that is from research into where impacts tended to occur on the helmets in crashes, one is the right side, the other is the left side of the same helmetWell...the info could be usefull but what are they comparing with the two helmets? Does one represent the modular and one, the full face?
Note that this makes no mention of modular helmets, but to me, the convenience they might offer isn't worth the risk of having a potentially weaker helmet in high impact areas.The diagrams above show the impact areas on crash-involved motorcycle helmets. (Source: Dietmar Otte, Hannover Medical University, Dept. of Traffic Accident Research, Germany.) Note that 35% of all crashes showed major impact on the chin-bar area. This means that if you ride with an open-face helmet, you are accepting only 65% of the protection that could be available to your head.
If you ride with a shorty or half helmet, you are accepting only 39% of the protection you could obtain. You are literally throwing away 61% of the protection you would have had had you chosen a full-face helmet.
People think that the chin piece collapses because it happens. Search around. There are a lot of documented cases all over the internet, many with pictures, of this happening. Furthermore, hitting level ground is nowhere near the magnitude of impact that can happen when hitting another vehicle or a stationary non-horizontal object.I had a Nolan modular that got to wear for a total of... four rides before crashing my head into the pavement. I actually hit on the right side of my head, in the chin area. I had no damage to my brain bucket and I don't know why people think that the chin is going to pop off in an accident... they wouldn't make them if they were prone to popping off. I hit hard enough that it did pop the windscreen right off, though, and suffered a near concussion and broken wrist.
As for comfort and useability... it was just as comfortable as any other high end helmet. A little more wind noise than a full face. Also had the flip down sun visor which was AWESOME. It had a cool little chin strap that was a plastic ratcheting device... which sucked. It was convenient, but it felt like someone was pushing on my adam's apple all day with that flat edge. Nothing I did would change this... and it was to the point where I would have probably taken it out and fitted the helmet for something else. I guess nothing beats the classic strap.
I decided not to go for a modular again after everything, mainly because I feel like there's no point to having it. There's not enough time during a day that I need to spend with my helmet half-on. When I'm suiting up, it's always helmet right before gloves anyway, so it's not like I'm overheating in it. When riding and sitting in traffic, a flip of the visor is all you need anyway, and you're not supposed to open the face of the modular when riding, no time, no reason, no matter how slow... that's probably where people are eating pavement and the modular is "malfunctioning".
I think it's more of a novelty that can best be spent elsewhere... like maybe a horn that plays "La Cukaracha".
EDIT: Forgot to add, the built in sun visor was the internal kind. I wouldn't do the external flip down, too much chance to scratch it... and that's more surfaces that you have to keep clean/unscratched. Once again, FRIGGIN AWESOME.
I wear glasses and a full-face. I don't have trouble talking to people and I take it off if I'm going to eat.i wear glasses and i have a modular with an inner flip down sun visor. the modular is handy for ppl who wear glasses since you can just flip it up rather than take it off to talk...eat.....etc. i havent crash tested it yet....hopefully i never will
the reason there are no Snell approved flip up is that Snell has not developed a standardThere is a reason that even the expensive flip-up helmets aren't Snell-certified. They are unsafe in comparison to a full-face helmet.
+1, Randy beat me to it. Snell has nothing to do with chin protection.the reason there are no Snell approved flip up is that Snell has not developed a standard
there are many open face helmets that are Snell approved, having chin protection has nothing to do with Snell approval
the reason there are no Snell approved flip up is that Snell has not developed a standard
there are many open face helmets that are Snell approved, having chin protection has nothing to do with Snell approval
http://www.smf.org/certlist/std_M2005.html
Fancy that. If there were a standardized crash test method for modulars, and some proved not to collapse, not based on manufacturers' design claims but on testing, I'd certainly consider buying one.+1, Randy beat me to it. Snell has nothing to do with chin protection.