Open face helmets

[Lupine Lacuna]

Spending a bit of time on the weekend reading about the new V7 racer (and not riding my bike, of course), got me thinking about open face helmets.

Would you ever wear one? They look liberating just wouldn't fancy coming off wearing it. How about just for slow speed stuff? I'd consider wearing just for about town (though I know there is an increased chance of an off in such areas)

[groovylee]

[Lupine Lacuna]

No jaw protection, innit. Not good for a face plant, though I wonder how likely/common that is

[anthony_r6]

Because your face is still exposed? Catch anything at an angle... handlebars, curb, etc etc and you'll wish you'd have had a full face helmet.

Not to mention they look ghey.
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Ted : "Maybe he's agoraphobic."
Dougal : "Jack scared of fighting? I don't think so, Ted."

[Teflon-Mike]

I quite like an open face.
Less claustrophobic. Better field of view. Cheap to, and they dont have venting systems to not work or visors to not work; lighter. Dont have to take it off to go into the petrol station of try buy a pack of fags.... all good.
Less good? Well, peaked lid at err.. speeds you shouldn't be doing anyway.... oh yeah, that's another good! sensation of speed!
Yeah, at 'higher speeds' the peak can give a bit of 'lift' and start tugging your head, but up to... err.... even higher speeds you shouldn't be doing where licence loss is almost certain consequence, 'tilting in' it's not a big hassle, unless you are trying to hold sustained higher speeds.
Protection?
Well the shell is same as a fullface. polymer or composite over polystyrene; so no real difference in protection there.
bit its missing, the chin-guard, isn't 'bearing', there's little or no impact absorbing material in it. Jaw is 'mobile' anyway, so more likely to be dislocated or broken by something hitting something resting on it, so the chin piece only really offers some abrasion resistance if you face plant the road, and possibly a bit of stiffening between the sides of the back of the helmet.
so it gives a much greater 'sense' of protection than it actually provides... as does most safety wear...
Trick of not getting hurt is not falling off!

So, yeah, I am happy enough in an open face, and think them hugely under-rated, and the fobic predjudice against them, steered by fear not reason; so when it comes to buying hats, IF you dismiss an open PURELY on the 'idea' that you cant imagine NOT having that extra bit of possible 'protection'; you are letting fear rule reason, and take control of your judgement; which does not bode well for safe riding.

Snowie; got me a sharve Evoline, duel approved 'flip' for my birthday... best of both worlds, I suppose... certainly the first flip to make any sense to me, and not look but ugly open.... but very heavy hat, and for popping to the shops, I still grab the cheap beanie!
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[P.addy]

[Reid]

In all honesty, main reason I wear full-face (even on flip-up lids I only raise them when stationary) is stuff getting flung into your face. Midges and stuff are a nuisance at slower speeds but when you're up to motorway speeds, a big bug or a piece of gravel flung up at you by a car's rear wheel - not so fun. Basically, if you've ever heard a bang noise as something pings off your full-face helmet - think whether you'd want your face to have absorbed it instead.

[Dazbo666]

I'm not a big fan of open face helmets, but only because of personal preference of how they look rather than any protection worries.
I also have a strange problem where I find it difficult to breathe properly if I have a strong gust of wind in my face - so completely open to the elements is again not an option for me.

Having said that, I've considered a flip up helmet in the past and tried a few on, but apparently I do not have a Caberg or Schuberth shaped head
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1st bike (Sept'06 - May'10) : 1991 GPZ500S / Current bike (since Nov 2009) : 2003 Suzuki Bandit 600N
Word of the day : DILLIGAF

[Rogerborg]

I chop and change back and forth. Open face definitely has a risk compensation aspect to it: you're much more aware of being exposed and vulnerable, and paired with that, you have better vision and get a good rear view with less head movement than a full face. So I do think that you're less likely to have an off while wearing one.

Then I faceplanted on black ice in a full face, scuffed the hell out of the chin bar, and haven't even looked at the open face since.
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Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[ninja_butler]

I use an open-face for riding around town. I wouldn't use it for long trips or at speed or even on a cold day but it's great for low-speed riding and it's nice to be able to see the clocks on my bike without moving my whole head.

[.Chris.]

I prefer open-face lids, particularly in the summer. You do get much more of a sense of the environment around you than with a full-face. Everyone should at least try one - they're available pretty cheaply.

In winter they can be a bit miserable, though. Rain droplets hitting the face at high speed are pretty painful. I still remember quite vividly riding in a hailstorm on the A38 in an open-face lid. Not pleasant!
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Chris
1985 Kawasaki Z550F

[Pernig]

https://www.bikebiz.com.au/product_images/o/394/nolan_n41classic_1__13374_zoom.jpg

I have been borrowing one of these for the past three weeks and it's pretty good. The peak shades your eyes from the low sun, you can see a bit more and it's quite easy to take on and off, especially if you wear glasses. The visor goes all the way down below your chin, so I'm not sure what lids other posters were wearing that were complaining about debris and rain hitting their face, but with this lid it's simply not an issue.

The bad parts about this lid as opposed to a full-face lid; It's much louder, even with earplugs. The wind noise at anything over 60 was particularly unpleasant for me. I agree with Teflon about the peak (at least I think it was the peak that was doing it). Over about 65 the helmet doesn't want to sit still on your head at all, which is very annoying.

All in all, while I couldn't find much fault in the helmet, I prefer my flip-front. I never actually thought I would see the day when I'd be glad to have my old Caberg back.
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H100 Breaking for spares

[Llama-Farmer]

I wouldn't wear an open face...

Got my flip-up that I use for work so don't have to take it off at peoples doors and petrol stations, but has the protection of a full face.

Too much wind with an open face, not to mention if a car flicks a stone up and it hits you in the face best-case that bastards gonna hurt, but it might take you off the bike, blind you, kill you. Chances are low, but freak accidents do happen sometimes.

If you come off and land on your front and slide a bit, don't have to even hit your chin hard, but if you drag it along the tarmac you're not gonna be so pretty afterwards.

[Cheeseybeaner]

I think an open face with a decent pair of goggles and possibly a decent fabric face covering if needed would be great in certain weather conditions. I'm sure this would be great for maintaining good vision and avoiding misting.

[darthbuttchin]

I like my open face - pair it with some goggles, a checked desert scarf and a belstaff and you look awesome! haha.

I wouldn't wear it for long journeys, or in really chilly weather though.

Main thing to remember though, is that bugs fricking hurt when they hit your face!
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CG125-K1 (1978) - 35 years old and (mostly) going strong! (Restored and rebuilt by my own fair hands).
Call me Tomsk - I am the Flying Womble after all.

[Piercee100]

I own both, always use a full face in the cold or when riding long distances on my big bike but also own a cheap open face Spada (£39.99) when riding my little Honda H100a complete with my Rickman topbox and goggles! I think a full face on this type of commuter bike would make me look stupid... But by the same measure, if your a Power Ranger on a sports bike then the openface may not help your look much either.

Being cheap and small means I can carry a spare open face in my little bikes topbox so either my son or my wife (both small size) can jump on the back for a quick ride home. I think it boils down to your needs and the speeds you travel. I wear eye protection for both (always have my visor up) Open face for the low speed runs and full face for the faster bits.
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Rides: Honda H100a (Retired), VT500e (Sold), Kawasaki ZX400 (sold), Kawasaki GT550 (Sold), Suzuki Inazuma (Daily), Honda CD185t (Broken), LML Star 2t (Last run edition).

[TheSmiler]

You know what I find hilarious about open faced helmets, earlier this year there was a quiz about not wearing helmets in America and how many would do it in this country. The amount that wouldn't wear a helmet outnumbered those who did.

However hardly any of them that said they wouldn't wear a helmet say they would never wear an open faced helmet typical worthy.
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CB125>CG125>GN125>ER5>K100RS>R1100RS>K100RS
A2 completed 23/07/15 Ready for the Golden Crisp Packet

[Alpha-9]

[Kickstart]

[T.C]

[Rogerborg]

[Alpha-9]

My CBT instructor was wearing one of those with the chin guard you could flip aside/move, he said they weigh a lot and aren't as safe and recommended we avoid them if we dont need them

Dunno exactly his basis, but thats what he said
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Fzr-600 1999

[Lupine Lacuna]

Flip tops dont have the structural itnegrity and score lower on Sharp tests. Whether you like SHARP or not, some of the tests are helpful and significant.

I might try and open top on the casual summer rides. But to be honest, I have realised how boring motorcyling is on congested rodes under 40mph. I want sweeping bends and open roads. Looking forward to France.

[Llama-Farmer]

[WannaBeDude]

Lid whore !!!

Lets get one thing straight - if you want easy versatility, you need all 3 !

https://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e53/covdude/2012/IMG_0164.jpg
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Jogging on, destination living.