Please choose your helmet (edit) fastener carefully

[feeger]

This happened during a group ride I was on last Sunday. We were riding highway 193 from Georgetown to Placerville. I was riding in front at a moderate pace when I realized no one was behind me. I turned around and rode about a mile back to find 3 bikes strewn about the road.

The first rider hit the embankment on a moderate turn and the rider directly behind him followed suit and hit him. The third rider layed his bike down to avoid the carnage.

The first rider's helmet came off during the crash and he hit his head pretty bad. He got a helicopter ride to the ER and is still in ICU. The chp would't let me trailer his bike away because he didn't think the first rider would make it and needed to impound the bike as evidence.

here's the impact area:

Here's the clasp? that failed:

the first bike:

second bike:

third bike:

I will not be buying any helmet that uses that type of clasp.

 

[ALDAWG]

Don't trust that type of clasp for anything, very weak and poor design...I hope these guys will be OK, I wish them the best.

 

[Ignacio]

That is an after-market quick release clasp...it's not stock. It attaches to the stock helmet straps. Can't tell the brand for sure, but it looks pretty close to this one.

Sometimes they wear, sometimes people don't full engage them...especially this model. Assuming it was latched and released related to the crash....not a good data point.

I've got a Powermadd Quick Clip myself because I didn't like the one pictured. It's far easier to confirm that it's engaged and seems anecdotally better. Enough that I trust it.

 

[Crash Cash]

That's apparently an aftermarket ECHO buckle. While these are great if they're locked closed, they're a pain in the butt to get locked. I stopped using them, and they're why the only helmet I will buy is a Nolan (because they're the only flip-up without the m--king stone-age D-rings)

Personally, I think he should sue the helmet manufacturer for supplying a helmet with a D-ring instead of a real buckle.

 

[johnny80s]

I'll keep my d-ring. Hope your buddy is ok.

 

[wheatonFJR]

Whoa. That is just horrible.

I like my D-ring more and more.

Sorry about the trauma to the rider and to the group.

 

[Bungie]

Had a similar quick clasp on an old helmet, damn thing would bite my neck half the time doing it up. Then, another buddy had a VERY minor spill. Helmet popped off. I tossed th clasp and will put up with the minor irritation of doing up the D rings from now on.

 

[cougar8000]

Thank you for posting. I never liked those buckles. People in MSF class asking me about them, now I will have something for them to think about before getting one.

Hope rider will be ok.

 

[Geezer]

When I saw the title of this thread I was thinking that the helmet came off because it was too big. I've seen various clips advertised over the years, but I don't know anyone who uses them. I'll stick with the stone age D ring.

I hope the rider pulls through OK.

 

[exskibum]

I've never had a problem with a D ring, never really thought of it as an inconvenience. Won't go near a clasp like that -- not since a horse got away from me due to a clasp release on the lead rope while evacuating from a fire when I was a teenager. If it has to hold and I need to trust it, I'll decide function over form every time, and that clasp just doesn't look reliable or safe for such a critical attachment.

Very sorry to hear of this incident and the injuries. Awful -- 3 of 4 bikes go down and one guy is critical!?! That's gotta be rough on you, Feeger, as well as on their families.

 

[user 6393]

I hope your friend in ICU will be ok.

I am not a big fan of the whole clasp thing as yes, they sometimes do not fully engage. I'll be keeping my D-rings, TYVM.

I have seen some people helmet up and not do up the chin strap on hot days, or do it up rather loosely. Helmets are designed to stay on and do the job they are designed to do if they are used as directed. It's not just faulty straps/buckles that can cause a helmet to go MIA during a get off.

The gentleman who runs our local MSC tells this story of his brother:

Riding home late one night, his brother missed a corner and ended up in the bushes. His visor was not in place, but flipped open for airflow.

When his 2 riding partners found him, he was unconscious, with a piece of tree impaled up and thru the soft palate of the back of his upper mouth.

Had his visor been in place, the stick would have glanced off and his injuries much would have amounted to just "off-road rash". Had the stick gone just a little bit farther, into his brain, well...

He was very lucky that night, he survived.

It's one thing to own the gear with the intention to be ATGATT, another thing to be consistent in using it correctly so we are.

:helmetsmiley:

 

[Spook]

What happened they just miss the turn, sand on road?

 

[feeger]

Ignacio, thanks for the title edit. I didn't know that it is an after-market clasp.

Very sorry to hear of this incident and the injuries. Awful -- 3 of 4 bikes go down and one guy is critical!?! That's gotta be rough on you, Feeger, as well as on their families.

There were five of us on the ride. The only rider I knew was way behind and was able to stop in time. Even though I had just met the other riders over breakfast that morning, it was really hard maintaining composure after the crash. Hearing my friend call the rider's family and knowing how badly he was hurt was really tough.

Luckily an off-duty CHP and someone else with a really impressive medical bag happened to come upon the within minutes and took care of first-aid and getting the chopper quickly.

I made myself busy by collecting bike parts and (after the chp took measurements) moving the bikes up a really steep driveway.

I met his parents at the tow yard the next day (I'm storing the bike at my house). It still hurts to think about how devastated they were. They didn't even know he owned a motorcycle (he's 28).

What happened they just miss the turn, sand on road?

Road crews had done some ditch maintenance on the side of the road and there was red dirt on the pavement. I didn't slide on it, but it did make me pucker a bit when I passed it. I can only guess that he must have panicked and hit the brakes in the turn which would have sent him straight into the embankment.

Thanks for the kind and supportive words everyone.

 

[Auburn]

That's apparently an aftermarket ECHO buckle. While these are great if they're locked closed, they're a pain in the butt to get locked. I stopped using them, and they're why the only helmet I will buy is a Nolan (because they're the only flip-up without the m--king stone-age D-rings)
Personally, I think he should sue the helmet manufacturer for supplying a helmet with a D-ring instead of a real buckle.

First of all, I hope your firends pull through without any lasting issues.

You can't blame the manufacturer of the helmet for someone installing and aftermarket quick release that modifies the helmet buckling system.

 

[johnny80s]

Personally, I think he should sue the helmet manufacturer for supplying a helmet with a D-ring instead of a real buckle.

That makes no sense whatsoever.

 

[blufjr]

Luckily an off-duty CHP and someone else with a really impressive medical bag happened to come upon the within minutes and took care of first-aid and getting the chopper quickly.

Angels

Al,

Thanks for posting this awful event as it brings up and helps bring up other events that remind us of how careless we (may) become, or lackadaisical with our gear. I never liked that clasp either, mainly because it pinched my neck. I do not have a problem with the D rings as you can get a good tight fit and they are easy to use if you learn to insert a loop instead of feeding the end of the strap through the ring. I'm on my third Nolan with the clasp and haven't heard of any mishaps with those helmets coming off.

Hope your new friend gets through this in good shape. It's good to have angels around.

 

[Texan]

Thanks for this information. I know it will help people make better helmet clasp decisions. I pray the rider pulls through okay. Please keep up updated.

 

[Joe2Lmaker]

That is an after-market quick release clasp...it's not stock. It attaches to the stock helmet straps. Can't tell the brand for sure, but it looks pretty close to this one.

The link looks like the photo feeger posted.

Personally, I think he should sue the helmet manufacturer for supplying a helmet with a D-ring instead of a real buckle.

That makes no sense whatsoever.

It must have something to do with his forum handle.

 

[FJRBluesman]

First off I hope you friend and all will be OK.

IMO I would never modify my D-ring for "easier" removal or installation of the chin strap. If you don't mess with it, you won't have an issue. There is a reason why it's a D-ring and not a quick release piece of plastic. My 2 cents.