Type of helmet

[deadant]

Just wondering what type of helmet everybody prefers. I have both the half helmet and full face. Wife has half helmet and 3/4 helmet with shield.

I really like the half helmet for riding around town and especially 2 up cause I can hear a heck of a lot better and it is much cooler. Another plus is it fits in the saddlebag.

However I like the full face when out on the road, but since I don't have a com system, it sucks trying to talk to the wife. (I know that's not all bad).

My dilemma is packing for Sturgis this year. Not sure which helmet to take. I know its gonna be hot, but we may run into some storms on the way. Can't take both cause I won't have the room. We always ride with our helmets, even when just running to the store, so just wearing the do rag around Sturgis isn't an option.

What do you guys do?

[ringadingh]

I prefer a half helmet in the warm weather and wear a full face in the cold weather. And if it was legal here Id go without one somedays when I choose on the really hot days.

Comfort, Hearing and Storage. All good reasons to use the 1/2 helmet in August. I,guess if you think the helmet will stay on if something would happen it would be a good choice. When I have gone to Sturges I left stuff on my bike and no one bothered it. Had a accedent with a big truck one time and while I was rolling around under the truck my fullface helmet almost came off. I would whear whatever I felt would do its job if needed. Only takes a split sicond for something to happen.

[MAS Tequila]

I use a 1/2 99.9% of the time. If it's really cold I'll grab the full face.

If your worried about storms, get a set of goggles to keep the water out. They take up a lot less room.

MT

[jasonc32amg]

Shoei RF1000

[nomadtom69]

have a Nolan N102 modular full face flip up cold weather and interstate riding and a Scorpion EXO 100 1/2 with visor and drop down sun visor for cruising and hot weather

[ballast]

Full face all the time, every time. I shiver every time I think how much uglier I'd be if I had been wearing anything less sliding down the shoulder.

[jasperboy]

I prefer a half helmet in the warm weather and wear a full face in the cold weather. And if it was legal here Id go without one somedays when I choose on the really hot days.

Ditto here, and although helmets are not mandatory in Ohio, I always wear one out of respect for my family. If something happened, at least they wouldn't have to hear "if only he was wearing a helmet"

[cactusjack]

I own 5 half helmets, 2 3/4 helmets and one full face, modular helmet. I prefer the half helmets, especially in summer. In cold/inclement weather, I wear one of the others.

For the national rally, I may bring my full face because I could hit a lot of different weather crossing 7 states. I would try to tuck a small half helmet in somewhere for nice weather, if space allows. Otherwise I may just roll the dice and wear my Scorpion EXO-100, which is a half helmet with a hidden 1/2 shield.

[Netnorske]

I much prefer my 1/2 helmet, but when traveling....we usually take the 3/4 helmets with the Cardo Teamset wireless communications attached (see middle sig pic). You can buy a Paulson face shield that just snaps in place when you hit crappy weather and pop it back off once the sun comes out again. I just can't do the full-face thing. My vision in my right eye ain't that great anymore so I need full view sightlines. Besides.....I've never been fond of wearing a bowling ball on my head.... http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif!

[skeeter]

I believe some half helmets come with a zip in or snap in wrap for the ears and if it has a snap on visor, you can get a snap on face shield easy enough. I took a tumble once and the shield saved face. Snap on options are easy to store and easy to install.

[nomadbehappy]

I typically wear a 1/2 helmet but have a full face for cold weather. On trips I take the half helmet and a snap on face shield so I'm not eating bugs

[socwkbiker]

Either lidless or the modified one pictured below.

[Yellow Jacket]

Nolan Modular Flip Up Fullface. Always.

[scott2007nomad]

have a Nolan modular full face flip up cold weather and interstate riding and a Scorpion 1/2 with visor and drop down sun visor for cruising and hot weather

I have a Zeus modular that I love for cold weather, which isn't often, and a Scorpion 1/2 as above for all else. The Scorpion has a snap on/off cold weather wrap but I haven't tried it.

My wife has a full face and 3/4 but doesn't like either. Too hot and claustrophobic. I think another Scorpion is in our future.

[bigdave]

i also use 1/2 helmet in hot weather and full face in cold weather

[hammer]

HJC half, Scorpian half (my new fave with audio comms), HJC 3/4 when I am on the CB and colder weather and high speed tunes with couple of other skid lids.

[Top Cat]

Full face GMAX helmet ALL the time. Hot or cold makes no difference. The unforeseen can happen in any weather.
Cindy has a full face GMAX and a 3/4 Z1R.
I can't get her to wear the full face in hot weather but she will wear it in the cooler temps.

[mobandy78]

I mostly wear a 1/2 helmet. On the really cold days, 40 & below, I'll wear the full helmet. I've only been in rain a couple times (one thunderstorm, one hail storm) with the half helmet and it wasn't too bad. I was able to keep the speed up high enough that the windshield blocked a bunch of the rain off my face.

[caper]

Yep I went back to the full face helmet! Much more protection and from them flying things too :)

[bogatyrs]

I much prefer my 1/2 helmet, but when traveling....we usually take the 3/4 helmets with the Cardo Teamset wireless communications attached (see middle sig pic). You can buy a Paulson face shield that just snaps in place when you hit crappy weather and pop it back off once the sun comes out again. I just can't do the full-face thing. My vision in my right eye ain't that great anymore so I need full view sightlines. Besides.....I've never been fond of wearing a bowling ball on my head.... http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif!

I agree, I am blind in my right eye so a full face is not my best choice on the other hand even in States where helmets are not required I where one.

I have a 1/2 and two 3/4's one with a lift up shield that I use in cold weather and when I where the other helmets I have prescription sunglasses (getting old sucks) with side sheilds to protect my eyes from stray bugs etc.

I really like the 1/2 in the warm weather and for local rides but when I got to the Rally will probably wear the 3/4 with shield.

[AlabamaNomadRider]

90% of the time I use the HJC IS-33 3/4 helmet. Doesn't get to hot for me even in August. Also have an HJC 1/2 helmet. Used it all the time before I purchased the IS-33. Always wear one or the other as Alabama and my brain require riding with a helmet.

[Dave]

Aria 3/4, Aria full, Nolan convertible.

[vulcans2]

I wear a Shoei MultiTec flip front modular helmet all the time. I thought about a 3/4 but I'm not sure of the protection of less than a full faced helmet. My wife went down years ago, at 10 mph, and if it hadn't been for her full fact helmet, she would have been visiting the cosmetic surgeons for years, based on the damage to the left side of the helmet sliding down the road. Sure made believers of us. A 1/2 or 3/4 helmet might be cooler, but don't offer the protection of a full face or modular helmet. Just call me chicken, I guess.

[ccmjr77]

Half helmet most of the time and a full face modular when it is cold.

[ballast]

I wear a Shoei MultiTec flip front modular helmet all the time. I thought about a 3/4 but I'm not sure of the protection of less than a full faced helmet. My wife went down years ago, at 10 mph, and if it hadn't been for her full fact helmet, she would have been visiting the cosmetic surgeons for years, based on the damage to the left side of the helmet sliding down the road. Sure made believers of us. A 1/2 or 3/4 helmet might be cooler, but don't offer the protection of a full face or modular helmet. Just call me chicken, I guess.

Same reason, except my face, I wear a full.

[taranis]

Scorpion EXO-100 1/2 helmet on almost every ride, and especially on long trips. I've hit bad weather with it, and the flip-down shield is a nice feature to have. It keeps most of the rain off my face - the rest I keep off by ducking behind the windshield.

I haven't worn my full-face again since I bought the 1/2 helmet.

[ndbigfish]

Leisurely riding under 65 mph on the back roads; a Bell Drifter 1/2 helmet. Riding the freeway at 70+ mph; a HJC modular full face.

[jmax5105]

I wish you guys would quit posting questions like this.... http://s2.images.proboards.com/tongue.gif it makes me go out and look for new stuff..... and I always find something else I want to buy. I haven't talked to anyone that has had it, but it would be nice to be able to pull the face sheild off and just throw the visor on. I like that it has the flip down sun shield as well. This one looks like it might not be a bad way to go. Guess I'll start saving up for this too now.

http://www.motorcyclegear.com/street/helmets_and_eyewear/closed_face_flip_up_chin/scorpion/exo_900_solid_transformer_motorcycle_helmet.html

[waterman]

I wear a full face most of the time. I have been nailed in the head with a rock to many times to not wear a helmet. I also have a 1/2 helmet but just wear that on local rides when the weather is warm.

[roox]

+1 on the Shoei MultiTec flip front modular helmet. Comfortable on all day rides and its nice to just open it up at gas stations to talk to your buddies rather than take it off.

[flavor]

I have a full modular, 3/4 and half helmet. When I choose to wear a helmet I usually choose the 1/2. When I went cross country in 2009 I took the full and half. i have a small visor that snaps on the half, and between the Clearview windshield and that visor, I was comfortable in rain and kept pretty dry. Only once (N Carolina), did I use the full. Flooded roads, tornado warnings when I came off the Blue Ridge. You know no matter what gear I had on that day I would've gotten wet.

Yes safety says full as my face was saved in '77 in NYC, when my front wheel hit such a large pot hole that the wheel stayed in the hole, and I was catapolted across an intersection. I landed on my head and shoulder, ripped the shield out of the helmet from friction, and came out with heavy road rash and a broken collar bone.

It was kind of weird when you're riding along side a bud at the same speed, and you get thrown so hard that you're looking at him while in mid air and actually passing him for a split second.

So safety says full but stupidity says I love riding without a helmet. I'd also like to not that if I still lived in NYC I might not even have a bike because between the roads there and traffic I don't know if I would be worth the chances.

[usranger74]

All I have ever used in the "open face" type.

[pastorgumby]

I'm glad to hear most of you guys are as fanatical about motorcycling & gear as I am!

I have a shoei RF1000 full face (more for cold weather or Sport riding), a Scorpion EXO 100 half w/ drop down shield, and my most recent addition HJC IS-33 3/4 with drop down sun visor. The IS-33 is supposed to keep 90% of UV rays off my face; I got a skin condition called vitilago (Michael Jackson's skin disease), so i should not be exposed to direct sunlight, but that takes a lot of fun away from riding. I hope the HJC will be a solution, as i just bought a tinted shield. I love the open wind! Ride on!!!

[rewindgy]

Bell Mag 8 - best helmet I have tried yet - inside is washable - front visor flips up into helmet ( almost) so you have a 3/4 helmet for when it's nice out and flip down for inclemet weather. Plus it doesn't have that clostrophobic feeling and you can see down which is always a bit of a thing with a full face.

[ponch]

I currently use a modular and used a full face all previous years. I find it noisier without the helmet.

[dcubed1988]

Icon full-face...all the time.

[brote]

Scorpion EXO 100 half w/ drop down shield all of the time. I rode 160 miles through a driving rain storm and the drop down shield kept the water of my face. Now if I could find a good windshield wiper...... Hmmmmmm

[ponch]

Scorpion EXO 100 half w/ drop down shield all of the time. I rode 160 miles through a driving rain storm and the drop down shield kept the water of my face. Now if I could find a good windshield wiper...... Hmmmmmm

you just need to ride faster so the water keeps off you. :)

[Loafer]

Two Nolan flip-up helmets one with a clear face shield and one with a gold irridium shield. I like them.

[chucks1911]

I have a half helmet that I wear 99.99 % of the time. A 3/4 for those few days that I ride when its really cold.

On some of the hotter days around here, it's all I can do to make myself wear the half helmet. This coming summer I'll probably start going helmetless some days. Just depends on how much crap I'm willing to take from the wife http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif

[wiz]

My wife and I both wear white HJC FS-3 3/4 helmets with the switchable sun visor of face shield. The white helmets are very visible. The face shield keeps my dry on the wet rise and warmer on the colder rides - but given decent weather I prefer to have some air on my face. I wore a full face before I got a cruiser but then I hated having to tilt my entire head downward to see the speedometer cluster on the tank. That may not be an issue for people whose heads are lower. :-)

[moloprintz]

A flip up in the winter.
A 1/2 the rest of the time.
No helmet when in SC or KY.

[bogatyrs]

After a good deal of research I have just purchased a "Nolan 43N Trilogy" helmet. I wanted the protection of a full face however most helmets did not allow me enough peripheral vision as I have only one eye. I have been using cheap ½ and ¾ helmets.

I am really pleased with the Nolan as I can use it as a ¾ or full face by removing the chin guard. It has a large “windshield” and is quite light as well. The helmet cost a bit ($354 CDN) but as someone noted my head is very valuable and quite pretty as well ::).

Although the weather is not conducive to riding at the moment (-22C) but I have tried it around the house and like the fit and feel.

[Top Cat]

When you had it on in the house did you run as fast as you could to see how the wind noise is ??? http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif ;)
Just bustin' ya.

[bogatyrs]

Of course... I even got the feel of what it is like when you lean in the curves. Then I watched the video so I could analysis my performance... http://s2.images.proboards.com/cheesy.gif

Must admit my neighbours really laughed when I ran around the condo in the snow with my helmet on - did keep my ears warm and the fog free shield worked well.

[mobandy78]

HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

That's funny right there! http://s2.images.proboards.com/cheesy.gif ;)

[skeeter]

ROFLMAO! Keep it up...

[dank]

I have the HJC IS-16. Has a sun visor built in that slides down and then pops back up with the push of a button. Very handy late evening and early morning when the sun is low in the sky, especially on winding roads.

I always wear full face. Have had too many car windows broken by rocks to be at peace without a full face helmet. Also, I "kissed" one car that turned left in front of me a few years ago. Face shield made a "boink" sound as it flexed and then popped back out again after the impact. Really glad I had a full face helmet that day.

[bobzinger]

I always wanted to try a Shark Evoline. It flips from full to 3/4 and gets great ratings, but it's expensive.
http://www.webbikeworld.com/r2/motorcycle-helmet/shark-evoline/
http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee262/busman3/silverside.jpghttp://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc55/Sleap1/Evoline2.jpg

[deadant]

I always wanted to try a Shark Evoline. It flips from full to 3/4 and gets great ratings, but it's expensive.
http://www.webbikeworld.com/r2/motorcycle-helmet/shark-evoline/
http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee262/busman3/silverside.jpghttp://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc55/Sleap1/Evoline2.jpg
I like the looks of that helmet. Wonder if it would work with scala communication.

[coacha]

Full face every time on the bike. It gets hot down here in Florida but I wear it 100% of the time now.

[Jared]

I always wanted to try a Shark Evoline. It flips from full to 3/4 and gets great ratings, but it's expensive.
http://www.webbikeworld.com/r2/motorcycle-helmet/shark-evoline/
http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee262/busman3/silverside.jpghttp://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc55/Sleap1/Evoline2.jpg
I like the looks of that helmet. Wonder if it would work with scala communication.

It should work just fine. The flip part goes over the top and would be similar to a modular helmet, which is what my wife uses with our scala set.

[cbutteris]

Just bought a full-face for those colder rides and when rain is possible. Otherwise a 1/2 helmet with a zip-in storm flap. Storm flap helps with wind but not so good for rain/cold.

Will try to net the second helmet on the back fender for the long solo rides - see how that works.

[ponch]

Just bought a full-face for those colder rides and when rain is possible. Otherwise a 1/2 helmet with a zip-in storm flap. Storm flap helps with wind but not so good for rain/cold.

Will try to net the second helmet on the back fender for the long solo rides - see how that works.

For cold get a balaclava.

[dank]

For cold get a balaclava.

I prefer pie and coffee....but I guess those Greek pastries are good too. http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif

[jamiep24]

Before I got my Nomad (my first bike), I said I would always wear a full-face helmet. But I wear my half-helmet almost all the time now. Only wear full in rain or really cold weather. I can hear so much more and no buffeting. Just glad we have helmet laws here in Mississippi or I probably wouldn't wear one at all, even though I know I should. Jamie

[ponch]

For cold get a balaclava.

I prefer pie and coffee....but I guess those Greek pastries are good too. http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif

Not exactly...

[cbutteris]

Hey that's funny, but I prefer just the coffee - them Greek pastries will make your pants shrink.

[vulcan09]

I bought the Shark Evoline last year at the Boston Motorcycle Show and love it. I've worn all types of helmets and was torn between buying a 3/4 or modular helmet. This one fits both. It also works well with my Scala Communication device too. I believe it's the only one that is DOT and European certified. I like the way the modular piece folds around and blends into the helmet.