Goggles vs. Full Face Helmet

[BuffaloAl]

I ride with a "chin flip" full face helmet, but I see a lot of DS riders using the open face motocross style and goggles. I've never tried the open face helmet. Is it better for DS riding? Just curious.

Al

[SkiFastBadly]

Better for riding, worse for crashing.

[Ritalin Boy]

I prefer a motocross style helmet with goggles.

If you're riding a big bike off pavement you need lots of oxygen. IMO a street lid doesn't have anough area in front of the mouth if you need to take deep breaths. Even worse if there's a full shield.

Plus with goggles dust n stuff isn't an issue. If you have a faceshield chances are it will be up so there goes your eye protection. If you wear glasses you'll still have issues with dust.

I finally bought RX goggles so I could ditch the glasses and it made a world of difference.

[FirstPath]

When you say open face presume you mean the motocross style helmets that still have the chin protection. I would prefer that over a true open face helmet. The thought off the lower part of my face taking the brunt of an impact just doesn't seem very pleasing.

As for goggles vs. windscreen your choices are limited with an MX style helmet. I purchased the FLY dual sport helmet which has a shield but also is designed to allow the rider to wear goggles. Never tried it with goggles yet but I've been happy with the shield. Lots of visibility, fairly quite and no distortion. If I want to ride with the visor up I wear sunglasses or clear glasses.

If'n I go trail riding with that helmet I would pickup some goggles and see how it goes. Still have proper MX eye protection and open face cooling. I'd lower the shield if it got really wet or dusty.

Scott in Shoreview
'79 Suzuki GS550

[Double H]

why not a ds helmet? mx style with googles or a shield if you need it

[BuffaloAl]

Originally Posted by Double H

why not a ds helmet? mx style with googles or a shield if you need it

That's why I was asking. Like I said, I ride with a street helmet with the flip up chin bar. I generally have the face sheild cracked a bit for ventilation unless it's really dusty. Do the MX style helmets (with the chin shield) have a dust mask or anything?

[Double H]

Originally Posted by BuffaloAl

That's why I was asking. Like I said, I ride with a street helmet with the flip up chin bar. I generally have the face sheild cracked a bit for ventilation unless it's really dusty. Do the MX style helmets (with the chin shield) have a dust mask or anything?

My helmet (fly) does not have a dust shield.
Having the goggles is a much needed accessory when following people in dusty conditions. My eyes are a little sensative to wind, wearing googles and using the shield at the same time at speed works well for me.

[daveinva]

Downside of going goggles route is that those open-style MX/DS helmets are louder on the road (even the DS helmets with a visor-- they're just not the ideal shape for roadspeed wind compared to a traditional full-face helmet).

That said, some helmets are better than others, and there are fans of both.

[crofrog]

Originally Posted by BuffaloAl

I ride with a "chin flip" full face helmet, but I see a lot of DS riders using the open face motocross style and goggles. I've never tried the open face helmet. Is it better for DS riding? Just curious.

Al

When you're actually off-road and working hard you need to be able to get air into your lungs and the full faced helmets just don't offer enough ventilation. Combine that with the fact your going to be sticking your head down and using the visor to block branches and roost. The goggles are allot better in dust too because they don't get dust inside of them the way a cracked visor does and it keeps it all out of your eyes.

The dirt helmets tend to be annoying on the street (buffeting and the visor catches the wind as you look around) and if it starts raining with a dirt helmet on and your going fast it really sucks. Nothing like being stung by rain that feels like nails right on the upper lip and cheeks.

[Bucho]

I pretty much agree with the above comments.

If I'm going dirtbike riding I wearing my MX lid and goggles. If I"m going for a street ride I wear my street full face helmet.

When I'm sort of street riding but might do some light dualsporting, then its a decision. For me it most often comes down to weather. If its cold, I will probably wear the full face. If its pretty warm I'll go for the MX and goggles.

I know a lot of people who dualsport/dirtride with a MX helm and some form of "safety glasses". I think my eyes are sensitive, if its dusty at all, I really like my goggles. If I have a fullface helmet on w/ the visor down and its dusty. I end up with dust flowing around in front of my face behind the face shield, so it still bothers me.

The DS helmets look neat, maybe when I"m in need of a new helmet I'll think about one.

[TheWorstKind]

I highly recommend a dual-sport (hybrid helmet). Yes, they are louder than a regular full-face helmet on the street. That really is a no-brainer. However, ear plugs work just fine. Also, for any of you fine folks looking at one of these dual-sport helmets, consider the following: can the helmet's face shield be closed with the goggles still on? That is certainly a major requirement for me. I love the wind in my face, even on the street. When it starts to rain, down comes the shield, and voila, no more stinging!

[el queso]

Originally Posted by BuffaloAl

I ride with a "chin flip" full face helmet, but I see a lot of DS riders using the open face motocross style and goggles. I've never tried the open face helmet. Is it better for DS riding? Just curious.

Al

MX helmets pros: light, good field of view, excellent ventilation (which is nice on a hot day), visor is nice when riding into the sun.

MX helmet cons: noisy, excellent ventilation (which sucks on a cold / rainy day), lots of head buffeting thanks to that visor and all that ventilation.

For the street I use a Shoei Hornet, which is a DS helmet. For me it’s the best of both worlds on the street, but too heavy and not enough ventilation for real dirt riding.

[Grreatdog]

I am with Bucho on dust. I can't stand a street helmet in the dust. I wear a street full face for all street and a lot of dual sport riding. Especially in cold and rain.

But if it is going to be dusty I will be in my MX helmet and goggles. Plus a good MX helmet is feather light with tons of ventilation. My current MX helmet is the most comfortable helmet I have ever worn for just those reasons.

I have tried the dual sport helmets. But I prefer just having both a street and offroad helmet. Of course I also paid for that in the snow last year when I opted for the MX helmet because I was worried about fogging.

I could have killed for a DS helmet here:

[Pantah]

I used a Arai Dual sport with the peak (visor) and shield. It is basically an MX helmet with street accessories. It was too noisy for me but I used it 4 years. Next was a Shoie Hornet, which is tha same concept...MX helmet with a screen.

I found the Hornet helmet the very best for sound and comfort until I bought a KTM 690. The Hornet chinbar is very sharp and catches the wind, yanking my head. So I bought a regular street helmet for that bike most of the time. It is the Nolan N43 E or somthing like that. It has the wide view I like, but still noisy. I still use the Hornet for my Yamaha WR250R. The aero on my flyscreens must be different. Bottom line; the Hornet if I can.

The very best for dirt is an MX helmet with goggles. The rest are a compromise to meet highway objectives. Anybody riding dirt would never use a screen. They are for highways.

Regarding getting enough air, full faced road race helmets breath well enough for world champion road racers... and they work hard! The comments about 'breathing' are out of ignorance and supposition.

At this point and experience, I am leaning towards a street helmet for all around, since that is what I do. But I can say my kids wear dirt gear for dirt, and road race gear for road racing...right down to their underwear.

[crofrog]

Originally Posted by Pantah

Regarding getting enough air, full faced road race helmets breath well enough for world champion road racers... and they work hard! The comments about 'breathing' are out of ignorance and supposition.

Take your best road race helmet and go for a run. Then take any old dirt helmet and go for a run.

Tell me which one works better and you can see out of before the first mile is over.

Road race helmets work great when you're pushing them through the air, not when your pushing your bike through a rock garden with it boiling over.