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Motorcycle Helmet Survey

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I know that there are many times that a helmet saves injuries, however IMHO, there are probably an equal number of times that you would be better off without one, however they go unreported. The human body is awfully resilliant.

It's all a matter of perspective.

I'm a 58 year old RN. Over the course of my career as a nurse I have cared for and witnessed countless trauma victims. Many of them were on motorcycles when they were injured.

It has been my impression that the human body is awfully fragile - especially the brain. Life is a fleeting thing. I never ride without a helmet, even in states where they are not required.
 
My helmet, always on.

Been riding just over 30 years.

Low sided in a hot right hander when I ran over some spilled diesel fuel sloshed on an exit ramp that I like to hot run through. I mean used to like, that was 15 yr ago.
R100RS slid out and slamed me on my right side. Shoei abraded & flat spotted right rear just behind my ear.
Me OK,rode away after some tlc to the bike and flipping a valve cover over.

April 2008. Ran down from behind by a Honda Civic texting driver. Imprint of my bike plate in the hood 2' up from the radiator. Bike launched out from under me into the PU truck I had stopped behind. I had a 1/4 second to look left, no go semi truck passing, curb on right. Then it was lights out!
HJC CL15 was smashed & flat spotted the size of a softball on the back right dead center.
Bike totaled, I walked away. Pants & jacket, gloves & boots all worked. I needed rehab three weeks later when I could not get the soreness to go away. That worked great.

I've seen some dog aweful stuff out there in all those years.
Just out side Mt. Rushmore. HD's down, girl kneeling over her dead or almost dead SO. Her all bloodied and screaming, him on back, face straight to the sky, that's not right, his ears are almost touching the pavement? The crimson spread said the rest.
Had a co-worker get drunk and wind it up tight. Missed a wee little bend in the road. The open culvert pipe ate his ankle & most of his foot. His freaking bike lunched into the air and came down in a corn field over 200ft away like it was dropped out of a plane. No helmet, not a scratch on his head, but he's fooked anyway.

Your all riders out there. Draw your own conclusions & do what you can live with.
 
Arai full face

I have been fortunate but a friend was rear ended at a stop light earlier this year. He was wearing a Shubert flip up helmet which was about 2 months old at the time of the crash.

At impact, the flip up part broke off. That accident influence the purchase of my helmet and two riding partners who all wore flip ups. A full face is a lot less convenient than a flip up especially when you need to wear glasses. It is also more difficult to talk to each other at traffic lights.

I live 2 miles from the Pennsylvania border where it is legal to go without head protection but never took advantage of that. In the end, your brain is fragile when it comes to impact (retired heavy weight boxers tend to disappear from sight for a reason).

I don't want my wife spoon feeding and changing my diapers just yet.
 
Latest edition of MCN rates flip-faced lids. My Shoei Multitech didn't fare so well. Looks like I'll be replacing it with a HJC Sy-Max 2, which was the highest rated lid and sounds like a great helmet!
 
Arai XD

Took a major smack on the side and busted off the front chin vent molding, so there must have some frontal impact, too.

I went to this helmet after making the decision not to wear flip-ups anymore.

While it really didn't look like the EPS foam was crushed at all, i didn't want to take chances, so i replaced it with the same model.

ian
 
To me it's all about comfort. As long as it's Snell and DOT rated.

You'll NEVER see Snell approve a flip-face helmet. They say the latching mechanism and hinge assembly makes the helmet inherently unsafe.

I prefer the convenience of a flip-faced helmet too much to trade it in on a rigid full-faced helmet.
 
But Arai makes a Classic helmet that is open face that is Snell approved.

I think it is that they have not established any standards for a flip-up.
 
I did some research on Snell's website. The only mention I find is from 2001 where they say there are no Snell approved flip helmets because no manufacturers have submitted any for testing.

I can't believe that's still the case nine years later, but that's what Snell's website says.

The Arai "Classic" is an open-face helmet - not a flip-face helmet. Perhaps Snell's issue is that you know what you're getting with an open-faced helmet (no front impact protection) but riders using a flip-faced helmet expect the same level of protection as that provided by a conventional full-faced helmet.
 
You'll NEVER see Snell approve a flip-face helmet. They say the latching mechanism and hinge assembly makes the helmet inherently unsafe.

I don't know who "they" are but "they" are incorrect. There is already a Snell 2005 approved flip up, the Zeus 3000. Might not be Snell approved in all sizes.
 
I don't know who "they" are but "they" are incorrect. There is already a Snell 2005 approved flip up, the Zeus 3000. Might not be Snell approved in all sizes.

Never heard of Zeus before. A web search turns up mighty few shopping options, and most of 'em are eBay. Seems they don't have much of a presence in the U.S. Their website is barely in English, and doesn't list any U.S. dealers. The Korean and Chinese manufacturers have much better marketing departments than does Zeus!
 
A web search turns up mighty few shopping options, and most of 'em are eBay. Seems they don't have much of a presence in the U.S. Their website is barely in English, and doesn't list any U.S. dealers. The Korean and Chinese manufacturers have much better marketing departments than does Zeus!

All true. It doesn't negate the fact that a Snell approved modular helmet exists, contrary to popular belief. Assuming the manufacturer isn't lying.
 
'87 Crash on '73 Shovelhead (H-D)

I was riding down my rather long driveway thinking what a nice day it was for the end of November (upstate NY). It was cold but I had long johns under Levis and leather chaps. As I approached the road I gave a quick look to the right and then to the left. My brain gave the all clear and without coming to a stop, I rolled into the lane I had to cross to make the left turn. Much to my chagrin, there to my immediate left was a 70s vintage Chrysler (no plastic/all steel). I immediately went into a fetal position. Shift lever pierced arch of left foot, left knee caved in gas tank, fractured femur above knee, tore medial lateral ligaments. Went airborne. Was wearing half shell that came off on impact, hit pavement with head. Had scuff mark on the top of my head down to the skull. If I weren't Polish, I wouldn't be here today. Also fractured L4, broke left clavicle and totaled the bike. Current ride is an '86 K100RS and helmet is a Nolan N90.:banghead
 
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