What is the difference between a street and a dirt or adventure helmet?

[Magilla]

I currently have an Arai Vector hi-viz helmet. Since buying the Tenere I have looked at dirt/adventure bike helmets. I am unsure of why you would need a different helmet for offroad. Maybe a better way to ask is what are the differences between street and dirt/adventure helmets?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts. ::003::

 

[OldRider]

Off road helmets have a chin guard that sticks out farther than a street bike helmet. A larger opening for the use of googles and most have a large visor. That large visor is great for woods riding, but if not vented good for street riding can jerk your head back pretty hard. Different vents and other small things too. That's a start.

 

[Checkswrecks]

Full face shields in a dirt bike environment either fog easily as the rider is more likely to seat and pant, or to simply get dirty. You don't breath out behind goggles and they had tear-offs from the early days. The goggles needed the bigger opening in the helmet.


The larger dirt helmet chin was largely because normal full face street helmets can move enough to make your jaw bring your teeth crashing together. Some people wore bite guards, but even those were hard to get in and out.


With the adventure bikes being road oriented now, it's interesting to see the extremes of dirt and street coming together. Some of the dirt helmets now get visors with venting, as well as flip-up face shields.

 

[markjenn]

These guys have summed it up pretty well. Basically.

Street: designed for faceshield, very aero for speed, no bill, relatively poor venting, close fitting around mouth
Dirt: designed for goggles, less aero, bill, better venting (dirt riding is more aerobic activity), looser fit around mouth
Adv: cross between two with but basically a dirt bike helmet with a face shield added

An adv helmet is a nice way to go for road riding but the bill and frontal projection does make more subject to aero issues. If you tilt your head back or to the side, you can sometimes really fell the pull at high speed, so its hard on your neck muscles. But the bill is nice for the sun and the extra venting is welcome when it is hot. I also hate how hard it is to clean the shield on my older XD (bill gets in the way) but perhaps they've solved this problem on the new ones.

- Mark

 

[Philistine]

I looked at a few adventure helmets, but only about half of them had a big enough opening to fit goggles in, so if you intend to use goggles take them with you and make sure they fit

 

[Magilla]

Thanks for taking e time to answer my questions now I have another. Considering he most of my riding will be street and the off road that I do will be fire roads and gravel rods, what do you like for adventure helmets or more mdern dirt helmets? Can you suggest a helmet hat would fit my needs? I like the idea of more room around the mouth area and better venting but the visor bill concerns me due to the head snappping back scenario. As an aside, I often use a Sena sytem and mount speakers in my helmets.

I look forward to your thoughts

 

[racer1735]

I have both a dirt and a street helmet. The dirt helmet (a Scott) is left over from my recent dirt-riding days. And I find that I wear it most of the time I'm on the Super Ten. If my ride sint' going to include speeds much over 55 mph, I like the dirt-style helmet, as it moves more air, is lighter and I do enjoy wearing goggles. If the ride will take me on the interstate, or at higher speeds, I wear a Bell RS-1. With my Super Ten's windshield positioned at the right angle (Wunderlich brackets), I can ride with shield open and sunglasses on. But any dirt roads and dust create a bad environment inside a full-face helmet.

I have not tried one of the ADV helmets. I've read both good and bad. Some people love them, others say they address a couple of issues but don't solve any.

This follows the same theory as my clothing. Highway speeds and straight pavement in hot weather gets my Olympia one-piece mesh suite. If the ride has any dirt, or is a cooler temp, then a Fieldsheer 3/4 jacket and Fieldsheer pants.

I always wear moto boots, regardless of the type of ride anticipated. I prefer the level of protection they offer over a softer boot.

 

[Philistine]

I have a dirt helmet and a road helmet if I
end up in the dirt with my road helmet like I normally do, I just flip the visor and use my sunny's and that works fine for me,

 

[Checkswrecks]

Thanks for taking e time to answer my questions now I have another. Considering he most of my riding will be street and the off road that I do will be fire roads and gravel rods, what do you like for adventure helmets or more mdern dirt helmets? Can you suggest a helmet hat would fit my needs? I like the idea of more room around the mouth area and better venting but the visor bill concerns me due to the head snappping back scenario. As an aside, I often use a Sena sytem and mount speakers in my helmets.

I look forward to your thoughts

There are numerous threads comparing different models of helmets on ADV, so why re-invent the wheel/thread? Be aware that the visors and such on dirt and adventure helmets are more likely to create wind noise.

 

[markjenn]

Thanks for taking e time to answer my questions now I have another. Considering he most of my riding will be street and the off road that I do will be fire roads and gravel rods, what do you like for adventure helmets or more mdern dirt helmets? Can you suggest a helmet hat would fit my needs? I like the idea of more room around the mouth area and better venting but the visor bill concerns me due to the head snappping back scenario. As an aside, I often use a Sena sytem and mount speakers in my helmets.

I'd recommend you get a street helmet unless for some reason you really are attracted to the bill or more venting. It will be smoother, quieter, and better for most of your riding. And you can get a flip-up if you prefer that sort of thing.

- Mark

 

[Magilla]

It sounds like a street helmet is the way to go. Thanks for your thoughts and the helmet lesson. ::008::

 

[fxst78]

I have dirt, adventure, flip and full face helmets. They all have there place. For what you have described you want, a full face is the go.

 

[greenwall]

The only major difference I can see is that so called adventure helmets have a bill that catches wind coming off the wind shield to knock your head around causing many folks to spend lots of money to find a shield to solve this dilemma.

 

[RidingUpandDown]

Dual Sport Helmet

hey Mike, ... as has been well stated above, plus

Here is a similar discussion over on ThumperTalk: (http://www.thumpertalk.com/topic/1067566-helmet-question/?hl=+dual +sport +helmet) dealing w/ a more specific Dual Sport Helmet, for STREET AND DIRT, a yet newer hybrid that some find, like any good compromise, are good at both tho not necessarily better at either.

Dirt helmets are open face for goggles (lets much more air flow, assumes u r sweating and working hard off road, goggle tear-offs for competition...) and that can let in unwanted cold if Just riding street,. - DS helmets now have flip down visors but still allow for goggles, air flo...
Dirt helmets have a bill for mud and sun... some DS helmets allow easy removal of the bill...
Dirt helmets typically have open vents, DS helmets have closable vents...

And here are a cpl great comparisons, esp look at the videos!

>detailed look at the AFX FX-39 Dual Sport Helmet: http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/afx-fx-39-dual-sport-helmet?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=helmet_afx&utm_content=afx_fx_39_dual_sport_helmet


>comparing five DS helmets: http://www.revzilla.com/dual-sport-helmets


Cheers, dean ::001::

 

[Magilla]

GREAT stuff Dean. Thanks! See you next week for lunch ::003::