full face vs open face helmet

Message
Author
JustMark
Regular
Regular
Posts: 36
Joined: Fri Feb 19, 2010 6:27 pm
Real Name: Mark
Sex: Male
Years Riding: 2
My Motorcycle: '06 Honda Nighthawk cb250
Location: Eastern North Carolina

full face vs open face helmet

#1 Unread post by JustMark »

Ok, so ive read all the pros for a full face helmet vs open and yet when i bought a helmet i decided to go open face instead. When i was testing the bike out, the guy i was buying it from had a full face he let me borrow. It wasnt comfortable at all. Not that it was tight or loose, i just didnt feel like i could see very well at all. peripheral (sp?) vision seemed minimal at best to me. Am i weird that my first helmet is NOT a full face?

User avatar
Johnj
Site Supporter - Platinum
Site Supporter - Platinum
Posts: 3806
Joined: Fri Nov 17, 2006 7:34 am
Real Name: Johnny Strabler
Sex: Male
Years Riding: 34
My Motorcycle: A Bolt of Lightning
Location: Kansas City KS

Re: full face vs open face helmet

#2 Unread post by Johnj »

Have you ever tried to talk to somebody that had their jaw ripped off in an accident?
People say I'm stupid and apathetic. I don't know what that means, and I don't care.
Image
Always wear a helmet, eye protection, and protective clothing. Never ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

User avatar
jstark47
Site Supporter - Silver
Site Supporter - Silver
Posts: 3538
Joined: Fri Feb 03, 2006 2:58 pm
Sex: Male
Years Riding: 16
My Motorcycle: '12 Tiger 800, '03 Trophy 1200
Location: Lumberton, NJ

Re: full face vs open face helmet

#3 Unread post by jstark47 »

There's a chart around somewhere -- I'll post it later if I find it -- summarizing a German study of motorcycle accident statistics. The area of the head most frequently impacted in a motorcycle accident was the jaw. I like my jaw the way it is, so I'm not risking it motorcycling. But that's a personal decision of course, others may differ.

Contrary to the OP, I find another reason for using full face helmets is comfort. I ride year round (unless there's ice on the road). I'd rather not have 35F air blowing in my face at 75 mph, it's a tad chilly. I also opt not to have stones, bugs, and other small objects hit my face at speed.

As far as peripheral vision goes, in my case the area cut off by the helmet is so far to the edge of my field of vision it's of very little practical use to me. I maintain situational awareness through actively scanning mirrors, doing head checks, and listening (yes, you can hear with a full face on).

I had a 3/4 helmet once. I stopped using it after buying my first full face, and we eventually gave it away. As for half helmets, I don't much see the point.
2003 Triumph Trophy 1200
2009 BMW F650GS (wife's)
2012 Triumph Tiger 800
2018 Yamaha XT250 (wife's)
2013 Kawasaki KLX250S

User avatar
csspostal
Site Supporter - Bronze
Site Supporter - Bronze
Posts: 599
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 5:07 pm
Real Name: Tom
Sex: Male
Years Riding: 0
My Motorcycle: 2012/Harley Davidson/ Iron 883 Ember Red
Location: Port Hope, Ontario

Re: full face vs open face helmet

#4 Unread post by csspostal »

Is this the one you were referring too?

Image

I had a 3/4 with a shield when I took the safety course. It made me a little more comforatable because it felt like I was in a hockey helmet.

Now someone posted a pic of their yellow full face helmet on here when they were in an accident It was awfully scratched up in the jaw area. I thought and my wife agreed I didn't need to get any uglier so I decided to get a full face helmet. I can just catch the edges of the full face in my peripheral vision. The only thing this will do I believe is to force me to do my head checks. I'll turn the to check to see if that thing in my peripheral vision is just the edges of my helmet or something sneaking up on me. The instructors told me we can lose close to 300 points on my full license test for just head checks so getting into that habit isn't a bad thing.

Truthfully though it is a personal decision on how much risk you are willing to take.

Now buying helmets may lead you to be called names by some people. Well it did me anyway. My wife called me a woman. I was :whome: She caught me looking at my next helmet which is a full face by Joe Rocket coming out early this year

Image

Told me I going to be like a woman with a shoe collection only mine will be helmets. I went :humm: she is right. :lol:
RhadamYgg wrote:I must have a sign on me that says "Never mind, he doesn't need vasoline."

solstice22
Rookie
Rookie
Posts: 8
Joined: Sun Feb 07, 2010 10:16 am
Sex: Male
Location: Stumptown - aka Portland OR.

Re: full face vs open face helmet

#5 Unread post by solstice22 »

Well first I have to congratulate you on wearing a helmet! When I went helmet shopping I had two things that I wanted: Full-face and White. And here is why; I wear contacts and having 24-60mph winds in my eyes will dry my eyes faster than a desert, not to mention I do not like dust and crap flying in my eye. I also wanted my helmet to be white, as long as you are not riding in a snow storm, a helmet is the highest point on your cycle and motorists seem to notice white. Of course you can lose all sense of style and go for the neon yellow helmet however I find white to be a happy medium. I went out with these intentions and spent 5 hours in the motorcycle shop trying on helmets. As it stands now my helmet is my favorite piece of gear. I also wear a Skull Cap under my helmet to get a snugger fit and to keep it from smelling like sweaty nastiness. Everyone has their reasons for what they want, just make sure the reason you get your gear is for safety and comfort then style. Ride safe!

User avatar
HYPERR
Legendary 3000
Legendary 3000
Posts: 3159
Joined: Wed May 21, 2008 11:13 am
Sex: Male
My Motorcycle: Year/Make/Model
Location: CT, USA

Re: full face vs open face helmet

#6 Unread post by HYPERR »

Johnj wrote:Have you ever tried to talk to somebody that had their jaw ripped off in an accident?
Lol yeah. I mean why bother even wearing a helmet if you aren't going to protect the one part that is most likely to smash into the pavement.
2008 Ducati Hypermotard 1100
2006 Kawasaki KLX250S
2004 Honda CBR600RR
2002 BMW R1150R
1996 Ducati 900SS

JustMark
Regular
Regular
Posts: 36
Joined: Fri Feb 19, 2010 6:27 pm
Real Name: Mark
Sex: Male
Years Riding: 2
My Motorcycle: '06 Honda Nighthawk cb250
Location: Eastern North Carolina

Re: full face vs open face helmet

#7 Unread post by JustMark »

Thanks for all the input. Maybe that particular helmet just didnt fit right for some reason? Who knows. Im sure at some point ill look at helmets again and probably end up with a full face also. Guess i just thought all helmets fit that way, and i didnt give em a chance. Ill have to hit the store and try on several different ones and see if i can find one i feel comfortable with.

jaskc78
Site Supporter - Platinum
Site Supporter - Platinum
Posts: 703
Joined: Sun May 24, 2009 6:39 am
Sex: Male
Years Riding: 6
My Motorcycle: N/A
Location: Iola, KS

Re: full face vs open face helmet

#8 Unread post by jaskc78 »

JustMark--you're absolutely right about different helmets fitting differently. i sell quite a few helmets at my buddy's shop and i can tell you that Arai is the only helmet that fits the way they do. KBC's have a different feel, too; people either seem to love it right away or it's always just that little bit off that makes it uncomfortable. i tried on a bunch of Shoei helmets because i like a lot of their color schemes and graphics, but i never could find one that was comfortable. my first helmet was a Sparx and i loved it, but i decided to wear it again after wearing only my Scorpion since Christmas and i immediately noticed how differently they fit.

bottom line: try on every helmet you can and see how you like it. you'll know right away if it's something you might like or if it'd drive you nuts to wear it on a motorcycle. if it's something you might like, wear it around the shop for maybe 15 minutes or so and see if it develops any hot spots. if not, it's probably a good fit. also keep in mind that it should feel snug on your cheeks and it should be tight enough that when it's on and you grab the chin and move it back and forth the skin on your face should move with it (most noticeably will be your forehead, it should slide back and forth over your skull with the helmet).

there's a helmet buying guide on here, too, so may want to give that a good read before buying your next helmet.
"Dude, women are like Vol-Tron. The more you can hook up the better it gets!" --RvB
Currently waiting on a new hip before I can get a new bike.

User avatar
Lion_Lady
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 1884
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 6:44 am
Real Name: Pam
Sex: Female
Years Riding: 20
My Motorcycle: 2013 BMW R1200R 90th Anniversary
Location: Lynchburg, VA

Re: full face vs open face helmet

#9 Unread post by Lion_Lady »

JustMark wrote:Thanks for all the input. Maybe that particular helmet just didnt fit right for some reason? Who knows. Im sure at some point ill look at helmets again and probably end up with a full face also. Guess i just thought all helmets fit that way, and i didnt give em a chance. Ill have to hit the store and try on several different ones and see if i can find one i feel comfortable with.
Like wearing (downhill) ski boots for the first time, a full face helmet can take a bit of getting used to. Once you're on the slopes, the "odd" feeling of ski boots is no longer an issue, because they're doing their job.

It does seem that a full face helmet will limit your peripheral vision, but I'm sure you'll discover that once you're riding it doesn't. Check out the "Helmet Fit Guidelines" - stickied at the top of this forum. Print it and take it with you shopping for a full face. You may reconsider.

P
Courage in women is often mistaken for insanity - Alice Paul

User avatar
dean owens
Legendary 500
Legendary 500
Posts: 562
Joined: Mon May 08, 2006 8:34 am
Sex: Male
Years Riding: 4
My Motorcycle: '06 Yamaha Fz6
Location: Pittsboro, NC

Re: full face vs open face helmet

#10 Unread post by dean owens »

a full face helmet felt constricting when i first tried them on and i thought i'd never get used to it. 3 years later and i can't imagine riding without one. knowing what i know i'd have a hard time wearing anything other than a full face helmet.
Current: 2006 Yamaha FZ6 (Faster Blue)

Previous: 1983 Honda GL650 Interstate (given back to previous owner)

Project: 1980 CX500 Custom - making a cafe racer

Post Reply