Who would wear a flip front helmet?

[julian64]

Why are there so many people who want to wear a flip front helmet?

I just don't understand.

You'd never ride alone with the flip up, and you don't look any less of an idiot, or rude, walking into a shop with the flip up as you would walking in with a full face on, stig style.

The flip is going to be heavier than a normal full face, and less 'wind in your face' than an open face.

It doesn't have as good visibility as either a full or open face, and won't serve you as well in an accident as the design had to be compromised for the gizmology.

So, can someone explain the actual benefit?

[julian64]

I'm surprised at the 'flip it up when travelling to get some air'

Firstly wouldn't it be like throwing a paracute behind you with the cord tied around your neck?

Secondly if you ever hit the ground with the flip up, wouldn't the lever action just be passed straight to your neck? It would be like two potatoes connected by a cocktail stick thrown at the ground.



Mainly I just hate flip opens as they all seem to be worn by overweight born agains on RG1200's with 'polite' vests on, but I'm trying to look for sensible reasons.

[julian64]

RemyMartin said:

Ill take anyones opinion on this with a pinch of salt, when said opinion comes from a biker who doubts the existance of countersteering.

ETA its clear this is based on a load of false preconceptions and being opinionated against the riders who wear them.

Edited by RemyMartin on Monday 3rd August 12:37

opinionated ........ check
Don't believe in counter steering to be ANYTHING ANYONE NEEDS TO ACTIVELY DO .......... check


guilty as charged

[julian64]

Super Slo Mo said:

julian64 said:

Don't believe in counter steering to be ANYTHING ANYONE NEEDS TO ACTIVELY DO .......... check


guilty as charged

I have had to think about it once or twice, notable on a long ride through Nevada, we were nearing the end of a 560 mile day, I was very cold, going down with tonsillitis, and struggling to concentrate.
The fast (ish, we were on Harleys ) motorway bends were something I, at times, had to consciously remind myself to counter steer through, or more correctly, as I ran wide on several occasions I had to think about it.
I did catch myself turning the handlebars towards the apex, which of course stands the bike up and didn't tighten the line like I wanted .

You are right though, assuming you're saying what I think you're saying, it should be instinctive to anyone that's ever ridden a bike of any variety for any distance. I spent my youth throwing a BMX as fast as possible down dirt tracks, footpaths and anything else I could find to ride on, so have a vague idea how to handle two wheels.
I'm a motorbiking novice, of course, but working on that too.

It gets worse than that. If you look at the well known californian superbike school thay are adamant that its impossible to steer a bike with your knees if you take your hands off the handlebars. I'm afraid I don't believe that either as I regularly steer the bike with my knees.

Couldn't do it round bollards of course but on an A road or motorway most of my steering is done with my knees.

Still I reckon superbike school is like real school, you watch, you try the bits they suggest. If it works for you, you keep it with you in your mind, if it doesn't you let it go.

Certainly coutersteering drops the bike into a corner, but even if I don't conciously think about it the bike drops just fine into corners.

[julian64]

black-k1 said:

I half agree with your "steering with your knees" comments. You can definitely steer without your hands on the bars by shifting your weight. Using your knees can help you shift your weight, but ... it’s not your knees that are doing the steering though; it’s the movement of your weight.

The bike drops into the corner anyway because you’re counter steering, if subconsciously.

Sort of agree. My bike drops into a corner because I've shoved my half tonne bun off the side of the bike, and the bike has nowher to go other than fall to that side. sometimes even shoving my shoulders to one side is enough to do it. So probably not the knees.

I remember as a kid on my chopper cycling everywhere with no hands on the bars.

[julian64]

Reardy Mister said:

I think you're attributing the bike's behaviour purely to what your body is doing, ignoring the interim effect on the bike in order to achieve it. There is no doubt that in a long sweeper, if you need to get it over further, you push the inside bar away. No matter how you squint, that's a conscious counter steer.

(top thread high-jacking Renn!)

ETA: Op I just noticed you own/had a Diversion. And *you're* making sweeping generalisations?!

That diversion was haunted. Not sure if you saw the thread but a PH'er bought it off me and a couple of days leter nearly killed himself. I had quite an argument on my hands with my wife to retain any sort of motorcycle after that episode.



Anyhoo, anyone apart from me hate flip ups or is it another example of it being my problem that I don't get it? Any racers use them?

[julian64]

bass gt3 said:

My God, you don't half talk some twaddle!!!
Whether you choose to accept the fundamental laws of physics doesn't mean they cease to exist. And whether you realise that to take a turn requires the initial counter steering input is academic, as it does.
Just because it's something you do which you do not understand how you do it doesn't mean it's not something you don't need to do.
I could set up a very VERY simple exercise to demonstrate it but I suspect you're so entrenched in you ignorance even the bleedin' obvious wouldn't convince you.
Steering with your knees.... priceless

Nope I'm completely entrenched. Been riding the fastest bike I could lay my spare money on from the age of 14, and I'm now the wrong side of fifty. No gaps in nearly forty years of bike ownership. I don't need to change. If I do it without thinking, there's no need to think about it now. I'm more entrenched than a first world war portaloo.

My ignorance has become my friend. Its saved me in many potential accidents and I trust it. You on the other hand are a slightly grumpy overweight middle aged housewife from hull called Doreen whos husband is having an affair, and therefore she spends all her spare time on the internet posting on biker banter, hoping to find new love.

[julian64]

SpunkyGlory said:

Nothing to add other than this is the strangest helmet I've ever seen...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/FRONT-MOTORCYCLE-HELMET-MO...

Huh all I'm seeing is a picture of a woman with her eyes on upside down?

[julian64]

SpunkyGlory said:

julian64 said:

Huh all I'm seeing is a picture of a woman with her eyes on upside down?

Exactly my point, random picture to advertise a helmet...

Sorry obviously a parrot whoosh moment for me.

Are flip fronts any noisier than normal?

[julian64]

croyde said:

Cheers Castex.
pics
[/footnote]

I actually really think thats cool

[julian64]

creampuff said:

croyde said:

Dude, that helmet looks nuts. It wouldn't look out of place in a German sex video on top of some guy wearing a rubber suit.

A think you're on the wrong thread, and I now need to reach for the mind bleach.

[julian64]

shoestring7 said:

So far only Rizzo has pointed out that the reason Schubert's C3Pro flip is their quietest helmet (and the quietest its currently possible to buy) is because the FF mechanism allows it to offer a tighter fit around the neck, cutting out a significant amount of noise.

You just can't do this on a regular FF and comfortably get it on, as anyone with a >Medium head trying to get a Schubert S2 on might have discovered.

SS7

Tis the best argument on the whole thread for a flip up, and didn't go unnoticed