-
Welcome, Guest! We hope you enjoy the excellent technical knowledge, event information and discussions that the BMW MOA forum provides. Some forum content will be hidden from you if you remain logged out. If you want to view all content, please click the 'Log in' button above and enter your BMW MOA username and password. If you are not an MOA member, why not take the time to join the club, so you can enjoy posting on the forum, the BMW Owners News magazine, and all of the discounts and benefits the BMW MOA offers?
-
Beginning April 1st, and running through April 30th, there is a new 2024 BMW MOA Election discussion area within The Club section of the forum. Within this forum area is also a sticky post that provides the ground rules for participating in the Election forum area. Also, the candidates statements are provided. Please read before joining the conversation, because the rules are very specific to maintain civility.
The Election forum is here: Election Forum
Flying with a full face helmet
- Thread starter rwadamsidaho
- Start date
globalrider
Alps Adventurer
Man, talk about making things look over-complicated. Now I know why so many go on an organized tour. 
pglaves
#13338
When Voni and I, and our two kids then 9 and 11 were packing for our very first two-week motorcycle tour and camping trip I was concerned with bikes and parts and tools and riding gear and Voni was concerned with her stuff and the kids stuff and camping gear and miscellaneous and everything else. She was getting stressed. And then out of the mouths of babes came the following exclamation from our 9 year old daughter who was born seemingly knowing everything: "Mom, they have stores there too, you know."
So when we flew to Africa for a couple of months of touring, or to New Zealand for a couple of weeks of riding, or to Germany for Intermot, or when I went to Spain for the press unveiling of the K1200, we packed our riding gear - jackets, pants, boots, helmets, gloves, etc - in a big (former) Air Force duffel bag. We made sure it was insured for a reasonable amount and off we flew, knowing that as our 9 year old once told us, "They have stores there too, you know."
Now I do need to say that these trips were more than 10 years ago and the airlines were doing better with almost every aspect of their business back then. But still, a person can only cram so much stuff under a seat or in an overhead bin, and can only lug so much hurrying from gate to gate in Honolulu or Newark or Amsterdam.
So when we flew to Africa for a couple of months of touring, or to New Zealand for a couple of weeks of riding, or to Germany for Intermot, or when I went to Spain for the press unveiling of the K1200, we packed our riding gear - jackets, pants, boots, helmets, gloves, etc - in a big (former) Air Force duffel bag. We made sure it was insured for a reasonable amount and off we flew, knowing that as our 9 year old once told us, "They have stores there too, you know."
Now I do need to say that these trips were more than 10 years ago and the airlines were doing better with almost every aspect of their business back then. But still, a person can only cram so much stuff under a seat or in an overhead bin, and can only lug so much hurrying from gate to gate in Honolulu or Newark or Amsterdam.
classicvw
Active member
When I flew to Tennessee a few years ago to pick up my RT that I won in the Superstakes 
I put my boots in a soft tall bag and jammed my helmet over the top of the boots, zipped it all up and carried it on no problem. When I was emptying my pockets at the security area, I realized I had my Swiss Army knife on me. I quickly stuck it down one of the boots and prayed for the best. They never noticed it in the x-ray machine!
After I returned from the ride home a few days later there was a news report in the paper that said more than a dozen security people at Newark had been fired. I always wondered if they reviewed the images and saw my knife not get detected and it was because of me one or two of them were fired.
I always wondered that since you’re allowed to wear a hat while flying, could you wear your helmet as a “hat”?
I put my boots in a soft tall bag and jammed my helmet over the top of the boots, zipped it all up and carried it on no problem. When I was emptying my pockets at the security area, I realized I had my Swiss Army knife on me. I quickly stuck it down one of the boots and prayed for the best. They never noticed it in the x-ray machine! After I returned from the ride home a few days later there was a news report in the paper that said more than a dozen security people at Newark had been fired. I always wondered if they reviewed the images and saw my knife not get detected and it was because of me one or two of them were fired.
I always wondered that since you’re allowed to wear a hat while flying, could you wear your helmet as a “hat”?
gtrider
52184
Well, OTOH some LEOs consider a helmet a potential weapon so I’d put your odds at 50-50 at best.
Best,
DeVern
Survived with no issues
Well the trip is over and the packing using the file crate worked perfectly. Actually laid jacket over the top so the back protector sat on top of the helmet and all worked out great. There is no way we would have been allowed to carry them on, United was eyeing everyone going aboard as both flights were filled complete and overhead bins were maxed out. Glad we took the safe route and packed them up.
Well the trip is over and the packing using the file crate worked perfectly. Actually laid jacket over the top so the back protector sat on top of the helmet and all worked out great. There is no way we would have been allowed to carry them on, United was eyeing everyone going aboard as both flights were filled complete and overhead bins were maxed out. Glad we took the safe route and packed them up.
globalrider
Alps Adventurer
Well how would you know unless you tried. I don't have to worry about it; been doing it for 26 years and that means 104 flights. Never had an issue.
That is what bugs me too. People are too much in a rush and lazy to check their luggage that hardly fits in the overhead bins. I gave a few people **** this past summer for being ignorant. The plane cannot leave till everything is closed up and people seated.
globalrider
Alps Adventurer
Exactly why all my riding gear is "carry on"....period. Now I am there for 6+ weeks so spending a few days to find gear I like is not an issue but for riders on a 10 day organized tour, can they afford to lose gear? Imagine trying to get gear if it is lost with no time to spare and having to spend upwards of $2000 and filing a claim. Issues I do not need on vacation.
Anyway, whatever works for most people.
The_Veg
D'OH!
Just for contrast, back in 2003 I flew to pick up a bike I was buying and ride it home. Three flights to get from Dallas to Raleigh/Durham (SWA back in bad old Wright Amendment days), and I was far from an expert at air-travel back then. I packed all my gear and a change of clothes and toiletries in a cardboard box, making sure that the helmet was in the middle of all the softer stuff, taped the living crap out of the box, and checked it. The box arrived intact, and I remember walking along the sidewalk outside the terminal, talking to the bike's seller on the phone, saying look for the guy carrying a cardboard box on one shoulder.
But it worked, and being a one-way flight, I didn't have to worry about packing luggage on the bike.
But it worked, and being a one-way flight, I didn't have to worry about packing luggage on the bike.
Similar threads
