Hi Viz or White Helmet?

[nhbubba]

Originally Posted by Bravo21

Considering the bike blocks large portions of the jacket and the helmet is the highest most visible part of your gear, which one would you rather be wearing to be better seen?

This is a superb point, IMO. Especially on a bike with any kind of fairing and/or luggage.

[LndCrsr]

I knock on wood and hope for no bad juju!.....

I wear black and assume I'm invisible!
So far, so good....40 years...

[andrewhtf]

Originally Posted by Bravo21

If you can't find a hi-viz helmet you like, can afford, or fits properly, consider the following comparison:

My brother and I both ride flat black V-stroms and wear very similar colored gear, including hi-viz jackets. Consider the following two pictures, taken within minutes of each other under overcast, mid-day skies. The major difference is his helmet is white, mine is anthracite grey. These photos were a major reason I sold my grey RF-1100 and replaced it with a White GT-Air.

Considering the bike blocks large portions of the jacket and the helmet is the highest most visible part of your gear, which one would you rather be wearing to be better seen?

Good comparison.

Now if only we can see similar comparo between a white and a hi-viz!

[andrewhtf]

Suddenly had an idea.

Why choose either one? Wy cant we have both?

Buy a white helmet and stick it with reflective hi-viz yellow stripes!



http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/25mm-wide-...item3f0409ee4f

[cliffy109]

Originally Posted by andrewhtf

Suddenly had an idea.

Why choose either one? Wy cant we have both?

Buy a white helmet and stick it with reflective hi-viz yellow stripes!

Because part of what makes you so visible is the lack of patterns that can create many smaller blocks of white or yellow. Breaking it up creates a kind of camouflage. Granted, it is bright camo, but not nearly as visible as either white or hi-viz by itself.

[guavadude]

Steve McQueen wore white. Just sayin'.

[SteelB12]

I use a Fly HiViz yellow helmet on my KLR and I painted my top case florescent orange. So far, so good. The orange spray paint has not held up well to the sun

[gsweave]

Originally Posted by LndCrsr

I knock on wood and hope for no bad juju!.....

I wear black and assume I'm invisible!
So far, so good....40 years...

I wear Hi-Viz jacket and a White helmet. Plus I blow 100K candlewatt down the road in a triangle pattern.

To 85% of braindead drivers, I am still invisible

[ADW]

Originally Posted by StriderTB

This is my first white helmet, a Nolan N-104 Action. I just need to add some reflective stickers.

Looks like a Sena SMH-10? I was thinking about a Nolan 104 and my SMH-10. How was mounting the speakers? Easy? PITA but doable? Etc.?

[imwstore]

Originally Posted by ADW

Looks like a Sena SMH-10? I was thinking about a Nolan 104 and my SMH-10. How was mounting the speakers? Easy? PITA but doable? Etc.?

Nice decals it has on it mate!

[acap650]

Originally Posted by BlueLghtning

I started with a white helmet when I started riding almost 20 years ago. I thought it was pretty noticeable.

Then for many years, I had all kinds of various colored helmets, but nothing bright.

When Scorpion first came out with their Hi-Viz EXO-700 helmet some years back, I jumped on board right away. I loved that helmet, but it faded after a year and they replaced it, but the next one faded again. I kept wearing it, but became pretty disgusted how bad it started looking. I've seen many other faded hi-viz helmets and I think unless you take the time to maybe wax them or something, they are going to fade.

I've been through 2 Shoei Vivid Orange helmets and 2 Scorpion Neons and they all fade - the brighter the color the more it fades. They fade most on top so you lose visibility from the sky but front, back and sides are still very bright. Fading is a cosmetic issue, not a functional one.

[fullmonte]

Originally Posted by acap650

They fade most on top so you lose visibility from the sky but front, back and sides are still very bright.

Rut Roh, now we gotta worry about those helicopter incursions while riding.
Pilot, "I didn't see him officer, as you can see, his helmet has faded. I thought it was safe to land there."

[juddspaintballs]

The best reflective stuff to stick onto a helmet is the original white scotchlite. It has all the qualities of the visibility of white in daylight and it's the most reflective of reflective materials out there. I've got some stuck to my white RF-1100

[cjmadura]

I've been riding with a white XD3 for years, and just bought a white Shoei GT-Air. Pairing these wit ha Triumph reflective hi-viz vest really makes me "pop" on the road. During the day, the white lid just beams. At dusk, the Hi-vis vest looks like its glowing. At night, the vests Scotchlite light up like a spotlight.

I've had black and multi-colored helmets as well, but I'm always impressed by how noticeable a clean white ball looks on the road. Pairing the two above with my old Triumph Tiger 955 in Roulette Green left no excuse for cagers not seeing me. I was probably annoying bright on crisp sunny days

And yes, I think those remarkably annoying modulating headlights should be banned. Being noticed by drivers is good, pissing off drivers is not.

[max384]

Originally Posted by juddspaintballs

The best reflective stuff to stick onto a helmet is the original white scotchlite. It has all the qualities of the visibility of white in daylight and it's the most reflective of reflective materials out there. I've got some stuck to my white RF-1100

Take a look at Reflexite. I bought some for my panniers and it far surpasses Scotchlite in terms of its reflectiveness. Looking at the two side by side it was absolutely no contest (comparing identicwl colors, of course).