Full face, 3/4 or 1/2 helmet?

[2wheelfun]

Currently I'm using a 3/4 helmet and like it a lot, but after reading some horror stories about taking a spill I'm seriously considering a full face to protect my face if the need popped up. What do you guys wear, where did you buy yours if full face? Most look like space helmets, I'd like a more traditional look.

[AMAC1680]

I own everything from modular full face to skull caps.

Most of the time I wear a Nolan 3/4. I got hit three months ago and the Nolan took a beating but no front face impact in the crash. The full face would be fine if it didn't get so damn hot. I do most do my riding in Florida.I never buy a helmet I can't try on first.

The fact is the more you cover the better off you'll be in a crash.

Be Big,
AMAC

[wordslinger]

I have a 2" long gash on the front chin area of my full-face, where a rock spun up off a passing vehicle's tire hit... Anything but a full, and that would have been my teeth, ssso.... 

[wkreps]

Bought my first scoot this March and never considered anything other than full face. Sales gal seemed glad to hear it when she asked what I was considering (helmet wise).

[johnson]

I have a silver full face on a shelf in the closet over my scooter gear.  It has scratches all up and down the front where my face would've scraped along the street when I fell doing about 35mph.  I only wear a half helmet (with face shield) on neighborhood rides where I'm doing no more than 25mph and just making short hops.

[GLV55]

I went from a 1/2 to a 3/4, mainly because of the cold weather riding - needed more insulation on my ears. My helmet has a chin piece that can be attached to make it into a full face helmet in the colder weather, but I use it as a 3/4 in the warmer weather. With my glasses, I just can't get a full face to work for me without screwing them up or bending the frames.

[MaryK]

HJC Cl-16 full face helmets work fine with my glasses and those of my husband.

We have 3/4 helmets but always wear the full face, even in summer.

scoot safely,

[Stig / Major Tom]

I watched a couple of videos on how to choose a helmet. Very helpful!
I tried on dozens of helmets at a motorcycle super store, on 3 different days.
I settled on a HJC modular helmet ('flip-up' full face helmet) which had the only size & inner shape to fit my head and my chin (!) , and permitted me to keep my glasses on while putting on the helmet.
I think there is little argument that full face helmets are the safest.....(ever see a racer in any other kind?)
If you want to look cool, buy a nice 1/2 or 3/4 helmet to wear while you watch truck racing on TV!
Or wear a ball cap backwards , flip flops, Nike shorts and a nice Tee on your scooter - the commercial skin graft repositories and reconstructive surgeons love that look.
Full face helemets are the best thing for riding in traffic on 2 wheels.
Stig

[AMAC1680]

I watched a couple of videos on how to choose a helmet. Very helpful!
I tried on dozens of helmets at a motorcycle super store, on 3 different days.
I settled on a HJC modular helmet ('flip-up' full face helmet) which had the only size & inner shape to fit my head and my chin (!) , and permitted me to keep my glasses on while putting on the helmet.
I think there is little argument that full face helmets are the safest.....(ever see a racer in any other kind?)
If you want to look cool, buy a nice 1/2 or 3/4 helmet to wear while you watch truck racing on TV!
Or wear a ball cap backwards , flip flops, Nike shorts and a nice Tee on your scooter - the commercial skin graft repositories and reconstructive surgeons love that look.
Full face helemets are the best thing for riding in traffic on 2 wheels.
Stig

Stig I enjoy your stuff but I have always found those sort of comments a bit, well goofy. It's a lot  like a don't smoke scare commercial. They don't change people's attitudes.

A full face may, or may not be the safest....

Be Big,
AMAC

[bleys]

I have a 3/4 with face shield and a full face modular.  If I go on the highway, I wear the full face...for city driving, I usually wear the 3/4 and I have had enough rocks and bugs hit the face shields to appreciate having the shield.  Bottom line, as with all safety gear - the safest helmet is the one that you will actually wear.  Full face is safest, but if it sits on the shelf instead of your head, it does you no good.

[GLV55]

Bottom line, as with all safety gear - the safest helmet is the one that you will actually wear.  Full face is safest, but if it sits on the shelf instead of your head, it does you no good.

X2 to that ^^ 

[donandrews]

I know a dealer that has a customer's full face helmet on display. It has a large groove down the faceshield. The owner t-boned at 50 mph a car that pulled out in front of him. He slid under car and would have lost the front of his face without a shield. I still wear a 3/4 around our small town, but if I'm going to ride over 45 or so, it's the full helmet for me. Only problem is I can't wear my glasses. It's OK because I can still see, but would appreciate knowing what brand(s) you guys with glasses are wearing. Thanks.
Peace and Ride Safe.
Don
PS  I am in Sweden and Norway the next couple weeks. So far I have seen more scooters than motorcycles and NO Harleys.

[Stig / Major Tom]

I know a dealer that has a customer's full face helmet on display. It has a large groove down the faceshield. The owner t-boned at 50 mph a car that pulled out in front of him. He slid under car and would have lost the front of his face without a shield. I still wear a 3/4 around our small town, but if I'm going to ride over 45 or so, it's the full helmet for me. Only problem is I can't wear my glasses. It's OK because I can still see, but would appreciate knowing what brand(s) you guys with glasses are wearing. Thanks.
Peace and Ride Safe.
Don
PS  I am in Sweden and Norway the next couple weeks. So far I have seen more scooters than motorcycles and NO Harleys.

I wanted only a full face helmet. The HJC CL Max Modular was the only helmet of dozens I tried that I could put on without removing my glasses.
If I tried to put the glasses on after I put on any helmet it did not work, the glasses hung up around my face - felt like I would break them eventually if I kept doing it.
Probably lots of modular (flip-up full face) helmets would work with glasses - but this HJC was the only one that fit the shape and size of my XXXX head.
My balaclavas (yes, when it gets below 10 degrees F I wear two!) can stretch the inner helmet pads - so I have a set of pads I use in the summer to keep the helmet snug as on day one.
(If you get the chance - could you get me the autograph of the Swedish Chef from the muppets while you're there?)
Stig

[Stig / Major Tom]

I have a 3/4 with face shield and a full face modular.  If I go on the highway, I wear the full face...for city driving, I usually wear the 3/4 and I have had enough rocks and bugs hit the face shields to appreciate having the shield.  Bottom line, as with all safety gear - the safest helmet is the one that you will actually wear.  Full face is safest, but if it sits on the shelf instead of your head, it does you no good.

Agreed, so toss the 3/4 so you'll only have the full face - and then wear it religiously.
The AllState guy says most wrecks happen close to home.....not on the highway.
Stig

[AMAC1680]

Agreed, so toss the 3/4 so you'll only have the full face - and then wear it religiously.
The AllState guy says most wrecks happen close to home.....not on the highway.
Stig

Wear what works for you.
How about this. If you have any kind of cervical restriction the limited peripheral vision of a full face requires one to turn the head more than on a 3/4. In that case the full face creates "blind spots" that don't exist on the 3/4.

So in that case the full face would hamper vision.

We can go back and forth on this as has been done since the invention of the lid.
Fact is I don't care what others wear, personal choice.

If I had a buck for every rider I saw in a full face and no other protective gear I'd be a rich man.

Be Big,
AMAC