Helmets: DS or Full Face?

[dsy]

As long as you have the right head shape for the Schuberth you will love it. Schuberth is also one of those company's that go above what most would expect from customer service. I had a issue with the bluetooth audio collar 1500 miles from home on a trip up north. It took one phone call to the distributor and they overnighted a new one fully charged and ready to go to a UPS store in the next city we were going through. Swapped out the collar right there and put the old one in the same box with the pre-paid return label and we were back on our way in about 15 min. My next helmet will be another Schuberth. :bike_rider:
Doug

 

[Christophe Noel]

Dsy, that's an amazing story! There's something to be said for product support, and that says a lot. I owned a Schuberth helmet ions ago and the fit was great. I had to think long and hard before forking over the big bucks, but I'm sure it will be worth it.

 

[watrboy]

I used to pretty much love my Shoei DS - right up until the whole visor/beak/whateveryoucallit ripped off going down the freeway. No comment on how fast I was going - but my 800GS had lower than stock gearing when it happened (so I wasn't going *that* fast). The guys behind me just saw plastic flying everywhere. Kind of annoying to have that expensive of a helmet disintegrate at sub 100mph speeds.

I'm not sure what I'll replace it with - but until it happens, an old RF1000 is doing the job.

I keep pulling my RF1000 on when riding on the road for any time. I have an HJC DS with no visor and goggles for dirting. Non of the modulars I have tried seemed to fit me well. Big Head 7 7/8. That RF1000 is still the most comfortable for long days in the saddle.

 

[ravenranger]

+1 on a modular as well. I had a Shoei multi-tec that I crash tested at 80 mph. The chin bar stayed where it's supposed to so I have no worries regarding a quality modular helmet coming open during a crash.

I also have a Shoei Hornet DS helmet that I've started wearing regularly since my crash bc I just haven't had the $ to get the newest Shoei modular. (I have a Shoei head.) I like the Hornet but don't like how much the visor fogs in rain and cold. I've used it for both off-road and highway riding and have been happy with it.

 

[CDMartin]

DS Helmets are nice if you actually adventure ride with them. You can remove the shield and use goggles, the peak keeps the sun out of your eyes, and they protect your melon. If a majority of your riding is highway, and over 65mph, a standard full face is better for aerodynamics as you lessen the potential for buffetting since there is no peak. I have owned Shoei, Arai, and Schuberth, and the Arai fits my head best, so that is what prefer. I like my XD for offroad and my Vector 2 for highway, though I still own a Schuberth C2, but don't use it anymore. Regarding the modular verses full face, all the studies that have been done don't show any less protection from a modular helmet. I just prefer full face.

 

[gabepari]

Best thing about modulars is you can ride your $20K+ bike to Starbucks, walk in and order, sit out front sipping your latte in $3k+ worth of immaculate gear (so everyone knows who rode the bad *** bike)... All, without taking your helmet off

Try that in one piece leathers and a full face sport bike helmet with a tinted lens and you get the police called on you... AMHIK...

 

[FAW3]

DS Helmets are nice if you actually adventure ride with them. You can remove the shield and use goggles, the peak keeps the sun out of your eyes, and they protect your melon. If a majority of your riding is highway, and over 65mph, a standard full face is better for aerodynamics as you lessen the potential for buffetting since there is no peak. I have owned Shoei, Arai, and Schuberth, and the Arai fits my head best, so that is what prefer. I like my XD for offroad and my Vector 2 for highway, though I still own a Schuberth C2, but don't use it anymore. Regarding the modular verses full face, all the studies that have been done don't show any less protection from a modular helmet. I just prefer full face.

I have a full face "road" type helmet for highway use. On the highway it is great.

For my "real" DS riding...I have a MX style helmet the the big honking visor which comes in very handy for sun protection, roost protection, and helps with riding through vines/brush and allows me great venting/cooling with goggles. All that being said, at highway speeds the visor drag effect gets old...so, I remove three plastic thumb nuts and remove the visor until I'm off road. Takes about 45 seconds.

 

[DarinM]

Most of the time I wear what I know is a less than effective 1/2 helmet. But I do have a Scorpion EXO-900 modular that I wear on long highway rides. Every critical area is metal to metal connections with very solid closures. I like the internal sunshield it has, and it also has really quality venting. It came with a sun visor that I can put on in place of the full shield in about 3 minutes, too - and still have use of the internal sunshield! I like it! I also have a Scorpion EXO-100 - also has an internal sunshield and a zip-on/off ear skirt for those cold rides. I've been wearing this one more often lately as it's gotten cooler here and my Outlaw peanut helmets just aren't keeping my head warm enough. Off-topic, but all about warmth - my favorite purchase is these gloves - I hate cold hands and these things make all the difference in the world. Mobile Warming Gloves

 

[gromit]

I have a Schuberth C3 and a AFX DS-39. It's really Apples vs. Oranges. The Schuberth does everything well, it's quiet, doesn't fog, stays dry inside and, once broken in, is very comfortable. The AFX is a great inexpensive DS helmet. I have a SHOEI that sits on the shelf because I like the AFX better. It is, however, noisier, foggier and it takes on water down the inside of the faceshield in heavy rain. You also had better brace yourself if you do a headcheck at 75mph. You can buy 5 AFX DS-39s for the price of one C3. On a dualsport the DS-39 'looks the part'. That might be important to the buyer as well.

I have no fear that the Schuberth modular will perform as advertised (not have and unintentional opening) in a crash. It is extremely well engineered. My previous modular, an HJC SyMax, I wasn't so sure about...

On a 2 week trip (F650 Dakar) through Maine and the Maritimes I wore the DS-39. Only missed the Schuberth a few times.

 

[Christophe Noel]

I compare almost every helmet I've ever owned to a custom fitted FM carbon helmet I bought in France when I lived there in the late 90s. It was awesome. That said, my new Schuberth C3 has been simply amazing. There is so much about that helmet to love. However, the aerodynamics are what impress me the most. It's so stable at super high speeds. I think for long days in the saddle, that translates to decreased rider fatigue. No one needs fatigue in any form.

 

[Deleted member 48574]

New to this game but I bought an ICON Airmada Sportbike SB1. For the price, it fit the best and the airflow is great.

I used to snowmobile and ride a quad a lot and a problem I've always had with full faced helmets is that my glasses would rapidly fog up when the visor was closed. I was a bit nervous about that and was tempted to go with a DS helmet, but then I'd either need prescription goggles or find a way to wear my glasses underneath goggles; neither option was really good. I share others hesitancy with the modular helmets, so they were out. So I went full face and am very happy with my purchase.

If a helmet fits will and protects well, the rest is just icing. I would have liked a visor but perhaps on my next one I'll take a look at other brands.

Regards
Craig

 

[Scott Brady]

I picked-up a Schuberth C3 a few months ago and without question it is the most impressive piece of moto gear I have used to date. The flip up is perfect for photography (important to me, as I can shoot quickly without removing the helmet), it is very quiet and also has bluetooth to my iPhone for music and phone calls. It is seriously a brilliant piece of kit.

 

[Christophe Noel]

On a hot day in technical terrain, it's really nice to be able to stop, flip up the chin bar and get some air. I love my Schuberth C3.

I think a lot of people are reluctant converts to flip-up helmets, but once they use them, they usually love them.



Just a couple weeks ago I rode 7 hours across the high desert at 80 mph with a 30 mph crosswind. I expected a sore neck but the C3 slices through the air pretty well. Amazingly well, actually.

 

[Cabrito]

Might as well be talking about what oil or tire to use..

In my own personal experience with both types of helmets I think they both have their Plus and Minus aspects.

I own a Shoei Hornet DS and a Nolan N104 Flip-up right now.

Here are some of my observations.

Wind:
Shoei - The beak/ sun visor on my Shoei Hornet DS helmet can be a negative in some extreme cross winds and occasionally in strong headwinds. Mostly though I've just gotten used to it and it rarely bothers me.
Nolan – Certainly has no issues with the wind, but it is a bit noisy compared to the Shoei. If I'm on the freeway though I'm wearing ear plugs or ear buds.

Sun:
I really miss the visor from the Shoei when I use my Nolan Flip-up helmet. That little visor on the Shoei does make a huge difference when riding directly into the sun. On a recent 500 mile all day ride we ended up coming home into the setting sun and the it was so bad I had to ride with my hand up to cut the glare for periods of time. I couldn't tilt my head far enough to cut the glare. I've heard of some folks putting some tape along the top of their face shield to help with this.

Comfort:
I find both the Shoei and the Nolan to fit my head shape well, but I prefer the Shoei for the long rides.

Off pavement the DS helmet rules. The extended nose is nice when you are breathing hard while riding technical terrain. The big opening is awesome for using Goggles when it's dusty.

The Flip helmet does make talking a bit easier, but I still find myself yelling to talk to another rider who is in a helmet. It's nice to just flip it up when I walk into a store or have a quick snack on the road.

I just put new pads on the Shoei and a new face shield – this will be my helmet of choice for a 1700 mile Tri-state ride I'm taking next week.

I mostly use the Nolan flip-up for commuting three or four days a week 50/50% mix of City and Freeway riding. I don't usually ride over 75-80mph except for short bursts. My KLR on long trips / BMW F650 for commuting.

Bottom line for me – The Shoei DS Helmet Looks Cool all the time. The Nolan just looks cool when it's flipped up.

 

[Stumpalump]

Except for Schuberth the flip ups I've seen look like the hinge will snap on the first small hit. In fact I bet a punch in the face would break off the flip section on my wife's helmet. She better behave. Lol.