Flip Up Helmets

I've never owned, borrowed or used a flip up helmet. These are just my thoughts on the subject after reading test reports from around the 'net. I think there is a place for flip ups in motorcycling. I don't think they are a replacement for a regular, one-piece full face though.

To me, a flip up is just an open face helmet with an add-on. Some may be better/safer than an open face, some probably aren't. You have to look at the flip up's construction, padding and method of operation to make that determination.

A weak or un-padded chin piece would be a problem for me. Partly because my last crash sent me over the front of my RC-51 to land face first on the desert floor. And yes, I know RC-51's aren't supposed to be in the desert. That left turn just didn't quite go as planned. But, with my full face helmet on, the only mark on me was a small red spot in the middle of my forehead. I don't know for certain if that would have been the case if I had been wearing a flip up.

The pivot points on flip ups are likely to be weaker than a standard one piece full face. Therefore, going from full face to flip up is probably sacrificing a certain amount of structural integrity.

However, some of the flip ups that are well designed and padded may offer more protection than a standard open face as long as the chin guard doesn't get released in a crash. I'd hate to think of how a neck could get twisted and bent while tumbling across the ground with a raised flip up. Such an unwanted release is why I'd prefer a mechanism which required both hands to engage. I think it would be highly unlikely for two releases to get bumped open during a crash.

I can't argue with the convenience of a flip up. They make it much easier to have a quick chat, smoke, drink or snack than a full face. I can certainly understand the attraction. For me to take a quick sip of water, I have to take off my gloves, undo my chin strap, take off my glasses, remove the helmet and put the glasses back on. Then reverse the process. It is a bit time consuming and troublesome. It would be much easier to just raise the chin piece, take a drink, lower the chin piece and be on my way.

At the end of the day, there are very few, if any, bad helmets on the market. Anything you wear is going to protect your brain better than your skull alone.