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I would have scraped off my face twice without a FF helmet, and crushed my face once without one, when the chin bar cracked and only my nose broke. I have never used anything but FF since I started riding in 1980. However, as someone said above, it is all about what level of risk you will accept and what you are willing to wear to reduce the risk. If you generally ride at a moderate pace and are careful when cornering, you will be statistically safer using no gear at all, than a hot-shot riding at break-neck speeds like on a race track wearing top notch racing garment.
FWIW, I now have 1500 miles on a new LS2 Advent carbon fiber modular. Best venting, field of view, clarity in both shields, and the fit for me is great. Its chin bar rotates back to make it a DOT legal 3/4 when you want a 3/4.
It takes a surprisingly small amount for force applied to the chin upward and a bit back to cause a fatality.Just ask Dale Sr.
I did, but he’s not returning my calls.
"...FWIW I wore an original Bell Star back in 70s and still have it.PeteGo fast, take chances.
Helmets are personal preference, so don’t take this a recommend or non-recommend. I’ve worn all manner of helmet. From Arai to X-Lite and most of the ones in between. If there is one thing I’ve learned from all of that, plus some time in sales is that you, the wearer should be quite cognizant of your own personal head shape when choosing a helmet. Arai classify their helmets as fitting a round oval, long oval or intermediate/relaxed oval. That last one depends on when you bought your last Arai. They’ve changed terminology a bit since I was in sales.Thing about that tidbit of information is, no other company does that. LS2 sorta does it but most of their helmets are termed “long oval” fit in their classification. Their more round offers are less round than one would expect, particularly if basing your choice on Arai experience. All of the rest with possible exception of some ICON lids are a crap shoot when it comes to what shape noggin they fit. Why is this important to the relevant discussion of open face or full face? Because too many riders base their choice on how snug the helmet fits. And if it’s snug, go up a size. A kid I worked with a decade and a half or more ago did this. When he wrecked on his 1st ride aboard his brand spanking new CBR600RR he went face first into a sign post. The helmet, being too large rotated forward on his head smashing his face along with the pole. He died 4 times on the operating table as surgeons worked to rebuild his facial bones. He never regained his sense of smell and got addicted to opioids in the process of recovery. Ended his career. Point is, had he worn an open face helmet of any type, he’d have added to the states fatality statistics. A proper fitting helmet and he’d probably have walked away with just a broken collar bone….aside from all the facial injuries, that’s the only other broken bone he sustained. So, buy a helmet of your choice. Make sure it fits your head shape and is comfortably snug…it should feel like your helmet is giving your head a hug. Ride and enjoy yourself. Protect yourself as best you can and gear up for the crash, not the ride. BTW, I am a lifelong full face helmet wearer. My 1st ride was as a passenger in the late 1960s. I was given an open face helmet to wear….and 5 minutes in I knew that was a poor choice….at age 4 I knew this without a shadow of doubt in my child brain. Just sayin’. If a 4 year old figured it out…..
Well said. Many years ago I went to a motorcycle show in Charlotte, NC and I was looking at the display of Arai helmets. The Arai representative took one look at me and asked: "Have you ever worn an Arai helmet?" I replied "No." He said "Due to your head shape, I know for a fact that you have never worn a helmet that fits you properly!"He picked out a model, I think it was a Signet and said "Try this on."He was right. I had been riding for over 20 years at the time and it was the first properly fitting helmet I ever wore!!!Sold!
Are open face helmets more dangerous than the most common ones with the chin guard? I’ve always preferred being able to open the visor on occasion and having a generally more open view.I have the LS2 but it’s 10 years old and I’m shopping.
Crashing well takes practice like anything else. By the end of my first season racing I well knew to rotate before hitting the ground, saving my face and wrists. I don't recall having a roadrace crash that scuffed my chin piece. We should think about crashing, and practice it in our minds because it's a proven effective method to improve performance and a near inevitability that it will happen sooner or later.
I did not know that about the Nolan N70 helmets. On another website they were making a big deal about a new Schubert helmet with a removable chin bar. I think, but not sure, that it was said it was a first in the industry.
