[net.cycle] Need Helmet Info

dyer@vaxuum.DEC (Official Mail of the 1984 Olympics) (04/24/84)

Need Helmet Info_______________________________________________________________

  23-APR-1984 19:52           VAXUUM::DYER        

	Okay, we've put a down payment on a motorcycle.  Now we need a pair
of good helmets.  Suggestions, please!
		<_Jym_>				~Minerva~

| Jym Dyer | Nashua, NH | ...{allegra|decvax}!decwrl!rhea!vaxuum!dyer |

dyer@vaxuum.DEC (Official Mail of the 1984 Olympics) (04/24/84)

Re: Need Helmet Info [Forwarded to net.cycle]__________________________________

From: ...{allegra,decvax,ucbvax}!decwrl!rhea!eludom!clark
Date: 24-APR-1984 10:46

Many motorcycle riders are not aware that even a good helmet can be seriously
damaged by being dropped.  For example, dropping a helmet from chest height
onto a concrete sidewalk can result is a hairline crack in the outer shell.
This seriously diminishes the protective ability of the helmet.

Also, a helmet that has been in accident may have hidden damage.  Most
common is crushing of the hard foam padding inside the helmet.  It's this
crushing that provides most of the helmet's protection.  When the foam has
already collapsed, it won't provide protection the next time.

Bell provides an inspection and refurbishing service for their helmets.

Ward

ariels@mako.UUCP (Ariel Shattan) (04/26/84)

If it meets DOT and ANSI standards both (that is, the most recent
set of ANSI standards), It's gonna do the best possible job.  Many
helmets meet only DOT standard.  This is still a pretty stiff
standard.  My NavaIntegral Nava2 is only DOT, though it meets
European standards that don't count in the US.  It used to meet ANSI
standard, but they upgraded the standard.  I got it because it was
the only helmet that was small enough for my head while still
allowing my rather large-framed glasses to fit inside comfortably.
I couldn't even get the glasses into the Bell helmet.  As I
understand it, Bell is about the best there is.  Whatever you get,
remember, spending $100.00 on a helmet may seem like a lot, but how
much is your head worth?

Ariel (Now, if I could only get up the nerve to get a motorcycle...)
     Shattan

..!tektronix!orca!ariels

faunt@hplabsc.UUCP (Doug Faunt) (04/26/84)

I also wear glasses and discovered that I can quite easily put on
a properly fitting Star or Tour-Star over them.  I have a Star,
but I think a Tour-Star would seem less confining.
(I ordered a Tour-Star, but received a Star, and the company wouldn't
take it back,(and vanished a month later)).

joe@zinfandel.UUCP (04/27/84)

#R:decwrl:-732800:zinfandel:4600024:000:920
zinfandel!joe    Apr 25 08:38:00 1984

Hello.

	A recent motorcycle mag examined about fifty models of
helmets, with a wide range of judgments resultant. I don't rem-
ember anything except the top three:

	1    ARAI - Their top-of-the-line super light model that
			comes in a Wes Cooley Replica paint job.
			It's wonderfully light, Snell approved
			and very expensive. ~250$

	2    ARAI - Their other less expensive full face helmet.
			It seemed to be just as comfortable, quiet
			and well made as their best, only not as
			feather light. At ~150$ "a genuine bargain"

	3    SHOEI - model ER-7 This is not SHOEI's top-of-the-line
			but was liked better than the others.
			I don't remember the cost. It should be
			about 140$.

	My attitude is:

	Figure out how much your head is worth and spend no more
	than that.
				Joe "soon to be the first on his block
				     with an FJ1100" Weinstein
				Zehntel
				P.O. box 8016
				Walnut Creek Ca. 94596

gam@proper.UUCP (Gordon Moffett) (04/27/84)

Some things to look for in a helmet:  what kind of air circulation does it
provide?  I have a Bell Star, and while in motion with the faceplate closed
it is fine, when I am stopped I have to raise the faceplate after a short time.
With the Star this is difficult wih one, gloved hand.  I've noticed some helmets
have vents of some sort on the sides.  I'd like to hear from people
who own them.

I agree you should choose a full face helmet, preferrablely Snell 80
approved, as this implies certain structual integrety.

Another shortcoming of my Bell Star is that while it provides good
peripheral vision at the sides, the vertical space I can see in is not
good.  I have to lower my head to glance at my bikes controls.

an@hou2h.UUCP (A.NGUYEN) (04/28/84)

--
> Joe "soon to be the first on his block with an FJ1100" Weinstein:
> Figure out how much your head is worth and spend no more than that.

Egads man, my head is worth infinite dollars and pounds sterling!!!
But obviously I can't afford that.  Try instead:

	"Figure out how much you can possibly spare to
	protect your infinitely valuable head."

The point is any helmet certified by Snell or even DOT (gasp! shudder!)
will do the job.  And any helmet at all is infinitely better than none.
What makes you choose one helmet over another will be functional
differences, ie. wind noise, resistance to fogging, easy to use shield,
comfort, etc etc.

		Au

PS. The magazine mentioned is "Motorcyclist."  Try your local
library or if you're really desperate, I can USnail you a copy.

PPS. I vote for the Arai Super-Light.

gordon@scgvaxd.UUCP (04/30/84)

<>
Oh well, here comes another quasi-solicited opinion...

I have done over 30kmiles in the last year with my head snugly encased
in a SHOEI Z-100 helmet.  I have had only ONE complaint (ever):
	"The %^@**^$! face-shields cost $15 to replace!"
(I'm on my third one right now)

The helmet saved my life one summer afternoon on a mountain road.  I
would pay the price for one again.  

Cost: approx $160.  Very comfortable, average weight, extremely good
looking, excellent airodynamics (listen to this point -- at speeds
in excess of 100mph, aerodynamics of a helmet can turn a wild ride
into a painful one!).  Warm in freezing temperatures, not too hot
in the Mojave summer.  Best face-shield design I have ever seen.

For an excellent price/performance helmet, look at the Nolan (I forget
model name).  It is an
inexpensive, well-designed helmet.  (about $40)   Light, too.
(My personal philosophy is "The best equipment for the best sport")

While you are looking at motorcycle gear, please don't forget good
leathers (many fine jackets made -- should have a snug fit -- mine
had a 12" gash along the side from the previously mentioned accident.
I didn't have a scratch.  After re-tailoring, the jacket was as good as
new.)  Also good boots and gloves.  Your first rainy ride will teach
you the value of a good rainsuit, but to insure the fullest experience
of the sport, I suggest waiting until you get soaked one day (water
in your boots, soggy gloves, the works) before buying one.  
Notwithstanding Au's dire theorems on rainsuits, one small wet spot
is better than one BIG wet spot. 
	Best rain strategy I know of: drive a car. (they still have SOME
uses!)

Seriously, expect to invest several hundred dollars (10-15% of the cost
of your new bike) on good gear.  Your gear is as much a part of the
bike as the valve train.  But don't expect anyone to INSURE your gear...
(and if you find anyone who does, let me know)  It is a sobering fact
that statistically, 80% of all novice motorcyclists have an accident
within the first year of riding.  It's when you pick yourself up and
go on that you really appreciate the sport and its underlying 
philosophy.  

"You've never experienced the road 'till you've kissed the asphalt"

Gordon Howell
{allegra | trwrb | ucbvax}!scgvaxd!engvax!gordon

an@hou2h.UUCP (A.NGUYEN) (04/30/84)

--
The original "new" Bell Star has two "buttons," one on each side of
the eye opening.  To open the face shield with one hand you have to
"unbutton" one by one.  The new "new" Bell Stars, as well as the
Star LTD, and the M2,  have just one button.  You can lift the
shield with one hand, the one on the button side.

I have an original, in GPz colours, and I always unbutton the shield
with both hands just before I come to a complete stop so that once
stopped, I can lift the shield with one hand.

	Au

hsc@hogpc.UUCP (H.COHEN) (04/30/84)

Two addenda to the excellent comments made already: 1)  The differences
in safety between one helmet and another, while not trivial, are very
small compared to the difference between a helmet and no helmet.
The important thing is to always wear a helmet.  2) Helmet manufacturers
have different opionions about the shape of the human head and face.
Helmets of the same "size" can fit very differently.  Frequently, happiness
is finding the manufacturer who designs for a "you"-shaped head..

ken@ihuxq.UUCP (ken perlow) (05/01/84)

--
I find my Arai X-75 very comfortable, and I got it REAL CHEAP ($50)
when they stopped making them (they went from Snell-75 to
Snell-80 standards).  A nice thing about the Arai is that I
can wiggle it on over my glasses (wire-rims, which won't go on
after the helmet is on), but the fit is quite snug, and it is
exceptionally light.  There's a Honda shop near here selling the
Snell-80 Arai's for about $85, which seems like an excellent price.

Bad Arai design flaw: The face shield snaps shut.  It's so difficult
to unsnap with heavy gloves on that I just leave it unsnapped in the
winter.  This helps keep the shield from fogging, too, but I have
been unable to keep it from icing below about 15F.  I'd like to
hear from fellow mushers whose bikes double as dog-sleds:  Any helmets
especially suited for cold weather?  Any good anti-icing treatments for
the face shield?

Note on helmet standards:  Consumer Reports once did a piece claiming
that DOT standards were good enough, since any impact that would
break a DOT but not a Snell would probably not make much difference
in your now over-with life.  But what do they know?  They only write
about cars, or itty-bitty cycles with training wheels.  It seemed
logical, though.  Comments?
-- 
                    *** ***
JE MAINTIENDRAI   ***** *****
                 ****** ******    30 Apr 84 [11 Floreal An CXCII]
ken perlow       *****   *****
(312)979-7261     ** ** ** **
..ihnp4!ihuxq!ken   *** ***

an@hou2h.UUCP (A.NGUYEN) (05/01/84)

--
> Consumer Report once [claimed] that DOT standards were good enough,
> since any impact that would break a DOT but not a Snell would probably
> not make much difference in your now over-with life.

Yes and no!  First of all, helmets protect your skull by *ABSORBING*
the force of a blow while transmitting as little force to your head
as possible.  (Hence the one-use only polystyrene liner).

Therein lies the compromise.  If the helmet is hard enough to absorb
mucho G's (Snell-80), then it would not give enough to absorb small
forces, so in lesser blows, they actually transmit more force to
your skull.  On the other hand, if the helmet is soft enough to cushion
a minor blow (DOT), then it would transmit more G's to your head in a
major get-off.

(That's how Vetter got away with their claims that their DOT-only
Vetterlites provide more protection than big name lids BTW.  Their
testing involves impacts that are too small to be effectively
absorbed by hard helmets like Snell '80 certified hats).

Take your pick.  Do you expect to step off at lower speeds more than
high speeds?  Yes?  You're better off with a DOT helmet.  Me?  I wear
a Bell Star with Snell '80 certification.

	Au

PS.  The fiberglass shell in helmets is less than 1/4" thick and is
designed more to prevent penetration by sharp objects than to absorb
impact.  I have never seen one actually breaks like an egg.

dyer@vaxuum.DEC (Example #22) (05/01/84)

Re: Need Helmet Info [Forwarded from decwrl!rhea!tinman!pinard]________________

> I also wear glasses and discovered that I can quite easily put on a properly
> fitting Star or Tour-Star over them.  I have a Star, but I think a Tour-Star
> would seem less confining.

I disagree! A PROPERLY fitting Bell Star full-face helmet will NOT allow you
to  put  the  helmet on or off without removing the eyeglasses first. If you
can, your helmet is too BIG and you're compromising safety for convienience.

Leo

rkd@ccieng6.UUCP ( rkd) (05/02/84)

It seems alot of helmet users have trouble with eyeglasses and full-face
helmets.

If you do, evaluate the BMW system helmet. They are:

	1.) DOT (not snell) approved

	2.) Designed so that the chin piece and visor
	    pivot up out of the way for (sun)glasses.

	3.) Exhibit little wind lift at high speed.

	4.) Good peripheral vision

	5.) Very good in cold weather, and are adaptable
	    for warm weather.

	6.) $155-$185.

nxs@fluke.UUCP (Bruce Golub) (05/14/84)

And I disagree with your disagreement. Bell Touring Star helmets (models I
and II) have a slit in the padding to either side of the face sheild that
allows most glasses to slide past. I use the Bell II and can fit my bulky
Varnet-type glasses past the helmet (though it doesn't work when I take off
the helmet).


	      Speaking through experiance,

	      Bruce Golub
	      John Fluke Mfg. Co., Inc.