Full Faced Helmet

[shamrocker]

I am like OP; I have my visor open at low speeds, then down again when I'm off on a main road. Mostly, this is because I get warm when sitting at a stop, or my visor fogs up or something. I do usually have sunglasses on, though.

 

[SteveH41]

Visor slightly open when around town, fully down above 30mph. Using a pinlock insert now to combat fogging up. Well worth the 25 quid it cost.

 

[PFD023]

Visor down all the time. Even at speeds of 30k or so I've had crap blown into my eyes which took my focus off the road. Rather be a little hot under the helmet than have someone in a car pull something stupid and me not be able to react quick enough cause I have something stuck in my eye.
I know some of the guys wear sunglasses but my visor is tinted so there's no need for me worry about the sun.
Talk about bugs.....come to Northern Ontario and we'll show you bugs.

 

[hoston1765]

While making a tight left turn at speed on a twisty road last fall visor-up a bee flew into the helmet and got between my glasses and right eye. After squinting, swearing and making a fast stop the bee thankfully flew out but left me with the conviction to always keep the visor fully down at speed. I also now wear wrap-around tinted glasses during daylight and flip up the visor only in 30 mph zones.

Episode # 156 of Mythbusters (Biker vs Bug) explored the force a bug can exert at speed against a motorcyclist and found at 85 mph a fly exerts 10 lbs. and a Cicada 37 lbs of force. I've had glancing impacts with birds and bats while riding and would definitely not want to get one in the face with the visor up!
A friend rides a Concours with the stock touring windscreen and overcomes the enclosed feeling by usually riding with visor up, his line of sight is just over the top of the recurved screen.

 

[fmf]

I voted up but i never ride fully exposed. If my shield is up y sun visor is down and i only do that when its blazing hot and im tooling around town.

 

[Nelly]

Update, thanks to everyone who took part in the poll. I posted this poll back in 2008 when I had a 3 year gap in riding.
I have well and truly got used to riding visor down now. Mainly because of the amount of rain we get lol. I also think it is because I have also started wearing a system helmet after seeing Cloggys Nolan a few years back.
The system helmets give me more space in front of my chin, and is definitely the right fit for me. I don't have the enclosed feeling anymore.
So my advice would be try on loads of lids until you get the right fit. To get the right fit you may not end up with the brand you initially wanted.
Good luck
Nelly

 

[Poot]

I try and ride with the visor up as much as possible, especially since it has been a heat wave lately where I live. However, I have a inner smoke shield that I leave down if the visor is up to protect from bugs etc...

 

[why_not_Zoidberg?]

I was riding home a couple weeks ago and forgot to put my visor back down (I was sitting at a stoplight). Well I hit 50 mph and POP! There goes the visor. Luckily a dealership was about 6 miles away, so I went straight there and bought a new one.

So now I'm paranoid about it flying off again.

 

[vinmansbrew]

Slower speeds the visor is part way up, 1st detent generally. I like the added air flow when riding slow.
Once I hit the highway or freeway, it goes down.

 

[idriveahybrid]

My helmet is a IS 16 model (can't remember brand) with built in tinted visor. Shield up, visor down going below 55. Over that, definately shield down. Now if I can find a neck screen to keep all the rocks off.. :BLAA:

 

[23Nighthawk]

I like to have my visor open at slower speeds (less than 35mph) however, i always have a pair of clear or tinted glasses on so i am always protected from debris. Higher speeds, my visor is always down.

 

[CavDoc]

Contacts + tinted safety glasses with visor removed for normal commuting during the day, but always bring the visor with me if I think I might be out until evening. If I'm travelling more than my normal commute I put my visor down so my eyes don't dry out.

 

[dean2287]

Not sure what the point of a visor is if it's up all the time. I only open it at stops if it's hot outside. I have tinted for day and clear for night.

 

[fb40dash5]

Not sure what the point of a visor is if it's up all the time. I only open it at stops if it's hot outside. I have tinted for day and clear for night.

I wear a full-face for the chin bar, not the shield.

As long as I've got my sunglasses on and it's not freezing, I like to ride with it up... right up until warp speed, or if there's a ****-ton of bugs out.

I got something that goes buzz in the day inside my helmet once, and that wasn't very fun, but at least it didn't sting me. The day I get stung might be the last day I ride with my shield up.

 

[Tallan]

Im using a motocross helmet and goggles myself. I know some say it doesnt look right, but Im comfy in it coming from motorcross. I plan on buying my 1st full face street bike helmet, but I dont like the feel when I put them on and I get that same closed in feeling that your talkin about. I hope its just somethin to get use to and Im not waisting my $ on a sweet Arai!

 

[nixter]

I have a Bell with Transitions lens. The Bell also has a nice feature that allows you to crack the visor open just slightly to let air flow. Really helps with the "closed in" feeling you mention.

 

[mayassa]

I have a Bell with Transitions lens. The Bell also has a nice feature that allows you to crack the visor open just slightly to let air flow. Really helps with the "closed in" feeling you mention.

Ditto on the transitions on by bell star, I also just open at stop lights or under 10mph

 

[Wh0M3]

If I'm at low speed 30 mph or under and it's hot I'll have it up but after that I put the visor down. I've had a bug fly into my helmet and it wasn't fun so I'd rather they went splat on the visor then end up in there with me.

 

[PurpleZJ]

Visor down usually. But if I'm in town the highest limit is 30 so I'll ride with the visor partly up and my sun shade down. Then knock the visor down once I get upwards of 25ish

 

[Rebuilt]

I genrely have the visor up on my full face helmet ...untill maybe 40mph + .

The only problem is the bugs of which im sure are becoming guided ... i was rideing along the other day with visor up a little just to let in some extra air ... very hot ... and a bug went in small couple cm gap at botom went straight up and still smacked me in the eye :spank: