What's up with open face helmets?

[Wolf]

My second bin I used hands and chin for a three-point landing and had some beaut gouges in the chin guard from the gravel - glad I was wearing a full-face helmet then. Have ridden with open-face and airforce goggles, so I can testify to the superiority over the curved Lexan of my visor so far as visibility goes (but then, I was wearing cheap helmets - dearer helmets may have superior visors for all I know.)

[WelshWizard]

Well I think it should be up to personal choice if you wear a helmet at all, when I started it was not the law to have one, but I did on some rides use one they called them pudding basins, I still wear a helmet but when I get the chance to ride legally without one I will use my right of choice to decide if I do or not. there is to much nanny state laws about and to few rights.
each year they take more and more rights away, and bikeing was always about freedom.

[skidz]

I only wear an open face and always have. Had many a spill and never got my face.

[Macktheknife]

They haven't hit me yet.

The fact that they havent hit you YET is great BUT...
the real point is YET. I had a wonderful experience just the other week doing nothing wrong at all and had a dickhead teenager-cager run right up my arse at a roundabout. It is only a matter of time. Ride like they are trying to kill you!

[Jackrat]

It's also about discression - as I've flown over the handlebars and face planted into a sandstone wall I was glad i had the XR900 on for sure. But i would not have been riding so fast as to come off like that if i was in an open face. You just don't do it.
I could argue that because i ride significantly slower when in an open face, that for me they are in fact safer.
Open face helmet and the naked t'bird 90kph feels satisfyingly fast.
Full face on the fully faired trophy and 125kph is comfort central.

My davida is legal, comfortable, approved, quiet and well made. A matter of horses for courses. If you are jumping on a R1 and going for a thrash down 22 in one i'd say you are a bit loopy.

Couldn't be bothered reading the same ole same ole.
But mate you hit it on the head big time.
Just hope a few others get the message.
I've now been riding mostly with an open face for 32 years an the odd thing is the only time in a fair few offs that I hit the ground with my face I WAS wearing a full face.
Can't remember the brand but it cost $580, which was pretty much top of the line in 88.
It was also the last time I've worn a visor.
Ok so I'm a bit strange, but as far as I'm concerned that lid was part of the reason I got off.
See it was raining,I was feeling real safe in my flash as new lid with the flash as visor an I was going way faster than I normaly did because of it.
Had I not be wearing that lid I'd never of been going that fast.
Had I not been going that fast I'd not be living in pain EVERY BLOODY DAY,I'd not be looking forward to a life of misery when I get old for real,I wouldn't be taking drugs that will eventualy rot my liver,I wouldn't of had to live on a sickness benifit for four years,I wouldn't of had to feel like a bludger every time I went to WINZ to beg more money,I wouldn't have to hide my condition every time I apply for a job,I wouldn't have to feel like a liar because that's exactly what I am doing it.
Today I wear my open face an the full face I do own is going to be used to grow a house plant of some kind.
I'll feel the wind in my face an enjoy every bit of it.
Cheers Dave.

[Damon]

You'll only say "it hasn't happened to me" for so long, and saying i only wear it at a slow pace is no go0d when the guy running the red light is doing 70kms, your skill and ability only counts for so much and then your at ther mercy of the cagers.

my friend and i were only doing 70-80 when a bmw came around a blind corner on our side of the road, i dont remember what happened but my mate took a dive into a cliff and it wipped the visor off the front of his new shoei and left him with a hell of a blood nose, if he was only wearing an open faced helmet because we were cruzing he'd probibly be dead or eating through his neck.

[anhrefn]

Open faced helmets........... Hmmmmmm would work nicely with a beer hat! But anyway back to reality. Yeah I have heard the same thing said about glasses. Seen people riding in shorts and the like. Worst one yet is this stupid young idiot on my street who has taken to riding up and down the road on a friday in the dark......... with out a helmet. I stopped him last week and politely pointed out that idiots like that are raising other riders acc levies cause all they want is the smallest of excuses. And I also took the time to point out that without a helmet hes as good as dead and if hes that desperate to mangle himself allow me to take the time to beat the shit out of him. However been youthfull and stupid he still carried on. However next week I may have to live up to my offer if he is stupid enough.

[Damon]

See it was raining,I was feeling real safe in my flash as new lid with the flash as visor an I was going way faster than I normaly did because of it.
Had I not be wearing that lid I'd never of been going that fast.

i dont know you from jack, but blaming an off because a helmet made you feel like superman in the rain is a load of crap hahaha every time i get done up in all my wet weather gear i feel like the marshmellow man but it doesn't make me ride beyond my ability in the wet.

[Big Dave]

You'll only say "it hasn't happened to me" for so long,

Actually - i say it won't happen to me.

[Big Dave]

blaming an off because a helmet made you feel like superman in the rain is a load of crap hahaha

Adjusting the way you ride to suit your kit isn't.

[Damon]

Actually - i say it won't happen to me.

hahaha your a keen man Dave, i hope your right

[Big Dave]

hahaha your a keen man Dave, i hope your right

Optimism is my strong point. (And i have a XR900 and a beautiful X-Spirit for the hard and fast yards.)

[Scorpygirl]

Couldn't be bothered reading the same ole same ole.
But mate you hit it on the head big time.
Just hope a few others get the message.
I've now been riding mostly with an open face for 32 years an the odd thing is the only time in a fair few offs that I hit the ground with my face I WAS wearing a full face.
Can't remember the brand but it cost $580, which was pretty much top of the line in 88.
It was also the last time I've worn a visor.
Ok so I'm a bit strange, but as far as I'm concerned that lid was part of the reason I got off.
See it was raining,I was feeling real safe in my flash as new lid with the flash as visor an I was going way faster than I normaly did because of it.
Had I not be wearing that lid I'd never of been going that fast.
Had I not been going that fast I'd not be living in pain EVERY BLOODY DAY,I'd not be looking forward to a life of misery when I get old for real,I wouldn't be taking drugs that will eventualy rot my liver,I wouldn't of had to live on a sickness benifit for four years,I wouldn't of had to feel like a bludger every time I went to WINZ to beg more money,I wouldn't have to hide my condition every time I apply for a job,I wouldn't have to feel like a liar because that's exactly what I am doing it.
Today I wear my open face an the full face I do own is going to be used to grow a house plant of some kind.
I'll feel the wind in my face an enjoy every bit of it.
Cheers Dave.

Get over it sunshine, it's you that have to live with your injury cause you mad3 the fup. It's like the usual story blame the equipment!!!! You got to live with your mistake and the sooner you do the sooner you start getting on with life and not thinking everything esle is to blame. I no it's hard but it's the only way to do forward. Take care.

[Motu]

i dont know you from jack, but blaming an off because a helmet made you feel like superman in the rain is a load of crap hahaha every time i get done up in all my wet weather gear i feel like the marshmellow man but it doesn't make me ride beyond my ability in the wet.

It's happened to me too - back when a full face was a new fangled thing the rich boys had....I had one too,but only used it on trips.Spent a week living on the road with a mate,when I noticed a few spots on my visor and noticed my mate,who was fast in the rain,drop back....wimp I thought.I was running a full knob on the rear and a so called street tyre on the front,fully expecting any problems to come from the rear - but the front went out,trapping my right leg under the bike.No,I'm not blaming the helmet,but after so many years of no helmet and open face helmets,being insulated from the feel of rain on my face led me to an error of judgment....and so learned another lesson.Me? Ride beyond my ability? - you better believe it!

[gromit]

I am looking at one of the new style flip up bottom jobs. The old style were as ugly as hell, but the new jobs are pretty much indiscernable at a glance. Doesnt help with wind through the hair (facial??) but it certainly is a great to for someone like myself with specks.