The Motorcycle Helmet Thread

[rocketeer]

I don't think buying vintage helmets with the intention of wearing them is a smart thing to do. They don't offer the proper protection in case of impact. Same thing with open helmets, you can heal a leg, arm, hand but don't expect your face to look any good after hitting the road or your head for that matter.

Here in Europe you couldn't buy or wear the Bell Custom 500 because it's not dot approved yet in the USA most riders are wearing it or even going without helmet.

I work in the E.D. and believe me, you don't want to be wearing open helmets. Having your jaw fractured or broken is no joke and it's an easy thing to prevent.


I had an Arai Corsair RX-7 but now with the Vespa PX-150 I wear a more appropiate looking Bell Bullitt:

Hi Willi and thanks for helping me spell 'Arai' correctly, I have been spelling Arii due to another Japanese manufacturer I have been dealing with.
Should you need any spare parts for your Corsair RX-7 I have some. I toured through France to Portugal then back up the east coast of Spain in a Corsair. I damaged the helmet but removed a lot of the replaceable fixtures and may have a good condition spare visor, side plates and visor mechanisms should you need anything.
Great gloves by the way, good for light commuting etc.

 

[bn1966]

I don't think buying vintage helmets with the intention of wearing them is a smart thing to do. They don't offer the proper protection in case of impact. Same thing with open helmets, you can heal a leg, arm, hand but don't expect your face to look any good after hitting the road or your head for that matter.

Here in Europe you couldn't buy or wear the Bell Custom 500 because it's not dot approved yet in the USA most riders are wearing it or even going without helmet.

I work in the E.D. and believe me, you don't want to be wearing open helmets. Having your jaw fractured or broken is no joke and it's an easy thing to prevent.


I had an Arai Corsair RX-7 but now with the Vespa PX-150 I wear a more appropiate looking Bell Bullitt:

Is that a Vespa PX I see before me? I've got one too, if time allows this week I'll take a photo of my customised Shoei (Vespa themed)

 

[Mark]

Hayabusa! The Japanese word for Peregrine Falcon, the fastest bird on the planet can reach a speed of 200mph in a dive. It's main food is blackbirds which it captures in its beak in a dive, killing them.
Before Suzuki introduced the 'Busa' the Honda Super Blackbird was the worlds fastest production motorcycle, then the Hayabusa was developed and stomped all over the Honda by around 11mph, hence the Blackbird/Hayabusa connection, it killed it.
So here's me in full Power Ranger mode with my Dainese two piece and Shoei Raid II Helmet(retired but still serviceable)

Photo courtesy of Matt Birch Photography.
I'm not going that fast, probably 45mph around a 90˚ bend.

Thanks Rocketeer for such a full explanation and awesome photo. So ya reckon you might be quicker than me on my HD Sportster?!!

 

[rocketeer]

Thanks Rocketeer for such a full explanation and awesome photo. So ya reckon you might be quicker than me on my HD Sportster?!!

Probably just in first gear haha.
Apart from old Knuckleheads etc the Sportster is my favourite Harley. But a friend has one, bought from new and many of his fitting bolts had gone rusty, particularly the Allen headed screws and bolts after only a year

 

[rocketeer]

Another from my collection of stuff. made from compressed cardboard, cork and glue. This is probably still street legal as it has a British Standard Kite Mark in it, maybe pre war.

I think the 'newer' Kangol below is a fibreglass lid.

 

[JMax]

Bell Star Carbon. Good venting, perhaps too good, and light. I have speaker pods in the helmet to hear my tunes and any incoming calls (my job requires that I be on call 24/7) thought BT. Because of all this, I always wear earplugs to better hear ambient noise and save what little hearing I have left.

 

[ton312]

Probably just in first gear haha.
Apart from old Knuckleheads etc the Sportster is my favourite Harley. But a friend has one, bought from new and many of his fitting bolts had gone rusty, particularly the Allen headed screws and bolts after only a year

I replaced every Allen with chrome plated acorns on my frankenbike iron head. A bolt with a hole in its center is destined to rust...when I bought it, it was a basket case full of a random assortment of odds and ends hardware.

 

[SkyTurtle]

Finally. A decent thread topic!

My go-to commuting helmet is an old track-retired Shoei RF-1200:

RF1200.1

• SkyTurtle
• Feb 28, 2017

RF1200.2

• SkyTurtle
• Feb 28, 2017

For around town only, a Bell 500 Taxi. The Halcyon goggles are actually quite functional when caught in summer rain:

Open.goggles

• SkyTurtle
• Feb 28, 2017

Another old Shoei. A Qwest. I drew the "Rocker Skull" in photoshop and had it printed on high performance graphic film:

Qwest.1

• SkyTurtle
• Feb 28, 2017

Qwest.2

• SkyTurtle
• Feb 28, 2017

Some people swear by Schuberths. I find them heavy, noisy and leaky in winter. Good rain performance, though. And I love pinlock lenses:

Schuberth.white

• SkyTurtle
• Feb 28, 2017

Looks are deceiving. This is actually a Shoei TZ-1 custom painted by Jim Culora in Atlanta. He did our racing helmets and I had him add a Bell decal because my old school dad always razzed me for not wearing a Bell like he did:

TZ.1

• SkyTurtle
• Feb 28, 2017

TZ.2

• SkyTurtle
• Feb 28, 2017

My favorite summer helmet. Biltwell Gringo. Big eye port and open bottom channel a lot of air on hot summer days while keeping my dental records indoors:

Biltwell.1

• SkyTurtle
• Feb 28, 2017

Biltwell.2

• SkyTurtle
• Feb 28, 2017

 

[ProteinNerd]

@SkyTurtle they sound great but I can't see any of the pics

 

[Graemsay]

Pedantic time
There is no accent over the e(´) as in Ace Cafe. It is pronounced Kaff, with a heavy emphasis on the 'K' sound and FF(can be more Fs)
Bikers do not race from Costa to Starbucks where your latest iPod app is more important than a bikes performance.
Café's are where you order you Americano and cup cake(known as a muffin in US speak), Cafe's are where you drink tea and scoff a full English breakfast, or just a tea and bacon sandwich if on a diet.

@rocketeer I live in central Melbourne, I ride a Triumph Thruxton, and wear selvedge denim. Ergo I'm a hipster, and use Café instead of Kaff!

Anyway, you can't be full-on Power Ranger with a two piece suit.

 

[rocketeer]

@rocketeer I live in central Melbourne, I ride a Triumph Thruxton, and wear selvedge denim. Ergo I'm a hipster, and use Café instead of Kaff!

Anyway, you can't be full-on Power Ranger with a two piece suit.

Triumph Thruxton Mmmmm, Cooool bike, I like the R with the Olins.
I do have a 1 piece and it has a Yellow 'ZAP' zigzagstrip, I just can't fit into it at the moment. Too many sausage sandwiches down at the Kaffffff.
P.S.
I don't really understand what Selvage Denim is, I buy 501s from a department store, they fit and feel ok. Maybe I'll get around to reading a denim thread one day

 

[rocketeer]

Bell Star Carbon. Good venting, perhaps too good, and light. I have speaker pods in the helmet to hear my tunes and any incoming calls (my job requires that I be on call 24/7) thought BT. Because of all this, I always wear earplugs to better hear ambient noise and save what little hearing I have left.

My lid at the moment. Added a white Bell sticker to my matt grey finish. Nice D ring magnetic strap, easiest visor change ever, plenty of room for ear plugs but yes the venting is too good and leaks in prolonged rain.
Still would not go back to my old GT Air.

 

[rocketeer]

Finally. A decent thread topic!



For around town only, a Bell 500 Taxi. The Halcyon goggles are actually quite functional when caught in summer rain:

Open.goggles

• SkyTurtle
• Feb 28, 2017

These Goggles were originally Wartime RAF design(not Battle of Britain era though) and I wore them all the time.
Check the second post page 1 and you can see mine. These were Stadium make based on the RAF patten. Brass framed but with vinyl padding. I bought these with my first bike during 1976 and still have them today, though wear them rarely(but once on the Busa for a laugh).
The Halcyon style is the same, not sure if the frames are brass but the padding is now leather I believe.
Advice. Don't leave the goggles in varying temperatures such as an unheated garage as over time the lenses will delaminate as mine have, though you can buy expensive replacements(They also fit into the original RAF frames)
Yes probably the best thread for a long time

 

[Edward]

The Biltwell Gringo is a nice looking helmet. I toyed with the idea of one of those with a pair of goggles at one time, but they're not road legal in the UK. (I doubt that would be picked up day to day, but not worth taking a risk on the insurance not paying out if the worst happened).

Another from my collection of stuff. made from compressed cardboard, cork and glue. This is probably still street legal as it has a British Standard Kite Mark in it, probably pre war.

I think the 'Newer' Kangol below is a fibreglass lid.

I can't imagine the police letting you away with a pudding basin nowadays, though the Kangol wouldn't get you stopped. To the best of my knowledge, though, if it doesn't have a current ECE rating, it's not fully road legal....more to the point, if the worst happens, insurance won't pay out.

The one that amazes me is that helmet Lewis sell.... £425 and it's for "display only" casue it ain't road legal spec. Eeps.

 

[JMax]

Rockateer-- Yes, i forgot to mention leaking in prolonged rain. But i agree, awesome helmet. The magnetic D ring snap and quick change of visors are stupid easy and great.

I do have a question, is there anything you guys do to protect your jacket collars from rubbing the helmet? Other than go with a mandarin collar, etc. or a scarf of some sort? My vansons are tough enough to actually wear down the helmet's cushioned lining but my other jackets do show some wear. Don't really mind it but curious if there is another "fix".

 

[lina]

Finally. A decent thread topic!

My go-to commuting helmet is an old track-retired Shoei RF-1200:

RF1200.1

• SkyTurtle
• Feb 28, 2017

RF1200.2

• SkyTurtle
• Feb 28, 2017

For around town only, a Bell 500 Taxi. The Halcyon goggles are actually quite functional when caught in summer rain:

Open.goggles

• SkyTurtle
• Feb 28, 2017

Another old Shoei. A Qwest. I drew the "Rocker Skull" in photoshop and had it printed on high performance graphic film:

Qwest.1

• SkyTurtle
• Feb 28, 2017

Qwest.2

• SkyTurtle
• Feb 28, 2017

Some people swear by Schuberths. I find them heavy, noisy and leaky in winter. Good rain performance, though. And I love pinlock lenses:

Schuberth.white

• SkyTurtle
• Feb 28, 2017

Looks are deceiving. This is actually a Shoei TZ-1 custom painted by Jim Culora in Atlanta. He did our racing helmets and I had him add a Bell decal because my old school dad always razzed me for not wearing a Bell like he did:

TZ.1

• SkyTurtle
• Feb 28, 2017

TZ.2

• SkyTurtle
• Feb 28, 2017

My favorite summer helmet. Biltwell Gringo. Big eye port and open bottom channel a lot of air on hot summer days while keeping my dental records indoors:

Biltwell.1

• SkyTurtle
• Feb 28, 2017

Biltwell.2

• SkyTurtle
• Feb 28, 2017

Curious how you'd compare the fit between the Shoeis and the Biltwell..

 

[casechopper]

Rockateer-- Yes, i forgot to mention leaking in prolonged rain. But i agree, awesome helmet. The magnetic D ring snap and quick change of visors are stupid easy and great.

I do have a question, is there anything you guys do to protect your jacket collars from rubbing the helmet? Other than go with a mandarin collar, etc. or a scarf of some sort? My vansons are tough enough to actually wear down the helmet's cushioned lining but my other jackets do show some wear. Don't really mind it but curious if there is another "fix".

I've never noticed this being an issue. I wear a neck gaiter during the Winter but that's just to keep the cold air out.

 

[rocketeer]

The Biltwell Gringo is a nice looking helmet. I toyed with the idea of one of those with a pair of goggles at one time, but they're not road legal in the UK. (I doubt that would be picked up day to day, but not worth taking a risk on the insurance not paying out if the worst happened).




I can't imagine the police letting you away with a pudding basin nowadays, though the Kangol wouldn't get you stopped. To the best of my knowledge, though, if it doesn't have a current ECE rating, it's not fully road legal....more to the point, if the worst happens, insurance won't pay out.

The one that amazes me is that helmet Lewis sell.... £425 and it's for "display only" casue it ain't road legal spec. Eeps.

To be honest Edward I have never really gone into the legalities of old verses modern skid lids apart from you will not be allowed on a racetrack if you don't have a helmet to current legislation. I was told that due to the Chinese producing fake 'Gold Standard' ACU stickers required for racing helmets that other steps have been taken to prevent cheaper lids being passed off as race ready.
The display only helmets in a way have been out for years. Davida have been producing their replica pudding basin fibre glass helmets and sell them at shows, totally non legal, they sell them by the bucket load to the wannabe Hailwood's and John Coopers out there. They are probably just selling to those that must have the correct look and made in limited numbers really account for the price. I do believe they are illegal, as are original Everoak's, Kangol, and other 1960s produced helmets in Japan which I think was the main market.
Any Japanese riders/members like to confirm any of this?

 

[bn1966]

My old Shoei

 

[SkyTurtle]

Curious how you'd compare the fit between the Shoeis and the Biltwell..

Interesting question. I have an intermediate oval grape which means the Arais (Vector 2, etc.) fit me spot on. The Shoeis (particularly the RF-1200) are supposed to be intermediate oval as well but they seem to be just a tad tighter on the sides, hardly noticeable. The Biltwell's shape seems to fit me pretty well. Although it doesn't have nearly the level of padding and aerodynamics of the RF-1200, and it tends to have a little more room all around the sides of the head, I'd say the basic shape is pretty close to the RF-1200 or an Arai Vector. Hope that helps.