Opinions on "modular" helmets?

[Money]

Hoping that's the correct term for it.  I've noticed some of you use them, but others - including a good friend of mine that has been riding for a while, seem to have a different opinion.

From another thread...

For sure, it's gotta be heavy as heck and I have serious doubts about the hinging mechanism (as I do about ALL helmets with hinging chin bars, but that's just me seeing too many flip-up helmets in pieces to trust 'em)....

I've purchased a used HJC with the flip-up option (I have no idea what model it is) thinking about my glasses as some others have also mentioned on here, not to mention it simply seems more convenient to live with.  Do these helmets have a lower safety rating or a bad reputation or something?  I was told that as an option the front flip-up piece is removable on this helmet to convert it to a 3/4, I would think those are potentially weak links in the design?  I've thought about switching to contacts, maybe that needs to be added to the must-have list for this year.

[green427]

If you do a search on modular helmets on the internet, you will find strong opinions all over.

My opinion? They are better than 3/4 helmets, but not as good as full face. There is no doubt that full-face helmets give you the best protection. There is a chart in the Hurt report (I think) that shows the majority of impacts are on the chin area, more than any part of the helmet.

I've been reading statements for a few years now, and seen a few pictures. It all depends on the accident you have, some had no issues with the hinges, others had their hinges snapped off. Several have crashed on their chins and the chin bars fractured their eye sockets. Some had their chin bars ripped off. Some chin bars remained intact.

Some people, like me, are willing to give up that extra margin of safety for comfort's sake. Those of us who wear glasses appreciate the convenience of modulars.

Others don't mind taking their glasses on and off.


I have yet to see an official report on protection results between modular and full face helmets.

[Money]

That makes sense.  Fairly impossible to predict what sort of accident one might be waiting to get into so it's probably safest to consider this one a 3/4 with an identity crisis :).  Should have done a bit more homework before I agreed to purchase it from the PO.  Oh well.

[Hangster]

Just a side note , you're better off buying a new helmet ...i don't see trusting a used helmet .

[Soupskin]

I wear glasses and commute daily on my bike. I wear a modular lid so I don't have to remove my glasses several times a day.

[Money]

Just a side note , you're better off buying a new helmet ...i don't see trusting a used helmet .

I could see heeding this advice had the purchase been made from a total stranger, however I bought it from a very good friend of mine (as well as my bike).  Although it seems it will be replaced anyway as I would prefer a true full-face helmet, do you have any other rational for not buying a used helmet?  Mostly in regards to safety - less sanitation reasons that only seem obvious (PO wore a skull beanie with this one to prevent it from getting disgusting inside, I plan on doing the same in any case).

I wear glasses and commute daily on my bike. I wear a modular lid so I don't have to remove my glasses several times a day.

Been thinking about trying out contacts (again) for a couple years now.  This might be the little extra justification I need to take the so-called plunge.  Do you ever experience trouble with your glasses fogging?  Any tried and true remedies?  Seems like I've heard of guys using anti-fog type of products but haven't ever tried one.

[Soupskin]

I use hair conditioner to keep then from fogging. But, I only need it when it's cold out.

[muttstang]

I'm a bit leary about modular helmets.  I'd really like the convenience of it since I have glasses but I'd rather trust my noggin to a full face helment.

and there are good deals out there on new helmets.  I got a new scorpion EXO 400 for under $60.

[Bumblebee]

Another thing to think about:

I was planning on getting a flip up until I crashed. When I hit the ground face first, I got punched in the nose hard by the inside of the chin bar. The cheek pads in the old helmet were soft due to the way they were designed. The padding wasn't much better than a flip up with no cheek pads. After the crash I insisted on tight cheek pads to help keep the chin bar out front thus eliminating the whole idea of flip ups. Flip ups are a nice idea however I think about how crash gear will handle a crash when I buy stuff nowadays.

Used helmet from someone else? IMHO, not recommended at all. You don't know the history of the helmet so you don't know if it'll do it's job properly or whether it's been structurally compromised or abused.

Also the helmet must fit your head properly. Just having something on your head that sort of fits and feels comfortable isn't good enough in a crash. I tried on over a dozen different helmets before I found the one that fits properly. It's not easy to get on or off and if I don't get a haircut regularly it starts getting tight.

Saving a few dollars means less than squat nothing when physics starts slapping you around. Fit comes first, everything else second. Price is number last on the consideration list because money in the bank is useless if you're dead or drooling on yourself for the rest of your life.

[Money]

Another thing to think about:

I was planning on getting a flip up until I crashed. When I hit the ground face first, I got punched in the nose hard by the inside of the chin bar. The cheek pads in the old helmet were soft due to the way they were designed. The padding wasn't much better than a flip up with no cheek pads. After the crash I insisted on tight cheek pads to help keep the chin bar out front thus eliminating the whole idea of flip ups. Flip ups are a nice idea however I think about how crash gear will handle a crash when I buy stuff nowadays.

Used helmet from someone else? IMHO, not recommended at all. You don't know the history of the helmet so you don't know if it'll do it's job properly or whether it's been structurally compromised or abused.

Also the helmet must fit your head properly. Just having something on your head that sort of fits and feels comfortable isn't good enough in a crash. I tried on over a dozen different helmets before I found the one that fits properly. It's not easy to get on or off and if I don't get a haircut regularly it starts getting tight.

Saving a few dollars means less than squat nothing when physics starts slapping you around. Fit comes first, everything else second. Price is number last on the consideration list because money in the bank is useless if you're dead or drooling on yourself for the rest of your life.

I just threw the one I bought on my head after reading this.  I preferred it over some of the others I tried on (new at the local Honda dealer) in part because it didn't squeeze the arms of my glasses into my temples too tightly (riding without them is not an option).  However the cheek support is not affective in the least, I'm able to press the chin bar right to my chin even with the strap secured with relatively little effort.  Perhaps this is significant of it being the incorrect size for my noodle, although the "side-to-side" fitment test seemed ok.

As far as having purchased a used helmet in the first place money wasn't a determining factor.  Considering he sold the bike he really had no other use for it, was what I wanted in a helmet, it fit, the price was just sort of a bonus.  Wasn't until after the deal was done that I talked to another friend and the notion of a flip-up faced helmet not being quite as good for safety reasons was brought to my attention.  The majority of the membership here seems to be extremely safety conscious.  With others using them thought it worthwhile asking.

Looks like contacts and a new helmet are going to be added to the list.  Appreciate the insight and advice everyone, thank you.

[Hangster]

One more thing i'd like to add  on the contacts thing , you're better off wearing glasses (i also wear glasses) mainly there are times when you want to flip the visor up a little during riding and you will get nailed with bugs (lady bugs hurt like hell if you get hit in the eye ball and can be responsible for a crash) , even with glasses on the little bastards find their way in your eyes (mosquitoes are specialists at this)

[Money]

One more thing i'd like to add  on the contacts thing , you're better off wearing glasses (i also wear glasses) mainly there are times when you want to flip the visor up a little during riding and you will get nailed with bugs (lady bugs hurt like hell if you get hit in the eye ball and can be responsible for a crash) , even with glasses on the little bastards find their way in your eyes (mosquitoes are specialists at this)

Hadn't thought of that scenario.  We have a ton of bugs in this area too.  I could pick up some sunglasses although that wouldn't be any good at night.  Maybe some photo gray lenses are in order...  Have to give it some thought.

[Hangster]

Think about a pair of transition wrap around glasses , it's the best investment i ever made and you do get used to wearing them with a helmet on  , it really becomes part of your daily routine .

[green427]

I would advise against wearing contacts as well....but that is just me. My eyes dry out faster, and if something happens in my eye, I still need to make time to pull over safely to deal with it.

That, and trust me, warm weather will make you open your shield to get some air. Glasses offer some eye protection, contacts do not.

Fogging of the shield only happens during two events: temperatures below 40°F and during a heavy downpour.

[Bumblebee]

+1 on glasses vs contacts. Pop the visor up and boom, first bug that comes along hits glasses dead center of your eyeball. They're good shots. Don't forget that dust will often get into the helmet while riding. I understand that contacts aren't any fun at all with an eye full of road dust at 60mph.

Keep trying different brand/design helmets on until you find one that fits properly. Every version of each brand is a different shape inside and fits differently. Mine is tight and secure and I wear glasses also and the arms fit into the sides without unreasonable pressure. It's all about proper fit for your individual noggin. You'll always be able to push the chin bar back to your face with enough force just because of the physical design limitations however cheek pads dump energy before it hits you.

Everyone who rides has a different opinion of what is a good fit. For those of us who have been down, we tend to think of how to avoid injury. IMHO: Nothing less than a full face or equivalent (flip up with the chinbar down) is acceptable. If you can't take a baseball bat to the face, it's not protecting you properly. (Physics doesn't use a baseball bat, it drops an entire planet on your face thus the term Faceplant)

I don't know how much experience you have wearing helmets of any kind. If you're a new rider and/or haven't worn helmets before, you likely have no idea what proper fit feels like. It's not about feeling all open and airy and super soft comfortable like a cheezy plastic construction hard hat. It's supposed to be restrictive and fairly tight. If it's restrictive, not crushing, without painful points, and secure, it's probably the right helmet. A 45 second fit test won't do. Wear it around the store for about 15-20 minutes to make sure it fits properly. Have no shame while in the store, just put one on that seems to fit properly, secure the chin strap and walk around for a while.

[Hangster]

Bumblebee pretty much got it covered so i'll add one more thing , try and find a helmet with removable pads and top hat , this makes for easy washing /drying and replacement with new ones, when it gets too funky after some time you'll practically have a new helmet dirt cheap

[Money]

Pretty sure you guys managed to save me a ton of time and grief, not to mention expense in what to look for when choosing a helmet.  As you may have guessed by my having made pretty much every wrong choice in helmet consideration thus far no I have not actively participated in any activity requiring the regular use of a helmet other than for a bicycle.  Rest easy knowing that I at least have sense enough to know that one of those won't provide ample protection :).

Thank you all again for the advice.  I'm sure there will be more questions when it comes time to purchase other requisite safety gear.  In the mean time I'll do some other research to try and have a clue before I start picking brains.

[leftfield6]

I'll go one step more in helmet recommendations.   One thing I like about the Scorpion line of helmets is the replaceable pads.  Not just for the sanitation of being able to remove them and  defunkify, but the possibility of customization.

What do I mean by this?  Well, here is my personal example,  I have a Scorpion EXO-700 with the padding on the top, back and front of my head from a padding set in the XL size.  But the cheek pads are from a size L set.   Gives me a custom fit. 

I'm sure other brands can be done like this, but Scorpion is what I got, so it's what I know.

[skramer360]

Don't let all the bad mouthing of contacts  scare you away from them. I have worn contacts for about 25 years. Once you get used to having something in your eye (the contacts) which doesn't take very long, its hardly any different than someone that doesn't need eye correction. Just my $.02

[Money]

I'll go one step more in helmet recommendations.   One thing I like about the Scorpion line of helmets is the replaceable pads.  Not just for the sanitation of being able to remove them and  defunkify, but the possibility of customization.

What do I mean by this?  Well, here is my personal example,  I have a Scorpion EXO-700 with the padding on the top, back and front of my head from a padding set in the XL size.  But the cheek pads are from a size L set.   Gives me a custom fit. 

I'm sure other brands can be done like this, but Scorpion is what I got, so it's what I know.

Sound advice.  I'll keep that in mind as well - thanks!

Don't let all the bad mouthing of contacts  scare you away from them. I have worn contacts for about 25 years. Once you get used to having something in your eye (the contacts) which doesn't take very long, its hardly any different than someone that doesn't need eye correction. Just my $.02

Contacts have been a consideration for a long time anyway, I just thought this might be the tipping point.  I could always throw on some safety glasses or sun glasses (tinted safety glasses ) for eye protection if I went this route.  For now it will probably wait a little while longer since considerable finances will be headed towards getting myself and this bike on the road to begin with!

[Bumblebee]

Thank you all again for the advice.  I'm sure there will be more questions when it comes time to purchase other requisite safety gear.  In the mean time I'll do some other research to try and have a clue before I start picking brains.

Never hesitate to ask questions here. We're all in this together. You learn by asking. We only ask that when you ask questions, you're open minded and take advice sensibly and not get defensive or latch onto nonsense rumors as irrefutable fact. When you get help here, please give us feedback on the final outcome in the thread so everyone can learn from it.

Crash gear: When you buy a motorcycle, at least $1000 should be put aside as part of the purchase price dedicated to crash gear. (That's more than needed for reasonable gear however the $1000 keeps you from hesitating or looking at price tags for most stuff) A long sleeve tshirt, jeans, tennis shoes and light weight gardening gloves will do you no good at all during a real world crash. Contrary to popular belief, jeans are are only a teeny smidgen better than shorts when the proverbial 4-grit belt sander has a go at you. Proper gear can make the difference between a painful ride in the owie wagon, skin grafts, drooling on yourself for life or at least a long recooperation vs picking yourself off the ground, taking the broken pieces off the motorcycle and riding it home to start repairs. You still might get hurt however your chances are better while ATGATT.

ATGATT = All The Gear All The Time - every time, always, without fail, no exceptions.

[ariwhiteboy]

Just my $.02 on the contacts debate: I ride every day, and I wear my contacts 99% of the time.  I often wear ballistic oakleys for eye protection in addition to a full face helmet.  If you go the contacts route, it's wise to have an old spare set of glasses in a hard case tucked somewhere safe, either on the bike or in your riding jacket.  You never know when having them might be the difference between being able to safely ride home or having to call someone who can see to come pick you up.

[edac]

ATGATT = All The Gear All The Time   
helmet, jacket, gloves, boots, pants,     what am I missing?

[Hangster]

ATGATT = All The Gear All The Time   
helmet, jacket, gloves, boots, pants,     what am I missing?

back protector/spine protection , that little hunk of foam in the jacked is better than nothing but there is way better protection available these days.

[talespin]

Think about a pair of transition wrap around glasses .

My Transition lenses don't turn dark when I wear my helmet. Perhaps the visor is opaque to that part of the light spectrum that makes them change?