Flip Front Helmets

This week we are talking motorcycle helmets. In particular flip-front helmets. Flip-front motorcycles are, without a doubt, the fastest growing area of motorcycle helmets in recent years. These originally were a very small percentage of our stock and sales but these are steadily becoming more popular with every season that passes.

We have a large range of flip-front helmets here at J&S Accessories Ltd and that doesn't look like it's going to get smaller anytime soon.

Flip-front motorcycle helmets have the advantages of both a full-face helmet offering protection from the wind and rain etc. whilst also offering all the benefits of an open-face helmet so it's no wonder their popularity is growing!

Our two most popular selling helmets from this range are at each end of the money scale. The Shoei Neotec Borealis is our best seller and its reduced from £499.99 to £399.99. This offers premium comfort with all the added durability and reliability of a Shoei with all of the luxuries you would expect. “The Shoei Neotec Flip-Front Motorcycle Helmet is the new flip-up helmet from Shoei. This features the patented Shoei shell in AIM organic fibre and multi-composite fibre in layers for a shock-absorbent shell with optimum rigidity, EPS-liner system with two densities optimised protection trough EPS elements with different shock absorbing levels, mist-retardant CNS-1 Pinlock system, fast and easy to change, micro ratchet system, easy to handle, always perfectly adjusted 360° Pivot Locking System made from stainless steel, 3 different outer shell constructions or perfect fit and compact dimensions, 3D-centre pads, detachable, washable, cheek pads detachable, washable, chinstrap cover detachable, washable, easy to maintain and clean, prepared for Intercom installation, multiple venting and extraction for optimum ventilation performance inlets on brow and chin, fresh air supply guaranteed, two outlets at the rear to exhaust warm air, integrated spoiler for optimised aero dynamical performance, integrated “Vortex Generator” active noise cancelling, cheek pads in different sizes for individual adjustment, breath guard prevents fogging of the visor (Included) chin curtain reduces turbulence inside the helmet (Included) and original SHOEI helmet bag comes with the helmet.”

However, on the other end of the price scale, yet still one of our best-selling flip-fronts is the Frank Thomas DV06. This is priced at £79.99 yet gone are the days that this meant you got nothing extra for your money. This offers the same safety certification as the premium Shoei above as well as lots of other features that the first generation of flip-front helmets would never have offered. “The Frank Thomas DV06 Flip-Front Motorcycle Helmet features an injection moulded lightweight shell, internal dark sun visor, removable and washable interior, full ventilation system, Quick-release ratchet style external anti-scratch visor, chin skirt for reduced noise and wind penetration, easy to use fully adjustable new style ratchet chin fastener and comes in a choice of colours.” Flip-front helmets have come a long way.

With the progression of the flip-front motorcycle helmet market comes a new breed of flip-front helmets. The helmets with dual certification. In the helmet world after successful testing a certification label is given to each helmet. This certification mark consists of a circle containing the letter E (for the European standard ECE 22.05) The model certification number beginning with 05 (22-05 standard) and then a letter after a hyphen: “J” if the helmet does not have a chin guard, “P” if the helmet has a protective chin guard and “NP” if the helmet has a non-protective chin guard. This new breed of flip-front helmets has both a P and a J making them advisable to ride on UK roads with the visor up. Other helmets are not advisable to ride with the front of the helmet up in the flipped position.

This new P and J range of helmets give a bit more versatility to the touring rider. An example of this new range is the Shark Evoline helmet. "The Shark Evoline S3 Flip-Front Motorcycle Helmet scored 4 stars in Sharp ratings and features anti-fog and internal sun visor, micro-ratchet fastener, fully removable interior, lightweight Thermoplastic construction, EASYFIT system for comfortable use with glasses, ''Auto-up'' device for unlocking the visor and chin bar simultaneously, reduced weight, improved aerodynamics, particularly with chin bar fully extended, new quieter design and improved interior ventilation, homologated twice for open face or full face, new comfortable interior with high-quality washable fabrics and is SHARKTOOTH ready."

There are a few more of these appearing in our stores each season and I am sure these will be a growing phenomenon within the flip-front helmet range for a long time to come.

On a side note do not confuse the European homologation with ACU Gold stickers. ACU stands for The Auto Cycle Union (ACU) which is the governing body of motorcycling in Britain. ACU standards have a stricter safety standard than the minimum legal ECE 22.05 specification with a very specific set of standards for track days and racing. This is, obviously, limited to racing full-face helmets only. This does not in any way supersede the EC standards – this is purely for track days and racing helmets only and therefore does not apply to any flip-front helmets. Whilst flip-fronts are legal for road use and they are of a very high standard, ACU Gold, at this point in time (while these helmets with the P and J certification are still relatively new) only apply their ACU Gold stickers to full-face helmets. This, in time, may change, but for now these are the rules.

Until next week!

Alex