TangoMan
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| posted on 16/7/06 at 03:38 PM |
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HELMETS AND SCREENS
So I am thinking of ditching the windscreen.
Is wearing a helmet compulsary without a full screen or is it just worn by choice to fend of 80mph flies.
I will have an aeroscreen fitted for trackdays bt was just wondering about the law regarding driving it on the road.
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RichieC
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| posted on 16/7/06 at 03:59 PM |
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There is no law to say you have to wear a helmet but IMHO youd be absolutely mental not to. Imagine a smal stone picked up by a tyre in front at
80mph, not worth it
Rich
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wilkingj
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| posted on 16/7/06 at 04:27 PM |
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As a VERY Basic Minimum, I wear Wiley-X sunglasses. These have ballistic grade interchangeable lenses. (Shotgun proof at 10 yards) Not cheap in the
UK, about £60, got mine of Ebay for £26. They are $60 in the States.
Just for poping about round the village and into town they are excellent.
Anything on fast roads its a full face helmet and visor down. A wasp or a Stone in the eye, or even the face at 80Mph isnt fun
I got a load of bike gear from the BMF do at Peterborough Showground. New (ACU Gold Stamp) Helmet for £30, Biker Wind and Waterproof Breathable jacket
£40, Leather waterproof breathable gloves £10.
Excellent bargains in the Frank Thomas rejects tent. Some was damaged and definately reject quality. Someone told me most of it was mail order
returns that they cant sell as brand new. Just examine everything very carefully. There was several marquee's full and rack after rack after
rack of the stuff.
Definately worth a visit next year if you need some wet weather gear.
I've got no windscreen at all. not even a flyscreen.
Its great... however the downsides are:
Anything over about 70, you are pushing your head into the wind (70mph+ headwind Gale ) and it makes my neck and shoulders ache.
No protection from stones flies, wasps and the like.
Nowhere to attach the Soft Top to.
Advantages:
No sideways buffetting from the winds coming round the side of the Windscreen. Its just FULL in YER FACE!!!
You get " I just Love to Feel the wind in my hair (PzzzzzzT)" feeling
Less weight on the car.
Less Cost / outlay.
Thats my 2d worth.
1. The point of a journey is not to arrive.
2. Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway.
Best Regards
Geoff
http://www.v8viento.co.uk
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MikeR
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| posted on 16/7/06 at 04:36 PM |
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any idea where i can get replacement lenses for wiley-x's. My standard ones are a bit tatty after a couple of years.
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wilkingj
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| posted on 16/7/06 at 04:49 PM |
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I'd google in the USA for Wiley X parts.. just expensive over here.
1. The point of a journey is not to arrive.
2. Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway.
Best Regards
Geoff
http://www.v8viento.co.uk
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Phil. S
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| posted on 16/7/06 at 06:48 PM |
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I wear my helmet for motorway driving, but otherwise do without in hot weather. (In the winter I almost always wear the helmet just to keep warm.)
It's just so nice without a helmet with an aeroscreen that I think it is worth the risk of being hit by the odd fly or stone. But I always wear
impact resistant glasses. The whole experience is even nicer with half doors, as they reduce buffeting even more.
"The unexamined life is not worth living" (Socrates)
"The unlived life is not worth examining" (Kopp)
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miserableoldgit
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| posted on 16/7/06 at 07:45 PM |
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Motorcyclists from 1920 to around 1980 either wore no helmet or an open faced helmet at best. Flying Bees, wasps and stones not considered a major
problem - birds, now that's a different question - you just learn to duck quick.
Serious eye protection like stout glasses or goggles is a no-brainer. Mandatory on all counts.
The sign of a happy cyclist is fly stains on his teeth.
Youth and vitality are wasted on the young
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ruskino80
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| posted on 16/7/06 at 08:18 PM |
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anyone aware of prescription wileys or similar?sunglasses especially
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DIY Si
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| posted on 16/7/06 at 08:23 PM |
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I find I have to wear a helmet at anyhting over 30 mph. I wear glasses and can't see anything due to the water/tears/stuff streaming out of my
eyes. I have the iny aeroscreen, which just lifts the airstream straight at my face rather than at my neck.
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smart51
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| posted on 16/7/06 at 08:27 PM |
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Ill wear sunglasses happily upto about 40 MPH. I did this when cycling for years with no problems. Above this I wear a helmet. I'm still
looking for some sort of face mask for hot weather. Maybe a paintball mask or something.
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Chippy
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| posted on 16/7/06 at 09:39 PM |
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Despite having a full screen, I find that a helmet is an absolute essential at anything over about fifty MPH, on motorways its a must, plus of course
the old Mk 1 glasses, (only because I can see F**K all without them). Cheers Ray.
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MikeR
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| posted on 16/7/06 at 11:27 PM |
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The glasses we're talking about (wiley) have a special foam bit that stops the wind wipping into your eyes let still allows a little air to
circulate stopping the glasses misting up.
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gingerprince
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| posted on 17/7/06 at 08:42 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by MikeR
The glasses we're talking about (wiley) have a special foam bit that stops the wind wipping into your eyes let still allows a little air to
circulate stopping the glasses misting up.
I have "body specs" glasses which are very similar to the Wiley-X, except with mine I got 3 sets of lenses (clear, dark and yellow) -
handy for snowboarding - they do make you look like Ali G though 
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iank
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| posted on 17/7/06 at 09:13 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by miserableoldgit
... - birds, now that's a different question - you just learn to duck quick.
...
Can't duck (groan  ) in a 4pt harness.
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 17/7/06 at 09:44 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by miserableoldgit
birds, now that's a different question - you just learn to duck quick.
The first time I saw this message I read it as "you must learn to duck quack"! I must learn to stop reading in a hurry!
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TangoMan
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| posted on 17/7/06 at 01:07 PM |
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Thanks for the input folks.
I have spent this morning making a small screen.
I have been out with sunglasses and helmet to get a view of both. For me the helmet is a must over 80 as the flies start to hurt at that speed.
Sunglasses were actually comfortable upto 70.
The most noticable thing though was the extra performance. Usually I get good acceleration until wind resistance comes into play. With no screen the
acceleration just carries on.
Just need to get some mirrors to go with it now and I am ready for a track day.
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martyn_16v
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| posted on 17/7/06 at 04:30 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by miserableoldgit
Motorcyclists from 1920 to around 1980 either wore no helmet or an open faced helmet at best. Flying Bees, wasps and stones not considered a major
problem
Bear in mind though that a bikers head is a lot higher up than someone sitting down in a car, there's much less chance of debris being thrown up
that high.
There's a honking great crack (looks more like a bullet hole actually) in my van windscreen where a stone hit it, nearly an inch in diameter and
looks like it was only one layer away from smashing all the way through. If that windscreen hadn't been there that would have been my chest 
Needless to say I won't be going open-faced in a hurry.
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MikeR
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| posted on 17/7/06 at 05:24 PM |
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how fast where you going / what sort of road / how close to the vehicle infront where you when that hit?
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 17/7/06 at 06:50 PM |
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Many years ago my brother was driving along in a MGB when a half-brick came out from between the back tyres of a large lorry - bounced on the road,
then off his bonnet, then it punched a hole through his windscreen. He wasn't that close behind.
If that had hit a Locost driver without a helmet then he'd be dead - even with a helmet he'd probably be either knocked out, or at least
very confused/dazed and likely to crash.
I know that I should always wear my helmet - but there are times when I don't - it's a calculated risk I take.
David
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