FF helmet without face shield - how safe?
Tourer
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 370
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From:
RE: FF helmet without face shield - how safe?
ORIGINAL: Barton
Perhaps it depends on the helmet. My face shield pops off pretty easily using two small plastic levers on each side. Its a good quaity Shoei RF-1000 too. I am hesitant to test it in a wind blast at high speeds. It would be great to know otherwise this Summer though.
Barton
ORIGINAL: JohnC88
I didn't notice any instructions with my helmet. I've ridden 80 mph pretty regularly with the shield up. The shield is firmly attached and isn't going anywhere. Sometimes it is harder to see (depending upon wind and debris in the air) and I will flip the shield down, but there is always some amount of head buffeting no matter what you wear.
I didn't notice any instructions with my helmet. I've ridden 80 mph pretty regularly with the shield up. The shield is firmly attached and isn't going anywhere. Sometimes it is harder to see (depending upon wind and debris in the air) and I will flip the shield down, but there is always some amount of head buffeting no matter what you wear.
Barton
Cruiser
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 126
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From:
RE: FF helmet without face shield - how safe?
I kinda like these helmets, thinking about getting two.
http://www.helmetoutletusa.com/index...Manuf=Scorpion
http://www.helmetoutletusa.com/index...Manuf=Scorpion
Road Captain
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 654
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From: Manchester, England.
RE: FF helmet without face shield - how safe?
Maybe STUPID was a little harsh on my part...maybe I should have said SILLY, however I did say that it was the most stupid only yesterday (does that get me off the hook?).
So how long is your nose?? Guess someone with a really big nose could have more of a problem than someone without....or as someone else points out (no pun intended!), it really depends what you hit and from what angle you hit it; maybe speed of impact could also have a bearing etc etc etc.
Perhaps more qualification of the question was needed in order to avoid spurious answers to such a vague statement in the first place?
That is all I was getting at.
So how long is your nose?? Guess someone with a really big nose could have more of a problem than someone without....or as someone else points out (no pun intended!), it really depends what you hit and from what angle you hit it; maybe speed of impact could also have a bearing etc etc etc.
Perhaps more qualification of the question was needed in order to avoid spurious answers to such a vague statement in the first place?
That is all I was getting at.
Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,437
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RE: FF helmet without face shield - how safe?
I personally know a guy who rode with his visor a couple of notches open, for air. A hornet went in, he was stung a couple of times, had to muster all of his skill not to loose control. By the time the hornet was out of the helmet, his face was the size of a watermelon. Could remove his helmet just barely. had he waited a little more he'd have had a LOT more problems.
Even so, he could have lost an eye, or suffocate due to swelling.
It ended well, but he got a permanent allergy to bees sting from the experience, and will die within minutes if stung again (he knows because he WAS stung again, luckily in proximity of a friend that gave him immediately anti hystamine pills he used for hay allergy as soon as the allergy shock kicked in).
Bottom line is: yes, had he had an open face, he probably wouldn't have been stung, as the hornet would have bounched without remaining trapped inside. Had he closed his visor, he'd been even safer.
You can't foresee every weird accident, but you can prepare for the most common ones.
And if some weird coincidence transforms your precautions in a trap, well, **** happens, but it doesn't mean the precautions weren't reasonable or valid.
It's like dorks driving without safety belts due to accounts of people dying trapped by seat belts.
It happens once every thousand lives saved by seat belts.
Even so, he could have lost an eye, or suffocate due to swelling.
It ended well, but he got a permanent allergy to bees sting from the experience, and will die within minutes if stung again (he knows because he WAS stung again, luckily in proximity of a friend that gave him immediately anti hystamine pills he used for hay allergy as soon as the allergy shock kicked in).
Bottom line is: yes, had he had an open face, he probably wouldn't have been stung, as the hornet would have bounched without remaining trapped inside. Had he closed his visor, he'd been even safer.
You can't foresee every weird accident, but you can prepare for the most common ones.
And if some weird coincidence transforms your precautions in a trap, well, **** happens, but it doesn't mean the precautions weren't reasonable or valid.
It's like dorks driving without safety belts due to accounts of people dying trapped by seat belts.
It happens once every thousand lives saved by seat belts.
RE: FF helmet without face shield - how safe?
ORIGINAL: Wecroft
Yep, it is a pretty stupid question. If this guy is a firefighter he should already know that a fire helmet is not DOT approved and it is made to come apart upon impact. That is because it is built with a wide brim around it which could provide enough torque to break his neck if it hits something solid or if something solid hits it. That's why the inside coconut is held inside of the outer shell with a couple pieces of Velcro. When that happens he'll be left with a piece of styrofoam strapped to his head which will disintegrate rather easily. It's basically a hardhat not a crash helmet. To each his own, but it ain't made for riding bikes.
Yep, it is a pretty stupid question. If this guy is a firefighter he should already know that a fire helmet is not DOT approved and it is made to come apart upon impact. That is because it is built with a wide brim around it which could provide enough torque to break his neck if it hits something solid or if something solid hits it. That's why the inside coconut is held inside of the outer shell with a couple pieces of Velcro. When that happens he'll be left with a piece of styrofoam strapped to his head which will disintegrate rather easily. It's basically a hardhat not a crash helmet. To each his own, but it ain't made for riding bikes.
pkenyon1, no worries. Good call on the size of the riders nose, that could be an issue with no visor.
Road Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 847
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From:
RE: FF helmet without face shield - how safe?
Only downfall I see is if you have alot of bees and wasps in your area. I've caught bees twice in my helmetin 30+ years of biking. The sting...otherwise there shouldn't be a problem. I run with my shield up most of the time, except when it's really cold or dusty or raining very bad. I rarely wear a helmet though, anymore. Always when I ride dirt bikes, cause I ride like a mad man, or used to
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Road Master
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 1,189
Likes: 9
From: la grange, il (near chicago)
RE: FF helmet without face shield - how safe?
yeh - should have given a bit more info - but whatever
i ride an ultra - so i have the windshield already which would stop most (not all) things hitting me in the face, and i wear riding glasses with the shield up.
many products will state things about reducing its effectiveness if not used correctly, but i have never seen anything stating that the shield needs to be lowered for safety.
i have read that the modular ff helmets are not as safe as a true ff helments (i have a modular) because the chin gaurd will not protect you in a crash. i have also read that the test of the chin guard is included in some independant tests and that in some of these it was found to protect you.
was kinda wondering if anybody who has smashed their face shield into the ground remebers if they like hit their nose on the shield - and i know how stupid that sounds.
couple of reasons that i leave the face guard up
- cooler (i am just one of those people who sweat in 30 degree weather)
- clastrophobic (i have a tendancy to feel "too tight") with it down
- i have some respatory problems hence i want more air
i ride an ultra - so i have the windshield already which would stop most (not all) things hitting me in the face, and i wear riding glasses with the shield up.
many products will state things about reducing its effectiveness if not used correctly, but i have never seen anything stating that the shield needs to be lowered for safety.
i have read that the modular ff helmets are not as safe as a true ff helments (i have a modular) because the chin gaurd will not protect you in a crash. i have also read that the test of the chin guard is included in some independant tests and that in some of these it was found to protect you.
was kinda wondering if anybody who has smashed their face shield into the ground remebers if they like hit their nose on the shield - and i know how stupid that sounds.
couple of reasons that i leave the face guard up
- cooler (i am just one of those people who sweat in 30 degree weather)
- clastrophobic (i have a tendancy to feel "too tight") with it down
- i have some respatory problems hence i want more air