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Transporting helmets on plane

bws1bfd

New member
Howdy, folks. We're going on a tour in June to Spain. I'm curious how other folks carry their helmets on planes. Is there a particularly good, padded helmet bag that I could use as carry-on? We never have much carry-on luggage, so a helmet bag won't take the place of something else. Riding suits go in a checked backpack. I'm reluctant to commit the helmets to the good will of the baggage busters.

bws
 
I just carried mine in small bag that came with the helmet. Threw it up in the over-head. No problems at all.
 
I've done it both ways. Going to Africa we packed riding gear in a big duffel bag with jackets, gloves, and pants surrounding the helmets. Everything survived. (I knew there was a reason I kept my Air Force duffel bag when I got out of the Air Force 35 years ago.) When I went to Spain I just carried the helmet in a helmet bag.
 
Just back from a few weeks riding in New Zealand..

Wore the boots, jacket, and carried the helmet on the plane. Boots come off; jacket and helmet go to the overhead..ear plugs automatically go in when I buckle up. All the clothes and "stuff" in the checked luggage.

Same with trips to Australia and Europe. Never a problem..even though I'm bringing back a new System V on each trip :bolt .
 
Recently used my BMW case liners ( olive green ones) However, My Nolan 102 would NOT fit in the overheads. tried open,shut sideways,etc.
The flight attendant put it in her locker up front...and I remembered it exiting...with her help!
 
Also I would recommend calling your airline as to whether or not they will allow it. When they say yes, ask if you can get that in writing. I have had a few challenges on the same airline, the flight attendant says no - the airline says yes. The captain came out, looked at the document and said it was okay.

I either use a backpack that has a helmet cradler in it. I forget the company of it, and the bag is not real indicative.

I have also checked a helmet in my luggage with it padded in my riding suit and a nice little note to the TSA checker.
 
heated liner

What do you do with a heated liner or vest?

Packed it's got to look strange going through the x ray and wearing it could cause a real mess at the screening line.

jason
 
I put all my riding gear in another case liner..and GASP ...took a chance on checking it...Just hoped it would be on the carousel at destination. I assumed they would freak with all the wires of heated clothing if I had it in carry-on and did not want any more than the usual hassles.
I had thought about UPS'ng it all to location, but I paid for luggage shipping already with the airline!
 
I'm curious how other folks carry their helmets on planes. Is there a particularly good, padded helmet bag that I could use as carry-on?

DOWCO, the same people that make quality motorcycle covers, make very nice helmet bags and they're a bargain. They're a heavy duty nylon zippered outer shell with carrying straps and a soft fake lambswool interior.

Riding suits go in a checked backpack. I'm reluctant to commit the helmets to the good will of the baggage busters.

I've never checked my riding gear. My helmet, Aerostich suit, kidney belt and gloves always come on board with me. The helmet in a carry bag; the other riding gear in a nylon shell back pack. Motorcycle gear is stuff you can't afford to lose or it'll screw up your riding vacation, at least the first few days of it.
 
ON recent trip to Brazil, I check my helmet with the luggage; this is how I secured it.

First, I removed all the pads from my riding suit; I placed all the gloves, socks and soft things in the helmet. I lined the helmet outside with the riding suit pads and then I place in a large clear plastic vacuum bags sold at many retail stores. I vacuumed out all the airreally compacted it, protected the helmet and held the pads in place. In the suitcase, I surrounded the helmet bags with my boots.

Did the same for the riding suit, packing all the other soft things in clear sandwich bags and place them in the boots.

Take a few extra clear sandwich zip lock bags, place loose allowed items in those bags.

Did not have a problem with the visible check and opening luggage on the return international flight.
 
The rules keep changing, but on a recent trip to Spain, I had to transit through London Heathrow. If you had more than one carry-on bag, you had exit the transit line, go to the regular check in (outside the transit area), and check any extra carry on bag. The ticket agent in San Francisco warned me and I was able to avoid any problems.

I generally pack and check my helmet and riding gear (excepting the jacket, which I wear). If my flight has more than 1 plane change, I don't check my luggage through. I collect it at the (plane change) airport. I sent all my stuff fed-x to Europe once and that was the only time I didn't gear when I was ready to ride. Sent it a month ahead of time (to Austria) and it arrived at the airport there in one week - it spent the next 3 weeks sitting around while Fed-x twiddled their thumbs and didn't deliver the package dispite traces and attempts at intervention from the agent in the US.

I have shipped electric jackets with my check in luggage with no problem. I use the special pad-locks which can be opened by the inspectors if they need to get into the bag to check something. If worse comes to worse, it's not hard to buy gear in Europe or Asia if stuff gets lost. If you carry on your helmet, you can stuff it with a good deal of "essential" other stuff. If you're going on a guided tour and your stuff doesn't arrive, the tour guides are pretty good a scouting up everything you need.

Good luck.
 
If there's any question, you can generally always ship your stuff to your destination.

I have a great Scott's gear bag that I put everything in to check, and carry my helmet on in a Stand21 helmet bag. I like it because there's a separate compartment for face shields and I put the dark one in there. There are a bunch of good helmet bags out there. The helmet carrying backpack is a good idea because you get extra storage space.

I've travelled with my helmet 4 times now and never had a problem, even internationally. (but I haven't checked in in Heathrow, although AFAIK, those restrictions have been relaxed)
 
I've travelled with my helmet 4 times now and never had a problem, even internationally. (but I haven't checked in in Heathrow, although AFAIK, those restrictions have been relaxed)

Same here. In my twelve years of touring overseas, only once did one airline state that I could only have one carry-on. I made my point and ended up with both items as carry-on.

And if there are any issues, I'll just wear my Aerostich suit till I board the plane. See, only one carry-on...my helmet.
 
Scorpion make a nice helmet bag. Reasonably priced as well.
+1

I had a cow-orker pick one up for me at Roadrider where he was buying a new helmet while on a binniz trip to the Left Coast. He brought his new helmet home in my new helmet case as carry-on without any problems. I've since used it to put my helmet in and then place inside a duffle bag surrounded by gear for trips to the Isle of Man, Costa Rica and South Korea. The Scorpion Helmet Case works great. No problems.
 
I have travelled with electronics all too often for work. I have found that packing stuff neatly and folded helps a lot. Also I do not connect wires together. So for instance the heattroller is seperate from the heated liner.
 
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