How do you know a Helmet did its job?

[He Man]

I landed head first on my Scorpion EXO-700. I thought the helmet fit good. I could feel my cheek against my teeth, nothing uncomfortable.  The front of the helmet didnt push into my teeth and the strap was on tight.

I'm pretty sure I high sided and landed on the top left corner of my helmet.

I feel like i have a small concussion, since my right brain lobe feels like its throbbing a bit. and my right jaw is sore as hell. I couldnt bite down without my teeth mislaigning due to the swelling for a few hours after the getoff.

So my question is, is a properly fitting helmet suppose to leave you feeling like that? The impact was probably the speed of gravity over the course of second or two. so it was not high speed at all...

I'm not sure if I should go for a nicer helmet, such as an AGV (i've heard some good stuff about them and my friend is going ot bring his over for me to try since we are the same size) or stick with the cheaper Scorpion EXO line up.... I dont mind the noise or weight. But ive crashed in both a Shoei RF-1000 and Scorpion EXO700. The scorpion was a size too large and left me feeling like crap. But i also didnt land directly on it.

Any words of wisdom?

[herm]

if all your grey matter stayed where it belongs, i think the helmet did its job

[Spidey]

So my question is, is a properly fitting helmet suppose to leave you feeling like that? The impact was probably the speed of gravity over the course of second or two. so it was not high speed at all...

It's so hard to say.  I've solidly whacked my helmet a couple of times (once with a highside and once tumbling lowside as a Buell plowed into me. f'n Buells).  My helmet fit really well and other than some very slight bruising on the bridge between my eyes, it was fine.  No concussion or jaw soreness (OTOH, I did feel like I'd been hit by a Buell).   Not to say that you can't get your bell wrung even if your helmet fits well, but I'm pretty sure that I would have felt it a bunch more in both of those crashes if my helmet had been a size too large.

Your helmet did its job this time, but I'd go through the extra effort to get on that fits well.  It doesn't have to be expensive like and AGV or Shoei or Arai.  Just try a bunch and find one that works with your giant-sized brainiac head.

[scoprire]

How many times have you seen a racer knocked unconscious after a highside hit to the head?  Helmets aren't the end all of protection.  They drastically increase the odds, but nothing is perfect. 

[He Man]

Ill look into a different brand and try some helmets.

I dont think i hit my head all that fast, dispite the fact, my head still hurts a bunch, which is really why im asking.

[herm]

i didnt think i hit my head much at all when i dumped last spring....until i looked at my helmet.
it was toast from a max 15mph crash (and i think i hit elbow, shoulder, head)

[He Man]

i didnt think i hit my head much at all when i dumped last spring....until i looked at my helmet.
it was toast from a max 15mph crash (and i think i hit elbow, shoulder, head)

Describe toast...

i barely had a mark on my helmet. The only other time i got my head rung was being TKO'ed by a fist. that one hurt a hell of a lot more though. 



after i bounced on my head and rolled over, my leathers too kthe rest of the beating.

[Monster Dave]

I agree that as long as your head is still in one piece that it did do its job. I always think of my head likened to the yoke of an egg and that the hard egg shell represents the helmet. So as long as your yoke isn't all messed up then you're in good shape. Just bear in mind that your helmet is toast now and not to wear it anymore even though the damage isn't fully visible.

When I went down my neck and jaw were sore for a few days, but I took 90% of my impact in the jaw bar of my helmet.

Alive = Check!
Face Intact = Check!
Helmet = Toast, but Check for doing it's job!

[damianS4RS]

Describe toast...

i barely had a mark on my helmet. The only other time i got my head rung was being TKO'ed by a fist. that one hurt a hell of a lot more though. 



after i bounced on my head and rolled over, my leathers too kthe rest of the beating.

Well there's your problem right there.. You've got a huge Giants logo on your helmet, no wonder your brain hurts.. 

Seriously though, you'd be surprised the forces you're absorbing in any crash. Again, I'd go for fit first. All of the manufacturers have to pass a series of tests before their products are approved. The most important thing is that you're ok afterwards.

[He Man]

Well there's your problem right there.. You've got a huge Giants logo on your helmet, no wonder your brain hurts..  laughingdp

Watch it there buddy. Your hitting close to home.     

I picked up a soft tape...turns out im suppose to be a small in Scorpion. The medium is advertised for 22 3/8". My head is 21 7/8" thats a whole 1/2 inch! no wonder my freaking head hurts.  I wonder what made my head shrink!

I went to look for a size small...but then i found a Shark RSI...they run 1 size larger than advertised....so i should buy a XS. Lucky for me XS is on sale for $120 marked down from $350!!!! Ill give this helmet a try. the shape is on par with other helmets ive worn based on revies. so it should be a nice fit!

[Bones]

So I'm wondering myself on proper fit b/c the front of my helmet (under the visor) does rest on my chin a bit during higher speeds. normally it can sit a 1/2 inch or so away from my jaw, but I am concerned that in an impact, it may break my jaw/teeth or something of the sort. 

I have a couple of other helmets, so perhaps I should see how that part of the helmet fits on them......

[Raux]

when i first bought my new helmet it was tight. but after wearing it for awhile it started to loosen up.
next helmet will be a tighter fit new.

[He Man]

I got my RSI helmet today. Size X-small fits great. ONly 1 complaint. the front of the helmet, if i push hard enough lands on my lips. guess this helmet doenst fit my shape head. Cant even return it casue it was on close out.

[CDawg]

He Man,

Have you seen this?
http://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcycle-helmets/motorcycle-helmet-shapes.htm

[He Man]

no i did not. thanks for the link though. Scorpion EXO700 fits me the best out of all the helmets ive tried on. The Shoei RF1000 was the worst.

I have to really push really freaking hard and strain my neck to get my lips to touch it....id have to have a real nasty impact for it to really happen...but the threat is still there.