Vintage BMW Motorcycle Owners

Worse yet, I bought an old timey leather aviator's cap. Zero protection from a crash...except it might keep my hair in place when I'm decapitated. Add the cool retro steampunk goggles and I'm good to go. I wore them once for a 5 mile ride. At 80 mph, I felt too vulnerable and swore I would never do it again. I'll keep them for a good photo op with the bike. I have a photographer friend who said he would photograph me using an old tintype process.
Brian Hoover
1966 R50/2
Cedar City, UT

Basically you now have what they call a "Parade Helmet" that is okay for use in period enactments and the like, at least in those states in the USA who insist on a DOT approved helmet. I would love one of the Davida helmets with a Marshall paint job as per the TT. That would be very cool!

The DOT designation simply means that a helmet has passed minimal standards for penetration, crushing, and retention. If it's shaped like a Davida, I think it would offer relatively little protection even if it were made out of steel. If I wanted to wear one (I don't), I would not be influenced by whether it has the DOT sticker. I see people wearing them for photo-ops and at shows, but I don't recall seeing one being worn on the road at 70 mph.

If you really want the vintage look shop for a Geno helmet made in Paris France. The outer shell is made out a thin aluminum with leather straps and fabric interior and little vented ear muffs. Because of the aluminum it is hard to find them without a lot of dents and most are a smaller size. Made in the 40s - 50s also called a pudding bowl. I found one with only a small ding in great condition in original paint size large. My state doesn't require a helmet but I do wear one 99% of the time. But a have worn my Geno for a little neighborhood ride on a vintage bike every once and awhile.

Im not arguing the safety of a good DOT helmet or not but ........ if you want to keep from getting a ticket you can buy DOT stickers and put them on/in your helmet. The Feds do not have a data base of which helmets are certified or not. If you have a DOT sticker on the helmet it makes their decision to write a ticket less encouraging. Just saying.

Several years ago while attending the Americade Rally in NY they stopped all the bikes coming into town to look at helmets. If it had a DOT sticker on it they let you go. If not .... ticket.

BTW .... all my helmets are DOT.

I was at that rally also that year
They wrote a lot of tickets

Tommy

Maybe you need to date a British single to properly use your pudding as protection.

The Davida Jet is not a pudding helmet, but it is open-faced and DOT approved. And looks good with a pair a French aviator goggles.

Ira Agins
Santa Fe, NM

I have been working on my bikes lately.
While test-riding my bikes my ear is a key part of the process.
Wind noise when wearing the Davida makes this task difficult, I can hear better the engine inside my Shuberth.

As much as I would like to think that cool is a state of mind and really it doesn't matter what anyone else or for that matter what everyone else thinks.

However I think "Cool" like "Gay" now have taken on an almost objective meaning.

For instance, Tattoos now seem to be considered "Cool" - otherwise why would so many people opt to have one or more.

A Harley Davidson motorcycle is considered "Cool" while a Jap bike from 5 years ago is unlikely to get a very big thumbs up.

Noisy exhausts seem to rate as "Cool" - standard exhaust a bit ho hum.

So the more I look at what so many people consider "Cool", I find myself less and less inclined to want those sort of people, to recognize me as one of them.

I still think "Cool" is a state of mind and it takes more than a Harley and a tattoo to achieve that state of mind.

Now about that helmet!!!!!!!!!


Mal