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Sorry.. another newbie question..

Helmet. I like safety over style so I am considering a full-face helmet. However, I am concerned about visibility. The MOM tells me to look over my shoulder before I move into or out of the lane. That seems counterintuitive to keeping my eyes on the road and my balance on the bike. Sorry for what is probably a simple question, but I am concerned that I need to turn my head so far to see what's around me that I'll lose track of what's ahead.

Thanks for straightening me out!

you need to find a helmet that fits you right. if it fits right you shouldnt see the helmet in your peripheral vision. you still need to turn your head but it should be no further than without a helmet.

I wear a full face, and they do not reduce peripheral vision. You should turn your head and look no matter what kind of helmet you wear because you are looking in your blind spot, which has little to nothing to do with peripheral vision. When you have ridden for a bit, the quick look won't even bother you. I recommend you take the Motorcycle Safety course in which you will practice this very manuver (at least we did in my class). Just my 2-cents

Always, always, always, always shoulder check. It can and possibly will save your life.

I also wear a full face helmet. The first couple of times out wearing it, I didn't like it, but that was just because I had been used to a half helmet.
I don't even notice the helmet now.

I wear an open faced helmet at work and a full face on my own bike. I much prefer the full face for obvious reasons like no bugs/rocks/birds are collected in the teeth, when it is raining you stay dry, it is warmer in winter, plus they look a million times better.

Not to mention your head won't cave in on contact with the road when wearing a full face helmet.

When I took the Motocycle Safety Course the instructor suggested that next time we were looking in a mirror to consider how we would look without a chin! Then to decide on whether to wear a full face

Statistically you do have a good chance of landing on your chin, so I always wear a full face. .

I have no problem with visibility when I do shoulder checks with my full face, I also like the protection from rain and bugs etc.

I wear a 1/2 helmet for riding to work since I only work a few miles from home and really don't exceed 35-40 MPH. When I go on a long trip or on the interstate where I will be going over 50 MPH I wear my full-face. One reason I'm not wild about wearing a full face is because I kee forgetting to turn off my darn blinkers and with the full-face I actually have to move my head and look down to see over the part that covers your chin to see the blinking light... with my 1/2 helmet i can see the speedometer, odometer and blinker by just glancing down. I think the risks of wearing a 1/2 helmet are worth the fun and comfort. Besides, plastic surgery has come a long way in recent years

As others have said, the quick look over your should is a must.

It doesn't take long. If you're bike is properly set up, has good mirrors (which most don't) and you add some blind spot mirrors you can possibly reduce the need for this.

It's still a good idea though.

A properly fitting full face helmet shouldn't block your vission 'anywhere', peripherially, and that includes down. You shouldn't have to move your head 'down' more than a half an inch or so so the road ahead would still be in full view.

But not all helmets are equal, I think one of my Shoei's has a thicker area in the face and probalby does block a lot more of the vision directly beneath me. Lucky for me my signal are on the dash

Renegade wrote:If you're bike is properly set up, has good mirrors (which most don't) and you add some blind spot mirrors you can possibly reduce the need for this.

For sure... Go for the extra mirrors... You might as well go for a few extra lights to aid the night vision

that pic rules, hahaha

dr_bar wrote:

Renegade wrote:If you're bike is properly set up, has good mirrors (which most don't) and you add some blind spot mirrors you can possibly reduce the need for this.

For sure... Go for the extra mirrors... You might as well go for a few extra lights to aid the night vision
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