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High Viz Helmet Question

Jon

Jon

Wave to motorcycle cops
My wife an I have toured with the same make and model modular helmet for the past 18 years, always in flat silver....time for replacement. I'm considering High-Viz....does anyone have experience with the passenger having to stare a high-viz yellow 18 inches away or high-viz reflecting in the wind screen? Please let me know before I buy. Thanks.....Oh BTW I replace every 5 years.
 
I would always go for white. It is rather visible. Some studies have shown it good for being highly visible. White would be easier to look at than hi-viz, I think. My two cents.
 
I wore a Hi-Viz yellow for four years. I did not notice what I was wearing except for the odd time I caught my reflection in a window or one of my mirrors. I never ride two up, but I imagine it would be a non-issue for most people. I wear white now and think the difference in conspicuity is small if present at all.
 
Have ridden two up for 4 years and 40K miles touring the USA with HiViz orange helmets on myself and wife with no complaints but many compliments on how well they work.

I doubt she looks at the back of my head much though. Too busy looking at the scenery.
 
I have worn Hi-Viz yellow Schuberths for five or six years. Do not ride two-up so I cannot comment on a passenger staring at the back of my head, but … I have never minded seeing my own reflection in a window. I have never had a tall enough windshield for reflection to be an issue there. Mostly what I LOVE is other people telling me how visible I am to them! That, after all, is the entire purpose of Hi-Viz colors.
 
I've also ridden with BMW hi-viz yellow/lime for a couple years. No problem at all with reflections in the windshield, but does mess with the Hexhead LCD screen - but what doesn't! I have been told by riding buddies behind me that they can pick me out of traffic a mile ahead especially on dull days where there is rain and water spray.
 
White or hi-viz is the way to go, my only complaint about hi viz is that the colors tend to fade quickly
My buddy wears a hi viz helmet, easy to spot in traffic, he says the same thing about my white Schubert helmet
 
Jon said:
My wife an I have toured with the same make and model modular helmet for the past 18 years, always in flat silver....time for replacement. I'm considering High-Viz....does anyone have experience with the passenger having to stare a high-viz yellow 18 inches away or high-viz reflecting in the wind screen? Please let me know before I buy. Thanks.....Oh BTW I replace every 5 years.
Click to expand...

Currently using a Hi-Viz Arai. My last helmet was white. No complaints from the wife. Nor do I see any my reflection in the windscreen.

I have been told though that the Hi-Viz is very visible on the road. The white should be easily visible as well.
 
Schuberth C3 Pro turning darker after 2 months

akbeemer said:
My Schuberth C3 in Hi-Viz Yellow faded moderately over nearly four years of use.
Click to expand...
My Schuberth C3 Pro is turning darker after only two months and 2000 miles. Dealer is processing a warranty claim, but told me not to get my hopes up.

I can see the reflection in the instrument panel, but I never thought it was a problem. Don't do two-up riding.
 
Shoei high viz here. Zero fade after three years. Between that, the high viz helite vest, high viz jacket and lava Orange K13...I think I stand out in traffic!
 
One visibility factor that many riders seem not to consider is how much of their back is hidden by a large tour pack. I see riders wearing a jacket with very bright, even Hi-Viz, vest or jacket backside, but their trunk/tour pack is blocking the rearward view of all but their head and arms--which are encased in dark helmet and black materiel. A truly effective Hi-Viz jacket needs to also have hi-viz shoulders and sleeves.
 
sailorlite said:
Why not flat black for the driver and save the hi-viz for the passenger helmet only?
Click to expand...

Most of your risk is from the front, rather than from behind. Safety studies prove that you are not doing yourself any favors wearing a black, especially a flat-black helmet. People don't just have to look your way, they have to perceive your existence, and black simply does not help with that. Way too many Mr. Magoo types out there...And yes, I know, there are more black helmets sold in the US than any other color, but that does not make it right.
 
sailorlite said:
Why not flat black for the driver and save the hi-viz for the passenger helmet only?
Click to expand...

I don't always carry a passenger?

Last helmet was silver, which, with a gray bike and gray riding gear, made me a pretty good match with empty asphalt. So shopping for a new helmet last year included a visibility requirement. White seemed blah, but the solid Hi-Viz yellow was bit much. I ended up with this:
s-l500.jpg


This yellow is bright, but not truly Hi-Viz, which would actually fluoresce in UV light. AFAIK, all flourescent colors fade over time as they convert UV light to the visible spectrum and increase perceived brightness.

No complaints from my passengers so far. No windscreen reflection, it's below my line of sight. GPS screen is angled to prevent reflection of my helmet and Helite Hi-Viz vest. Reflections from other vehicles and shop windows tell me that if I am not seen it's because the other drivers are not looking.
 
I wear a bright yellow Shoei Mutitec. My daughter complained of getting headaches after staring at the back of it for hours on end. I bought her the darkest tinted shield I could find for her helmet, and that worked. No more headaches.

DSCN2785.jpg
 
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