Florida Summer Helmet Mods

[tracerben]

 
 
 

Spend a summer in Florida and you will understand why someone would run a drill through the vent holes and cut a hole in the visor.  The result may look like hell but it works like stink.  I wish they sold a visor like this so you wouldn't have to pop it up to get air when its hot and humid....

[BBB]

Looks good, but I took a massive wasp under the visor today. Luckily it was stunned by the impact and I managed to get the sonofabitch out of there quickly. Your visor could end up being a bug scoop.

[krillz]

Looks good, but I took a massive wasp under the visor today. Luckily it was stunned by the impact and I managed to get the sonofabitch out of there quickly. Your visor could end up being a bug scoop.

 
Bro, I took a wasp in the dirt bike helmet. Ghost rode that bike. Bastard stung me 3 times before I got the lid off.

[superfist]

From Georgia and South Carolina summers, I'm familiar with and totally understand why someone would do this.
 
My first "premium" helmet was my Shoei RF1200 and one of the best features I use all the time is the visor-crack. I can't go back... having a visor that will click to various levels of open, and stay there at speed is so convenient.

[dedsxy47]

From Georgia and South Carolina summers, I'm familiar with and totally understand why someone would do this. 
My first "premium" helmet was my Shoei RF1200 and one of the best features I use all the time is the visor-crack. I can't go back... having a visor that will click to various levels of open, and stay there at speed is so convenient.

Went from a Kiwi S21 to an Arai James Adomo replica (got a super deal), then to the Shoei series.  I have owned 2 RF1200's and felt they were probably the best helmets I have owned.  At the time I was putting 12k miles a year on various sportbikes and they always did great rain or shine.  My last Shoei had 56K miles on it and with the new FJ and a new job working days, nights, and afternoons, I opted for the GT Air.  Love the integrated tinted fighter-pilot style tinted shield, but the ventilation stinks compared to other Shoei's I have owned.  Funny thing, it performs better when riding a sportbike compared to the upright riding position of the FJ.   Money no object, I would love the Hayden addition Arai.  
 
The visor-crack is a very important feature many people overlook.  I basically ride with the thing cracked all the time unless it is raining or below 60 degrees F.  Once the GT Air wears out, I will probably look at an adventure style rig; Shoei and Arai both make some nice helmets in that category.
 
 

[betoney]

From Georgia and South Carolina summers, I'm familiar with and totally understand why someone would do this. 
My first "premium" helmet was my Shoei RF1200 and one of the best features I use all the time is the visor-crack. I can't go back... having a visor that will click to various levels of open, and stay there at speed is so convenient.

The visor-crack is a very important feature many people overlook.  I basically ride with the thing cracked all the time unless it is raining or below 60 degrees F.

 
I also have the GT-Air and love it, - comfortable and surprisingly quiet helmet, but agree with you, the one feature it is missing is a visor-crack setting.  I usually ride with the shield set in the first open position but at higher speeds the wind forces it closed.
 
 

[betoney]

 
 

Spend a summer in Florida and you will understand why someone would run a drill through the vent holes and cut a hole in the visor.  The result may look like hell but it works like stink.  I wish they sold a visor like this so you wouldn't have to pop it up to get air when its hot and humid....

 
I understand your reasoning for this.  Have you considered maybe attaching some stiff mesh in the open triangle area to keep out bee's and small debris?  Maybe its just me loving to tinker...  8-)
 
 

[tracerben]

I tried this a different way: drilling some small holes above the chin vent. Not as effective but probably a better way of doing it....

 

[adjuster]

Be careful drilling into plastic, it can and does crack very easy.
 
A grinder tip on a dremel works better in some cases.
 
Also, attaching screen, or open cell foam across the holes will allow air in while limiting both dirt/bugs etc from hitting you in the face.
 
The ram air effect is nice, but most leave out the reality that a negative air pocket exists at the rear and sides of most helmets at speed. The faster you go, the lower the pressure, it's what causes helmets to buffet.
 
Some holes added or enlarged to existing points in the rear of the helmet will improve the air flow of any front vents in a huge way. If you can remove the plastic covers over the rear vents, and enlarge them, then pop or glue the vents over the new larger holes that might be a good modification as well. In the past, on various lids use in hot weather, a few moments with a dremel grinder/cutter after pulling the liner and any EPS foam possible has been a great way to mod.
 
You can enlarge, clean up and even add some channels to route air up over your skull, or around your face. I've also removed material from the chin area to give more room not just for comfort, but also you can add microphones and speakers etc. Route the wires in the channels used with air, and some hot glue holds it in place just fine.
 
Just keep in mind the EPS foam is there to save your life, so don't remove too much, but air really does not need that much space to flow, to add cooling for your noggin. Also noticed on most helmets, even the expensive ones, that the "work" quality for the holes, and how they line up can be downright terrible. The hole in the EPS liner being off set nearly blocking the whole vent for example, can be cleaned up quickly, and air flow improved significantly without really effecting the safety of the design at all. (Had a helmet that had terrible cooling and air flow, would fog up in the winter, and was hot, even with the face shield up in the summer. Open or closed, the vents did not seem to matter.)
 
So, I finally pulled the liner to wash it, and found the EPS was glued into place shutting off all the upper vents to about 10% being open. No wonder the little plastic outer doors/flaps/vents made no difference. I did not have a dremel, but used a file and xacto knife to trim the foam, and there you go! That helmet became a favorite from a total flop. It was comfortable, but had terrible air flow. With the ports cleaned up, it was slightly louder, but actually could be worn in hot or humid/cold weather.

[tracerben]

The issue of buffeting was another reason I started down this road.  I used to ride with the shield cracked open to get some extra air.  If I have the shield closed it fogs up every time I stop at a stop light.  Anyway, on the FJ the bike's windshield isn't high enough to get the airflow over the top of my head.  And when the helmet shield is cracked open I get buffeted like crazy.  I close the shield and the buffeting is 90% gone, but then I have to deal with fogging.  So I drilled enough vent holes to let me ride with the shield down all the time.  And that seems to be working great.  My first idea was a little too much; all I really need is a few holes.
 
I wish some of the helmet shield mfrs would sell vented versions of some of the shields....

[agunslinger]

I always imagined a super small holed steel mesh main helmet area made of indestructible metal with 100% air flow ;^)  Someone get on that!  Made of this...

 

 

Edited January 6, 2019 by agunslinger
typo

[fddriver2]

28 minutes ago, agunslinger said:

I always imagined a super small holed steel mesh main helmet area made of indestructible metal with 100% air flow ;^)  Someone get on that!  Made of this...

 

 

 

[agunslinger]

I like it!, but Im thinking visor standard and solid, the entire head area mesh air flow ;^)

[wordsmith]

I have a helmet with one of those internal drop-down sun-visors (would never go back to the old ways of carrying a tinted spare to install beside the road if conditions change).   I can ride at decent speeds with main (clear) visor about half-way up, and internal tinted visor down - this allows excellent air-flow yet not so much as to affect my eyes (I do have to wear prescription spex at all times).

For those who may not have tried a helmet with the drop-down internal sun-visor, I strongly recommend that you do so... 

[Armyfazer]

On 12/1/2018 at 9:31 AM, tracerben said:

The issue of buffeting was another reason I started down this road.  I used to ride with the shield cracked open to get some extra air.  If I have the shield closed it fogs up every time I stop at a stop light.  Anyway, on the FJ the bike's windshield isn't high enough to get the airflow over the top of my head.  And when the helmet shield is cracked open I get buffeted like crazy.  I close the shield and the buffeting is 90% gone, but then I have to deal with fogging.  So I drilled enough vent holes to let me ride with the shield down all the time.  And that seems to be working great.  My first idea was a little too much; all I really need is a few holes.
 
I wish some of the helmet shield mfrs would sell vented versions of some of the shields....

If you don't want to drill in your next face shield, get a visor with a pin lock insert. I''m on my first helmet with one and love it. Absolutely fog free year round! 

And an option  on the drop down tinted lens has worked great for me. I bought the photochromic shield for my Shoei RF1200 and it's all I need. It is nice to not have to worry about that anymore.