Open face helmet ...?

[Ventura]

Will get my RT in mid April ( depends on weather).
May be it's a silly question: can you ride with an open face helmet ?? I know the wind shield is less then half of the big touring Venture I have been riding, that's why I ask....not

[guest2360]

Put the screen all the way up and you are looking through it but a touring bike that will cruise all day at 100 mph+ is not the place for an open faced helmet. IMHO.

[Steve F]

Open face helmet....?? Nice in any 30 deg + heat, but not much protection for your chin if, heaven forbid, you come off at high speed....!

[k9doc]

@Ventura


It suggests from your post that your open face helmet would be exactly that ie no visor. In my experience it can be quite pleasant with the screen up and at sensible speed but a bumble bee in the eye at much more than 40 mph can be a tad unpleasant. I have a (now discontinued) Schuberth J1 which is my helmet of choice through the late Spring/Summer. I have used this with all my  bikes and find it very liberating compared to flip fronts and full face. Visibility is excellent as is lack of weight. It has a detachable chin bar which may or not be effective when needed but does give a sense of added security. At the end of the day I suppose it's about assessing the level of risk that you are comfortable with.

[BMjoe64]

I had an off in January - oil spill on road. Having seen the damage caused to my full face helmet at 50mph - now way would I ride with an open face.
Had I been wearing one I would be in need of a new jaw.

[T6pilot]

Took a rock thrown up by a truck at 70mph in the face shield
Made a total believer out of me
Whether it's a rock, insect or other object a hit in the eye will not end well
If your going to ride open faced, at the least wear impact protecting goggles, such as the type used in motocross

[richardbd]

Put the screen all the way up and you are looking through it but a touring bike that will cruise all day at 100 mph+ is not the place for an open faced helmet. IMHO.

Only if you're a s***t a**e.


I'm 6' 0", have the touring screen and still look over it.


Despite that, I occasionally ride with a Shoei J-Cruise with no problems...

[falconmick]

Interesting subject. Many years ago I was in a bad smash when an OPL driver turned in front of me, if I had been wearing an open face helmet  my jaw would have been shattered. On the other hand many Goldwing riders and police riders in many warm countries including our friends in the USA wear open face helmets (and shirts, no jacket). All down to personal preference and risk assessment.

[richardbd]

Interesting subject. Many years ago I was in a bad smash when an OPL driver turned in front of me, if I had been wearing an open face helmet  my jaw would have been shattered. On the other hand many Goldwing riders and police riders in many warm countries including our friends in the USA wear open face helmets (and shirts, no jacket). All down to personal preference and risk assessment.

I guess that's always the risk - but often the trade-off is the superior vision you get with open-face.


My favourite compromise for a long time was the Schubeth J1 - open face but with a chin-bar, like an American football hemet.  It really was the best of both worlds but now discontinued...

[Tango]

Screens are for looking over, not through, as shown by our innovative constabulary in the attached photo.  be.


Helmet choice, my preference is a flip up , best of both worlds IMO.


But your choice after all, comfort as well as safety , is also an important factor when choosing any ride gear.


Just my 2 pence worth.

[guest2826]

I've been riding motorcycles for many decades and have never had a full face helmet, only open face, mostly with a visor though. I just can't get on with full face jobs, they always make me feel claustrophobic and many are downright dangerous in my opinion due to the restricted peripheral vision they create. I agree that OF offers less protection but the more armour you wear in general the more protected you are. Each rider will reach their own compromise between comfort and risk of injury. I'm willing to accept the level of protection OF offers in return for the much improved vision and generally more freedom of having less clobber round you.

For my RT LC I bought a BMW Airflow OF helmet because I wanted to use their Bluetooth kit which is made for BMW helmets. I confirm there is no problem using this or a couple other of my OF helmets on an RT at any speed I've done (though I've never had the bike anywhere near flat out). I wear glasses too. You just set the screen height that is comfortable for you at the speed your are moving. Most of us I think set it so we are just looking over it, but if you prefer to have it higher and look through it, that's fine as well. I have the stock screen.

I think the whole helmet thing is such a personal matter that you should follow what suits you, not what I or others do.

[k9doc]

Quite a few years ago in my XVS1100 Dragstar days it made little difference what helmet I chose. Big slab of a look through screen and when it rained could see bugger all anyway. Great noise with the slashcuts though.

[Jriffe108]

I ride 12 hours a day with a Half Helmet. Super Seer, USA made. PROS- lighter, cooler, superior visibility, hearing, and fast and easy to don / remove. NEGS- no or limited jaw protection, no cheek protection (rain stings), no sun protection on cheeks, nose, and leaves goody tan lines over ears down around the chin.

For comfort on a fair day ride, can't be beat. When riding in rain, at speed, even with fairing full up, you're gonna wish you had a full-face. Same when a yellow jacket or any other stinging insect kamikaze's into your forehead, cheeks, nose, or even worse, lodges between ear and strap.

If you chose a Halfie, get a good quality unit, always wear eye pro (safety style, z87 - not wayfarers or flight) and use sunblock.

[mercator1]

This Summer I'll likely switch to an open face at some point.  When it's 100+F and 95% humidity, riding with a full-face helmet will just about cause heat stroke.  It can get brutal.  I'll keep my modular helmet on as long as I can stand it though.

[siclmn]

If I hit a bug I do not want to be wearing an open face helmet.
If I go down I definitely do not want to be wearing an open face helmet.
When I hit rocks from cars in front of me I don't want to be wearing an open face helmet.
This list can go on and on.