Don't laugh - I'm currently wearing an AGV Blade helmet on my Yamaha XT's. I much prefer open faced helmets. Full faced helmets are uncomfortable and closed in (confined). I also like an open face helmet because it allows wider vision.

Here's a AVG Blade: Agv Blade Helmet | eBay

I know I'm taking a small risk and that these things don't protect the face as well as a full face helmet does.

I'm a retired (worn out) bike cop (50 years old). In the early 1980's I used to wear a Bell open face helmet and enjoyed wearing it on patrol. I always felt it allowed me to interact with joe public better, gave me wider vision and was comfy to wear all day. The only downside was the wind noise.

I'm prepared to put up with increased wind noise. I'm not a speed freak in any case (hence my sedate choice of bikes now).

Fast forward to 1986 and I was wearing a Bell full faced helmet which I hated wearing. By the 1990's I had moved onto other things in the job but my old mates in traffic were starting to wear odd hybrids - flip top helmets.

I have always trusted Italian AVG helmets. My first helmet in 1979 was a AVG X3000 Valenza which I wore on my Yamaha AP50 and MZ Simson S50/B1 (bet none of you know about that little gem).

I bought the AVG Blade a couple of years ago from getgeared (and excellent online supplier of most things bike). The AVG Blade is apparently designed for scooters but it looks okay on a big trail bike too (in my opinion).

I'm in need of another OPEN FACE helmet as my partner has finally agreed to go pillion. Like me she hates wearing full faced helmets.

I do possess a full-faced helmet (Shoei X-Spirit) which cost me £400 but this is only used when I'm riding the Honda XBR500. My mates said I looked ridiculous wearing the AVG Blade on it. My Mrs refuses to wear it on any bike.

The AVG Blade is still available but it's gone up in price quite considerably - £109 now. I only paid £60 for mine which at the time seemed a great bargain. Wonder why it's gone up so much in such a short time?

Nearly all the AVG Blade alternatives are the old basic "pudding basin Jet" style helmet, a version of which is sold by most helmet makers. I don't think they look good on a big trail bike being ridden on the roads.

I am happy spending up to £150 but it must be a bargain buy.

I suppose if I can't find another more modern looking "funky" alternative, I will have to simply bite the bullet and procure another AVG Blade for my Mrs.

Any thoughts would be welcomed.
Thanking you in anticipation.....

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Triumph Bonneville 800 (2004), Yamaha XT600E (1999), Honda XBR500 (1986).

Have a look at the Nolan 43 Trilogy, best of both worlds, just get rid of the chin piece !!!
Cheers
paul

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For what it's worth; my wife and I tried ALL the different types of helmets and we both swear by open face helmets. Although we are 20 years younger than you, and the safety issue is not an issue for us for various reasons, there's nothing in the world that would ever make us wear anything else anymore than an open face helmet.

We both have LS2 helmets (cheap, around 120€) and I just survived a crash with mine here in Mongolia, no problems whatsoever - the helmet has a strange shape now though...

I don't think they will survive this trip, but for the next trip, I'll buy just the same one again...

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To this I would simply that that once you have seen the bloody aftermath of a bike crash where the biker had lost his entire lower jaw, crushed beyond recognition ... you'll never consider an open face helmet ever again.
Yes, the poor fellow was wearing an open face helmet...

You can't get enough protection when it comes to bike impacts. I bear the scars and damage of a stupid decision I took when I was young.

Quality equipment does save damage and lives.

It's up to each of us to choose our own gear and accept the consequences.

Fully agree.
I will never ride with open face helmet. Recently my Tour-X saved my head and other gear the rest of me in Indonesia when I had collision with a truck (well crushed my wrist which I am healing now in Germany).
Open face could be more comfortable when it is hot, but for me "It´s better sweat than bleed".

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If I read the OP rightly guys, he asked for open faced helmet suggestions, as opposed to open face vs full face opinions. He stated clearly in the OP that he already has a full face and specifically asked for ideas for a new open face. Even the title of his post is called "Open Face Helmet Options" That being the case, lets assume he is not asking for others opinions on whether he should get a full face or an open face.

As a former bike cop, long time rider and long time open face wearer (also from his well considered background OP), I would suggest he has earned the right to make his own informed choice. It just seems to me ridiculously patronising to be lecturing a 50 year old former motorcycle cop for choosing an open faced helmet ... especially when he has spent several paragraphs saying he knows they are riskier but is comfortable with that.

Guys nobody rides a motorcycle and doesn't get that an open face helmet is not riskier than a full face. We all get that. Similarly, no-one rides a motorcycle and thinks its as safe as driving a car. We all get that too. Yet we are comfortable taking that risk of riding a motorcycle. And many of us are comfortable with the risk of an open faced helmet. So let it go.

So in answer to the OP's actual question ...

I would look at:

Arai CTF


HJC IS Multi 7 in 1


I have been riding for years with the Nolan N41, which was light, simple, inexpensive and kept the wind and rain off my face when I needed it, but I believe they have stopped making them now


There have been a few other interesting ones I have seen pop up on this forum in recent years, but cant find them at the moment via the search function. If I find them, I will add them to the thread.

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The Arai Walter's mentioned above is gorgeous but damn expensive. The HJC is great feeling like an open face even with the chinguard in place, and if you really don't like it just unclip the guard.

Sadly it was too small for my fat head especially as they're down as far as £69 on Amazon.co.uk.

I'm now after this:



The same principle, the chinguard unclips to leave you open faced if you wish.

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I have the Nolan N43E Air, its the EU version of the Trilogy and has additional vents on the top of the helmet.
I find it really nice to wear with a massive eyeport and the full length visor covers right down to below the chin.
Internal sunvisor which I initially thought was a bit of a gimmick but after riding through lots of sun this last week its been a real gift.
The ventilation system is brilliant, the coolest helmet that I have worn lately, including Arai MX lids which are usually good and the Airoh S4
You can find them for reasonable money now that the new N44 is out.
Detlev Louis has them for 185 delivered which works out to 159 stg.
You may be able to get one cheaper depending on your size.

That's the one I was wanting to mention but couldn't find. Whaat is it ? Givi x-01?

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Yes, the X.01 Tourer. I've tried the older X.01 which suited my head shape so I'm now on the hunt.

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Thx Walter for clarifying...
I was almost tempted to write a whole answer to that

Anyway, I prefer the Nolan like Walter used (or my LS2 - same config) because you have more view. The whole front is made of transparent materials, so it should (test it!!!) keep the wind and rain out of the helmet but you see more or less twice as much as with another config. (with the chin piece)

The removable chinpiece was for us not ideal (= not what we wanted) as we would ride to much time without it anyway and you need to fix it somewhere in your luggage when it's not on the helmet. When your helmet is without, you get the wind in your face (eyes?!) all the time even if the visor is down as it is only a halfwayvisor. So it's a bit of the two worlds, but the bad bit in my opinion. You don't have the full advantages from a fullface and you don't have the full advantages from a open face...

It is all personal of course, but as stated for me (and my wife) the one helmet that does it all (open face that is) is one where the visor goes completely down as when it gets cold, rain or to much wind, you just close the visor and all your problems are gone and you still have a terrific view and the weight is always less than another option.

I have the LS2 OF560 and Kim has the LS2 OF552. They're not in the original options, but you get the idea. Make and model are just a personal thing, go to shops and try them out, what works for me won't necessary work out for you and the other way around. I would never ever buy a helmet through the internet or... without having tried it on. You will need to wear it for many hours so it needs to fit you nicely. When we tried ours, the more expensive models were not as comfortable as the cheaper ones, so our decision was made.

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Kentfallen,

Check out the Schuberth J1. It has all the upsides of an open face with most of the safety of a full-face.

Not only that, it's quiet and comfortable. I ride a Multistrada and am VERY fussy about wind noise. This is by far the quietest helmet I have - way better than my Schuberth C3 and my Arai TX3.

I can't recommend it enough. It may not be a thing of beauty but boy does it do the job...

Morning Neil,

I use a Nolan N43 as my eeryday helmet.

This is my second one, the first saved me when I was involed in a hit n run accident, which wrote off my bike and I was more than happy to repeat buy.

I love the improved visibility when compaired with my Shoei Raid 2 and my BMW Enduro helmets.

The N43 has a retractable sun visor and flip up clear visor.

The only thing I don't like is the misting up of the visor in the cold, and this is the reason I use my Shoei (with pin lock) in Winter.

Regards

Reggie

+1 for Nolan N43 me and the hubby have them can be a bit noisy but a decent pair of ear plugs sorts that out. Is really like the flexibility of being able to have it as a full face or open faced helmet.

Sent from my MB525 using Tapatalk

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If anyone is after a Nolan N43 I have a silver medium sized one here going spare.I realise it's a second hand helmet but I wore it three times before deciding I didn't like open faced lids after all,it is like brand new.£40 plus postage of collection from near Nottingham.

Sorry,I have just realised that mine is an N41 not an N43,apologies.