Who wears flip-up helmets: likes, dislikes?

[Subike]

I have a HJC flip front.
I also wear glasses which was the primary reason to purchase the helmet.
I find it to be a bit noisier than a std full face, but nothing that Ear plugs cant handle. No problems with removing at gass sattions, just flip the front. Never been asked to remove it yet. but thats down here in the south.
The only thing that I dont like about it ism that it has the snap clip chin strap rather than the double d rins normally found on helments. Dont buy it if it has therse. The Clip lock is the weak point. it comes loose so I am having to adjust it every time I remove the helmet, It slides on its adjuster when being worn by the wind pressure pushing the helmet, At the next update I will get another flip top, but one with the double d ring chin strap.
Other than this ,now I prefer them over the full face any day.

[NordieBoy]

I've got a Zeus flippy that was great (and cheap) but mostly retired now and a KBC FFR flippy thats pretty comfortable and puts the lie to the Nolan Ad that says "We have the only dual pivot flippy helmet" or somesuch.

I like them for the convienence factor but if I know I'm not going to be stopping all the time I'll wear my Zeus 2100B adventure helmet with the peak.

If it's a slow ride with a group of geriactrics I'll wear my open face.

[Molly]

I bought two of these flip-up lids last year whilst overseas. Started with a Vemar but had to return it to the dealer when the lining all but fell apart. Then bought a Caberg. It's a nice enough lid but the wind noise would drive you insane. It has an integral visor which is bloody handy and much better all round vision than my one-piece AGV.

Ultimately though, I'm not convinced it'd be up to much in an accident. Anyway, I've stopped wearing it. It'll do as a spare.

[junkmanjoe]

all good comments.

i remove my self from my bike to fill, as from being told off.

to save my nuts....

will do some home work on the skid lids...

thanks all for imput.

as you were..

[Woody2]

all good comments.

i remove my self from my bike to fill, as from being told off.

to save my nuts....

will do some home work on the skid lids...

thanks all for imput.

as you were..

Hi JMJ,

I use this site quite a bit for gear reviews and brought my helmet based on their review and after trying it out etc but pretty good info & interesting- scroll down they have a section on flip ups.

http://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcyc...le-helmets.htm

[MarkH]

I have a Nolan N-103 and I think it is a really good helmet. It has an internal sun visor that you can raise or lower while riding - I would like to avoid buying any helmet in the future if it doesn't have this feature! Recently I was suffering from a bad cold and went for a ride - felt a sneeze coming and flipped the front of my helmet up - bloody brilliant! I also stopped at the roadside at one point, flipped the front up, got out a hanky and blew my nose. I have also been about to ride when my cellphone rings, I flip up the front and put the cellphone on speaker then I can have a normal phone conversation quite easily. The Nolan has the sliding strap thingy rather than the D-rings - much better and I really like them.

Overall I really like the flip front helmets, but would avoid the really cheap ones (and maybe the BMW ones too).

[Taz]

I can vouch for the effectiveness of the shoei's venting. It works and the visor always remains fog free. Also has the pinlock system with it as standard but I have yet to need to use mine. Worn on 2 very wet Rusty GC's and no fogging issues.

[Badjelly]

I have a KBC FEC flip-face, size XL, cost about $400. I wasn't looking for a flip-face specifically, but it was the only helmet I could find in Wellington that fitted my large, somewhat oddly-shaped head. (Let's just say that my head has a relatively low aerodynamic drag for its size.) Wind noise is high and at 1750 g it's heavy, though the size is a factor there obviously. The flip-face facility is very handy, but after bending the mechanism I got a bit concerned about its robustness, so now I leave the front locked down and use the helmet as a full-face.

While the flip-face concept is good, for a given price you're going to be sacrificing lightness, quietness, robustness and/or protection. Perhaps if you pay enough money, you can get something that's good on all counts.

I probably won't buy another flip-face (unless I can't find a full-face that fits).

PS: The FEC looks very similar to the FFR, described here:

http://www.webbikeworld.com/kbc-helmet/

but with a plastic hinging & latching mechanism. (It looks like metal, the salesman said it was metal, but it isn't, at least I think it isn't.) Whatever, it bends rather easily, though once locked it seems secure.

[duckonin]

I have a HJC flip front.
I also wear glasses which was the primary reason to purchase the helmet.
I find it to be a bit noisier than a std full face, but nothing that Ear plugs cant handle. No problems with removing at gass sattions, just flip the front. Never been asked to remove it yet. but thats down here in the south.
The only thing that I dont like about it ism that it has the snap clip chin strap rather than the double d rins normally found on helments. Dont buy it if it has therse. The Clip lock is the weak point. it comes loose so I am having to adjust it every time I remove the helmet, It slides on its adjuster when being worn by the wind pressure pushing the helmet, At the next update I will get another flip top, but one with the double d ring chin strap.
Other than this ,now I prefer them over the full face any day.

Hi Subike I had the same problem with the clip, so I set it where it should be then the wife put a couple of stiches in the strap no longer a problem.

[junkmanjoe]

so far the Nolan brand have had good reports over seas.
lock abitaly, strength, and sun visor, and extra add on's, com link, blue tooth, e.t.c

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Mo...-226615599.htm

ill see if i can find one local, and shove it on my head...

[Badjelly]

I have a Nolan N-103 and I think it is a really good helmet...

From the webbikeworld review it sounds good, though heavy.

What do they cost?

[Richi]

i have a flip face its very handy putting it on and off because i have glasses. dont even need to take them off, i dont really want a full face helmet unless its a really good one

[XP@]

+ 1 for the N102 (without fancy blue tooth bits)
But... the sun visor would be better on the inside, you can't have the visor open and the sun shade down... on a hot day you boil or go blind.

I used to smoke and wear glasses, stopped doing both of those. But would not give up the flip up. and have never been asked to remove it (except once in pack and save so i went across to countdown.

I ride with a Nolan N-102.

Easy to put on an get off.

Less noise than some of the other helmets I own.

Fits really nice.

Has a Bluetooth Dongle and Mic and Speaker kit fitted too.

Best thing is to go try one and see how it suits you.

BTW I've never been asked to remove my helmet at a gas station.

But then I dont dress like I'm about to rob it either.

[crazyhorse]

I never take my helmet off at the service station - and I think I've only been asked to once in my 12 years! so no, I don't.

Flip helmets are for old people - or smokers. They probably have more parts that can break too

[MarkH]

From the webbikeworld review it sounds good, though heavy.

What do they cost?

Mine was $600 -10% (sale at Motomail) so it was $540.

the sun visor would be better on the inside, you can't have the visor open and the sun shade down... on a hot day you boil or go blind.

N-102 was OK in its day, but I think that the N-103 is much better - the internal sun visor is a lot better than the external one the N-102 has. I often ride with the visor up and the shade down. If you want to add the basic comms kit the N-102 is dual speaker mono whereas the N-103 kit is true stereo.

I think that the KBC & HJC being cheaper helmets are not the best to go for for a flip front helmet - my HJC normal helmet is OK but is simpler than a flip front so there is less to make badly (or too cheaply). Nolan is dearer and better. I wouldn't be surprised if Schuberth & Shoei aren't better again since they are even dearer.

So:
KBC & HJC - too cheap
Nolan - good value medium price
Shoei & Schuberth - good but expensive

I have spoken to more than one person with a KBC or HJC flip front that are not happy with their helmet - don't go too cheap and get something that isn't very good, especially if you are going to trust it to protect your head.