Rocks in the head - or why fullface helmets are better

**slofox** · 16th March 2010, 10:37

Now I know why fullface helmets are more betterer - apart from stopping wasps getting stuck up between helmet and forehead...

Sunday's loop took me along Arapuni Road to Putaruru. The Kihikihi end has a couple of clicks worth of new seal on it - as usual covered in loose blue chip. So I take it easy through there.

Usually the blue chip is pretty fine but there turned out to be a few more substantial stones in there. An SUV (isn't it always?) comes the other way - blasting along despite the speed restriction. As it passes me, a shower of stones comes flying up. One of them was largish. And it whacked into the lower rim of the helmet. A half face helmet would have allowed it to hit me on the jawbone. Ouch. As it was it made a fearsome thwack as it hit. Glad I wasn't wearing an open face...might have ended up with rocks in the head (more of them I mean...)

**Ferkletastic** · 16th March 2010, 10:53

I have a nice deep scratch on one of my visors right above my left eye from a stone that was flicked up on the Ellerslie onramp roundabout. If visor wasn't there I'd be rocking an eye patch.

So yeah, I'm all about the full face.

**avgas** · 16th March 2010, 11:06

I came off one day as a young-un with open face..........my chin healed in about 9 weeks, the taste of dirt didn't

**The Everlasting** · 16th March 2010, 15:51

Yeah certainly pays to wear a full face,but there are still heaps of riders out there wearing half helmets!!

**BiK3RChiK** · 16th March 2010, 15:54

Well, I'm glad your face wasn't re-decorated for you! I've often thought about the speed restriction and following cars through fresh seal laid like that recently with stones flying up, I've been glad I wasn't on the bike. That could've been nasty...

**The Pastor** · 16th March 2010, 16:15

real men dont give a shit.

**slofox** · 16th March 2010, 16:38

Originally Posted by renegade master

real men dont give a shit.

That's OK then - I'm only a cardboard cutout anyway...

**mattian** · 16th March 2010, 16:52

With so many high sided vehicles about..... such as my own personal nemesis, the suburban 4 wheel drive! you would be a muppet not to wear one. Think about it,..... you hit one side on, or from the back, whats going to be the body part that makes contact first? its probably your face.

**Big Dave** · 16th March 2010, 17:08

Originally Posted by renegade master

real men dont give a shit.

If the rock draws blood I think 'hope that leaves a scar'. You get a memento of the ride a lot cheaper than a new tattoo.

**Swampdonkey** · 16th March 2010, 17:23

saw a guy with a nice chrome german style half helmet ride past me the other day....better than nothing i suppose.

**gilly** · 16th March 2010, 18:25

Originally Posted by Swampdonkey

saw a guy with a nice chrome german style half helmet ride past me the other day....better than nothing i suppose.

I met that guy at the Westpac Rally on Sunday. He rides a 1968 Norton.

**Griffin** · 18th March 2010, 09:13

Originally Posted by Anthrax

Wow another gear thread.........

Watch out world - heres another rocket scientist... just out of curiosity, what else were you expecting in the biker gear forum...? .

**caseye** · 21st March 2010, 17:08

Went out last week and bought two new Bell full face helmets Apex is the model. D shackles, fibreglass and kevlar reinforcing, custom? paint jobs, awesome pieces of kit .
Will never again use a full face flip helmet.
Convenient? yes.
Handy? yes.
Protect your face in a crash ? NO! @#$%.
Named brand, not super expensive, nor overly cheap, currently available from most bike shops here in NZ, in a low speed ( approx 30-40 K's) straight forward dumping on one side straight into the road, face/helmet hit first, helmet rpomptly split through chin guard area, allowing that side of the helmet to cave in.
She was brought down by a car spare part left carelessly in the middle of her lane, at night, in the Hunua Gorge, one of many, which all attending emergency services also managed to hit, thats 3 fire engines and three police cars not to mention all of the cars arriving at the scene from both directions.
Results, Hospitalisation for 15 hours, no scans, no full medical assestement, a very sore back, a very bruised hip and thigh a mild concussion and a permanent scar from top of bottom lip to bottom of chin where the helmet split in two.
This helmet saved my wife from much more serious damage but it broke! and it's my personal opinion that it shouldn't have.
So from now on it's as good as we can afford(more so when it comes to her) or nothing and we don't ride till we can aford it.
For crying out loud people, the gear is out there it's not always super expensive, but please make sure you are wearing it.
But for that helmet and all the gear my baby would have been badly hurt, as it was , yesterday she rode her repaired(Yeah Right) try restored and so very well, bike for the first time since her off and she enjoyed a day out in the country on some nice quiet roads.
Her helmet and her gear stopped her ending her riding days laid up in a bed or worse and meant she has another shot at geting out there and enjoying her bike.
many thanks to Q Moto for her gloves.
To Lifestyle Imports for her new Bell.
And to Panmure Motorcycles for her fantastically repaired/restored motorcycle.
Cheers guys for all of the efforts, advice and genuine care and attention you gave her while she made her choices.
Shes back and we've already ridden together again, it was brilliant.

**skinman** · 22nd March 2010, 17:52

indeed, I had a low speed off avoiding an suv thurs. visor has some nice scratchs on it now. if that had been an openface those would be on my face now.