A hybrid between full face and open face helmets for street use is the modular or "flip-up" helmet, also sometimes termed "convertible" or "flip-face". The word of "flip-up" is widely used, but sounds more like an American slang.
When fully assembled and closed, they resemble full face helmets by bearing a chin bar for absorbing face impacts. Its chin bar may be pivoted upwards (or, in some cases, may be removed) by a special lever to allow access to most of the face, as in an open face helmet. The rider may thus eat or drink without unfastening the chinstrap and removing the helmet.
As of 2008 there have not been significant scientific studies of modular helmets to assess how protective the pivotable or removable chin bars are. Honestly, full-face helmets are better than them in protection. An accident happened last year in Hong Kong that proven one of the "flip-up" weaknesses. When a lady had a ride with a Taiwanese Lubro "flip-up" helmet on the street, a car behind hit and striked her bike. She was pushed hard toward and her head hit on the ground. So, you know what happened? that flip-up chin part was crashed and her face was smashed and... She was alive, but that was once a beautiful lady losing her whole face. This also suggested that full face helmets was the best helmet type in all motorcycle accidents.
No comments:
Post a Comment