arai uses lexan.
butyrate is a much cheaper plastic that looks the same, but doesn't hold up under impact.
you can send a frozen pea through butyrate at less than 20 MPH. image what a rock or pebble could do to your eyes.

the majority of new helmets come with a lexan lense, but some of the cheaper helmets (and cheapie aftermarket face shield makers) still use butyrate. the material is not allowed in competition paintball goggles or real MX off-road goggles (again, name brands, not knock-offs from china, etc.).

lexan is very tough and strong, but you have to be careful with cleaning it. soapy water is best, plexus or "real" aerosol alcohol-based glass cleaner is also okay to use. things like windex are bad, bad, bad because they tend to break down the protective properties of the lexan.

so if you're worried steve, do this: take a bag of frozen peas and hang it at about head height. put on your helmet. then run as dog-gone fast as you can into the frozen bag.
when you pick yourself up, count your eyes. if it's a lexan lense, there will probably be two eyes. if it's a butyrate lense you'll be picking plastic out of your face.

pleez let us know how this experiment goes.

I say let everyone decide for themselves. We have a lot of young guys ridding 600 cc supersport bikes around here. Shorts and tank tops are stansard fare. I agree that they probably haven't eaten asphalt yet, so they don't know what awaits, such as emergency room nurses with the Hibiclens sponges scraping out the little pieces. Most of us old bastards have the benefit of our own experiences. All we can do is pass along some helpful tips to the younger guys, and hope it gets through eventually. I grew up riding dirt bikes first, so I always wore a lid. I had DeCoster and Hannah as role models, kids today have the StarBoyz and jokers like them. So I try not to be too harsh in judging the younger guys, but help them when I can.

Brad Lackey was the man, and yeah DeCoster.

Just when I thought flip flops were unbelievable, I actually saw a guy yesterday on a sportbike riding barefoot! I mean, how do you shift gears? Wouldn't it hurt? Then to top it off, he had a little kid on the back. Great example.

'things like windex are bad, bad, bad because they tend to break down the protective properties of the lexan.'

see what paying attention gets ya?
I just learned something new, and will be buying a new Arai shield pronto.

I once had a rock take out a prescription lense in my glasses whilst dirtriding. scared the **** outta me and I started wearinig hot, fog-prone goggles again.

Superman wore Underoos and he was always fine.

Superman has the bestest body armor...

http://pics.livejournal.com/fortysevenbteg/pic/0003h6sb

A few weeks ago two of us were out riding north Santa Barbara county and stopped for gas at the Mobil on 166 east of Santa Maria. It was warm, there were more than a few bikes there and everyone had decent gear except a couple of hardly riders. In front of me at the pump was a kid on a Yamaha, I think, in full gear and travelling from Bakersfield out to the coast, Pismo maybe. Exchanged a few words about the day and destinations and he sounded like a reasonable young kid. Then he made a comment, almost an excuse:

"I didn't think it would be this hot, I could have left the jacket and stuff home."

hey nevermore~

look it up:
it's not only NOT illegal to ride barefoot in CA, matter of fact, you can ride a motorcycle and work the controls with your feet, IF, in the officer's opinion, you're doing it in a safe and controlled manner.

not having tried this, nor seen this, i was told this by a CHP guy while we were talking about Disabled Plates for motorcycles and how strange that concept seemed.
he claimed that a guy who had lost 1-1/2 arms was riding a bike (with sidecar) with the controls down by the engine, using his feet for throttle, brake, steering etc.....he said it was perfectly legal, sort of the bike version of a car with hand controls.
strange, very strange.

Sorry for the confusion, I'm from Tennessee, where we only wear shoes when required by law.

I had been teaching MSF classes for almost 10 years. At some point I was in charge of one of the biggest sites in the US.

Moved to NY from CA in 2001...kept teaching...moved to PA in 2004...no helmet law...taught few classes and then you had brand new graduates from the week before showing up at the range with their new shinny R1s in shorts, t-shirts, and sunglasses...

I quit teaching and I will never renew my MSF rating...most of my teaching went down the gutter as soon as students left with their permit.

nitro~

i'm with you on that one. i used to teach the advanced course, but got tired of people in the class argueing. things like the gold wing guy who said "you're nuts...if i hit the front brake, i'll go over the bars." he absolutely refused to touch it.
and the pinheads who disagree/want to argue the theory of counter-steer....for an hour.
...the guy who swears his buddy "laid her down" crawled up on the bike and slid under that 18 wheeler's trailer, coming out the other side unscathed.
...the ones who say to gas it just before you hit the car, so you'll fly over the top of it.
...the "i used to race. you can't teach me nothing. i'm just here to lower my insurance rate..."

the one that did it for me: the guy i tried to send home because he seriously (not even close) didn't belong in the advanced class. his response was "Of course i belong here. That's obvious...because i have a Ducati!".

Well, it was...

I know the feeling. Out for an evening stroll in the neighborhood with my wife and dog, came across a big party and one of my recent MSF course students getting on his bike wearing sandals, shorts and a tank top. Oh yeah, he was kinda tipsy too, saw and recognized me and got real sheepish looking all of a sudden.

The title of this thread, "Will they never learn?". When will we learn that you can't protect people from themselves. Everyone makes their own choice no matter how ridiculous it may seem. And, it's not just the young guys who have never crashed. Every summer when the thermometer hits triple digits I see some crusty old guy on his full dress Goldwing wearing an open face helmet with shorts and without a shirt. Working on his sun tan as he cruises down the freeway. It makes me laugh every time.

these people generally believe that they won't crash. the young kid who thinks he's invincible, the harley rider or wing nut who thinks "i don't go fast enough to crash", most people are convinced that they're good riders; most people aren't. I know I'm not, but I used to think I was the sh it...

Re: Will they never learn???
 

Spend $50 on fruit, shame on Costco. Spend $50 on fruit twice, shame on me.

-Eff

I don't agree with this. Mainly because their carelessness and very expensive medical bills and legal fees, raises the costs for the rest of us in terms of insurance. It also lowers the general public's opinion of bikers. When a biker gets in an accident with a car and is seriously hurt, it doesn't matter what the driver might have done wrong, the police and witnesses will see the lack of helmet, jacket etc and say "What did he expect?' Sad but true.

Nah...it was money well spent. I love fruit and Costco has a lot of very high quality stuff, cheap.

THAT explains why carlton is always hanging out at costco.
he has a gold card AND a business card.
oh wait...what kinda fruit we talking 'bout here?

i think everybody who gets a motorcycle license should receive a cheese grader. then be forced to furiously run it up and down the back of their forearms. just so'z they know......

oh, and a ballpeen hammer for kneecaps. just a couple of good whacks might drive the point home.

then again.....

as one "those" guys that actually like having ABS on the bike...I don't think I COULD lay 'er down if I chose to...guess I better keep practicing evasive maneuvers.