Open Face Crash

[shdwghst457_imp]

Yes! Bugs, rocks, etc. Every single time I think "Glad I had the visor down!" Took a piece of drywall/maybe a big rock to the left shin the other day and thought "Glad that didn't hit my bike!!"

[Gustav_imp]

I wear in the most time my open Davida speedster, but always I use a pair of plastic sunglasses. Also I have a pair of aviator glasses sitting on top of the helmet. Sometimes i put them on, when I believe there are a lot of bugs, bees or fruits from the trees flying through the air…
For higher speeds, I wear a full face helmet with bluetooth connection kit inside (for listening music from the iPhone).


regards
Gustav

[the Ferret]

You look very cafe retro there Gustav!

[Rocky_imp]

I ride my two vintage bikes a lot because I belong to a vintage bike club that is very active with bi-weekly runs all summer and into late autumn.
At first I went for the café racer look with an open face helmet and goggles. After being hit in the face with bugs and other unknown objects I opted for an HJC open face with a full face shield.
I wear that most of the time when it's hot, but I wear my HJC flip-up pretty well for all my other riding - especially if I do an overnighter or am on the road for a few days.
The first HJC Symax I had was my first flip-up helmet and I crashed wearing it and ended up sliding face down. I didn't land on my head per se, but the flip-up helmet stayed in one piece and protected my face.
When flip-ups first hit the market nay-sayers said the helmet would break on impact. I guess that would depend on the impact, but it held together for me and I'm grateful that it did.
Only one crash per helmet so I threw it away. It was all gouged up anyway and I wouldn't wear it regardless.

[OldF7Guy_imp]

I wear a full face all of the time for no other reason that for the protection to my eyes and face from bugs and debris. An if I have to use it, I know it will protect my head about as good as possible. Its just a personal choice and everybody is going to be different. We all take a risk everytime we go to the mail box let alone slinging a leg over a motorcycle.

[Oboro_imp]

I've got a Bell Bullit with a bubble shield!! Full face helmets just look cooler IMO as well as protect better.

[Cormanus]

First things first: let's see Gustav in all his glory!



Back to the question. I got knocked off in 1973 wearing an open face helmet. Luckily I suffered no facial or head damage. But I have ridden with a full face helmet ever since. It's mostly because I'm cautious, but also for warmth in the cold (rare these days) and protection from the almost endless stream of bugs. I guess you could solve that with an open face and a shield. Tough choice, but I'm with Rboe when he said "Dress for the accident, not the ride."

[VTR1000F_imp]

I once suffered a lowside crash with CBR1000R. The bike slid under the rails and I slid somewhere, I lost consciousness. I woke up sitting on a road vomiting, but virtually untouched, no rash, no broken bones. Just a light bruise on top of my helmet. PAramedic ordered a trip to hospital for full body scan. As I climbed on the scan table and they took first series of pictures the doctor rushed in and told to not move anymore, as I have a broken vertebra in lower part of my body. So I spent few days in hospital, underwent a major surgery and then spent 3 months recovering on a bed.

The story above doest nothing to do with type of helmet. My point is always wear maximum posiible protection. For me it is always riding boots, full face helmet, quality gloves, leather jacket with integrated "turtle back" protection - nevermind what the outside temperature is. Only thing I lack on so far is the trousers. I wear jeans with add on knee warmers or knee sliders. Something I have to work on.

[rboe]

In Arizona I get hit with a few bugs, got stung on the face once (bee, dirt bike helmet, no goggles) but in Minnesota. Ufdah! Behind grain trucks on highway 2 going to Duluth, like little needles hitting you. Nasty! Then outside Superior Wisconsin I was tooting along the back roads on my TS125 when a big water beetle flew across the road. I was center punched just at the bottom of the sternum. Ouch! And juicy! Only had on a t-shirt (no money, no internet, no motocycle safety classes; I really was clueless).

Then the army worms came out and with those you get big plump black flies. Those hit and burst like ripe tomatos; very pleasant on a helmetless face. Lost it on a curve once while riding the CJ360T when I hit a rather slick green slime spot of ex-army worm bodies. 35mm camera swung around and tapped me on the chin. That hurt for weeks.

Had friends taken off bikes by large birds and deer but I managed to avoid that. I've hit raccoons (highway 61 going to Two Harbors) and a badger (highway 60 outside Quemado New Mexico) but managed to keep the bike up.

[the Ferret]

You know I could buy into all the guys saying dress for the crash, not for the ride, but it seems to me that if one were REALLY, and I mean really, interested in being safe, all the ATGATT guys would be wearing more Hi Viz..jackets, helmets etc, and although I am seeing more of it these days, very few are giving up their black or bike matching colored jackets and helmets for Hi Viz.

Isn't it better to try and avoid the crash in the first place than to just wear gear to help in case of?

Isn't the number one excuse for drivers pulling out in front of motorcyclists the old "I didn't see him" line?

On my recent tour out west I wore a high viz vest over top of my regular gear 100% the time. I was in strange areas, looking for hidden roads, with unfamiliar traffic patterns. I wanted people to see me. I also had extra reflective stickers on my helmet and bike ( seems many on this forum immediately remove the side reflectors on their bikes). I saw lots of bikes on our trip out west. Jim's jacket and my vest were the only Hi Viz gear I saw,

[url=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/theferret111/media/Calitrip416_zps937cbbec.jpg.html]

I can tell you from working 25 years in the highway traffic safety field, that Hi Viz is the most important thing you can wear if you want to be seen on the highway. Without question, the greatest thing you can wear from a safety stand point.

So, many of you safety first guys, what is your excuse for not wearing Hi Viz gear?