First ride: BMW
An opportunity to pop out for a quick spin while Ka slept off nights and the kids seemed occupied well enough to make an escape possible.
First up; donning. I think it's great you can get togged up with the chin guard up out the way and there was none of this balancing a
helmet on the seat stuff; just donned, secured, and ready.
I didn't use my ear plugs in order to guage how quiet the lid actually is and I did have some trouble sliding my glasses over my ears without entanglement, or other somewhere withing the lining. More practice required, I guess, but later the lenses rode up off my nose
and gave me double vision looking to the instruments. It sorted out
later, but was a little distracting for a while.
On starting up it was obvious the helm is not a magical noise cancelling device, but sounds were certainly muffled in the high range. Normally, with the HJC all of Shadowfax's sounds are crystal; with the BMW it was just, well, diminished.
I started off with all the vents open - it being warm. I popped the sun visor down with the gentle slider (nice; if on the grey-blue side to that I'm used to) and placed the main visor to a 'just open' position, which locked easily if leaving a slight rattle.
Up to 30mph and it is clear it's not a run-silent device but again, pleasantly muffled. There was more noise from the sides than I
expected so I closed the main visor. Better, and the ventilation from the forehead vent was good. In closing the visor I involved the front
vent, which popped closed. Pain. However, the wind noise was cut down by half - proven at all speeds to 80mph.
At 40mph the HJC would start to get nasty and at 80mph we'd be looking to stop soon for the racket. The BMW was okay although still to loud for a full commute. It was a more base rumble than the old style whistling scream. Again, not perfect but not too unpleasant.
There was no buffetting despite a strong breeze. Luck or helmet design, I don't know yet but encouraging.
I felt well coccooned. The padding hugs firmly. The 25-min ride left me with a red band across my forehead but this was much better than
when I wore it around the house last night. In fact, my riding felt like it was safer! Psycological, I know, but any positive vibes are good vibes when riding.
The yellow didn't reflect off any surface so isn't a distraction. I chose not to wear my hi-viz vest on the ride despite knowing there was going to be a motorway stretch and although conscious ofcthis, it was reassuring thechelmet would in some way compensate for it.
Shadowfax displayed a low frequency bumping during the high speed part of the ride. It's one rapidly becomming more familiar, like if wheels suddenly become miss-balanced. There are 2 fixings still missing from his lower cowl. The plan is to zip-tie for now and check for effect later.
I need a sustained high speed run to test for head shake. The HJC could produce terrific eyeball rattling and the feeling of a diffuse axonal injury. I'm hoping the BMW will interact with Shadowfax's windshield better. It seems to - I just need to check.
First up; donning. I think it's great you can get togged up with the chin guard up out the way and there was none of this balancing a
helmet on the seat stuff; just donned, secured, and ready.
I didn't use my ear plugs in order to guage how quiet the lid actually is and I did have some trouble sliding my glasses over my ears without entanglement, or other somewhere withing the lining. More practice required, I guess, but later the lenses rode up off my nose
and gave me double vision looking to the instruments. It sorted out
later, but was a little distracting for a while.
On starting up it was obvious the helm is not a magical noise cancelling device, but sounds were certainly muffled in the high range. Normally, with the HJC all of Shadowfax's sounds are crystal; with the BMW it was just, well, diminished.
I started off with all the vents open - it being warm. I popped the sun visor down with the gentle slider (nice; if on the grey-blue side to that I'm used to) and placed the main visor to a 'just open' position, which locked easily if leaving a slight rattle.
Up to 30mph and it is clear it's not a run-silent device but again, pleasantly muffled. There was more noise from the sides than I
expected so I closed the main visor. Better, and the ventilation from the forehead vent was good. In closing the visor I involved the front
vent, which popped closed. Pain. However, the wind noise was cut down by half - proven at all speeds to 80mph.
At 40mph the HJC would start to get nasty and at 80mph we'd be looking to stop soon for the racket. The BMW was okay although still to loud for a full commute. It was a more base rumble than the old style whistling scream. Again, not perfect but not too unpleasant.
There was no buffetting despite a strong breeze. Luck or helmet design, I don't know yet but encouraging.
I felt well coccooned. The padding hugs firmly. The 25-min ride left me with a red band across my forehead but this was much better than
when I wore it around the house last night. In fact, my riding felt like it was safer! Psycological, I know, but any positive vibes are good vibes when riding.
The yellow didn't reflect off any surface so isn't a distraction. I chose not to wear my hi-viz vest on the ride despite knowing there was going to be a motorway stretch and although conscious ofcthis, it was reassuring thechelmet would in some way compensate for it.
Shadowfax displayed a low frequency bumping during the high speed part of the ride. It's one rapidly becomming more familiar, like if wheels suddenly become miss-balanced. There are 2 fixings still missing from his lower cowl. The plan is to zip-tie for now and check for effect later.
I need a sustained high speed run to test for head shake. The HJC could produce terrific eyeball rattling and the feeling of a diffuse axonal injury. I'm hoping the BMW will interact with Shadowfax's windshield better. It seems to - I just need to check.
We picked up the first bug. No increase in the price or quality of a helmet is going to stop that I guess.
On return, it was nice to flip up the lid to chat with my Son who'd burst out the door to greet me, gather up my gloves and keys, get
through the door, and then remove the helmet.
More to come, but the first ride is with only some reservation (over the front vent's noise) very positive.
I like it. Good job at that price.
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