Are full face helmets really safer than open face helmets

The Motorcycle Clothing Assessment Program is an independent, free resource supported by governments and private road safety organisations across Australia and New Zealand. MotoCAP tests gear using rigorous, scientific methods to provide ratings for motorcyclists to choose the right gear with the best protection and breathability for their ride.



Take a look at their helmets, there can be quite a difference between brands and open/full face/flip

 
I want to repost something I posted in 2018:

PURPOSE:
Motorcycle crash helmets do not totally prevent head and facial trauma. The aim of this study was to investigate if protection offered by helmets differs according to helmet type.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:
In this retrospective cohort study, outpatient records of motorcyclists were analyzed for the Facial Injury Severity Scale (FISS), traumatic brain injury (TBI), facial fractures, and helmet use. Statistical analysis was conducted using the Fisher and Bonferroni tests, bivariate regression analysis, and 1-way analysis of variance.

RESULTS:
There were 253 motorcyclists who sustained craniomaxillofacial injuries and were referred for outpatient treatment (men, 88.9%; mean age, 29.64 ± 11.6 yr); 60.1% had up to 9 years of formal education; 156 patients reported not using crash helmets, 51 were using open-face helmets, and 46 were using full-face helmets. The mean FISS score was significantly higher for unhelmeted riders compared with full-face helmet riders (P = .047), with no difference between unhelmeted riders and open-face helmet users (P = 1.00).

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24326016

The last sentence... "with no difference between unhelmeted riders and open-face helmet users [for craniomaxillofacial trauma]"

and

According to this, no difference between full face and open face for cervical spine injury (CSI):

A total of 5225 patients of motorcycle crashes between 2000 and 2009 were extracted from the Head Injury Registry in Taiwan.

Wearing full-coverage and partial-coverage helmets significantly reduced the risk of CSI among HI patients following motorcycle crashes. This effect may be due to the smooth surface and hard padding materials of helmet.

In order to directly compare the effect on CSI between full-coverage helmet and partial-coverage helmet, we repeated the comparison by choosing the patients with partial-coverage helmet as reference, and the results were shown as follows: OR = 0.55 (95% CI = 0.33–0.93) and 2.88 (1.78–4.67) for full-coverage helmet and nonhelmet patients, respectively. These results were consistent with the original results. We also reported no issue of collinearity in both Models 1 and 2 because the variance inflation factors among all covariates were less than 2.

https://www.hindawi.com/journals/bmri/2015/487985/
 
And, for full disclosure, although the helmet I use 99.9% of the time is my full face Arai - I do occasionally wear my pudding basin just for fun. And I acknowledge that even though the Davida has a DOT sticker on it, it likely offers not much more protection to my head than nothing at all.

The protection it does offer is to my wallet from Johnny Law.
 
gortnipper said:
The Motorcycle Clothing Assessment Program is an independent, free resource supported by governments and private road safety organisations across Australia and New Zealand. MotoCAP tests gear using rigorous, scientific methods to provide ratings for motorcyclists to choose the right gear with the best protection and breathability for their ride.



Take a look at their helmets, there can be quite a difference between brands and open/full face/flip

Click to expand...
I went back to this today and looked at the jacket I had bought before finding this site, and before I had originally posted this info.

I was very pleased to find my textile gear top rated for Impact and Burst test. Not so pleased to see how poorly it faired on abrasion testing. Not so worried about that, as I dont get to track speeds with that gear and the protection I want from it is Impact/Burst.

Be sure to look at the tech reports for individual items.

1654131805813.png
 
We all live in a dangerous world no matter how or what we protect ourselves, safety related devices have made a big improvements over the last 30/40 years and modern safety device and GOVT safety laws have also changed but people still die on our roads more than any other time in history, more safety campains on the TV etc make no difference to people and how they change, so many distractions on our roads and what people do these days, there will always be motorcycle deaths and injuries but how many has been caused by the rider alone compared to been caused by other parties.
As I have always said from starting this thread, its the risk we all take just stepping out side doing anything has its risks, its what we do to protect those risk in happening what we wear or might help and sometimes they won't and then there are riders who just don't think about the dangers or the risk they take to prevent injuries or the attitude it can't or won't happen to me, I treat all road users as they are all out to get me attitude, so having good eyes everywhere around me is my best thing I can do but accidents can happen so quick that we are on a ride of the unknown.
I am old school in my biker life, I don't wear gloves or bike safe pants, but I have a good leather jacket, a good vented jacket good boots and renew my helmets when the old one wears and starts to get loose on the head, no matter what helmet I own, because I ride mostly with a open face helmet it gets replaced more often then the rest of my helmets, about every 5 years, I am not a rich person and no longer working so spending $800 on a new helmet will never work for me and after near 50 years riding I'm on my second leather jacket, my first one I bought when I was 17 (a Stagg) when I bought my new Norton lasted me 35 years and is well worn, its replacement jacket (cost about $400) is simler in style and after 15 years is already showing signs of wear, but I have replaced many open face helmets in that same time as for FF helmets haven't replaced any yet as its only been the last 8 years of using them and only wear them while long distant traveling, wet or cold weather and of course the dirt bike FF is my oldest one, the others are only about 5 years old.

Ashley
 
I've gone down in textiles (on pavement) and leathers (off the pavement) over 52 years of riding and was fairly well-protected both ways. I've been using full-face lids since the 70's, with the occasional putt on my DT 100 with an open-face. Next step is some sort of airbag, either a vest or the full suit. Expensive, I know, but so is pain and downtime and I don't bounce like I used to. Let's have fun and be safe as possible doing it.
 
The combination of an open face helmet and a drum front brake is not good. Once you are airborne there is not much you can do.
 
My wife is a Top Gun fan !

We went to see the new Top Gun film. Tom Cruise did not wear a helmet or
gloves, boots ….. just an old sheepskin flying jacket and glass sunglasses,
while riding a 200 bhp Kawasaki Ninja (?)

We watched the old Top Gun video. Again. Tom Cruise did not wear a helmet
or gloves or boots etc. just the then new sheepskin flying jacket and glass
sunglasses, while riding the Kawasaki GPZ 900 (?)

I found my ears got cold when not wearing a helmet, presumably warmer
in California !
 
Staytite said:
My wife is a Top Gun fan !

We went to see the new Top Gun film. Tom Cruise did not wear a helmet or
gloves, boots ….. just an old sheepskin flying jacket and glass sunglasses,
while riding a 200 bhp Kawasaki Ninja (?)

We watched the old Top Gun video. Again. Tom Cruise did not wear a helmet
or gloves or boots etc. just the then new sheepskin flying jacket and glass
sunglasses, while riding the Kawasaki GPZ 900 (?)

I found my ears got cold when not wearing a helmet, presumably warmer
in California !
Click to expand...

Did you not see: 'Edge Of Tomorrow?'

Our Tom's the new Captain Scarlet...
 
We've not seen Edge of tomorrow, but I found a picture of Tom riding a Triumph
in the film (?) with gloves and boots, but still no helmet !
 
Staytite said:
My wife is a Top Gun fan !

We went to see the new Top Gun film. Tom Cruise did not wear a helmet or
gloves, boots ….. just an old sheepskin flying jacket and glass sunglasses,
while riding a 200 bhp Kawasaki Ninja (?)

We watched the old Top Gun video. Again. Tom Cruise did not wear a helmet
or gloves or boots etc. just the then new sheepskin flying jacket and glass
sunglasses, while riding the Kawasaki GPZ 900 (?)

I found my ears got cold when not wearing a helmet, presumably warmer
in California !
Click to expand...
The producers of a film like Top Gun are NOT going to let their mega star wear a helmet and hide the pearly whites that go with that face.

He is not riding that Kaw on two wheels either, the bike is stationary, in a relative way. It's anchored down to, and being towed on a very specialized trailer that is designed for high speed towing as well as carrying lights, electrical power, and a big fan along with a camera and all the accoutrements that go with that including a camera operator, a camera assistant, a director and a few others, check the framing of the shot.
They also employ the use of a look alike stunt double and incorporate computer graphic imaging so not even the most discriminating fan can tell if its the films acting hero or his stand in.

Serious buzz kill aren't I?
 
I realise the bikes are on trailers during filming, but there are shots of Tom (or a stand in) riding on the road
without a helmet and the overall impression implied is that Tom is riding without a helmet at all times.
But good films that keep the wife happy :) So I'm happy as well :) And Tom is richer :)
My buzz is not killed !
 
NorLuck said:
You'd be correct for 90% of the movies out there.. But Tom Cruise is a bit of a "special" case.
Click to expand...
Indeed he is a special case. Can be a good guy too.
I spent over 30 years as a Cinematographer and well know the nuances of the "special case" actors and actress's. Which is the majority of them.
I speak from experience.
 
Derek Wilson said:
Tried the helmetless thing when I was in Ohio a number of years ago - didn't like it at all...
Click to expand...
Without a helmet I feel like I am riding without any clothes on...
Or, I am advertising myself as just another clueless biker out to show how brave (stupid) they can be because I want the wind and bugs in my hair.
 
Funny , I would never think of going without on a m/c is counter to my nature …. on my bicycle it different , the helmet just ruined it for me , I have no explanation , just the way it is ,or was …. Both bikes vintage road and newer mountain hang on shed wall , for years now ….
 
I've ridden thousands of miles in Australia with no helmet back it the 80s
It was a real novelty ,I had no worries about doing it back then and 90mph was the norm
The only issue I had was the amount of sunglasses I got through!!
Would I do it now
No chance!!
 
Full face helmet for me. I’ve been smacked by large bugs that have knocked my helmeted head back! Imagine a big one in the eye at 70 mph. It could easily knock you off the bike. Christ, I’ve ridden through huge swarms of little gnats that have covered my face shield so bad that I’ve had to pull over at the next gas station just to clean them off enough to see. Oh, yeah, they’re safer in a crash too. To each, his own.
 
Are full face helmets really safer than open face helmets


Are full face helmets really safer than open face helmets


You might break your arm , with one of these on it . The Pudding basins a lot lighter . Being mouled from hardboard .

Are full face helmets really safer than open face helmets


Just as well the concrette lampost moved ! .

were worries the weight'd break your neck . tho a letter to Two Wheels
said essentially , I fell off my Honda 750 & the semi trailer wheels ran
over my head , I can therfore recomend these Bell Helmets .

Were Stirrings in N Z as light Kiwi made open faces were 40 or 45 bucks
whereas the Bell was twice as strong, but TAXED to $ 90 odd . beyond the
average peasants means .

Could wear the Stadium Mk 9's with the Bell star 120 . unimpeded periphial vision .

Somewhat insular though , also the WINDAGE is apparent up past 70 odd ,
whereas youre more concious of the creatures with the light pudding basin .
tho a good scarf was Reqd. in rain or bug season . And one diddnt mcome
up on the back of a cattle truck , more than once . Proceedure was say 30 ft.
aft minimum . Pull Out THEN overtake . As the DRAINS were 4 in. tubes
overboad aft . splatter splatter fleck fleck fleck . AND it's corrosive ! .

Are full face helmets really safer than open face helmets


NOW , lets talk about Exhaust Pipes !
 
baz said:
I've ridden thousands of miles in Australia with no helmet back it the 80s
It was a real novelty ,I had no worries about doing it back then and 90mph was the norm
The only issue I had was the amount of sunglasses I got through!!
Would I do it now
No chance!!
Click to expand...
I been riding since the 74 and helmets were compulsory then, well in my state of Queensland anyway and think most other states were as well except for one or two states.
 
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