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jqd05a 31 Jul 2011 20:32

Open face helmet and Goggles
 
Hi

Looking at getting an open face and some goggles for a forthcoming trip to North Africa :mchappy:. Those of you folks that use this combination what makes do you recommend ( helmet and goggles ) and do you find having a peak an advantage or disadvantage ? By the way I'll be riding a DL650 and hoping to do some light off roading when I get there as well as some normal mile munching on european motorways on the way.

Thanks for any advice :thumbup1:


Neil

motoreiter 1 Aug 2011 03:36

Why get an open face helmet? I've done that, and regretted it. Anytime you hit rain, a dust storm, locust swarm, etc. you've basically got to stop unless you've got a higher pain threshold than me.

I ride with a dual-sport style helmet (with visor) and some good sunglasses. 95% of the time the visor is up and I rely solely on the sunglasses, but when it rains, etc. the visor goes down and I keep going.

Threewheelbonnie 1 Aug 2011 07:22

I wear nothing else, even in winter a face mask is better than dealing with a letter box on your head.

They are much of a muchness really. MX goggles have better vision but the foam that goes round your face can be thin (only designed to be worn for an hour), while old style aviation goggles are really comfortable but can be a bit restrictive. You might also want to aquire some cheap safety glasses, the sort they give out on factory tours, with lawnmowers etc. They weigh nothing but when everything else is steaming up they stay clear. You will of course need a scarf/buff thing for the dust. The helmets are just about fit. I like a peak, but neither of my current helmets have one, it's not a big deal compared to fit.

Enjoy it, nothing like open face motorcycling to refresh the soul.

Andy

stuxtttr 7 Aug 2011 18:34

suprisingly you get less turbulance noise with an open face helmet

they can be much lighter too

if you want the chin protection then you could always opt for a mx lid, still light

brclarke 7 Aug 2011 20:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by motoreiter (Post 344241)
Why get an open face helmet?

Claustrophobia? I have both an open and a full face. I really have to force myself to wear the full face - I can't stand the feeling of being enclosed.

oldbmw 7 Aug 2011 22:51

Why not try an HJC is Mulri?

you then have the option of using whatever configuration best suits your current conditions. For me the peak is essential, far better than sunglasses ( I use reactalight specs).

lynch180 7 Aug 2011 23:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by motoreiter (Post 344241)
Why get an open face helmet? I've done that, and regretted it. Anytime you hit rain, a dust storm, locust swarm, etc. you've basically got to stop unless you've got a higher pain threshold than me.

I ride with a dual-sport style helmet (with visor) and some good sunglasses. 95% of the time the visor is up and I rely solely on the sunglasses, but when it rains, etc. the visor goes down and I keep going.

Hi,
I second this, I find full face road helmets too warm and constricting when its sunny, flips are a pain in the tits, chin bar down same as above, chin bar up, wind catches at anything over 50 mph and I can feel the extra weight of it up high. MX style lid's are the business, great visiuals and peek for those sunny days also works at stopping bushes hitting you in the face, better venting than most helmets, ant if you can get one with a built in visor, all the better

gixxer.rob 7 Aug 2011 23:48

Dual Sport Helmet
 
I really like these "Dual Sport" models. Best of both worlds.

SHOEI North America | Hornet-DS

motoreiter 8 Aug 2011 06:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by bclarke (Post 344911)
Claustrophobia? I have both an open and a full face. I really have to force myself to wear the full face - I can't stand the feeling of being enclosed.

Not sure what you mean by open face, do you mean something with no chin protection? If so, I prefer to ride with chin protection, but to each his own.

If you mean a helmet with chin protection but no visor, like an MX helmet, you can get the same effect by just keeping the visor up. Sure, a bit more turbulence but it is worth it to me so I can ride in the rain, dust, behind sand-filled trucks, etc.

brclarke 8 Aug 2011 19:04

Claustrophobia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

mark manley 10 Aug 2011 21:06

Like Threewheelbonnie I wear an open face all year at home and when touring, I fully recognise the potental dangers and drawbacks but prefer it over a fullface so that is my choice. The only advantages I can give are lighter weight and when travelling it allows locals to see your face which is a great ice breaker. If you prefer wearing one then do so, I have a Davida helmet with a peak and halcyon goggles, both are good quality and I would recommend either.

travelHK 12 Aug 2011 12:49

helmet
 
If I travelled of road I use a light MX helmet but since you are on a DL650 I will recommand a full face flip up with sun visor integretaed inside the helmet ,like th Nolan N103 . To mee open face helmet are just good on moped but as soon as go over 5o miles/H I like a max of protection , the flip up let you ride in town like an open face or talk to people with ease and the sun visor let you ride with your visor up but still with some eye protection.Gogle are great but for a long trip if staying on road they are not the most confortable , if you do decide to use them bring extra lense as they do brake or scratch.

stuxtttr 12 Aug 2011 15:07

you can get mx helmets for a good price but I think you would be hard to beat one of these for the ultimate ;

F4 Helmet Gear'd - Klim Snowmobile / Motorcycle Technical Riding Gear





I am currently looking into one of these its a lot cheaper but i have contacted the company and asked them to offer it in HI VIS Yellow, i work on the motorway and Hi Vis helemts stand out so well.

The only thing is I can't find the weight of the helmet anywhere ???

this worries me I was all set for a flip front helmet once until I picked it up !!! there is no way i want to come off the bike with so much extra weight on my neck, thats just asking for trouble.

SPADA Motorcycle Helmets and Clothing |Full Faced|STING

MEZ 6 Sep 2011 04:15

open
 
Bit late on thread but anyhow, I'm just about to set off on a three monther covering eastern europe, turkey then India. Have chosen this time to go for open face lid, purchased a nice little trials jobbie, with peak its super light and tough construction. Bought some tinted ski goggles with strap that fit under the helmet no probs and some MX goggles with speed straps for when things get severe, they stay strapped around the back of the lid when not in use. I now have a preference for this set up over full face have to say, again I use yellow tint safety specs all the time even with full face, hate visors.

Good luck, hope you find comfort with the open option.

iainnic 10 Oct 2011 13:34

Having spent some time working in hospitals in the past, I'd never consider an open face helmet ! If you want to see the mess that results in landing on your chin, pop into any orthopedic ward and there's generally one in ther throughout the summer !

I've a couple of MX style helmets (BMW and Airai TX 3) and that's proven excellent in the summer heat - plenty to choose from on the market ! If you are looking at flip fronts, check out the helmet tests on the Sharp web site (SHARP Helmets - THE HELMET SAFETY SCHEME) - some don't actually stay shut very often ! One of my riding mates had a cheap chinese lid, and that rated as stopping shut 23% of the time on impact. I'm also told that some helmets the look like flip fronts are in fact rated open face, and the "flip" is rated as a "wind guard" or "accessory".

Iain

Dodger 10 Oct 2011 16:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by jqd05a (Post 344217)
Hi

Looking at getting an open face and some goggles for a forthcoming trip to North Africa :mchappy:. Those of you folks that use this combination what makes do you recommend ( helmet and goggles ) and do you find having a peak an advantage or disadvantage ? By the way I'll be riding a DL650 and hoping to do some light off roading when I get there as well as some normal mile munching on european motorways on the way.

Thanks for any advice :thumbup1:


Neil

If you are on an upright bike like a Vstrom ,a peak on your helmet will be a good thing to have .
Glass lens goggles are better than plastic because they don't scratch as easily .Climax make good goggles [ made in Spain] ,the Octopus styled ones are excellent , some people like the Halycon Mk 8 as well .
If it rains you can wrap a scarf around your face or use one of those fetish style leather facemasks .A flat wrap around faceshield is also good in rain which you can stash away on fine days [ inside a sock is a good place ].
I love open face helmets and goggles for local rides but long distance I take a flip front purely for the extra weather protection .If you have a good screen on your DL this may not be a factor for you .
I imagine that as an adult you are able to do research and and decide for yourself the safety pros and cons .
Good luck with your choice .
:scooter:

dan66 10 Oct 2011 19:02

Wulf Airflow
 
I've just bought a Wulf Airflow trials helmet. I love it. The most comfortable helmet I've ever owned, cool in the heat and ok in the rain/wind. I was out last Wednesday trail riding in the peak, wind, rain and it was fine.I wear a Decathalon ski mask and it is surprisingly snug, even coming over the Woodhead pass in a howling gale.

Depending on the conditions I wear MX goggles, sunglasses, or my particular favorite for hot weather, Bolle safety glasses bought from Screwfiw for £7.

Dan

oldbmw 10 Oct 2011 22:57

You might want to consider getting a screen, not a tiddly thing that covers your belly button but a real one that is up to eye level. I cannot tell you how many hard large insects and small stones have been deflected away from my face with mine. see here

Photos Of trip to the Flytrap

tractor4play 4 May 2012 04:05

lid
 
i wear open face all year in the north of ireland with ess goggles and an assortment of neck tubes which can be adjusted over the face depending on the strength of the rain or hale.i bought a xr 1000 full face at £400ish 2 0dd years ago and have used it several times in that 2 year period.when i started riding full face helmets were not very common.my point being if you have never used open face you are really missing out although i do understand the safety issues.if you own a dog and drive a car study your best friend when the car door window is down several inches.:clap:

Wuwei 9 May 2012 02:29

Don't you folks have bugs where you ride, like we do here in the NE of the US of A? Over the weekend I was riding around the Adirondacks and I had to stop every 15 or 20 minutes at one point to clear the bug splatter off my face shield. It took 15 minutes at the end of the day to scrub most of the bugs off the front of my bike. Even if the pain of the bugs hitting you doesn't bother you, some of the splatter is pretty seriously big and gross. Once in a while you get dinged by something like a big flying beetle that is like a small flying stone. I guess I'd rather not ride with stuff like that flying up my nose and down my throat. And, what do you do in hail storms?

brclarke 9 May 2012 04:33

Insects and hail aren't that prevalent where I live. And the one time I remember being hit by an insect that stands out in my memory, I was wearing a full face anyhow and still got hit in the throat by a large wasp. Ouch.

Threewheelbonnie 9 May 2012 06:24

Springy fabric fleece tube buff thingy. Wear it one way for insects, the other for sleet/hail, take it off when the sun comes out.

Andy

Toyark 9 May 2012 15:42

Bugs./wind/dust etc etc aside
I came across an accident after Pampelonne (near St Tropez) & I was shocked at what I saw- biker down and where his jaw once was.... was just a bloody mess :eek3: He had an open face helmet and sun glasses...
Harley- totalled.


System 6 - best of both worlds- always good to pop front up when stopped to speak to cops and give a smile or three etc and get more air if needed. Excellent ventilation in this lid.

Open face helmets? never ! I'd rather give up biking.

Fantastic Mister Fox 9 May 2012 17:06

After having the same debate recently we settled on this

Schuberth J1 Motorcycle Helmets. Just Helmets - UK supplier of Schuberth motorcycle helmets

seems like the best of both worlds

Jake 9 May 2012 17:59

Hi Mister fox I used a schuberth J1 for travelling for many years and they are a great helmet if a little bulbous and quite expensive, the chin guard would offer a fair bit protection in an off and the combination of visors is good for travelling ( you can fit a shorter clear visor from the full face helmet range if your travelling hot country). However be aware that the visor mounts are prone to breaking I went through 5 visors simply because of this problem ( It was far worse in cold countries as the visor seemed more brittle) I know of several others who had the same problem. just so your aware of it. (its a little l shaped tag in the visor slide area that snaps off. I now use a nolan N43 air which in all honesty I prefer so its worth looking at if your not already commited to buying the schuberth, regards jake.

Jake 9 May 2012 18:09

Dodger I would certainly look to a visor as well, i have ridden with open face helmets for over 20 years and for ease of use and comfort a visor is far better. I also have been stung several times when not using a visor once in the throat (inside my nose) down the side of the helmet and once in the eyelid even though I had safety glasses on the wasp was swept to the inside of the lens and decided to sting me. I always wear an open face with a visor now. The are safety issues obviously if your jaw or teeth hit the road your knackered but then again its a choice and I have always chosen open face over full face or flip front

Wuwei 10 May 2012 23:02

I used to wear an open face, but with a visor--never could understand the goggles thing. But, since I switched to a full-coverage helmet I can't imagine ever going back. Doesn't seem any hotter to me than an open face, seems quieter (maybe that is helmet-specific), it can definitely be buttoned up better when it is pouring rain (or even hailing), and is somewhat warmer when it is really cold. I have a neck gaiter thingy around the bottom of the helmet you squeeze your head through and it keeps a lot of wind and noise from coming up from under the helmet. It is slightly warmer in hot weather, but then I just crack the visor up a notch and if I am going any speed there is more than enough air. It just seems logical that if you are going to the trouble to wear a helmet, or you have to because of the law, you might as well wear one that will actually protect you.

Throttled 13 May 2012 19:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by dan66 (Post 352010)

......, or my particular favorite for hot weather, Bolle safety glasses bought from Screwfiw for £7.

Dan

x2 on the Bolle Safety Glasses. I wear them under my flip front helmet and ride most of the time with the visor part open and the glasses are so light and clear it is as if there is nothing there.

Dodger 18 May 2012 04:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wuwei (Post 378613)
I used to wear an open face, but with a visor--never could understand the goggles thing.

Glass lens goggles give you very clear vision and don't mist up .Plus your eyes don't get cold and remain dust free and don't water up at speed .

Fantastic Mister Fox 18 May 2012 13:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by adventure950 (Post 378443)
Hi Mister fox I used a schuberth J1 for travelling for many years and they are a great helmet if a little bulbous and quite expensive, the chin guard would offer a fair bit protection in an off and the combination of visors is good for travelling ( you can fit a shorter clear visor from the full face helmet range if your travelling hot country). However be aware that the visor mounts are prone to breaking I went through 5 visors simply because of this problem ( It was far worse in cold countries as the visor seemed more brittle) I know of several others who had the same problem. just so your aware of it. (its a little l shaped tag in the visor slide area that snaps off. I now use a nolan N43 air which in all honesty I prefer so its worth looking at if your not already commited to buying the schuberth, regards jake.

I actually saw the Nolan before the J1 but the one I wanted was the trilogy, but it was only in america. However after your post I have found that in europe the "air" is the same as the "trilogy" so thank you.

Haven't yet bought the schuberth so will be looking at both to see what fits best.

Fantastic Mister Fox 21 May 2012 11:48

I now have a third helmet to add to the mix:
Dainese - JET STREAM TOURER FACE - Motorbike - Gran Bretagna - Inglese

This on is cheaper still but doesn't appear to have been on the market long enough to get any reveiws yet.

Thanks

Matt


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