But what really got my attention was his Burgman setup. You see, Jake pulls a trailer with not your ordinary load of underwear and overpacked luggage. Here is what Jake is towing with his Burgman 650:

• Trailer weighing 80 kgs (176 lbs)
• Computers
• 3 gallon gerry can
• 200 amp hr battery pack
• Portable stove
• Folding chair (padded)
• Clothes
• Spare helmets
• Winter and wet weather gear
• Thermos and food
• TV and DVD Player

Aussie Burgman Loaded For The Road

“I usually get between 320 to 350 kms (200 miles) per tank without the trailer and approx 250 to 275 kms (155 miles) with the trailer fully laden. I don’t travel light when I ride in the outback.

When riding at speed the trailer is not a problem, but around traffic you can feel it because of the lack of normal acceleration.”

You can see more of Jake’s (pegleg on the forum) pictures online here.

If you have a Burgman photo and story to share, you can contribute it here.

©2010 Suzuki Burgman Scooter Riders - 'Lovers of Fun'. All Rights Reserved.

This is the first in what I hope is an ongoing series of motorcycle and scooter safety articles from Joe Aiello who is the State Administrator of the New York State Motorcycle Safety Program. If you have suggestions for topics to be covered in upcoming articles, please leave them in the comments section below. — Steve

If there was one subject that is sure to spark controversy in the motorcycling world, hands down that subject would have to revolve around helmets. Just simply mention helmet laws or helmet use and you will be sure to attract individuals from both sides of the fence. Armed with their own “facts”, observations, experiences and beliefs, proponents of both points of view will deluge anyone within earshot in an attempt to convince them that their point of view is the right point of view. You can (and most probably will) get quite the headache trying to respectfully listen to both sides when this happens.

The point of this article is not to discuss the issues of helmet laws or whether such laws are proper. There is a time and a place for those articles and arguments.

What I will say is that from my own personal experience, I have decided to always wear a helmet. Of course, the first question one may ask is, “Well, what makes you an expert in this field?” Well, I’m glad you asked!

Aside from administering a state-wide motorcycle safety program, I am also a certified MSF RiderCoach, a NYS Motorcycle Safety Instructor, a former EMT, an amateur racer (in my younger days) and I presently put about 15,000 miles a year on motorcycles. Most of that mileage is driving 40-miles (each way) into Manhattan during rush hour traffic.

‘Nuff said?

Steve at BurgmanRiders.com was good enough to contact me regarding some safety articles for his website. Steve asked that the first of these articles, deal with helmet specific issues. So without further ado…let’s get right into it!

When choosing a helmet, a rider will immediately find that it is easy to get overwhelmed quite quickly with the (literally) thousands of choices available. Styles, colors, ratings, certifications…it all becomes white-noise to the average person quite easily! Let’s take a moment to review the basic principles of helmet design.

First and foremost, when choosing a helmet, you have to ensure that your helmet meets DOT standards. Novelty helmets are not helmets. Novelty helmets are little more than hats…or as I like to call them, “Plastic Yarmulkes”. A DOT certification indicates that the helmet was submitted to the DOT for testing. The things that are tested are how much energy the helmet transfers to the head during an impact and the ability of the retention system (the chin-strap and buckle) to remain intact when force is applied. In this case, understand that for all intents and purposes, one DOT-approved helmet will offer the same protection as another DOT-approved helmet.

Snell ratings for helmets are done independently of DOT. Snell is not a federal rating and as such, a Snell rating does not determine if the helmet is legal for use in the US. Snell ratings differ from DOT ratings in that they test the impact absorption characteristics of helmets by subjecting them to multiple, smaller impacts in the same area as opposed to the one large impact. There are some other differences but what you need to know is that DOT is the standard used by the government and therefore is the standard that determines the legal status of street use for the helmet. The good news is that I am not aware of Snell-only certified helmets being offered in the US…so think of this rating as something extra.

What to look for in a helmet:

When choosing a helmet, you will see that there are 4 main parts that must be considered.

• The first (and most obvious) is the outer shell. This is designed to protect against penetrating objects, to keep the shape of the helmet and, of course, is the part that is painted.
• The second is the impact liner. The impact liner is inside of the entire helmet and is made of a material called Expanded Polystyrene (or “EPS” for short). This is a substance very similar to Styrofoam and is designed to crush (and subsequently be destroyed) when an impact takes place. Since EPS is not very soft and doesn’t absorb sweat, it isn’t very comfortable…which is why the third part, the comfort liner, is built into the design.
• The comfort liner is made up of soft material and padding to make the helmet more comfortable and fit your head better.
• The final part of the helmet is the retention system. This is more commonly referred to as the chin-strap and buckle. There are different designs (some use the standard D-Rings while other use quick release type buckles) but they all serve the exact same purpose: To secure the helmet to your head and ensure that it stays there in the event of a crash.

With the ratings and parts of the helmet understood, let’s take a look at the next issue: the style of helmet. Presently you have 4 choices of helmets to choose from.

• The Full-Face Helmet

  This helmet is a helmet that (go figure) covers your entire head and face. With the exception of off-road (motocross) which are designed to work with goggles, most full-face street helmets also have a face shield built into them. This is important because the face shield serves as acceptable eye protection as it is designed to be shatterproof and impact resistant. Another factor to consider is that during highway crash investigations, it was found that the chin bar of the helmet received impacts around 20% of the time.

• The ¾ Open Face Helmet

  A ¾ helmet has no chin bar in the design, though the helmet will cover the sides of your face. In many cases, ¾ helmets can also have a face shield attached that can pivot up and out of your field of view. Note that in the absence of a face shield, it is absolutely critical (and in many states, the law) that you wear approved motorcycle eye protection. Since many of you reading this are Burgman pilots (yeah, the website address gave that away…you can’t get anything past me I tell ya!), you may believe that your windscreen provides the necessary eye protection. This is absolutely NOT the case and your windscreen is not, and never was designed to be, a replacement for eye protection.

• The ½ Helmet

  Sometimes referred to as the “Shorty” or the “Beanie”, the ½ helmet is designed to only cover the top portion of your head, leaving the sides of your face and your ears exposed. While it is the smallest, lightest and (from a temperature, not a status standpoint) the coolest helmet, it also affords the least amount of coverage and protection. Like the ¾, you must also wear eye protection if using this type of helmet.

• The Modular/Flip-Up Helmet

  This is a design that has been getting more and more popular with riders. It is essentially a Full Face helmet that is designed to have the entire chin bar assembly rotate up away from your face. Many people prefer this type of helmet because it protects like a Full Face, yet allows you to rotate it up to talk with people or take a drink or even put on eyeglasses easier. While a marvelous design, there are some points that you need to look at. The first is that there is no standard that I know of that tests the retention value of the flip-up chin bar. So, you need to look at the mechanism to ensure that it is a sturdy construction. In this case, the beefier (and more metallic) the better. The second point is that there are some manufacturers that don’t include EPS in the chin bars of flip-up helmets. While these will protect you better than nothing, they will not be as good as those with EPS in the chin bar. Just something you need to look for and consider. Finally, these types of helmets are designed to be put on and off with the chin bar in the up position (not in the down and locked position). Again, not a big deal, but something you need to remember, especially if you are used to full face helmets. Failure to do so will result in a painful episode with your nose (don’t ask how I know this…).

So, the next question you may have is: “What is the difference between a $70 helmet and a $1,000 helmet?” Well, in terms of safety and usability, not much. The price differences are normally attributed to cosmetics (such as colors and/or graphics), weight and comfort. More expensive helmets may use shells made of more exotic materials (like Kevlar, carbon fiber, etc.) to reduce their weight and make them more comfortable. Additionally, the more expensive helmet may have a better comfort liner and padding. Of course, they could be painted in special paints (like metal flake) or have better graphics which will add to the cost. Here’s something to consider, look at any model of helmet made by a company and you will see that the “special” colors are more expensive than the “standard” colors for the exact same model helmet. Your cash…your choice.

One important factor you must be made aware of is that a helmet is designed for only ONE IMPACT. Yes, you read that right…like an airbag or a bullet-proof vest, a helmet is only good for that one time and then must be replaced. Even if there is very little or no visible damage, the helmet must be inspected and (most likely) replaced. The reason is that the damage is done to the EPS, which is very hard to detect and it is the EPS that actually protects you from the impact. If you subject the helmet to any hard impact (and this includes dropping it onto a hard surface) then this helmet must be either sent back to the manufacturer for inspection or simply replaced immediately.

“A good general rule-of-thumb is that you should replace your helmet every 5 years or so.”

The last point about helmets is that they still have a finite service life regardless if they were never subjected to an impact. A good general rule-of-thumb is that you should replace your helmet every 5 years or so. The reason is that the sweat from your head eventually will damage the EPS liner in the helmet. Have you ever had a Styrofoam cooler that has been out in the sun for too long or has been sitting in a garage for a few years? Notice how it gets very brittle over time and begins to break apart? Well, the same will eventually happen to your liner and it won’t be able to provide the same protection after time. So, consider that your helmet should be used for 5 years or less and you will probably avoid the chance of wearing a helmet that may not have its full protective value.

The final point I want to mention is how to pick the helmet that is right for you. In this case, the only way for you to tell is to actually go to a store/dealership and try one on. Though I have used mail order and internet distributors for a number of motorcycle related items, this should not be the case with a helmet. Helmet manufacturers all use different head-forms when designing their helmets. Some manufactures fit people with oval-shaped heads better while others are more suited for rounder heads. The only way to tell which is right for you is to put on the helmet and wear it for a while. A helmet that doesn’t fit well is extremely dangerous because pinching and pressure points can distract you so much that you will be at severe risk while riding. Ever have a pebble in your shoe? Remember how it gets to the point that you no longer can think of anything else other than removing that pebble? The same can (and will) happen with an ill-fitting helmet. That is not the position you want to be in while riding in traffic.

When trying on a new helmet, take special notice of the pressure it places on your temples and your forehead. If you feel significant pressure on these points when you first put on the helmet, you can expect that to turn into excruciating pain after an hour or so. Also, when checking for a correct fit, make sure that you can’t remove the helmet once it is on and the chin strap secured by attempting to roll it forwards or backwards off of your head. Additionally, when properly worn, the helmet should not be able to turn on your head from side to side. Look in a mirror and see if the liner grips your skin when you try to move the helmet around.

Hopefully you found this information informative. We will try to tackle some other subjects in the future.

Ride safe and ride often!

-Joe

Photo by Teosaurio

©2010 Suzuki Burgman Scooter Riders - 'Lovers of Fun'. All Rights Reserved.