My Next Bike...

[willedoo]

Problem is spacey, without a helmet, if you fall off you could be much more involved with the next world out there.

 

 

[spacesailor]

The police reckon it was to stop the mess of gray sheet having to be cleaned off the road !.

 

Never heard of the number of broken neck deaths, from those heavy helmets, But no mess to clean up.

 

I gave up the dreaded Motor-cycle.

 

spacesailor

 

 

[facthunter]

I don't use full face helmets often as they fog up in traffic. I don't like fast highway riding, either Too much buffeting , engine smells and rocks. Nev

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

Good point, Nev. I always rode with full face protection (saved my features once when I slid down the road face down) and tried many methods of reducing wind noise. Late one midwinter night I taped my visor shut, put on my helmet and rode out of a Uralla servo onto the New England Highway. Before I could get up to speed to get sufficient airflow to keep it clear, it fogged up completely. Pulling off a road full of semis via Braille was not fun.

 

 

[Litespeed]

I like a good open face with flip down shield. Works well.

 

But a quality fullface is warm and much quieter. Just use ear plugs if needed.

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

I've recently discovered how much my hearing has been damaged by noise. Operating loud machinery, firearms and loud music have all played their part, but I reckon years of wind noise under my helmet has done the most damage. On my last big trip I added a foam skirt to my full-face to make it egg-shaped- this greatly reduced noise from the turbulence behind the helmet's lower lip.

 

I'll be using moulded earplugs inside my ANR headset from now on.

 

 

[willedoo]

Good point, Nev. I always rode with full face protection (saved my features once when I slid down the road face down) .

It's not much fun. I landed face first at 110mph and it was only the fact that I'd borrowed a mate's Bell helmet that saved me. The brand of full face I normally wore was very soft in the front chin guard, so I probably would've broken a jaw and lost a bit of nose with that one. The Bell was heavier, but solid as a rock.

 

 

[spacesailor]

"I've recently discovered how much my hearing has been damaged by noise. Operating loud machinery " WHAT

 

WHAT DID YOU SAY.

 

SPEAK UP LAD.

 

I'm not deaf, you don't have to shout !.

 

but it helps. LoL

 

spacesailor

 

 

[Litespeed]

I always try to buy the best helmet.

 

If you have a $10 head get a $10 helmet.

 

Arai is the gold standard for expensive heads, ultra quiet and comfy

 

But at $500 min to $1500.

 

I bought a GP quality ARAI Giga in 1990 cost was $950. Did lots of years and huge miles.

 

These days my budget is not so flush.

 

 

[willedoo]

I imagine bike helmets would have improved a lot. Haven't stuck my head inside one since the early 70's.

 

 

[facthunter]

Good sales pitch about a $10 helmet. There's a specified standard AS 1698? Some of course are better and you can pay $6,000 or more for a pushbike.. A helmet doesn't provide any absolute protection for all of you and does block out sounds and some vision. IF you are going fast enough and hit something solid you are dead meat regardless of what helmet you are wearing. Speed Kills is very much the issue with bikes. Why they have or need HP around 200 Has me beat. If 1% of riders are good enough to use that it would be all and where (on any public road) could you push those limits or anything even close? Nev

 

 

[Litespeed]

No protection is absolute.

 

But my head is valuable to me and I like it warm, comfortable and on my shoulders.

 

A quality modern helmet is a very safe place for your head. Modern riding gear saves huge amounts of lives and injuries.

 

My son had a recent fall and broke both wrists, hurt his knee.

 

His riding boots stopped a broken ankle by limiting deflection.

 

The jacket took the heavy hit and slide down the road.

 

The helmet copped a big scrape accross the side , back and top of helmet.

 

He only had a headache.

 

Are you really saying a helmet is not great protection?

 

The ambos and doctors all agreed the helmet stopped significant injuries to his skull and brain.

 

Do you wear a seat belt in a car or aircraft?

 

Forgetting about crashes, a helmet can save your life just riding.

 

I was struck by a galah full on at 100 and the bird hit my face shield. It hurt a lot but allowed me to get of the road and stop.

 

If I had no helmet or no visor I would have fallen and been struck by traffic.

 

Even a errant rock or beetle can do damage and cause loss of control.

 

I do not weld without a helmet either.

 

 

[Litespeed]

200hp is a lot but so is a commode with 500hp and lots of them around.

 

 

[old man emu]

Flying sports car

 

The video shows that aircraft based on the drone design do work, but notice how the music in the video masked the noise of the aircraft?

 

If the NIMBYs complain about the sound of a fixed wing single engined aircraft passing overhear at 1000+ feet, then imaging the uproar if a few of these drone-like aircraft were operating overhead.

 

 

[facthunter]

Litespeed, I'm NOT saying a helmet isn't a good idea. The difference between NONE and a compliant one is a lot.. SPEED is where the destructive energy ( V squared ) that kills you comes from. Primary safety is riding sensibly, watching the road surface, having good suitable tyres.. If you are needing a 200 Horse Power bike you should have a plane instead where you can "fly" safely. As I said how many people can use that (or anything like it) to it's limits on a public road? and would you like your expensive helmet to be the mandatory standard? Nev

 

 

[old man emu]

My 25 HP side valve 45 cubic inch engine lets me have shorter stops at traffic lights than these blokes who fly past me on their new bikes with three times the horsepower and get to the lights 30 to 40 seconds before me.

 

I can't get up to 100 or 110 kph, so I cruise along at 80 kph, smelling the roses and seeing the views.

 

 

[spacesailor]

" Speed Kills is very much the issue with bikes. Why they have or need HP around 200 Has me beat. If 1% of riders are good enough to use that it would be all and where (on any public road) could you push those limits or anything even close? Nev "

 

On the Stuart hwy NT, Parts are now OPEN ROAD SPEED.

 

The same applies to aircraft. Why a six pot when four cylinders will do. I have only two cylinders.

 

AND I made a plane But can't fly still.

 

spacesailor

 

 

[Litespeed]

I am not saying you must have a mega helmet.

 

I am saying you are a fool not to wear a helmet that at least meets the standards.

 

It is your head, have it crushed if you wish.

 

I do not advocate using 200 HP on the road, rather ride to the conditions.

 

That instant power and amazing brakes, suspension can be a life saver.

 

Modern traffic does not suit a bike far slower than modern cars.

 

I will ride low power bikes too

 

But the risk is higher.

 

 

[spacesailor]

The Scientist tell us !,

 

It's NOT the crash that kills. it's the Head stopping, before the Brain has stopped,

 

So a helmet stopping before the Brain, Will kill you !. Without the mess on the roadside.

 

spacesailor

 

 

[Litespeed]

That assumes your watermelon head is still in one piece.

 

 

[octave]

I am not at all interested in bikes however my son who is also not into bikes but races on four wheels sent me a link to this video. I resisted watching it for ages thinking it would be grim and depressing but when I finally watched I found it to be fascinating and even humorous. It is about the late Dr John Hinds racing doctor. This guy used to give lectures detailing the many accidents he has attended.

 

It includes some discussion of safety equipment. As a non bike rider, I found this quite engaging. Not sure whether any of you bike enthusiast would enjoy it or not, it does go for 45 minutes.

 

 

[Litespeed]

Excellent video.

 

That is a very low flying doctor service.

 

How did the doc pass away?

 

 

[octave]

Excellent video.

That is a very low flying doctor service.

 

How did the doc pass away?

'Flying Doctor' John Hinds Killed in Irish Road Race Accident

 

 

[Litespeed]

Damn,

 

Racing and medicine have lost a great.

 

How ridiculous that Nth Ireland has never had a medical heli service.

 

I bet they had them for the soldiers during the troubles.

 

Good reason to join Ireland and leave Boris to his games. I predict it in the future, same with Scotland.

 

Meanwhile,

 

Wear your proper riding gear, use a quality helmet and stay upright.

 

 

[Jerry_Atrick]

On the subject of helmets, I buy flip-front helmets - reasonabky good ones (Shoei seems to fit my scone better than most). One can buy an insert that fits on the inside of the visor and in the worst of the winter weather here (I have ridden in snow!!), it seemsto combat fogging up pretty well. On the hotter days, stick the flip front up and there is sufficient ventilation. They are reasonably quiet witht he lid down, but I always ride with ear-plugs - just the cheapie foam ones - but they work a treat and are sifficient @ 100mph on the motorway with a skinny-faired bike.

 

I had a moderately priced helmet, and then I wateched a video produced by the DVLA (equivalent to the state road traffic authorities).. It was my moderately prived helmet v an Arai... Both well exceeded the Euro standard except on one item.. The Arai could be dropped a couple of times and it was put through a simulated crash where the head repetitively hit the tarmac about 8 or 10 times.. It survived (despite the warning one has to bin it of one drops it - still very good advice). The mid-range cheapie - lasted once.. So in a real word accident, I would like the Arai (or Shoei, or the German brand that eludes me - known for quiteness, but not built for a bonce like mine).

 

Onto the bike - Nev - I live in the country - not quite as formidable as some of the country in Aus -definitely - but full of loose stones, lots of parts of trees on the road, etc. The great thing about the Trophy is - it seems to take it all in its stride.. And it is a comfy tourer, but you can throw it around; and it will give the more sporty marques a run for the dollar.. Given I live 150 miles from my weekday accommodation, and Autum is staring be down the face, it is a perfect mount..

 

As an FYI, I had a didgy VFR750 up to close to 140mph on the M1 (in London, close to where it starts) one morning.. Police gun followed me.. no visit though.. even though I slowed down. Ahhh.. Ol Blightly has some very good advantages