This entry was posted on Wednesday, March 11th, 2009 at 4:26 pm and is filed under Helmets, Motorcycle. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
March 11, 2009
Somewhere between the open-face helmet and the full-face helmet is the modular motorcycle helmet – also called a flip-up helmet, flip-face helmet, system helmet and other names. This style helmet permits the wearer to raise the facial section out of the way, allowing him to eat, drink, smoke or simply remove a barrier to conversation without going through the rigmarole of unfastening and removing his helmet and then replacing it and reattaching the strap. Some eyeglass wearers who feel these motorcycle helmets are their only option for full facial coverage. Modular motorcycle helmets are perceived as providing the benefits of an open-face helmet with the protection of a full-face helmet.
Modular helmets fall between open-face and full-coverage motorcycle helmets in some areas and below them both in others. For example, you might expect that the additional complication of the mechanisms that permit the facial section to pivot up and latch in place would make them more expensive and heavier than full-face helmets. But while they are heavier than most full-coverage helmets, they mostly fall toward the low or middle end of full-face-helmet pricing.
Latching mechanisms vary in location and action. Although users prefer single-button systems for one-handed ease of operation, there is a concern that some of the one-button designs could possibly be deployed in a crash. A related issue is whether a would-be rescuer who needed to remove the helmet would be able to recognize and operate the latches as easily as the helmet buckle, especially since many of these helmets are reluctant to come off with the face section closed and latched.
Modular Flip-up motorcycle helmets are not as quiet, in terms of ambient wind noise on the highway, as a good full-coverage helmet and contributes to them being slightly less comfortable than full-face motorcycle helmets we normally use; of course this depends on your head. When buying a helmet put it on, fasten it snugly and wear it for a while. Better still, go ride in it if you can to make sure it meats you standard of comfort.
You may also wonder whether the chinbars has the integrity to pass a chinbar deflection test without being an integral part of the helmet shell. Independent test indicate that they, in fact, do.
The National Highway and Traffic Safety Adminstration (NHTSA) purchases helmets and has them independently tested. You can check their website to see if your helmet was tested (2000 - 2007) and how it fared.