Tempted again!

[mthee]

To try out an open face. And being subjected to sneaky advertising like this, it's hard to resist;



See what I mean? Using a BSA thumper - unfair!

[Andy M]

Wait a few months. Goggles, bike that's happy at B-road speeds, smelling the flowers etc. it all works for me, but you want to be picking bugs out of your teeth, not hail stones.

Andy

[SteveC#222]

Yeah, I keep thinking of getting an open face every summer but have never got around to it, wind in your hair, flies in your teeth & wasps up your nose! Davida helmets are very nice but expensive, and you'll need to budget for some goggles too......maybe this year.

[Half Ton]

My brother wears an open face for about 10 months of the year,He flat refuses to wear a full face,I have an open lid but have turned chicken,I just hate the big bugs especially at night ,I had a mizamadore split my cheek once and that was it for me,I now wear a Bell Bullit (carbon)and it is almost as good as an open lid,The peripheral vision is awesome and you can only just see the chin bar when you are wearing it.For my head shape it is very comfortable, But the only downside is the wind noise (and the price )

[timbo]

I converted to open face a few years ago, and now rarely wear a full face, even at this time of year. Cheap safety glasses from Screwfix do the job. Goggles are a pain in the ........

[iansoady]

I've always used open face helmets apart for a very brief trial with full face which I found impossibly claustrophobic.

I stuck with Davidas and Mark 8s for years but they're useless when it's raining especially if you wear glasses. I remember once on the way down to Portsmouth on the M3 / M27 in torrential rain when the elastic stretched and the goggles slipped off and I rode the last few miles virtually blind.

Now I use an open face with integral visor (http://www.ghostbikes.com/products/helmets-open-face-helmets/3392-nitro-x512-v-open-face-motorcycle-helmet.html) which to me is the best of both worlds.

[mthee]

Thought about this for an all-in-one;

https://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorcycle_parts/content_prod/225184

But I think the versatility of one with the 3 press studs to take various visors, is what I'll go for. This one comes in 2 shell sizes, has a drop down sun visor and removable peak;

https://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorcycle_parts/content_prod/227824

Definitely doing it this year - come on, SteveC#222!

[themoudie]

Last year I posted on here a similar question as the Arai Signet full face was getting slack, smelly and past it after 50K miles and 9 years. 

Went and tried a Davida at an approved stockist and found the "fitting" a bit 'off', with my head being caught in a vice and with instructions to roll the helmet on and off the head; I then tried to put the glasses on!    Forget it!    Not designed for glasses or Screwfix safety specs, just ruddy 'designer' goggles that don't work and cost a fortune.

Nobody else local had anything I had read about, but I was offered an HJC Polycarbonate job, with ratchet visor and inbuilt sun visor for £90-00. Tried it on and it fitted well, adjusted the strap, poked the glasses in and they wouldn't slide in!    But, put the glasses on and then put the lid on nae bother, the padding has a wee cut out for the arms to fit in.

So paid the cash, chucked the "stinker" in the shop skip after giving it a good batter and rode off. A wee touch of misting around the bottom of the visor as it comes down to the chin, so a single click up and the problem was solved. Nice and quiet and very light on the bonce, with excellent all round "supervision"!    Did about 4,000km wearing it this year and even just before Xmas, when it was parky, it was a pleasure to wear. You can see and hear so much more, whilst wind roar is reduced, didn't need the plugs or twists of cotton wool. The in-built sun-visor certainly works for me and is better than the duct tape or insulating tape trick across the top of the visor, when riding into low sunlight.

The links are for the 2017 models, that are a wee bit different from mine, but I am pleased that I reverted. Obviously, if you are into track days etc you need a Gold ACU sticker etc.

HJC_open_face_2017_polycarbonate_model

HJC_open_face_2017_kevlar/fibreglass_model

I have also heard that Shark open face are comfortable, but find that they don't fit my head.

Thanks to all those who offered suggestions and I hope this helps.

My regards, Bill

P.S. I have since been told that the only way to get a Davida to fit is to go to the factory or have a fitting at one of the shows, where the factory boys are taking the measurements.   

[mthee]

Thanks for the suggestions. Can anyone say which of these visor types is preferable?

[Moto63]

Morning chaps, I have a davida and personally don't av any problem popping on my heed, must be said tho that I do av a bit of a peanut bonce  ......however after my accident there is now no way I will ever be wearing an open face helmet again. At the time (luckily) I was wearing my arai corsair full face lid, which ultimately saved my bacon and at the very least saved me from serious brain injury.  (so the medical people tell me) it's not like I was hooning along at 120plus and riding like a deek,  I was doing approximately 50mph when something "let go in my engine" which sent me wide into the path of the Audi Q5 I hit head on,  which was also doing approximately 50mph so impact speed of approximately 100 mph.....ouch.    If I'd av had my Davida on I wouldn't av a face or at least half a face left. I realise the ODDS are it won't happen, certainly not to you.....but it does happen and it happened to me. So whichever helmet you wear make sure it's of the VERY BEST quality. I will.
Cheers, Michael

[Richard]

And yet I was reading a medical paper that suggested that full face helmets have resulted in asphyxiation post accident, and that heavier helmets can cause brain stem injury due to higher momentum in  accident situations.  Generally full face with be the heavier I suspect.

I recall some additional work on helmets with soft chin bars so that the face was protected from abrasion injury without some of the problems caused by chin bars digging in and twisting the head/helmet.

I wear both types - buts its hard to know which is best.

[Moto63]

Yes like I say Richard, WHICHEVER type you wear, open or full face and I'm certainly NOT stamping my feet and waving my banner telling everyone they shud wear full face. It's your/ones choice. Just please make sure it's of decent quality  ....cheers, Michael

[iansoady]

Thanks for the suggestions. Can anyone say which of these visor types is preferable?

I would never go for the bubble type as you can't lift them out of the way if they steam up.

Personal opinion of course......

[mthee]

Ian and Bill, can you confirm that your main visors retract fully, i.e., past the opening? I'm beginning to see the practicality in having it integral, rather than as an add-on.

[spooky]

i use bob heath flip up type, (like in bottom photo)  just ordered a new one about £30, i find the ones with a half visor give a lot of turbulence and make my eyes water and my beard blow up into my eyes !