Full Face Road Helmet for Off-Road?

thumperdump · 03-01-2009, 07:19 AM

I recently bought everything I need for off-road riding from boots to helmet. As I spent lots of money buying it all, rather than geting a special off-road type helmet, I bought a full-face KBC road type helmet, thinking I'd use it for both off road and riding my cruisers on the highway. I'm hoping it will work for off road, why wouldn't this be OK? What is the advantage of having the off road type, if any? Thanks.

ramjet · 03-01-2009, 07:58 AM

An off road helmet gives much needed sun protection with the visor.
You wear goggles with the off road which is easier to take off and clean,
cheaper to replace.

You don't want to wear a street helmet here:

Trust me!

However, if all your doing is street and encounter an occasional dirt road on the trip, the street helmet is probably ok. But, once you get the dirt bug
you will be seeking more challenges.
Lastly, it's just more convenient to have two dedicated helmets. This way
the street helmet will always be clean and "socially acceptable".

slide · 03-01-2009, 09:29 AM

Like RamJet implied, if your riding 'off road' means forest roads / dirt roads, a street hat is fine. OTOH, both Shoei and Arai make hats which are convertible to both on and off road. Folks buy these hats not because they desire to spend more $$. They really do work better.

The nice thing about the convertible hats is that they are as good on road as road only hats meaning you give nothing away on road to get off road utility.

thumperdump · 03-01-2009, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slide

Like RamJet implied, if your riding 'off road' means forest roads / dirt roads, a street hat is fine. OTOH, both Shoei and Arai make hats which are convertible to both on and off road. Folks buy these hats not because they desire to spend more $$. They really do work better.

The nice thing about the convertible hats is that they are as good on road as road only hats meaning you give nothing away on road to get off road utility.

..............do you know which models are convertible? I just checked a couple places and they didn't have any that were advertised as the convertible type. Thanks.

slide · 03-01-2009, 10:33 AM

Here's the Shoei:

http://www.helmetcity.com/page/HC/CTGY/hornetdsgraphics

They don't change in the sense of being 'convertible'. It's that you an use them with either a face shield (road) or goggles (off road). Arai has a model which looks almost identical. It's called the XD.

thumperdump · 03-01-2009, 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slide

Here's the Shoei:

http://www.helmetcity.com/page/HC/CTGY/hornetdsgraphics

They don't change in the sense of being 'convertible'. It's that you an use them with either a face shield (road) or goggles (off road). Arai has a model which looks almost identical. It's called the XD.

Holy Moly! They are high priced, way out of my price range!

03-01-2009, 07:19 AM	#1
thumperdump ^OP Adventurer Joined: Feb 2007 Oddometer: 44	Full Face Road Helmet for Off-Road? I recently bought everything I need for off-road riding from boots to helmet. As I spent lots of money buying it all, rather than geting a special off-road type helmet, I bought a full-face KBC road type helmet, thinking I'd use it for both off road and riding my cruisers on the highway. I'm hoping it will work for off road, why wouldn't this be OK? What is the advantage of having the off road type, if any? Thanks.

03-01-2009, 07:58 AM	#2
ramjet Beastly Adventurer Joined: Jul 2004 Location: 2096 Oddometer: 1,670	An off road helmet gives much needed sun protection with the visor. You wear goggles with the off road which is easier to take off and clean, cheaper to replace. You don't want to wear a street helmet here: Trust me! However, if all your doing is street and encounter an occasional dirt road on the trip, the street helmet is probably ok. But, once you get the dirt bug you will be seeking more challenges. Lastly, it's just more convenient to have two dedicated helmets. This way the street helmet will always be clean and "socially acceptable". __________________ Qui Desiderant Pacem Preparate Bellum

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03-01-2009, 09:29 AM	#3
slide A nation in despair Joined: Jul 2003 Location: NM, USA Oddometer: 21,023	Like RamJet implied, if your riding 'off road' means forest roads / dirt roads, a street hat is fine. OTOH, both Shoei and Arai make hats which are convertible to both on and off road. Folks buy these hats not because they desire to spend more $$. They really do work better. The nice thing about the convertible hats is that they are as good on road as road only hats meaning you give nothing away on road to get off road utility.

03-01-2009, 10:33 AM	#5
slide A nation in despair Joined: Jul 2003 Location: NM, USA Oddometer: 21,023	Here's the Shoei: http://www.helmetcity.com/page/HC/CTGY/hornetdsgraphics They don't change in the sense of being 'convertible'. It's that you an use them with either a face shield (road) or goggles (off road). Arai has a model which looks almost identical. It's called the XD.