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Helmet color and safety


smccrory

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I've repeatedly read that bright colors are the most visible on a motorcycle and it's why I bought a white helmet as my first - seemed like a conservative choice while I learned the ropes.

 

Fast-forward 2 1/2 years and I'm ready for an upgrade - thinking about the new HJC IS-17 in either plain white or blue graphics to match my V-Strom.  So that's the question I'd like your opinion on - white for safety or blue for looks?

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I don't think it makes that much of a difference when Johnny/Nancy Shithead have their head buried in a text message. Get whatever you think looks the best and concentrate more on avoiding assholes and developing a 6th sense of their whatthefuckery driving 

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Def agree with the above.  No substitute for defensive riding.  However, I notice how quickly a rider can disappear in the traffic in front of me with a dark helmet.  Yet I seem to notice a white helmet much easier.  Not that I buy into the whole "white helmets, flo-green riding jackets and loud pipes save lives" bullshit...

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This may surprise you, but I disagree with pretty much everyone in this tread. Anything you can do to increase your visibility helps. You need to stand out from the background...so bright colors on the bike, on you most certainly help. That said I think the helmet is the least important of the three. A really bright jacket jumps out, a helmet, not so much. It is too small. But I always run a headlight modulator. If visibility is what you want get one of those. And no, they don't blind people, they don't piss people off. But I have had many cagers point at my headlight as I drive by and give me a thumbs up...never a middle finger. Even had one dude follow me into a gas station and thank me for having one. I have not seen anything in two years of running it that made me think it was pissing people off.

 

And you know what, they get the f' out of my way in the left lane as I come up.

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I'm digging the opinions.  Yea, my vanity wants the blue helmet - damn they look nice and to be fair, they do have reflective stripes embedded.  However, the risk manager in me wants it plain white with a reflective sticker on the back and sides.  You're probably right - it probably wouldn't make much of a difference either way with bright apparel and good lighting.

 

This weekend I ordered a set of lights for my E450 topcase and will look into headlight modulators and/or running lights - thanks.  It may be overkill or even a bit dorky, but coming from general aviation, I can tell you that motorcycles are riskier than little airplanes and I feel the need to balance adventure with being around as a parent and someday grandparent, hence the ABS and lighting upgrade.

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This weekend I ordered a set of lights for my E450 topcase and will look into headlight modulators and/or running lights - thanks. 

 

If money is an issue, send it back and get the modulator first. The percentage that the threat will come from the front is FAR higher than from the rear. But if you are not poor then certainly both is a great idea. Below is the modulator I have, it has been flawless for two years. Just plugs into the back of the headlight, then the old headlight connections plugs into it.  Then run the little photo eye out to the daylight. That keeps your highbeams from flashing at night.  That is required by federal law here and in Canada.

 

 

http://www.kriss.com/

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A vehicle with the headlight on is just as visible as one with a modulator.  Consider you are riding or driving in traffic and an ambulance comes up behind you...

 

The siren is what get's your attention, not the flashing lights.  The flashing lights are to help you distinguish which vehicle in traffic is the emergency vehicle.

 

Volvo has tested every possible option to make vehicles safer, and not one Volvo has been offered with a headlight modulator.

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A vehicle with the headlight on is just as visible as one with a modulator.  Consider you are riding or driving in traffic and an ambulance comes up behind you...

 

The siren is what get's your attention, not the flashing lights.  The flashing lights are to help you distinguish which vehicle in traffic is the emergency vehicle.

 

Volvo has tested every possible option to make vehicles safer, and not one Volvo has been offered with a headlight modulator.

 

 

University of Michigan studied motorcycle conspicuousness directly, and disagrees with Volvo. Do you have any links to Volvo's studies? I would love to see where they said modulators don't help. And I don't recall anytime in my entire life where the LEO's had to hit their sirens to get me to pull over. The lights more than got my attention.  I think you are letting your hatred for them interfere with the thought process on evaluating if they work. If mine fits your bike, you are welcome to borrow it. An hour ride and you will see the difference man. However it does NOT replace defensive driving and situation awareness, that is still far more important. They are all pieces to the puzzle. I will take all the pieces I can get.

 

 

 

5.1.4 Summary, Daytime Treatments. These data suggest that the

daytime cons pi cui ty of motorcycles can be improved in several ways

having a meaningful effect on the drivers of automobiles. Riding

with the headlamp on seems very effective, although causing the head-

lamp to modulate from low to high intensity seems to improve response

even more.....

 

 

5.6.2 Means for Improving Conspicuity. It appears that there *

are a number of ways to improve daytime motorcycle-motorcyclist

conspicuity that should have a meaningful effect on the behavior of

car drivers. The simplest is to drive with the headlamp on at a11

times. The modulating headlamp is apparently even more effective.....

 

http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/handle/2027.42/487/43121.0001.001.pdf?sequence=2

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Loud pipes are pointed in the wrong direction to be of any use. 

 

I am aware of the Michigan study, it's from 1979.  The evidence is so compelling that exactly ZERO OEM's have thought that a headlight modulator is worth offering.

 

I look at Modulators as a warning that the rider is probably not comfortable on 2 wheels. 

 

Student Driver Sign > Headlight Modulator  > Orange Flag on Adult Tricycle.

Edited by Tpoppa
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Interesting stats:  http://www.bmj.com/content/328/7444/857 

 

Setting Auckland region of New Zealand from February 1993 to February 1996.

Participants 463 motorcycle drivers (cases) involved in crashes leading to hospital treatment or death; 1233 motorcycle drivers (controls) recruited from randomly selected roadside survey sites.

Main outcome measures Estimates of relative risk of motorcycle crash related injury and population attributable risk associated with conspicuity measures, including the use of reflective or fluorescent clothing, headlight operation, and colour of helmet, clothing, and motorcycle.

Results Crash related injuries occurred mainly in urban zones with 50 km/h speed limit (66%), during the day (63%), and in fine weather (72%). After adjustment for potential confounders, drivers wearing any reflective or fluorescent clothing had a 37% lower risk (multivariate odds ratio 0.63, 95% confidence interval 0.42 to 0.94) than other drivers. Compared with wearing a black helmet, use of a white helmet was associated with a 24% lower risk (multivariate odds ratio 0.76, 0.57 to 0.99). Self reported light coloured helmet versus dark coloured helmet was associated with a 19% lower risk. Three quarters of motorcycle riders had their headlight turned on during the day, and this was associated with a 27% lower risk (multivariate odds ratio 0.73, 0.53 to 1.00). No association occurred between risk and the frontal colour of drivers' clothing or motorcycle. If these odds ratios are unconfounded, the population attributable risks are 33% for wearing no reflective or fluorescent clothing, 18% for a non-white helmet, 11% for a dark coloured helmet, and 7% for no daytime headlight operation.

Conclusions Low conspicuity may increase the risk of motorcycle crash related injury. Increasing the use of reflective or fluorescent clothing, white or light coloured helmets, and daytime headlights are simple, cheap interventions that could considerably reduce motorcycle crash related injury and death.

 

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I don't care for modulators, but I trust Tonik's input. However, bringing a study from anything "michigan" is grounds for dismissal. :)

This might be damaging to our relationship but I was raised in Michigan. However I went to Michigan State, so I do hate U of M. Other than the professor from there I banged a few times.

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Sure. Any insurance company knows the actuary odds of what is what.

That's why they always ask color of bike, jacket and helmet, do you wear one, etc etc. (NOT)

They don't give a crap, too many other factors are way more important to calculating risk.

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No time to read every post in this thread right now but heres what ive learned in the last couple years. Buy a nuetral color like black, white, silver or grey for all your gear. Why? because if you decide to get a different color bike your shit will still match. I dont think color will matter when it comes to safety unless you go full blown hi vis yellow eveything.

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