[Cessna]

There are several "Flip Front" or "Transformer" helmets on the market. There is the Nexx x-30 and Scorpion Exo 900 just to mention two. Has anyone had any experience with the "Flip Front" helmet? Comments Pros/Cons.

 

[dsjr70]

I have heard that they offer little protection when the chin is up. Also heard that it is unsafe to ride with the chin up.... But just rumors, I haven't seen any studies done either way.
One fact I can give you is that no manufacturer has ever submitted a modular helmet for Snell approval. (and a note to all I do not want to get into the Snell/DOT debate...lol)

 

[Clubford00]

I love mine ! It offers much better protection then a half helmet or 3/4 but if its a little warmer i can flip it up when at a stop.
Also if your riding in a group you can flip it up at a stop for communication.
I Do NOT ride with it open. However i have pulled away from a stop with it up by mistake a few times. It doesnt take long to remember and flip it down.
I use an HJC IS Max

 

[Rollin]

I bought a Nolan N-103. It was one of the few helmets that had everything I was looking for.
Flip front, sun shield, no tools needed to remove the face shield and aquick releasechin strap.
One thing I did not like about the Nexx X-30 is the faceshield can't be opened.

 

[Dimonback]

I have the Nolan N-102, I think- same as Rollin, but the sunshade is outside the clear shade. It works well- with the chin down. Riding at 60mph+ with it up is a good way to put a crick in your neck

 

[Bigmex]

I love mine ! It offers much better protection then a half helmet or 3/4 but if its a little warmer i can flip it up when at a stop.
Also if your riding in a group you can flip it up at a stop for communication.
I Do NOT ride with it open. However i have pulled away from a stop with it up by mistake a few times. It doesnt take long to remember and flip it down.
I use an HJC IS Max

It's the same for me. I like pulling up my helmet taking a drink or talking to some one. I only use it more in the colder months and some long trips. I have discovered the half helmet this last summer and it was a fun and cool.

 

[Cessna]

Good input everyone. Anyconcerns with weight, wind noise, operational,etc.

 

[Clubford00]

I love mine ! It offers much better protection then a half helmet or 3/4 but if its a little warmer i can flip it up when at a stop.
Also if your riding in a group you can flip it up at a stop for communication.
I Do NOT ride with it open. However i have pulled away from a stop with it up by mistake a few times. It doesnt take long to remember and flip it down.
I use an HJC IS Max

It's the same for me. I like pulling up my helmet taking a drink or talking to some one. I only use it more in the colder months and some long trips. I have discovered the half helmet this last summer and it was a fun and cool.

Exactly the same for me BigMex, Phoenix and i went out for a summer ride this year and it was close to 100 out I decided after watching him ride around all day with his half helmet and me sweating under the full, to get my own half. Even though it doesnt offer the protection of the full it is nice when its super hot out.
I do wear the full as much as possible though.
One thing i have noticed is that with the Vision even when its super cold out and i wear the full, i almost never put the face shield down, Just me.
Plus i can hear the radio better lol

 

[ddawg]

I like the looks of that Nolan. Weight wise - is it about the same as a standard / non-opening full face helmet??

I like the option of getting a drink & talking without pulling the helmet off. Just more convenient.

 

[Dimonback]

Nolan has a new one out- the N43 Trilogy, that converts, kinda sorta, from a full face to a 3/4. I'm looking at that to go with my N102s (Flip and 3/4")

 

[Gossamer]

i'm looking at the trilogy as well. Trying to find a local vendor so that I get the right size since they're a little on the expensive side.

 

[Bambam]

I have a Shoei flip front and like it very much. More convenient if you wear glasses and better protection than an open face.
Web Bike World has excellent reviews on all types of helmets including weights, pros and cons and noise comparison. Just a good general source of helmet info.

 

[Rollin]

I like the looks of that Nolan. Weight wise - is it about the same as a standard / non-opening full face helmet??

I like the option of getting a drink & talking without pulling the helmet off. Just more convenient.

It is heavier.
There are more pieces. Flip up shield and sun visor. There is also a lot more padding in this helmet than the standard full face helmet I had.

 

[Man314]

Guys, I did quite a bit of research on this as I wanted an excellent helmet that is safe and that I will WANT to wear. The Shark Evoline is what I purchased.

http://www.revzilla.com/product/shark-evoline-absolute-helmet
Nice thing about this helmet is that it is certified both in closed face and open face configurations. Other cool thing is that the chin bar flips over the helmet and stay attached. Many will convert, but the chin bar is removed. Here is a video and reviews
This helmet is very comfortable and while they say it is a touch on the heavy side, I have not found that to be the case. My wife loves my helmet so much, I bought her one for Christmas. It's a tad on the pricey side, but not overly so for the safety and features. Revzilla was excellent to deal with. I originally got one too small and they had no issues whatsoever exchanging for right size. Good luck with your search!

 

[dsjr70]

I hate to bring this up, it usually gets me in trouble, but does anyone know if any of these modular helmets have even been tested by NHTSA? I have not seen the latest report yet, but in 2008 there were 17 failing grades given out of 39 helmets tested. Do the math, that means half of us riding around with DOT approved helmets are wearing helmets that fail to do there job. Also, it wasn't only crappy $30.00 helmets that fail but some major manufacturers including my $340.00 Icon helmet.
Most of us don't trust the government to do anything but we are so eager to trust a for-profit manufacturer to properly test our biggest piece of protection?
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/testing/comply/fmvss218/

 

[Man314]

Shark Evoline, since they are French,is ECE approved which is far more stringent than DOT.It had to get DOT as well to be sold in States.
Sad tosay, these daysI don't know if I trust either the European or US governements in this kind of thing . . . too much corruption.

 

[Man314]

Nice link dsjr70. I was glad to find a Shark that passed. Noce to see the transparancy of full test reports and pics online. Crazy thing about the beuracracy of Government testing is the most recent NHTSA reports were from helmets sold in 2008. Wonder how many of these have been replaced by newer models?
I still say even a poor performing helmet is better than the dew rags many people wear!

 

[dsjr70]

Shark Evoline, since they are French,is ECE approved which is far more stringent than DOT.It had to get DOT as well to be sold in States.
Sad tosay, these daysI don't know if I trust either the European or US governements in this kind of thing . . . too much corruption.

If it is ECE approved I would have no problem with it, they actually test helmets like Snell does. DOT approval requires no testing, just a certificate by the helmet manufacturer SAYING it meets the standard (whuch 50% do not)... Go figure our biggest protection device is untested but they test everything else to death???

 

[dsjr70]

Nice link dsjr70. I was glad to find a Shark that passed. Noce to see the transparancy of full test reports and pics online. Crazy thing about the beuracracy of Government testing is the most recent NHTSA reports were from helmets sold in 2008. Wonder how many of these have been replaced by newer models?
I still say even a poor performing helmet is better than the dew rags many people wear!

The 2009 study has been done, just not posted yet. I am not sure where to find it. I agree that a poor helmet is better then no helmet but I am still pissed that I spent allot of money to protect my head on a product that wasn't tested. It wasn't until this topic came up last year that I did some research and found out that the DOT does not require any testing and how many so called DOT Approved helmets failed when they finally were tested. I just find it strange that with such an alarming failure rate there isn't a better way to test these things.
I think most of us assume that since it carries a Department of Transportation approval we are safe and well protected.

 

[dsjr70]

Hey, the Shark Evoline is $359.99 with free shipping from the Helmet Shop in Daytona.
http://www.helmetshop.com/