wherever I am, so FF is the answer for my insanity.

I rode in FL with no helmet at PCB for new years, and I liked it, but its not me I am worried about it, its all the other mentally challenged / preoccupied drivers in this world that terrify me.

I like the neck exercise idea. I will definitely look into this.

 

[Bob Denman]

That sounds like work... :shocked: You might find that after a bit of an "adjustment period", the needed muscles will get the message and get on board with the program on their own... :thumbup:

 

[Mr. White]

When I started riding in 1948 on a scooter with a washing maching engine, there were few motorcycles where I lived. (Southern Illinois) None of the Harley guys wore helmets. One reason, there weren't any that I remember....I worked summer months at the coal mine and wore a "hard hat" as it was the rule. My Father said "You need some protection on your head when riding that thing"....so I got a football helmet and away I went. Lots of laughs however, but I cared less.

I have always worn a helmet. Many miles without a windshield, but mostly with one. I wear a FF as it gives me as good protection as is available and I also listen to my CB and radio. It is warm in the summer and very nice in the winter. Neck muscles sore, yeah, but after a few miles your neck muscles get stronger.

Like seat belts, which I installed in 1950 in my old Ford car. I don't get on my scoots or drive a foot with my helmet and/or my seat belt. I also wear an armor padded jacket at all times. Heavy in the cool WX and venelated in the warm WX. Does it get hot in south Texas...sometimes....we only had 48 days of 100+ last year....down from 58 days the year before.

Should your wear a helmet? Hey, that is up to you. Rant over....

:spyder2:

 

[Trickie Dick]

As a new rider, I have been reading these posts about wearing helmets. Scared the hell out of me! I do have a 3/4 helmet and a "half" helmet. In my neck of the woods, I have found the 3/4 helmet with face shield to be just too dang hot and its heavy. Makes my neck hurt after awhile. So, I wear the half helmet. It has a very small shield for the eyes which I rarely use. I need to wear perscription glasses and have found that over the glasses sunglasses work very well. BUT, now all of you have me rethinking. I don't ride the 2 wheelers nor am I a passenger on them. Don't care for them. I love my spyder. So now, the big questions is the "helmet". Any solutions for helmets that are not so dang heavy and hot? You all have made me a believer even though I do feel safe on the spyder.:helpsmilie:

Web Bike World has just about all you would want to know about helmets. There is a listing of weights, sizes, full face, open face, halfs, etc. There are also reviews of several hundred helmets. http://www.webbikeworld.com/
This is good place to start.