Half or Full helmet?

Just wondering what everyone's wearing these days. I've got a full helmet but I think it doesn't suit my 650. Looking to get this one.

 

IMHO - Stay with the helmet that will give you the most protection, that's what we wear helmets for right?
Full face.
8)

 

I wear a full face helmet. I was reading somewhere recently that the highest percent of impacts on a helmet are the chin area.

 

I have both, depending on what your doing, only you can decide what is best, I like them both, for local constenly taking off and putting on the half is better for me, if I go far long riding, I would take the full, plus the heat in GA sucks in the summer, and the half is nicer for me. like i said it's all up to you.

 

I think for a cruiser, the shorty's look best, but mainexj550 is right about the percentages.



link:

http://jeff.dean.home.att.net/swisher.htm

 

I always wear a full-face. The designs today vent well enough that I never have a problem with heat.

My old full-face Shoei RF-900 saved my face a few years ago when a dingbat decided she wanted my lane while i was in it. The face shield and chinbar were scraped up pretty bad. I replaced that helmet with a full-face Shoei Z-II.

 

Although I wasn't riding a motorcycle, my full-faced helmet saved my head when I was riding my 4-wheeler a couple years ago. I was scooting along at a good pace down a well beaten trail beside some railroad tracks, when my left front wheel went out of the ruts and struck a old pipe that used to be a gas line marker.....it caught between the wheel and bumper right on the A-arm and I went from 35mph to a dead stop instantly, the quad flipped upside down and landed on top of me and my helmet 8O ......If it wasn't full-faced, I probably wouldn't be typing here right now! I had to wait for my buddy to come get the quad off me, because my helmet and I were pinned underneath .....it sucked. I'd stay with a full-face helmet :wink:

 

Nothing like a June bug in the nose (@90 mph) to make you wish you had a full face helmet on.

 

A half-helmet is better than nothing, but not by a whole lot. First of all, look at DanP's little diagram and add up the percentages for the zones that would be covered by a half helmet. (Great chart, btw, Dan.)

Got it?

That's 38.6%, in case you didn't actually do the math. That means that in an accident, there's a better than 60% chance that you're going to take a hit to the bare skull. Like I said, better than nothing, but I wouldn't trust my life to it...

Even more, consider that fact that the half helmet provides no protection whatsoever to the most important part of the brain (the stem). A fracture at the base of the skull is almost invariably life-threatening.

 

Yeah, pretty scary stuff.

 

I'm with the rest of you... Full Face

 

I use a modular. I like it just because I can take it on and off without taking off my glasses. Kind of a good work-between in my opinion. I can stop for a coke and not have to take my helmet off to drink it. Just MHO. 8)

 

You don't think the Full Face suits your 650?

If the crap ever hits the fan ... your 650 ain't the one needing the protection.

When you hit the Start button and take-off on your 650 ... it's just like a Pilot being launched off the Flight Deck in his Aircraft.

The activity is inherently ... DANGEROUS!

Back when they made these bikes ... the odds were better for us.
No ...
Cell Phones
Blackberrys
Laptops
GPS Screens
DVD Players
Bose sound.
iPods
and everything else distracting the oncoming, overtaking or next-to-you motorist from colliding into you.

I think the Full Face suits your noggin just fine.
The 650 don't need one.

 

Good points, everyone.

 

dress for the slide not the ride

 

Or a saying I'm liking a whole lot, and it makes a good acronym too!

ATGATT

All The Gear, All The Time

 

I have seen pictures of people WITHOUT jaw, I will never forget that.

Full face.

 

If you haven't gotten the message yet FULL FACE. As a former racer who has had a multitude of lids over the years, There is nothing better you can do for your head than wrap it in a full face helmet. I've been down on a bike @ 170+ if not for the full face helmet I would not have a chin or forehead, not to mention the silver dollar size hole that would be in the back of my skull if not for the full face lid.
I live in sweltering middle Florida and I will not go without my full face helmet.

 

Full face, hands down. Seen too many nasty pictures of the leftovers of a few that didn't make it when the flesh met the road. And one that did, it was grusome.

 

Well fine then!! I'm getting a full face!! Hahaha.........god I love this forum!!

 

Yeah, Full FACE, Gloves, Leathers, Boots

ATGATT

All the Gear All The Time

I have also found a site with a picture of someones face who had not worn a full face helmet, not going to post the link here but if you know of a rotten site I'm sure you can find it yourself.

Posted this link before:

WARNING GRAPHIC IMAGES

Live to Ride, Ride to DIE

WARNING GRAPHIC IMAGES

Ride safe, ride wise, Ride to survive.

 

Amen brother. Glad my calling wasn't an EMT.

 

Full Face for me. I ride fast a lot and when I get whacked by some big jucy bug in the middle of the sheild I grin and wipe off what I can. I don't like the flavor of bugs......

If I were to need the skull protection in a crash then that is not the time to wish I had the FF.

Anyway, I think those half-caps look goofy. That's what the HD posers wear.

 

Oh man, that site really puts a downer on riding. Sheesh. But, it does hit home though. Big time.

 

I must say, it's nice to be on a forum where everyone takes their safety as serious as I do.

I'm a member of a forum for my other bike and it seems like I get chastised over there whenever I recommend a full-face helmet or other safety gear to anyone that asks. So many of them apparently ride in minimal gear and helmetless if the location allows. They seem to think it's uncool to wear safety gear on a cruiser.

I don't care what type of motorcycle I'm riding, I'm always armored from head-to-toe. It's saved my carcass a few times.

 

Full face for shure > If you got a five dollar head get a five dollar helmet <

 

full face for me!! Just to me it just seemed to be the smart thing to do..

 

I believe that at serious speed it does not matter what you have, it is going to hurt. It a good thing I am a slow poke. I think if attire is more important than your survivability it might be best to have a different past-time. When I see someone booting down the highway in a T-shirt, shorts and sandles I shake my head. I have been riding for 21 years and been down 3 times at low speed (under 10 miles/hour when I hit the ground). I never want to experience going down at 60 miles/hour or feel the impact of a car.

A few years ago I was leaving work in my leather chaps, and jacket and someone asked if I wore all that when it was so hot, (yes is does get hot in southern Ontario). I asked them if they wore their seat belt when it was hot, they grasp the concept.

 

I think if attire is more important than your survivability you should look for a safer past-time. I have been riding for 21 years and gone down 3 time at low speed. I would hate to feel the pain of going down at highway speed or impacting a car. When I see someone booting down the highway in a T-shirt, shorts and sandles I just shake my head.

A few years ago when I was leaving work on a hot summer day, (yes it does get hot in Southern Ontario), in my leather chaps, jacket, gloves and full-face one of my co-workers asked if it was necessary. In response I asked if they wore their seatbelt when it was hot.

In short ride safe and protect yourself every way you can.

 

Brucem, you can say that again... (I'm yanking your chain).