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Buell Forum » XBoard » Buell XBoard Archives » Archive through July 07, 2006 » Helmet mods for running down the street to get milk in the summer. « Previous Next »

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Fl_a1a
Posted on Tuesday, July 04, 2006 - 12:43 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Hi

I have a x-11 (summer) and schebert c2 (winter) for my work commute.

If I'm on the bike I got my gear. But to make a run to get milk or sodas I don't break 20 mph so the vents un-modified don't push enough air.

I made the holes 50% bigger on my piece of crap ICON mainframe and HJC clast-14. They now vent more air than my X-11 and C2.

I know this may have done some weakening of the structure, but wondering by how much. It is still safer than going with no helmet.

(Most mishaps happen 3 miles away from work or home.)

I'll do this eventually, but has any tried hitting their old helmets with a hammer just to see what kind of abuse it could take ( kind like how gun consumers conduct their own backyard test with firearm ballistics).
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Buellgirlie
Posted on Tuesday, July 04, 2006 - 01:42 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

nope, cant actually help with your question...but here's a funny story : )

when i was in the 4WD biz, i was carrying a line of heavy duty super bright off road lights from australia. i mistakenly told one of my chicago cop customers that the lens was bulletproof. he wanted me to prove it. i took a spare lens out and he shot his service gun through it into the ground in the alley behind my house. and sure enough, the right word wasnt bulletproof, it should have been shatterproof. and he was so damn impressed he bought a set and told all his friends. and now i had a serious testimonial to tell the rest of my customers

D
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Pushrodpete
Posted on Tuesday, July 04, 2006 - 02:53 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Living in Tucson, I'm always trying to find ways to beat the heat. I've found that drilling holes in the FACESHIELD is the way to go: No structural issues for the helmet, and you can swap a holey shield for a non-drilled one as weather dictates.

And if you screw it up, you're only out the cost of the shield, not an entire helmet...

I ended up with three holes in both the top center and bottom center of the shield, out of my line of vision. Putting them in the center gives two benefits: 1) a ram-air effect, and 2) if you put them on the sides they'll whistle constantly.

The size of the holes is only limited by the size of the rock and/or insect you don't mind getting thru. Mine are one size smaller than a bee's ass.

A future project will be to cut out all of the shield except for a 1/2" border, and then glue a piece of window screen to the border. I can't believe nobody sells screen-door shields already -- seems a natural companion for a perforated jacket....
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Butch_xb9r
Posted on Tuesday, July 04, 2006 - 03:19 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Just leave the shield up or remove it and toss on a pair of safety glasses? I do this when driving around town at lower speeds. I have a clear and smoked pair of the Smith & Wesson Magnum Series Glasses. I need to order new ones since mine are getting scratched up from general wear and tear. If you do this make sure your glasses meet the ANSI Z87.1 -2003 High Velocity Industrial Safety Protection Standards.

https://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?catalogId =10001&storeId=10001&categoryId=16216&langId=-1&parent_category_rn=16211&top_cat egory=16211&training=


Or simply buy an open face helmet?
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Samiam
Posted on Tuesday, July 04, 2006 - 03:26 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Can you imagine having a bug hit your face after it's been diced up into a hundred pieces by a screen-door face shield? Yum!

Sam
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Captainxb
Posted on Tuesday, July 04, 2006 - 04:14 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Pushrodpete
". . one size smaller than a bee's ass"
What works best, Metric or Imperial?
And wouldn't you be better off a fraction smaller than a bee's dick, 'cause when the bee tries to stop and back up,
that's what will hit first!
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Fl_a1a
Posted on Tuesday, July 04, 2006 - 06:42 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Holes in the face shield concept-Luv it. I'll do that next.

They have helmets with blue tooth. How about a helmet with a PC fan that you an turn on when sitting in traffic. I'm also considering getting some fish tube I can route in the helmet and hook up to a can of compressed air. Then when I hit traffic congestion I could just get a burst of super cold air (when compress gases release it usually freezing cold). I could also hook them up to CO2 cartriges, not to mention I could throw the C02 cartriges at stupid drivers.
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Samiam
Posted on Tuesday, July 04, 2006 - 07:01 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

A PC fan might not be a bad idea, they're already wired for 12VDC, so you could wire it to your bike's battery. You could get one with LEDs and stand out more in traffic

Sam
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Grimel
Posted on Tuesday, July 04, 2006 - 07:03 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Because bashing it with a hammer tells you nothing unlike shooting a bullet into some know media (milk jugs of water, wet newspaper). If you want to test something you need a reference point. Try a hydraulic press
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Jaimec
Posted on Tuesday, July 04, 2006 - 08:42 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

When traveling through the Nevada desert in August, I found it VERY nice to saturate the helmet liner with water every time I stopped for gas. In the dry air, it evaporated fairly quickly, but it was like having air conditioning while it lasted. If you live in a more humid environment, it'll last longer. I had an Arai Quantum/e at the time but it'll work with any helmet.
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Duffman
Posted on Wednesday, July 05, 2006 - 12:51 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

AFX FX-11 Lightforce Helmet - Purchase

AFX FX-11 Lightforce Helmet - Review

AFX FX-11 Lightforce Helmet - Manufacturer

"AFX Lightforce helmets are the world's first, and only, motorcycle, off road and snowmobile helmets with a fully integrated and rechargeable power system."
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Molly_hatchet
Posted on Wednesday, July 05, 2006 - 01:33 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

use the fan from a paintball mask...most manufacturers have paintball face masks and goggles with fans stuff that in ur helmet.
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Nastynate4469
Posted on Wednesday, July 05, 2006 - 02:43 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

use the fan from a paintball mask...most manufacturers have paintball face masks and goggles with fans stuff that in ur helmet.

Depending on which brand goggles you use it might work. I would Check into JT's stuff. They are a bit expensive but they are great And the fans you can get are really nice. They can be switched between blowing or sucking air. }
(Message edited by NastyNate4469 on July 05, 2006)

(Message edited by NastyNate4469 on July 05, 2006)
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Nastynate4469
Posted on Wednesday, July 05, 2006 - 08:53 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Just something I found today. I went to try on helmets and saw that Arai has a stock lens that has 2 slits that you can open and close on the visor.
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M1combat
Posted on Wednesday, July 05, 2006 - 09:04 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Why not just open the visor a notch? Works for me in the Phx summer...
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Kdan
Posted on Wednesday, July 05, 2006 - 09:06 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

A fan in my helmet brings one thought to mind: Goofy-ass haircut.
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Molly_hatchet
Posted on Wednesday, July 05, 2006 - 10:00 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

personaly i just ride with my visor open most of the time..i like to smell the roses and i can hear better....i only close in on the highway.
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Snowhownd
Posted on Wednesday, July 05, 2006 - 10:14 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

open visor + sunglasses during day
closed visor at night (it's cooler out anyways)
whole hell of a lot easier than drilling holes and wiring fans!!!
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Pushrodpete
Posted on Thursday, July 06, 2006 - 01:01 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

The "open visor + sunglasses" is what got me stung by a bee on my lower eyelid at ~75 mph. Durn thing deflected off my cheekbone and got trapped BEHIND my sunglass lens, buzzing quite angrily.

I immediately went into multitasking mode:
1) Control bike
2) Swat frantically at face
3) Scream like a little girl

After the swelling went down I started playing with holey shields, with the "smaller than a bee's ass" size requirement set in stone.

Takes maybe a minute to drill the holes. We're not talking tungsten here....
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Diablobrian
Posted on Thursday, July 06, 2006 - 01:18 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Evaporative cooling is the way to go.

A little bit of cold water in the helmet liner on hot days (if your vents are even
marginal) will help cool you down a lot.

I used to do that, and i have a Joe Rocket Sahara vest to wear under my mesh jacket
that works the same way. get it wet, wear it under the mesh and you are air conditioned
at highway speeds. I used to ride out in the desert in SoCal and these tricks WORK.

You do end up with a fairly severe case of helmet hair though so bring a hat!
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Nastynate4469
Posted on Thursday, July 06, 2006 - 02:16 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

You also don't have to limit yourself to just holes. I would think a decent size slit from a dremmel would work even better.
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