open face bike helmets - safety? Who has experience of them?

[gimpy limp]

what are those dot approved open face helmets 'really' like for safety? thing is I don't know it's easy to say their useless because they dont look the safest things to be protecting your head in the world but has anyone ever crashed wearing one? or know somebody that has? how did it hold up? They must be safe enough to pass safety tests/standards. even those expensive ones with the highest safety stickers only have those stickers because of the added features (certain visors and anti mist stuff) has to pass extra tests (I was told by an instructor).

something like this, I love it but i'm looking for proof that the safety approved ones are unsafe:

https://i6.ebayimg.com/03/i/05/11/18/3a_1_b.JPG

sensible coherent answers please so I can make my mind up about wether to have one as a 2nd helmet for when the weathers nice and cruising around.
____________________
-=[Sam/b]=- cx500's the only way to travel, we do it in style just like jimmy saville
msn addy - [email protected]
https://pre-auto.com/cx500/rat_and_survival_gallery_2006

[StuntMike12]

had a crash couple of weeks back and where i rolled on to my front the helmet is scuffed quite badly and took the visor with it.....imagine if it had been an open face helmet...enough said
____________________
If you can't keep 2 wheels on the ground....one will do

[18aprilia]

i've never owned one, but from pictures i seen of people who used them, you wouldnt want it either, me and my mates always laugh about them kinda helmets becuase they offer no protection to ur face what so ever!

you only have to look at it to know that!!

but its up 2 u man!
____________________
Supra King

[primalcarl]

Not unless you're from Bavaria

[Vespa]

.

[R6jonny]

[Rookie]

Are these guys who ride litre Harleys idiots, or what?

[thx1138]

I own an ancient Centurion open face helmet, which I use if I am just going around town in 30mph areas.

[GearboxGeezer]

Dont wear open face crash helmets, if you have ever had a punnch in the mouth or a tooth ache, you no how much that hurts, then imagine how much it hurts getting your bottom jaw ripped off and u slide across the pavement, or smashing your face into the roof edge of a car. Im not saying Full face helmets will protect your head from any crash, but there a fuck load better

[thx1138]

I look at this way, round town on my motorbike, I am wearing all my gear, and an open face helmet.

When I deliver the Royal Mail, I am doing it all on a bicycle in shorts, and short sleeves, and a cycle helmet, same roads, similar speeds...

[feef]

not crached wearing one,and wouldn't want to..

my accident, was 35 -40 mph head on with a car. Closing speed of 70 - 80 mph.

My full-face helmet chinpiece was cracked on both sides where i had bounced off the car.

I daren't imagine what I'd be like had I been wearing an open faced job.

nuff said

a
____________________
Mudskipper wrote: feef, that is such a beautiful post that it gave me a lady tingle
Windchill calculator - London Bike parking
Blog and stuff - PlentyMoreFish dating

[stinkwheel]

You get WAY better visability wearing an open face lid. I suppose the question is, will this help you avoid an accident in the first place? In town, I think the answer could well be yes.

You also tend not to ride so fast with an open face lid.

Oh, and just because the peak looks ever so slightly effeminate (in a Freddie Mercury style) doesn't mean you should take it off, unless you intend to stick under 60mph. Over this speed, they have a nasty tendancy to lift up off your head and can indeed land up flapping about behind your head while the chinstrap throttles you. The 'peak' stop this happening.

EDIT: Just noticed your picture (was broken). I don't think you'll find a road legal coal scuttle helmet in the UK.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Kickstart]

If you are that worried about the effects of crashing then buy a Volvo.

All the best

Keith
____________________
Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[colin1]

The style of helmet favoured by gimpy limp was seen being worn by cher while riding her cruiser after confronting tv journalists.

To me this makes it instantly uncool.

Although i would consider wearing other styles of open face helmet if I was not going to ride faster than 30mph as i dont tend to wear any helmet on my push bike.

stinks point about visibility could well be valid
____________________
colin1 is officially faster than god

[White Noise]

whos going to post the picture of the guy that looks like villers from futurama, which the myth states he came off his bike with a open face lid on
WN
____________________
Buy my wife: 96' Yam XJ600s (Diversion)
Wing Commander White Noise - SE Clique
Riding Tip #86: See God, then back off a bit: Problem is i haven't seen god yet, just a close up of tarmac on revett straight

[Vespa]

.

[thx1138]

[Clanger]

I used them as a child, but not these days. The amount of big bumble bees that have crashed into my visor Im sooooo glad I had my visor. I do know loadsa bikers who wear open faced and sooo many trike owners that wear nothing, and they seem to cope okay. I think its down to personal choice.
____________________
Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter won't mind - Dr. Seuss

[thx1138]

Well, i wear goggles, that go a long way to adding to my Mr.Bean status in my street. But, I really don't want a fly hitting me in the eye at high speed.

[feef]

[Paivi]

I wear an open face one but I always have to wear either glasses or sunnies, plus I have a windscreen, so my eyes are OK. I've ridden a scooter without the windscreen and my eyes were watering like mad. I only do max 40mph and purely city riding, so an open face is probably fine, but if I were to go any faster and certainly on faster moving roads, I'd get a full face one.

[Bendy]

For every person who landed on their face I bet there's another who's head didn't even touch the deck.

The trick is not to crash in the first place.

[steveh]

My old man crashed whilst wearing one, slid of a A10 on a corner, he went sliding down the road and hit his head on a cirb, dinting his lid (open face)
This was when there was no laws regarding helmets and he could of chose not to wear one, but thank god he always did or he would of been dead and i not been here today.

So yes i do think they are safe, and its generaly the more "mature" rider that choose to wear them, in my view anyway.

Steve.
____________________
Current : 06 Zx10r, 07 Wr450f SM, 74 850 norton commando, 63 bsa b40, 1962 Triton 650, 67 Triumph Tr6r, 1955 Triton 750, 1978 TY250E.

[gimpy limp]

sounds to me like it is entirely dependent on the situation and wether the rider is fully aware or not of what extra dangers they bring and riding to minimise them. Even I wouldnt go riding in an pen face on a sports bike like most people have here at high speeds with my knee down probably asking for trouble that is but slow speeds just cruising on the relaxed handling type of bike I have I think is safe enough if I ride knowing if a car suddenly stops i'm getting my chin and noes flattened or if I low side at speed chances are my open face is goning to be dragged along the road then ride to minimise those things happenning (just keep it in the back of your head). I've come off a push bike doing 35mpg (the speedo clocks the fastest speed) in shorts and a tshirt at the bottom of a really steep long hill with a bend at the end (in the middle of the road) came off with nothing but some cuts and no head damage. 35/40 mph i would feel perfectly safe in one dual carriageway/motorway speeds I'm not sure about as theirs alot more force emposed on you at those speeds. Who crashes on a straight dual carriageway though? It's not exactly the most likely place your gonna crash if you have your wits about you to know what other cars are doing.
____________________
-=[Sam/b]=- cx500's the only way to travel, we do it in style just like jimmy saville
msn addy - [email protected]
https://pre-auto.com/cx500/rat_and_survival_gallery_2006

[map]

IMO if you want to try and have the feel of an open face lid go for the ROOF boxer. That way you can slip it all the way back and still have the option of a full face when required.

As said it depends on where you ride but also on what. Given a decent screen and handling then open face is ok. If you've ever seen and Goldwing riders they use them a lot (with mic.s to the pillion). Guess that's because they feel safe, stable (but then given the size of a 'wing that's understandable). Most other open face lids that I've seen are your custom riders where IMO it's an image thing.
____________________
...and the whirlwind is in the thorn trees, it's hard for thee to kick against the pricks...
Gibbs, what did Duckie look like when he was younger?