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3/4 Helmet Opinions

I just purchased a 2017 nc700xd this month. I also purchased for the first time a modular helmet. I like it for the first hour but after that I get a headache. The safety issue makes perfect sense to me but I always found the full face helmets claustrophobic and vision limiting when I tried them on. I am hoping to adjust to the modular but for longer trips I will continue to use the 3/4. By the way I have been riding for a while I am 73 years old and got my first bike at 14 years old. I have been very fortunate. Only one accident in which I broke my foot.
 
Regardless of type (3/4, modular, etc.) never purchase ANY helmet before first wearing it on your head for at least 20-30 minutes, because all of our heads are shaped differently.

Years ago, before buying my first Nolan modular helmet, I walked into a BMW motorcycle store to buy a modular Schuberth helmet, based on reviews I'd read. The (awesome) salesperson refused my credit card at the register. He said, "Put on the helmet and chill out for half an hour here in the showroom. If it feels good after that (i.e. no hot spots, pain, etc.) you should buy it."

Guess what? That helmet started to really hurt after about 10 minutes. I thanked the salesperson. The following week I did the same thing with a Nolan modular helmet at another store. No "delayed hot spots," so I bought it.

I've worn out three and I'm now on my fourth Nolan.

N104-with-3-older-Nolans_w4.jpg
 
macguy:

I think the 3/4 helmet looks fine.
Get 100 people and ask them their opinion of the same thing and you will get 100 different answers.
How do YOU feel riding with 3/4 protection?
I do feel safer in a full face helmet but when riding in the mountain back roads I like a 3/4 helmet.
I like a lot what DD showed you.
It was a 3/4 with a large enough visor to offer some decent protection.
Yet, gives great viewing area and promotes a little more airflow.
One option for a little more airflow is the adventure helmets using goggles instead of a solid visor.
First, research ADV helmets and hear what people say about them regarding airflow, hear, and noise.
My brother-in-law will only wear full face and be cocooned from head to toe with safety gear.
But he has always been ultra safety conscious and been riding for 4 to 5 years.
I have been riding almost 40 years now and grew up riding when jeans and tee shirt was common.
I have the textile jacket now but have to fight off just grabbing a jean jacket for a ride.
Between how I was raised riding and not being as super fearful as my BIL, my opinions are totally different from his.
Hope this helps out.

Added: You could search images of NCs, VStoms, and BMW Adv bikes with riders on them and look for those wearing open face helmets and see what you think

God bless and ride safe!!

Michael
 
face plant protection is a gotta have for me since i've experienced that in off-road riding. gotta protect that bruce campbell chin! modular works for me.
 
I couldn't make up my mind,
so I got the 6-in-1 transformer:
For my goto helmet

NolanN43 Trilogy.jpg
Shuberth E-1 for special days!
schuberth-e1-m.jpg
 
It's your choice on how much safety you want to give up for the sake of fashion but have a look at the helmet impact percentages before making that call. Over 1/3 are to the chinbar alone. Those to the visor and forehead could easily slide down to the face in an open face helmet without the chinbar. That's almost 2/3 of the impacts to the forehead, visor, and chin.

042914middle.jpg
 
You are right that it seems to be a retro thing, though I do see some folks on big tourers wearing them.
They look goofy to me, like wearing a leisure suit, but it's a free country.
 
You are right that it seems to be a retro thing, though I do see some folks on big tourers wearing them.
They look goofy to me, like wearing a leisure suit, but it's a free country.
 
As I have noted on this forum, I pancaked my NC in May and my modular helmet got a slight scrape above the left eye and a slight scrape just below my lip on the left side. The full face piece was glazed at about a 45 degree angle from the upper left to the middle bottom. I started wearing a modular helmet about 3 years ago. Yes, they are a little warmer in the summer, great in the winter and they are heavier than other helmets. But from my personal experience, I will not wear any other type of helmet. Some of the helmets I see being worn will leave a very damaged and/or disfigured person if ever involved in a wreck where the head hits the pavement. Your decision but think safety.
 
I accept the risk of wearing a 0/4 helmet -- until something bad happens, perhaps started by a cage driver who is also wearing a 0/4 helmet -- then I do NOT accept the risk AT ALL ; }
 
Having worn everything from the early 1/2 helmets like you seen in the 1930s up to full face Shoei. Probably owned more HJC brand than others as they seem to fit best. Could really care less what others think on looks. I do understand the “mushroom head look” that some helmets produce/ can look like. My wife had a popular brand that looked that way (on me anyway). I will not preach to anyone on choice of open,closed,full face helmet. I accept the risks in what every I do,wear,ride,eat,etc. I was in an accident when young ( car turned left in front of me 40 ft away @ 45 mph). Cracked my helmet down the center- hit the qtr panel, then flew over the car into the street.I was not hurt other than bruised up . I still wear 1/2 or 3/4 type helmets when I choose to do so riding back roads,FM and state roads. If I spend time on the freeways a full face will be used. Just my take. The best thing I took away from that accident is -to ride like you are invisible . Anticipate caters to do something that might get you into a crash. Only way to survive. Me - over 50 yrs of riding so it’s working so far.
 
Once a guy asked me why I drove a Volkswagen van. I told him " Because it makes me look like who I think I am." I think the helmet question should be related totally to the crash, not the mirror.
 
My brother just bought a pair of open face, Shoei J-Cruise 2 helmets for him & his wife. He said the open face helps with his outward vision. I have to wear the quietest helmet I can find. A modular Schuberth C3 Pro. No problem with outward visibility. It's my 2nd one.
 
Helmets in general might seem constricting and to cut off vision. Until you get used to wearing them. Then if you get the right shape and size, you really don't notice. I've found riding sunglasses to be more of a problem, broke three sets last summer, and none of the types gave me all I wanted. Then I finally got these ultra-expensive jobbies that have wider vision to both sides and up and down than any helmet, never distort color, and darken enough but not too much, and go fully clear for low light. They seem to be optically superior. Brett Tlacs' review decided me on spending the big bux.

 
I wear a modular in the cold weather, and a 3/4 with a face shield when it warms up a bit. I could give a shit what anyone thinks I look like. Hell, I ride in KY and have Harley dudes pass me with a T- shirt, jeans, sunglasses, and no helmet, and I'm sure they think I'm silly in high-vis gear!
 
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