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Are open face helmets stupid?

rodr

rodr

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 3, 2009
Location
Oz
Moto(s)
CB500XA
Name
Rod
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AMA #: 2846730
Since I started riding again in March of 2008 I've been using a Scorpion EXO-200 open face (3/4) helmet (see avatar). This month I got a Suomy full face.

Big difference! The full face feels more confining, has less field of view, fogging in cold weather is suddenly an issue, and I can't easily swivel my head as much as before (top of jacket meets bottom of helmet).

The feeling of openness, being closer to the world around me, is a huge part of why I like motorcycling. The new helmet seems to take some of that away. Certainly I don't like the thought of having my lower jaw ground off in an accident, but OTOH these other drawbacks (fog, vision, etc.) add their own risk.

Discuss. :)
 
I like my face where its at , full face or no face.
 
The benefits of a FF/helmet far out weigh the minuscule disadvantages. You just need to get used to it. (Or get a modular helmet)
 
I prefer full face protection just in case. You can do things to prevent fog and such but not as easy to prevent a face plant if it were to happen with a open face helmet.
 
last year after hitting a deer and sliding down the road on my head, i'm glad i was wearing a full face helmet...
 
I did not know that helmets also had an IQ rating...going to garage to see what mine says...:laughing

I personally like a full face, but I know many who don't. I just think about what should hit the ground first, the helmet or my chin....fwiw
 
It's your choice: You are the one who needs to evaluate and decide the level of risk vs safety vs comfort that you are willing to work with when riding.

Some people absolutely refuse to go out in anything less than a full aerostitch or one piece suit and full face helmet, where others might be willing to wear jeans, sweatshirt and half helmet for short rides and more gear for longer rides.

There's no question a helmet that goes all the way around your head is safer than one which does not -- but again, it's up to you to rate risk vs comfort.
 
Completely understand your concerns and when you wear one every day the irritations which may seem relatively insignificant become a pita.

The way I look at it is once I'm forced or choose to wear one of the damn things I might as well benefit from as much protection as possible. I do however ride w/ the visor up most of the time.
 
rodr said:
Since I started riding again in March of 2008 I've been using a Scorpion EXO-200 open face (3/4) helmet (see avatar). This month I got a Suomy full face.

Big difference! The full face feels more confining, has less field of view, fogging in cold weather is suddenly an issue, and I can't easily swivel my head as much as before (top of jacket meets bottom of helmet).

The feeling of openness, being closer to the world around me, is a huge part of why I like motorcycling. The new helmet seems to take some of that away. Certainly I don't like the thought of having my lower jaw ground off in an accident, but OTOH these other drawbacks (fog, vision, etc.) add their own risk.

Discuss. :)
Click to expand...

While I've never used one, KTMDoug (who is an EMT) believes that the open face helmet 'should' be required by law. If a rider is down and is likely injured, removal of helmet is absolutely discouraged. If an airway needs to be established, the full face helmet allows for that while the helmet can remain on the rider until emergency crew is on the scene and can properly diagnose and care for the rider. Open faced not-so-much.
 
my suomy, a vandal, came with a no-fog shield. thus far, it hasn't

i can't imagine riding with an open face bucket, just because i think my face would chap and fall off. curse of being a fair skinned person
 
I feel naked if I'm not wearing a full-face helmet.

Hell, I feel naked if I'm not wearing boots or gloves.
 
Antarius said:
It's your choice: You are the one who needs to evaluate and decide the level of risk vs safety vs comfort that you are willing to work with when riding.

Some people absolutely refuse to go out in anything less than a full aerostitch or one piece suit and full face helmet, where others might be willing to wear jeans, sweatshirt and half helmet for short rides and more gear for longer rides.

There's no question a helmet that goes all the way around your head is safer than one which does not -- but again, it's up to you to rate risk vs comfort.
Click to expand...

I guess you only need a get-off or two to discover the value of a full face helmet.
 
My dad was riding dirtbikes in the 70's, and tells a story about a dude in a open face helmet who lowsided and went face first into a tree on the way down. He broke his jaw ... OFF. One of his cheeks was ripped and his chin and lower jaw were dangling from the other cheek. The next day dad went out and bought one of the new fancy fully face Bell Stars.
 
I wore a 3/4 open-face helmet when I rode my Yamaha cruiser, and felt perfectly safe. While I can see how you could hit your head on a cruiser-style bike, I can't see how you would hit your face falling off of one. When I rode to Pleasant Hill on 680 to school, I switched to a full-face because of the small rocks and grit that would hit you in the face.

That's why the HD riders with the Beanies have that scowl going on when they ride. You have to put on that HOG rider grimace on your face to keep the rocks from hurting so much. :laughing
 
I had a car on Niles Canyon kick up a big chunk of a dead possum on the road which hit me square in the face shield. I will never have an open face helmet. I could only imagine if I did how that would have tasted.....YUCK!
 
rodr said:
Since I started riding again in March of 2008 I've been using a Scorpion EXO-200 open face (3/4) helmet (see avatar). This month I got a Suomy full face.
Click to expand...
Back in the day I designed and manufactured some body protection for pavement, not related to motorcycles. Effective hand protection is really face protection, so you can use your hands agressively in a fall to keep your face off the ground. Hands aren't so effective in motorcycle falls because it's hard to design reliable abrasion protection for hands that are holding grips and the forces in a fall can over power your arm strength. The open face helmet only protects your skull. Put face protection on a helmet and it also protects the rest of your body, including your hands because now you don't have to sacrifice other body parts to keep your face off the ground.

I like my dirt bike helmet with its visor, chin protector and goggles. I notice that the visor catches air with any speed, which would be annoying on a road bike. That style helmet might work with a shorter more aerodynamic visor and smaller but sufficient chin protector and might give the open face experience but still protect your face adequately. Does anyone make such a thing?
 
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Just to clarify, the EXO-200 does have a flip-up face shield that covers the face to protect against bugs, rocks, etc. The lack of a chin bar is mainly what makes it "open face".
 
At the ripe age of 6 I had my first two wheel crash on a 10-speed. Face-first and a few plastic surgeries later I still have a crooked smile as I tore off the left side of my face. I can only imagine what would happen at 60MPH...

It's your head and statistically your chin will take the impact.
 
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