140 mph, 40 mph, or crawling speed..... sh*t happens.
I was performing a U-turn on a steep uphill slope one day (not a good idea, regardless of how skilled you think you are). I was going slower..... well, I was danm near at a stand still. Knew I was going down, knew that my shiny BMW was about to become parts is parts, but I also knew that a little judo roll in my mesh jacket would make it all a harmless affair (to self).
- NOT! -
My Nolan flip-up modular was flipped down, face shield in place, and rather than a 'judo roll', I did a face plant. And if a face plant wasn't enough, I proceeded to slide down the (steeeep) hill on my belly...... and my face(shield). D'OH!
Woulda been my chin, my lips, my nose, and my bulbous forehead that got ground on the hot tarmac that day...... when I was going no faster than, well.... a stand still.
I have a biker "skull cap", half helmet "puddin bowl", flip-ups, affordable full-faces, and an Arai Rx-7. I may wear the skull cap with it's tacky (& offensive) decals to the brewery two miles away, and once or twice a year venture out in my puddin bowl & goggles. And every time I wear either of these head pieces, I feel I may just as well be riding naked with my favorite (hole-filled) under ware..... 'cause it's "comfortable."
- It's not (comfortable) -
Gimme instead the protection from bugs, flying debris, particulate, dust, wind, sun, ciggy-butts, spit, windshield wiper fluid, hard shell beetles, dragon flies, sand, bark from logging trucks, slow flying birds, flung pebbles, a child's toy thrown out the car window, and body parts from the unprotected skull-cap biker riding in front of me........ gimme my full-face!
I danm well better NOT hear my neighbor preach to me what to wear on my bike! But MY CHOICE has been to wear a full-face helmet. Including the stupid days of my youth when helmets were not 'required', I might guesstimate that I've worn a full-face (to include the days aboard a full dresser with the obligatory 3/4 helmet) about 90% of my total time in the saddle.
Wear what you want, but I may ride far enough behind you that your gouged eye-ball will not dirty up my clean & closed face shield on my swoopy doopy full-face.
[ This message was edited by: FattRat on 2006-06-01 07:28 ]