Helm of Supreme Vision...

[BEANFro Elite]

...not really, no this is not a misplaced thread about Diablo II neither is it a thread about cheating death or something silly, it is however, a thread asking a few questions about what I should be looking for in a helmet.


I'll elaborate, I decided about a few months ago that I'll be getting a 50cc moped so that I can get used to being on the road prior to me taking driving lessons and getting a full driving license and car.

My reasoning being that I'm so bloody polite, if you put me in a car, I'd take hours to drive just three miles not because I have no ability to operate a vehicle, far from it, I'd just give EVERYONE right of way...


Anyway, I've opted for an open-face helmet because to drive a vehicle legally, I need to wear glasses and also I prefer the enhanced field of vision offered by these types of helmets but its not like buying a PC or a mobile phone where you have a list of recogniseable specifications.

Brand and cost aren't also that relevant either as a recent "exposé" I found by I think it was 'Which?' or maybe the government I can't remember, revealed that some cheapish models of helmets can offer more protection than the some of the more expensive models.

I'm prepared to spend between £50 and £75, but what sort of brand of helmet do you recommend I buy chaps and possibly chappettes?


EDIT: Found it, http://sharp.direct.gov.uk/search/re...cturer&dir=asc

See, if you look at it, you have helmets that cost £60 that get a 5-star rating and some that cost £450 that only get a 4-star rating, unfortunately these only tested the full-faace helmets and not the open-faced helmets I'm interested in.

[chadders]

You can get the full-face that flips open full-face - like bike cops.

Think about open-face though, which would you prefer sliding along the tarmac face-first*?

You'll presumably be doing CBT (or whatever it is nowadays) ask them, also ask in shops, bikers tend to be alot more honest and open than car salespersons.

*and flies... also car drivers flicking cig butts out.

[Tumble]

Useless going for a particular brand/price before you go into the shop. Go in, try on - ALL of them - choose the one that fits you best - everyone's got a different head. Then look at the price tag. If you can't afford it, disregard that one and try them all on again, until you find the best fitting one you can afford. It'll take a bit of time and it may be a pain in the ass, but it is worth it - you're pretty much trusting your continued life to this thing if it goes pear shaped for whatever reason.


And remember to try em on with your specs on too - no good getting a lid you can't wear your specs with comfortably.

[kalniel]

Think about open-face though, which would you prefer sliding along the tarmac face-first*?

I've seen some open face helmets that have a metal loop extending the jawline. Could be a good compromise if safe.

[BEANFro Elite]

I'm not too sure but I'm going to nip into a few bike shops, I'll ask the owners etc. what they look for when buying a lid.

The main thing for me is how much field-of-vision the helmet provides as there's no use in having a lid that protects like theres no tomorrow but is like wearing a tunnel, lol

[Rave]

It's no problem wearing glasses with a full face helmet. The only direction in which a full face helmet restricts your vision is down- and down is where your bike is, you don't need to see that.

There's scuff on the chinbar of my helmet from when I faceplanted the ground in a minor accident. My jaw was a bit stiff for a couple of days, but my only real injuries were a couple of nasty grazes on my knee and foot (I wouldn't even have got those had I been wearing proper cordura trousers and boots). Had I been wearing an open face helmet I would at the very least have seriously cut my face; I might well have lost teeth or broken my nose, and I could even have broken my jaw.

I would strongly advise you to get a full face helmet because of that experience. Once you try one on, I'm sure you'll find that there's almost no difference in comfort or visibility.

[Betty_Swallocks]

I completely agree with Rave.
I've been riding for over 30 years and there have been a couple of occasions where, had I been wearing an open face helmet, I would have been left with some very nasty scars on my face.

If you need convincing just go outside and rub the palm of your hand swiftly along the tarmac for a foot or so. Then imagine it being 20 times faster than that and with an impact onto the road. And continuing for quite a distance.

You can easily wear glasses with a full face lid and it's no more restrictive of your vision than an open one.

Go down to your local bike shop and ask to try a few on.

[Zak33]

I shall type what the great JIFF LEMON would type, were he on HEXUS right now.

Only get a cheap helmet if you have a cheap head

And Full Face all day long.....plus you'll have a warm chin in winter!

[BEANFro Elite]

Thats some jolly good advice guys, I'm actually convinced!

I'm not going to get an open-face helmet then, after I've completed my CBT in a few weeks time I shall nip down to a few bike shops and I'll try on a load of lids.

This is the sort of advice I was after, obviously, cars and bikes are NOT my strongest subjects so thanks for not taking the piss and actually giving me some useful pointers; muchly appreciated

P.S. I'm now going to get a 125cc scooter as opposed to the 50cc I mentioned before.

"heXus: does EXACTLY what it says on the tin..."

At least it would do, if it came in a tin

[MaddAussie]

I Have a flip top lid and its great (just need the bike to go with it!), you need to try on as many as you can took me ages and about 15-20 lids to find one that i was comfortable with

[kaillum]

Only get a cheap helmet if you have a cheap head

same as my theory of "do you only put a £60 value on your head?"

I'd spend less on everything else, and get the best helmet you can afford! Look at last years models, I picked up my £400 Arai for £275 because it had last years paint scheme on..

And I've always worn glasses with it.. My current every day glasses didn't work with my helmet, so I went to specsavers and got a cheap pair of £29.99 jobbies that fitted perfectly.. got some stange looks trying on the glasses stood in Specsavers with a helmet on!