dropped helmet

["Dangerous" Dan K]

No offense, but this one is pretty comprehensive..

http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/ge...iew/index.html

I don't think so. I've read the article, and tons of debating on it. As has been said, the issue has been beaten to death on this forum in the past. Steve even provided a link to one of the threads about it. Here it is again, in case you missed it http://www.nestreetriders.com/forum/...racked-up.html

The example I like the best is the pillow analogy provided by Honclfibr. Everyone reading this thread that's been here longer than a couple months knows the link, has read the article, has read the debates, etc. That one article is not the end all be all of helmet safety.

IMO helmet selection is largely personal. Someone will find something that fits them well that they like and wear it. For some reason or another they'll change. This will continue until they find a product they are happy with.

Back before I knew anything about this subject, including helmets being one-crash items, I had a fiberglass HJC. I bought it because it fit me. I wore it for years, and multiple crashes. Was always very happy with the performance. Then I started racing, and it wouldn't pass tech being too old and showing visible damage. I bought a rocket because I knew a couple people using them, the price was right and it fit well. I crashed in it and was unhappy with the results. It was a low speed crash, my HJC had been through worse more than once, and I felt like it rang my bell a lot harder than it should. Now I wear Scorpion. I have friends that have binned it pretty good wearing Scorpions and come out good, they review well, and it fit me awesome. Again, all anecdotal. If I crash in a Scorpion and find myself unhappy with the results I'll probably switch again.

[bluej511]

Yup i knew that article would come up haha

[bluej511]

Yea but the whole point of that article just proves that the Snell rating is garbage, i mean if it wasn't why would they go thru the trouble of writing a letter and changing there rating to M2010/2011?

[Honclfibr]

Yeah! It's not like they update the SNELL certification every 4-5 years or anything.

[DaveZX6r]

For what its worth that first article rated the exo 700 as one of the worst in the bunch with something like 211 joules? I faceplanted into someones front yard when i first started riding going about 30-40mph and then flipped and landed on my back and back of my head. I cracked the front chin bar on my scorpion but it didn't seperate and I was totaly fine head wise. Hurt my shoulder and right thumb but my head was fine.

["Dangerous" Dan K]

For what its worth that first article rated the exo 700 as one of the worst in the bunch with something like 211 joules? I faceplanted into someones front yard when i first started riding going about 30-40mph and then flipped and landed on my back and back of my head. I cracked the front chin bar on my scorpion but it didn't seperate and I was totaly fine head wise. Hurt my shoulder and right thumb but my head was fine.

My new race helmet is an EXO-700. My next race helmet, which will be ordered this week, will be another EXO-700. I know quite a few people who race in them, some of whom have taken significant crashes in them. Nary a complaint anywhere. I don't want a pillow, I want a helmet. I'll take the bump, I want the helmet to take the brain damage portion.

All that said and thinking out loud, I may be wrong in writing off Rockets. Maybe I wasn't happy with how it handled my low speed crash but that's because it'd have taken a higher speed crash better than my old HJC? A lot of it is confidence in equipment, just like tires. I don't want to race in a helmet I have doubts about, and that crash left me with doubts about the Rocket. Hell, another factor I've considered, it was my first track crash ever, it may have just been shock from the "excitement" of the crash. I truly don't know, and don't claim to have solid answers. I'm just sharing how I think and how I choose, not saying it's right or wrong. IMO the only way to be "wrong" on a helmet debate is to say "X is best, safer and better fitting than the rest" WRT to the general public. Too many variables. It's my head, I'll protect it as I see fit. I trust the rest of you to do the same with yours.

Now this got me thinking about the Rocket, and how I may be wrong writing it off. Not to say I'll go back to one or trust one again, but it's good to have as much info as possible when drawing conclusions.

As much as parts of it have annoyed me, I'm glad I participated in this thread because it got me thinking. That's the point as far as the serious ones go, isn't it?

[Danz19899]

ah hey i just realized who the poster was hey ash. lol

that helmet is sick i was pissed when i dropped my rf1000 off my rear foot peg but i'll chance it its only a foot off the ground. .. . . just enough to chip paint. . .F@#K lol

[Kawibaby7]

Dan !! you joined yay haha btw if youve been txting (im sure you have ) i lost my cell phone at girls gone wild on thurs night ! dammit new one cumming tomm in mail cuz had to go through ins company

ah hey i just realized who the poster was hey ash. lol

that helmet is sick i was pissed when i dropped my rf1000 off my rear foot peg but i'll chance it its only a foot off the ground. .. . . just enough to chip paint. . .F@#K lol

[Danz19899]

LoL have a good time i'm guessing?

this stupid thing called a job has been taking up to much of my time lol

but i do have this weekend off so if its nice I'll definitely be riding.

[scubasteveRR]

The example I like the best is the pillow analogy provided by Honclfibr. Everyone reading this thread that's been here longer than a couple months knows the link, has read the article, has read the debates, etc. That one article is not the end all be all of helmet safety.

I agree, the pillow anlogy gives you a very clear picture of why I chose the Snell Scorpian (I really want a Aria but I also want boots and track pants, track day, ect.)

here it is for all the lazy people:
Ok, you want an example. You could wrap a pillow around your head, and if i throw a nerf ball at you, the pillow would transmit fewer Gs to your head than if you were wearing a motorcycle helmet, because the pillow is less dense than the EPS liner in your motorcycle helmet. However, you would be ill-advised to wear the pillow in a motorcycle crash, as once the pillow compresses fully your head will be subject to a much higher G load than it would if you were wearing a motorcycle helmet.

This is an exaggeration, but this same principle applies here." ~ Honclfibr

[DuncanMoto]

Just like it's more fun to ride a slow bike fast, than it is to ride a fast bike slow...
It's better to wreck in a better fitting lower cost helmet, than a too large more expensive helmet.

That said. Here are my notes.

We stock Arai and Icon right next to each other. I have one of each myself. They are both excellent helmets. Icon does not give away free helmets to professional racers. That's why you don't see professional racers wearing them.

HJC does not make Icon, but they do have some similarities because they share designs on some models.

Here's a cool link from test results that came out May 2009. Arai #1 followed by Shoei and yes Icon took 3rd spot in this JD Power's test of customer satisfaction.

[scubasteveRR]

I saw Kawibaby7's ICON yesterday. It was the first time seeing one in person, i thought it looked well built and the graphics where pretty dope and if Snell tested it i would assume it is good!! (Ash i wouldn't worry about the integrity, if it landed on that fin that cracked it most likely took the load of the fall)

Duncan did JD Power test the helmets or is this strictly based on personal preference and/or purchase quantity?

[Sportygurl131]

stever ur always on!!! ahaha how about that 495traffic!!! sheppo messaged me bikes running!!!

[Sportygurl131]

correction *stephen*

[Dean_T]

I wonder what that guy going down the freeway doing 80 with the little dish covering his bald spot thinks about this discussion on the integrity of the dropped helmet.

I'm thinking about modifying my Rf100 with some little speakers. Has anyone ever done that?

[scubasteveRR]

stever ur always on!!! ahaha how about that 495traffic!!! sheppo messaged me bikes running!!!

I am i am, Steve Stephen, Steve-o, Steve-a-rino, Jansen, "J" they are all acceptable name for me...


how about the undercover statey that Corey almost blew past lane splitting? That was close! i'm glad that guy cut me off and i re-thought the spliting. I've got a ticket from that all black expidition one time before, he's not the nicest one i've met. He gave 3 moving violations in one ticket told me to sign up to be a organ donor cuz i was going to be dead soon all because I got in front of him going 85 because he was going 90!... hahahahahha!! lost my license for 30 days on that one!!

When I renewed my license a month ago, i signed up to be an Organ Donor!

see ya later organs!

[SRTie4k]

Just like it's more fun to ride a slow bike fast, than it is to ride a fast bike slow...
It's better to wreck in a better fitting lower cost helmet, than a too large more expensive helmet.

That said. Here are my notes.

We stock Arai and Icon right next to each other. I have one of each myself. They are both excellent helmets. Icon does not give away free helmets to professional racers. That's why you don't see professional racers wearing them.

HJC does not make Icon, but they do have some similarities because they share designs on some models.

Here's a cool link from test results that came out May 2009. Arai #1 followed by Shoei and yes Icon took 3rd spot in this JD Power's test of customer satisfaction.

Finally someone that doesn't rely on fanboism.

I'm not going to swear by Icon gear because I've never had to test it out, but I can say my Domain seems a hell of a lot more sturdy and rugged than my HJC, and my jacket is also very well built.

Will I stick with Icon gear only? Of course not, but I do get sick of hearing the same crap that their gear sucks by people who practically worship the ground AMA racers walk on (or fall on, in this case).

[Sportygurl131]

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahhaha ya lane splitting can be nerve wrecking! but i dont mind it but ya im glad we didnt spllit infornt of that statey!!! i dunno if my smile could have gotten out of that one

[scubasteveRR]

I wonder what that guy going down the freeway doing 80 with the little dish covering his bald spot thinks about this discussion on the integrity of the dropped helmet.

I'm thinking about modifying my Rf100 with some little speakers. Has anyone ever done that?

I think he's not thinking at all if he's wearing a brain bucket. I believe it's over 50% of motorbike accidents the front cheak area is the damaged on the left and or right side.

EDIT: no offense to anyone who wears them though.. to each there own!

[scubasteveRR]

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahhaha ya lane splitting can be nerve wrecking! but i dont mind it but ya im glad we didnt spllit infornt of that statey!!! i dunno if my smile could have gotten out of that one

I don't know, it's a pretty nice smile, maybe would have helped.

[Sportygurl131]

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahahahahahahahahahahah :-P

[greenmonster]

I've NEVER heard of anyone purposely dropping their brandy-new helmet on the ground "just to get it out of the way". Ludicrous thinking. Next thing you know, this guy will purposely low-side "just to get it out of the way". I just don't get the logic behind purposely dropping a perfectly fine helmet on the ground.

["Dangerous" Dan K]

I've NEVER heard of anyone purposely dropping their brandy-new helmet on the ground "just to get it out of the way". Ludicrous thinking. Next thing you know, this guy will purposely low-side "just to get it out of the way". I just don't get the logic behind purposely dropping a perfectly fine helmet on the ground.

Not at all an unfamiliar concept to me. "Helmets are made to hit the ground. Get it out of the way now so it doesn't strive to do so with your head in it." I hear it's somewhat common southern racer logic.

My new Scorpion has not hit the ground yet. Maybe that's why I was slow this weekend? Yeah! That's it!

[Kurlon]

My new Scorpion has not hit the ground yet. Maybe that's why I was slow this weekend? Yeah! That's it!

Nah, I heard there was a road block in front of you or something...

["Dangerous" Dan K]