Rocketeer Helmet with custom liner

[stlcostumeguy]

If anyone has any tips of where I can get a helmet (seems alot of the places making/selling them (even the kits) are gone these days... If anyone has any info, let me know - thanks.

 

[AJLoCascio]

Check the junkyard:

http://www.therpf.com/f13/bargain-rocketeer-helmet-112605/


Boom!

Moony

 

[Rocketeer fan]

I'm a "The Rocketeer" fan, and have been reading the threads here for quite some time and decided to join just today. I have my Rocketeer jacket, high boots and jodhpurs and am primarily interested in getting the helmet next. I'm also a motorcyclist and have been wearing my Rocketeer jacket when riding. I saw this thread wherein Valor and Apollo said the Rocketeer helmet is just for movie props and not for motorcycles. I think that needs further consideration and to be revisited and would like their thoughts on this after they read my post here. Because not only is there a DOT & ECE approved "The Rocketeer" motorcycle helmet on the market, but there are other alternatives to THAT helmet as well. First I will show the actual "The Rocketeer" motorcycle helmet, that the "base helmet" it is made from, is DOT and ECE approved for motorcycling......from this link (where it costs $240.00 U.S.D.).....

Helmet hero Rocketter motorcycle Dot and ECE gold color | Etsy

Here are three pictures of it.

Also here is a video of it too. It even has L.E.D.'s in the air vents!

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=2081970601914573

Sure it's not exactly movie correct, but only real Rocketeer fans like myself and others here will know that and most of the general public and most motorcyclists won't know the differences. It's close enough, and close enough is good enough for the ONLY DOT and ECE approved "The Rocketeer" motorcycle helmet in existence.

The base helmet, is a DOT and ECE approved helmet. What the vendor selling these helmets did (as they did with many other character helmets they also make), is they started off with a DOT and ECE approved base helmet. Obviously this one had a base helmet that started out as a 3/4's open face helmet, and then created their own front section and added it to and over the top of the base helmet. I think it is permanently attached and does not hinge up like a modular motorcycle helmet, but stays stationary like a one piece full face helmet.

The fact that it was a DOT and ECE approved helmet to start with, and all they did was make it even more safer by adding a front section to it (that the base helmet did not previously have) makes it a legal motorcycle helmet in places/states where motorcycle helmets are mandatory. Now some may observe at this point about the limited visibility of the lenses. I will get to fixing that later on, bear with me please. Also you may notice from the photos, that the fin is not hard nor permanently attached. As far as I can see, it sits in a groove on top of the added on front section and is held in place by a screw at its front and rear. That is no doubt so the fin can easily break away in the event of a motorcycle crash and so it does not go through the helmet's base shell like a knife into your skull. Also the fin is made from another less rigid material than the rest of the helmet.

But I think the fin as well as the eye lenses can be further improved and made much better and safer. For one thing, even though the fin is a "breakaway", in the event of a motorcycle crash where the fin may hit something and breakaway, it still would be a problem on motorcycles primarily without windshields. Because as Valor pointed out, when you turn your head the wind is going to catch that fin, and since it is only lightly held on, (in order for it to be an easy "breakaway fin") that means that over time, (or even immediately) depending on your motorcycle's speed, the fin could just snap off from the force of the wind. Might not, but could. At the least it would start stressing the weak area where the screw is in the fin and likely snap that.

Sooo, to avoid that, I've been thinking of several things to counteract the wind force against that RIGID fin. 1. Perhaps the fin could be held on with a hinge that allowed the wind to push the fin down if the helmet were turned sideways in the wind, and then when no wind force was on its sides, a spring in the hinge would flip the fin back upright. That's one improvement. The second improvement I thought about was a very flexible thin plastic fin that had no hinge, but is flexible enough to allow the fin to lay down when sideways to the wind, but stiff enough to allow it to flip back up when no wind was against it. Perhaps something like a stiff rubberized material, or even something like a collar stiffener like is used in making stiff fabric collars in some jackets and could even be covered with fabric (remember, the fin is just for looks). Or some such similar idea in flexible materials that would lay down when sideways to the wind, but spring back upright when no wind was sideways to it.

Now for the eye lenses' visibility issues (which are paramount for motorcycling). We've all seen the faceshields on motorcycle helmets. They are usually either clear or tinted. But....some of them are colored or even have decal like pictures on them with dots, that you can see through with no problem from inside the helmet, but can't be seen through from outside the helmet. If I had this particular DOT/ECE approved helmet, I would take out the existing eye lenses, cut out the portion in the middle between them (that is the front constructed part of the helmet) and using a motorcycle face shield section that has those dots, that are either gold/brass or bronze colored (preferably bronze) all across the front so I had the same vision forward and peripheral that I would have with a regular motorcycle face shield. I would then mask that (say bronze) face shield off around the shape of the eye lenses, and then remove the dots from that area. Then when I was done, it would look like I had eye lenses like came originally with the helmet and the rest of the area of the front, would look bronze outside the helmet, but I could see through that area (where the nose is and beyond) just as good as I could through any standard motorcycle face shield. Understand what I mean?

Lastly, I spoke earlier about an alternative to even THIS DOT/ECE approved "The Rocketeer" motorcycle helmet. And that would be a custom made (I haven't been able to find any online) motorcycle helmet cover. A helmet cover that was all bronze and completely covered a full face motorcycle helmet. Then take the old face shield off that full face motorcycle helmet, and replace it with the dotted colored face shield material I spoke of earlier. Cutting and installing it as needed and removing the dots for the eye sections you want shown outside the helmet, while you can see all across and peripheral like I spoke of in my preceding above paragraph. You could make the curved side pieces of the Rocketeer helmet by using cut in half length wise sections of flexible hose and bend them to how you want them fit and attach them to your helmet cover's sides with a hot glue gun. Then fabricate the air vents out of flat pieces of PVC sheeting that you bend into shape using a heat gun and also hot glue gun them to your helmet cover. Lastly for the fin, you may have to make a slot in the top of your helmet cover so you can attach your extremely flexible thin rubber or plastic fin directly to your helmet's shell via J&B weld epoxy, instead of attaching it to the helmet cover, otherwise it would pull too much on your helmet cover's fabric. For any pieces that you needed to touch up to match the bronze color of the helmet cover, you could use rub on bronze paste that you can get at hobby craft stores. I've used it before in brass paste, and it actually had brass powder in it and even tarnished like brass after a while unless sprayed with clear polyurethane.

So there we now have the info here about the only DOT/ECE approved "The Rocketeer" (base) helmet in existence and ideas to improve it, plus an alternative for you to make your own out of a full face helmet and a helmet cover using a dotted, bronze colored face shield to give you full forward and side vison like a regular face shield, (but will look solid in the nose area and around the original eye lens areas to those outside the helmet), and some scraps of flat PVC, hot glue, J&B weld epoxy, a flexible bendable fin (but still will go back to upright after wind force is removed from its sides) made from thin plastic or even rubber. It would not be movie correct of course, but if you want to use it to ride on your motorcycle, it would be good enough and close enough. Thoughts for further improvements?

.

 

[chibobber]

I have a few questions and observations.
1: practicality, You touched on the wind affect on the fin. That would be determined in testing.
2: visibility, Field of vision severely diminished. Not a good thing for obvious reasons. The most important consideration.
3: weight, Will mods add too much and add to fatigue of rider.
4: liability, Is the manufacturer willing to have his design modified and would the helmet with the mods pass the DOT battery of tests.
Would the mods invalidate the original dot approval?
5: warranty: Some manufacturers forbid repainting and will void a warranty for that and any modification.(back to liability)

My background; Riding since I was 15yoa, now 67yoa. Police officer for 30 years. Emergency room security for 5 years.
The arguments for helmet use or not to use are varied from scientific to opinion. My observation is that they help in some cases and not in others.
There is no one size fits all answer.
You have put in a great deal of thought into this, as you should, your life might depend on it. This is why America has been the innovator to the world. Thinking outside the box.

One of my favorite sayings: "Just because you can does not mean you should." My other is "Go for it!"

Good luck and play safe!

 

[Rocketeer fan]

I have a few questions and observations.
1: practicality, You touched on the wind affect on the fin. That would be determined in testing.
2: visibility, Field of vision severely diminished. Not a good thing for obvious reasons. The most important consideration.
3: weight, Will mods add too much and add to fatigue of rider.
4: liability, Is the manufacturer willing to have his design modified and would the helmet with the mods pass the DOT battery of tests.
Would the mods invalidate the original dot approval?
5: warranty: Some manufacturers forbid repainting and will void a warranty for that and any modification.(back to liability)

My background; Riding since I was 15yoa, now 67yoa. Police officer for 30 years. Emergency room security for 5 years.
The arguments for helmet use or not to use are varied from scientific to opinion. My observation is that they help in some cases and not in others.
There is no one size fits all answer.
You have put in a great deal of thought into this, as you should, your life might depend on it. This is why America has been the innovator to the world. Thinking outside the box.

One of my favorite sayings: "Just because you can does not mean you should." My other is "Go for it!"

Good luck and play safe!

Hi Chibobber. We have a lot in common.

My background: Like you, I am also 67 years old, an old Marine, been riding motorcycles since I bought my first one at age 19 while in the Marine Corps stationed at Parris Island, S.C. in 1972. Also like you, I was also a L.E.O., a former state law enforcement officer, but switched my profession to the entertainment field. Started off in college theater, then community theater, then dinner theater, then switched to creating and doing my own shows both with live bands and pre-recorded music. I have been an Elvis and Tom Jones tribute artist for many years and have traveled all over the U.S. and toured Germany and Holland doing my shows. I'm also a tinkerer and invented and have U.S. patent office patents in the firearms field that I transferred/sold to a manufacturer. I am now semi retired but still do some entertainment shows here and there for mostly private functions when one of my old time agents calls to book me, not so much for the money, because I am sound financially due to investments, but because I enjoy doing it still here and there and with the costuming, make up and wigs, I can pass for my '40's. I'll do my best to answer your questions in the order you made them.

"1: practicality, You touched on the wind affect on the fin. That would be determined in testing."

If a motorcyclist has a windshield, the effect on the fin will be minimized compared to a bike with no windshield. However, some air still comes over the top of the windshield, and since the fin is on the very top of the helmet, it is going to get some wind on it. The stock fin that comes on the marketed Rocketeer DOT/ECE helmet, might be fine and not affect much if one has a windshield. But as you mentioned, that would be ascertained by testing it while riding. If it is affected, and pushes the head or is bothersome to the neck muscles, it may still be able to be used, but instead of using two screws, one at the front and one at the rear to secure it to the created front portion of the modified helmet, then I think this could work. 1. Take the two screws out, use the fin as a template and fabricate a more flexible rubber or rubberized material that is more flexible and would actually give and lay down when sideways to the wind and then snap back up after there is no wind resistance and secure that to the front portion of the helmet via J&B weld epoxy.

"2: visibility, Field of vision severely diminished. Not a good thing for obvious reasons. The most important consideration."

I tried to explain the fix for that in detail in my above preceding post. Sorry if my explanation was not sufficiently clear to understand for everyone. First let me re-post what I had written in preceding post so you can carefully read it again, and then I will try to expand upon that even more to make it more clear.

"Now for the eye lenses' visibility issues (which are paramount for motorcycling). We've all seen the faceshields on motorcycle helmets. They are usually either clear or tinted. But....some of them are colored or even have decal like pictures on them with dots, that you can see through with no problem from inside the helmet, but can't be seen through from outside the helmet. If I had this particular DOT/ECE approved helmet, I would take out the existing eye lenses, cut out the portion in the middle between them (that is the cosmetic add on front constructed part of the helmet) and using a motorcycle face shield section that has those dotted decals, that are either gold/brass or bronze colored (preferably bronze) all across the front so I had the same vision forward and peripheral that I would have with a regular motorcycle face shield. I would then mask that (say bronze) face shield off around the shape of the eye lenses, and then remove the dots from that area. Then when I was done, it would look like I had eye lenses like came originally with the helmet and the rest of the area of the front, would look bronze outside the helmet, but I could see through that area (where the nose is and beyond) just as good as I could through any standard motorcycle face shield. Understand what I mean?"

To expand upon that even more, here's some pictures and more explanation of how the Rocketeer helmet lenses can still APPEAR to be like the individual eye "goggle type" lenses to anyone OUTSIDE the helmet, but the person IN the helmet, in reality has an entire face shield they can see forward and to the sides throughout the entire face shield just as if there were no decal there on the face shield. You would have to cut out the front area of that Rocketeer helmet between the original front part's Rocketeer goggle lenses, and install an all across the eyes front face shield that has the dotted decal on the face shield and that decal would look like the original Rocketeer individual goggle lenses plus the bronze area between those lenses.....to anyone outside of the helmet looking at the helmet, while the wearer would have the whole face shield to look through. See my photos of motorcycle helmets that have that dotted decal on their face shields and decals available to put on face shields to see what I mean. The online ads for these types of helmets and their face shield decals say that depending on the helmet, the dotted face shield decal, MAY (but not necessarily) decrease a person's vision at night or in snow by 5%. But that same 5% decrease (sometimes, not always, depending on the helmet and the person) in vision also happens if you just get a tinted face shield anyway. That same technology used via the dotted decals on the motorcycle helmet's face shields, is also used on windows to that the people inside the home can see right through it and not see the decal, but anyone outside the home can't see through the windows and only sees the decals.

"3: weight, Will mods add too much and add to fatigue of rider?"

No. The helmet that is the ONLY DOT/ECE approved Rocketeer motorcycle helmet, starts out as a DOT/ECE approved 3/4's helmet anyway and the maker of that Rocketeer motorcycle helmet is only adding a Rocketeer front section to the helmet, so it would weigh no more (or even less) than a hinged modular or full face motorcycle helmet would weigh.

"4: liability, Is the manufacturer willing to have his design modified and would the helmet with the mods pass the DOT battery of tests.
Would the mods invalidate the original dot approval?".

The original helmet's designer is not really having his design "modified". That same original 3/4's helmet design is still there and still DOT/ECE approved. It just has a front section added to it plus a dotted see through decal added to the face shield, or if already a full face helmet, simply has a helmet cover stretched over it and a dotted see through decal added to the face shield. Once the person making the Rocketeer looking front section of the helmet buys it from the original manufacturer, that original manufacturer does not have any say so on whether they would be "willing to have their design modified", and it isn't really being "modified" anyway, the original helmet design is still there just COSMETICALLY ADDED TO. Those cosmetic add on's, would not invalidate the original DOT/ECE approval, no more than a person adding a snap on face shield or adding a cosmetic skull front mask to the helmet would, and has nothing to do with the strength of the helmet and it's DOT/ECE approval.

"5: warranty: Some manufacturers forbid repainting and will void a warranty for that and any modification.(back to liability)".

If the original helmet manufacturer has a provision in their warranty that voids their warranty if the helmet is repainted, then that is their prerogative, but that would have no bearing on the helmet STILL being DOT/ECE approved. And again, there is no "modifications" to the original design of the helmet, just cosmetic add on's that have nothing to do with the strength/integrity of the helmet and its DOT/ECE approval.

I hope my expanding upon what I wrote earlier and the pictures I've included, helps to better explain what I was writing about. Click on my below pictures to enlarge them and to see the dots in the decals that from inside the helmet's face shield you don't see and can see right though, but anyone outside the helmet only sees the decals. Thus from outside the helmet it looks like the original Rocketeer's individual eye lenses and the bronze metal between those lenses, but from inside the helmet, the wearer can see through the entire face shield. Just like the face shield decals you see in my included pictures.

 

[agliarept]

I can 100% guarantee that's not a safe or real motorcycle helmet. Even if it's partially built on an existing helmet.

You'll get as far as 100 feet until you realize what a terrible helmet this is for riding. Visibility aside, should you fall, that top half would have zero protection and more than likely crumble.

Looks nice, yes. Great design for riding a motorcycle, nope.

 

[Rocketeer fan]

I can 100% guarantee that's not a safe or real motorcycle helmet. Even if it's partially built on an existing helmet.

You'll get as far as 100 feet until you realize what a terrible helmet this is for riding. Visibility aside, should you fall, that top half would have zero protection and more than likely crumble.

Looks nice, yes. Great design for riding a motorcycle, nope.

It appears you either discount or completely ignored everything I wrote in my two previous posts and offer your non fact based "opinion" instead. From your very first sentence you contradicted yourself when you wrote: "I can 100% guarantee that's not a safe or real motorcycle helmet. Even if it's partially built on an existing helmet". You said it is "not a safe nor real motorcycle helmet" while you ignored the FACT that it IS a real and safe DOT/ECE approved helmet, and then contradicted yourself when you said: "Even if it's partially built on an existing helmet". You ignore the FACT that the "existing helmet" IS a REAL and SAFE DOT/ECE approved motorcycle helmet and those are just COSMETIC pieces ADDED to it that do not impune the "real-ness and safety" of that original "existing helmet" that is underneath the cosmetic add ons.

1. The front part is simply a cosmetic add on to an already DOT/ECE approved 3/4's open face motorcycle helmet. So adding the cosmetic front section that covers the face, actually gives you SOME face protection that the original 3/4's open face helmet didn't have. That is not a bad thing.

2. On what imperical evidence testing facts do you base your contention that riding 100 feet would make a person think this was a terrible helmet for riding? Are you even a motorcycle rider and have you ever ridden with and tested this helmet while riding a motorcycle? No? It's the same DOT/ECE approved open face, 3/4's motorcycle helmet it ALWAYS originally was, just with some cosmetic add on's. So what's the problem hmm?

3. I carefully and in detail in both my posts, wrote about how the visibility could be improved to the point of any other motorcycle's face shield by removing the individual lenses and adding in a full face shield with the dotted decal that makes it look like the Rocketeer's helmet lenses from the outside, while the wearer has a complete full face shield view from INSIDE the helmet.

4. Of COURSE the add on COSMETIC face part and the COSMETIC top half that extends over the original top part of the open face 3/4's helmet might break in the event of an accident, so could the shell material of any DOT/ECE approved helmet. The COSMETIC part is not supposed to be replacing the strength of the top section of the original base DOT/ECE approved open face 3/4's helmet. The original DOT/ECE approved helmet is still there and still offering the same protection as it did BEFORE the COSMETIC pieces were added on. So what's the problem?

Further, statistics show that when riders go down, 70% of the time they hit on their face. So the COSMETIC face part, AND the COSMETIC front part going OVER the the top of the original DOT/ECE approved base helmet's shell, would give SOME protection to the rider's face that he did not originally have if just wearing an open face 3/4's helmet. Plus the COSMETIC front of the helmet section that PARTIALLY goes over the TOP of the original 3/4's DOT/ECE approved helmet, couldn't help but give EVEN MORE of a layer of protection, because in the event of a fall off the bike, that COSMETIC section of both the face and over the top of the original helmet, would give an added layer of protection BEFORE the hit even got to the original DOT/ECE approved base helmet's top outer shell. Which is a good thing. So again, what's the problem other than you offering your "opinion" without reasoned facts and while ignoring everything I have written?

Further, since the COSMETIC section of that helmet is made from ABS plastic and or fiberglass, ABS plastic is what motorcycle fairings and some saddlebags are made from and is very strong and impact resistant. Also motorcycle helmet shells were made originally (and some still use fiberglass) in their outer shell construction. Did you even know what the material was that the cosmetic portion of that helmet is made from? But you based your contention that it would "crumble" without knowing what it was made from. The COSMETIC add on parts of this helmet are not made of the same fragile and easily breakable laser printed material as the cosplay helmets are made from. And even if they WERE, and even if they DID crumble in the event of a crash, so what? The base open face, 3/4's original helmet is STILL giving the same protection it always did before those COSMETIC sections were added on. So even if they WERE to crumble, (which they may break, but not crumble), the process of them breaking in a motorcycle crash would add a buffer to and further protect the original base helmet's shell underneath by adding an extra barrier/layer of protection.

Try to set aside any preconceived opinions and notions you may have, when you don't really have any facts to base your preconceptions on. Keep an open mind. That's what "thinking outside the box" is all about. And pay attention to what people say/write, instead of ignoring and discounting what they have said or written because your non factual, preconceived opinion won't allow you to think any other way. Do not let the ego of preconceived opinion get in the way of factual progress.

 

[chibobber]

R-fan,
Thanks for the follow up. I guess I am a little guilty(like being a little pregnant) of not reading your well thought out explanation of the visibility point. I love a good conversation. It is weird that you mention firearms. I was my departments armorer and have worked in a gun shop on and off since my 20's..Still do. (Glock,Sig,S&W certified,I went through the National match armorers course at Rock Island Armory and built .45s and M-14s. I have to say I do not do Elvis!

 

[agliarept]

I didn't even notice or bother to read replies to the original post...

15+ years Motorcycling, those are my 2 cents and i'm sticking by em'.

 

[Rocketeer fan]

R-fan,
Thanks for the follow up. I guess I am a little guilty(like being a little pregnant) of not reading your well thought out explanation of the visibility point. I love a good conversation. It is weird that you mention firearms. I was my departments armorer and have worked in a gun shop on and off since my 20's..Still do. (Glock,Sig,S&W certified,I went through the National match armorers course at Rock Island Armory and built .45s and M-14s. I have to say I do not do Elvis!

Chibobber, we have a lot in common. Except for my Elvis & Tom Jones tribute shows lol.

 

[Rocketeer fan]

I didn't even notice or bother to read replies to the original post...

15+ years Motorcycling, those are my 2 cents and i'm sticking by em'.

Obviously you did, because mine was not the "original post" in this thread, since I did not originate this thread.
But even though it is not what you wrote in your above quote, if what you meant was you didn't bother to read MY replies or anyone else's replies to my first post in this thread, if that is the case......therein lies your problem. You come in, trolling with negativity for an argument, voicing your non fact based opinion and then when I take the time to politely show you how incorrect you were, you say you didn't even bother to read the replies by me or anyone to my first post in this thread (if that's what you meant). You just showed everyone here how closed minded you are and that no one else's opinion, even when factually based, has any appeal enough for you to bother to read if it contradicts your own incorrect preconceived notions and opinion. You underscored that further by stating you have 15+ years of motorcycling and that is your "2 cents and you're sticking to it", further ignoring the facts that I told you in response to your uninformed and incorrect opinion and showing everyone here how closed minded you are to anyone's FACT BASED opinion (if it contradicts and shoots your non fact based opinion on engineering down) and how incapable of thinking outside the box you are.

By the way, I've been owning and riding motorcycles since 1972, that's 49 years to your "15+" of riding. But unlike you, I keep an open mind and realize that even with what I know (I'm an inventor, engineer and U.S. Patent holder are you?) I realize there is always something I can learn. So take your incorrect opinionated ego, closed mind, incapable of admitting you're incorrect even when the facts show you are, along with your negativity, and troll someone else, because I'm a positive thinking problem fixer and have an open mind towards engineering and am not going to waste any more time with you when you won't even read any reply to your "opinion" and just flew in and did your hit and run incorrect and negative trolling. If I hear any more negativity or inflated ego and closed mindedness out of you, I will just put you on the ignore button. Do me and the other positive thinking, outside the box thinking, correct engineering thinking, open minded folks a favor,.....GO AWAY.

 

[gnolivos]

Talk about derailing a thread. Most people subscribed to this to get updates on the original topic. No disrespect, but please next time be more conscious about reviving a decade old thread and turning it into your own topic.
Removing my subscription for obvious reasons now.

 

[Rocketeer fan]

Talk about derailing a thread. Most people subscribed to this to get updates on the original topic. No disrespect, but please next time be more conscious about reviving a decade old thread and turning it into your own topic.
Removing my subscription for obvious reasons now.

This thread was already dead or at least in a nursing home before I revived it. The subject of Rocketeer motorcycle helmets was completely on topic because it had been discussed by three people in this thread in 2010. So I did not turn it into my own topic, I merely revived the SAME discussion of Rocketeer motorcycle helmets that three members (Valor, Lmaas1 and Apollo) were previously discussing in this thread in 2010 on page one. Re-read the posts on page one of this thread to see I am correct. Motorcycle helmets and technology has changed since 2010 and the subject discussed on them regarding Rocketeer helmets for motorcycling in 2010 needed to be re-visited and re-considered in 2021 from the negativity it had received previously in 2010 from Valor and Apollo. If my reviving the subjects ALREADY PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED BY OTHERS in this very old thread is all it takes to upset you to the point of removing your subscription, then your incorrect sensibilities are a little too tender, not to mention your incorrect stated reasons for doing so. No disrespect here either, but boy, as a new member I'm learning quickly who are incorrect members a little too obsessed with their own opinions that do not match up with the facts, and who I should just click "ignore" on.

 

[agliarept]

LOL to your whole manifesto gramps.

 

[Rocketeer fan]

LOL to your whole manifesto gramps.

Just reported you for harassment and am hitting the ignore button on you now. Never going to waste another second on someone like you after this post of mine. Post away because I won't see anything you post once I hit the ignore button. I hope admin is taking notice of this after I reported you for harassment. Now go troll and bother someone else with your insults, negativity, contradictions and illogic because I am now ignoring you and will not see anything you post. I guess now it won't be as much trolling fun for you to harass me if you know I won't see your posts. And here I thought this would be a fun site with logical engineering minded people more interested in positive creation of things rather than illogic, negativity and harassment. But there's always that one or two isn't there folks?

 

[Uridium]

Obviously this one had a base helmet that started out as a 3/4's open face helmet, and then created their own front section and added it to and over the top of the base helmet. I think it is permanently attached and does not hinge up like a modular motorcycle helmet, but stays stationary like a one piece full face helmet.

The fact that it was a DOT and ECE approved helmet to start with, and all they did was make it even more safer by adding a front section to it (that the base helmet did not previously have) makes it a legal motorcycle helmet in places/states where motorcycle helmets are mandatory.

I think people and motorcycle riders may be taking issue with statements such as the above bolded part.

Adding a significantly restrictive visibility faceplate, and to be honest anything that sticks out in any way (such as the fin), does NOT, and I again quote you, "make it even more safer".

Not only the visibility, but what are the materials this faceplate uses? Is it fiberglass? will is shatter into sharp pieces in your face if it impacts the ground???
There is no way on earth that this is even more safer.

I wish you luck in building a motorcycle safe Rocketeer helmet, but any modifications to a DOT/ECE approved helmet puts the life of the wearer at risk.

 

[Rocketeer fan]

I think people and motorcycle riders may be taking issue with statements such as the above bolded part.

Adding a significantly restrictive visibility faceplate, and to be honest anything that sticks out in any way (such as the fin), does NOT, and I again quote you, "make it even more safer".

Not only the visibility, but what are the materials this faceplate uses? Is it fiberglass? will is shatter into sharp pieces in your face if it impacts the ground???
There is no way on earth that this is even more safer.

I wish you luck in building a motorcycle safe Rocketeer helmet, but any modifications to a DOT/ECE approved helmet puts the life of the wearer at risk.

I don't know what is wrong with some people, I really don't. Is it poor reading comprehension skills? A low attention span? Jumping to incorrect conclusions when if they had only carefully read my posts their questions would have been answered? I could make it easy on myself and just tell them: "Re-read my posts, they answer your questions and concerns". But I will try ONE LAST TIME, to politely explain about the Rocketeer motorcycle helmet's faceplate, eye lenses visibility and fin questions some people have regarding this Rocketeer motorcycle helmet even though their questions and concerns have ALREADY BEEN ANSWERED in my previous posts if they had the attention span to take the time to read what I wrote in them, not misquote me, and the reading comprehension to understand them, instead of piling on negativity, illogic and asking me about what has already been explained in my first two posts in this thread. This is my last time trying to repeat and explain what I have already previously explained. After this, if anyone has issues or questions, either re-read my posts or research for yourself. Sheez.

Uridium, I will address your issues and questions in the order you made them.

First of all, you misquoted me out of the context of what I wrote and what I was writing about.
Your misquote of me said: "Adding a significantly restrictive visibility faceplate, and to be honest anything that sticks out in any way (such as the fin), does NOT, and I again quote you, "make it even more safer"."

I never wrote that a fin would "make it even more safer". So when you said: "and I again quote you", (regarding the fin), you were incorrect.

Here's what I actually wrote:
"The fact that it was a DOT and ECE approved helmet to start with, and all they did was make it even more safer by adding a front section to it (that the base helmet did not previously have) makes it a legal motorcycle helmet in places/states where motorcycle helmets are mandatory."

Do you see me anywhere in that above quoted statement of mine address a fin or say that adding a fin would make the helmet more safer? Well do you? Then why did you misquote, mis-characterize and take what I wrote completely out of context and claim you were quoting me and claim that I was saying the fin would "make it even more safer".... when I never wrote that? I also never said that "adding a significantly restrictive visibility faceplate" would "make it even more safer". Again you misquoted and mis-chacterized what I wrote. Quite the contrary, in another paragraph of my first post (as well as in my second post to further clairify) I wrote about INCREASING the visibility of the see through two individual eye LENSES by replacing them with a full width see through faceSHIELD on the marketed Rocketeer motorcycle helmet. You don't look through nor have visibility through a solid "Faceplate" Uridium.

I was writing about the addition of a front face plate, and did not address anything about the fin in my above quote (I addressed the fin separately in another paragraph). So why did you try to make it appear that I did?

But let's address YOUR statement concerning the faceplate that you claim does not make the helmet "even more safer" than it originally was as a DOT/ECE approved, open face, 3/4's motorcycle helmet, with no face protection of any kind. Statistics show that when motorcycle riders go down, 70% of the time they hit their face. Google it. That is the entire reason that full face and hinged faceplate modular helmets were created (I wear a modular with a hinged faceplate and face shield). The 3/4's open face helmet, even though DOT/ECE approved, gives a rider absolutely no face protection at all. The maker of that Rocketeer motorcycle helmet's faceplate, (that he added to the original DOT/ECE approved 3/4's open face helmet), did not take away from the DOT/ECE approved safety of the base helmet he started out with, he actually made it even more safer (yes MORE SAFER) by adding a front faceplate that would give some protection to a rider's face if they went down and hit on their face. Just like a full face or modular hinged faceplate helmet would. Or would you rather the rider had NO face protection of any kind? How would THAT be safer? Well?

Now let's address the visibility issues you asked about. The individual two eye lenses in the faceplate of that Rocketeer motorcycle helmet is what you look through for visibility (you can not look through a solid faceplate as you misstated). But in both my first and second posts, I said that those two individual lenses couldn't help but decrease visibility and restrict peripheral vision (I guess you missed that or would not be questioning me about it now). In both my first and second posts, I proposed that those two individual lenses be removed, and the entire vision (ordinarily clear faceshield) front area of the faceplate, be dremel cut out, and a (ordinarily clear, but in this case dotted decal that is see through for the wearer) faceshield be installed to replace those two restrictive to vision individual eye lenses and to increase and give the same visibility that normal motorcycle clear or tinted faceshields give. In both my first two posts, I went into great detail about that, and about how an all across, see through faceshield that had the dotted see through decal (for the wearer to see through) on that faceshield, and how that dotted decal would give an outside the helmet viewer the image of two separate lenses with bronze metal color of the decal between and around them, so to look accurately like the Rocketeer helmet, but in reality the wearer of the helmet would have just as much unobstructed vision as a person wearing a full face or modular helmet with a clear or tinted full across faceshield would have. In my second post I even posted pictures of helmets that are like that and have dotted decals that are either already on their faceshields or decals you can buy to apply to your clear faceshield. As I wrote in my second post, the manufacturers of those dotted decals faceshield helmets, as well as the manufacturers of just the dotted faceshield decals themselves, state that: (quote): "the decals MAY depending on the person and the helmet restrict vision in rain or snow by 5%". But so does wearing sunglasses, and so does having a tinted faceshield instead of a clear one. I sincerely hope this answers your question about the visibility factor that I had already in great detail, fully explained, with pictures too, in both my first and second posts already.

Now to your issue questioning me regarding the safety of the fin that I have already and in great detail gone over in both my first and second posts. (Sheez!) First of all, a Rocketeer helmet has to have a fin on it or it is not a Rocketeer helmet in any sense of the word and might just as well be a 1950's "Comando Cody Rocketman" bullet helmet). As I wrote in both my first and second posts, I said that concerning that Rocketeer motorcycle helmet, that the fin was a "break-away" fin, that according to the reviews online on that Rocketeer motorcycle helmet, was made out of a softer material (the reviewers did not say WHAT material, only that it was softer) than the faceplate of the Rocketeer helmet, and that the fin was only held on by two small screws at the front and rear base of the fin. Both of which no doubt, the maker of that faceplate and the separately attached fin,.....did to insure that a hard non flexible more solid fin in the event of a motorcycle wreck, would not jam through the add on faceplate that goes partially over the top of the original helmet, and also go through the original DOT/ECE approved hard outer shell of the original helmet and into a person's skull. The break-a-way screws and the softness of the material of the fin, would preclude that from happening. That's great.

But I still saw a wind problem and wrote in BOTH my first and second posts about how that could be improved. (Guess you missed those too). Depending on just how flexible that fin would be when I bought that helmet (which I plan to do), if I feel it is not flexible enough and catches too much wind to where it moves my head around or puts strain on my neck muscles (all of which I covered in BOTH my first and second posts!) then I would use THAT fin as a template, and make a new softer, more flexible fin out of a rubberized material (perhaps something like "plastic-dip" poured into a plaster mold of the fin to create a new more flexible fin) that would lay down more in the wind, but still be just stiff enough to flip back up when no wind was against it. I even mentioned another option (in my first two posts) perhaps a hinge to allow it to lay down and a small spring to make it flip back up again when no wind was against it. I also mentioned that if the motorcycle rider has a windshield and or a fairing with a windshield, the already softer than the faceplate material, break-a-way fin might be fine for them since they have a windshield to break the wind. But for those without a windshield, the fin might present a wind problem. Only testing could tell for sure, and since both my bikes have windshields, it may not be a problem, but if it is, well I've covered that haven't I?

Now let's address the question you asked me of: "But what are the materials this faceplate uses? Is it fiberglass? will is shatter into sharp pieces in your face if it impacts the ground??? There is no way on earth that this is even more safer".

This is either the maker or sales vendor of that DOT/ECE approved Rocketeer motorcycle helmet's ad link.

This item is unavailable - Etsy

Find the perfect handmade gift, vintage & on-trend clothes, unique jewelry, and more… lots more.

www.etsy.com

Although they do not state so on that ad, I have read other reviews online about that Rocketeer motorcycle helmet they are selling. In those reviews it stated that the fin is made of a softer material and with two small screws to hold it on and not hard mounted to the top of the (partially overhanging the original helmet) faceplate, so that even though it is more flexible than the faceplate, it can also break-a-way in the event of a crash. You can even see the fin in one of the photos, looks to be a little bent to one side, probably because it is made out of a very flexible material. Those online reviews also said the helmet's faceplate is made from mostly fiberglass with a gel coat or ABS plastic or a combination of those materials.

Uridium. You asked me this: "But what are the materials this faceplate uses? Is it fiberglass? will is (sic, should be "it") shatter into sharp pieces in your face if it impacts the ground???"

Let me ask you this Iridium. What do you think a motorcycle helmet's hard outer shell is made out of? Do you know? Most of them except for a few high dollar ones, are made from fiberglass cloth and resin. See my below video link where I show my previous 3/4's open face helmet that I took apart that I had before I bought my newer, more safe, hinged faceplate and faceshield, modular helmet. See how its hard outer shell is made up from fiberglass?

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10159196883070070

If the fiberglass used in motorcycle helmets were in such danger of a "shatter into sharp pieces in your face if it impacts the ground", then manufacturers wouldn't make motorcycle helmets out of it worldwide. Further, if it WERE in such danger of "shattering sharp pieces into your face", then that means that ANY motorcycle helmet would do the same thing, unless it is one of those high dollar carbon fiber ones or kevlar ones, and although stronger than fiberglass, they can shatter too if they receive a hard enough hit.

Now referring to you saying: "There is no way on earth that this is even more safer", I don't know what earth you come from, but on the earth that I live on, I'd rather have SOME face protection than NONE on a motorcycle helmet. Hence, the Rocketeer motorcycle helmet we are discussing IS SAFER by the maker adding a faceplate to it, more so than the original DOT/ECE 3/4's, open face, no face protection at all helmet was that the Rocketeer faceplate was added on to.

And finally, to your last sentence Iridium, you wrote: "I wish you luck in building a motorcycle safe Rocketeer helmet, but any modifications to a DOT/ECE approved helmet puts the life of the wearer at risk."

Well thanks sooo much for your wishing me luck, (not that I need that well wishing to accomplish my goal) while at the same time all you did was pour out negativity, misquote me, mischaracterize what I actually wrote, and make illogical, incorrect, uninformed statements. Yeah, I sure appreciate your well wishes. Now let's examine the very last thing you said regarding: "any modifications to a DOT/ECE approved helmet puts the life of the wearer at risk." Uh huh. And what empirical testing evidence do you have to back that up? Come on now, you made a statement as if it was actual fact, so where's your empirical testing evidence to back it up? Oh, it was just your "OPINION" wasn't it and not a statement of fact at all. The FACTS are, that the base helmet is a DOT/ECE approved helmet. The facts are that base helmet is still the same design and the same helmet under the Rocketeer cosmetic faceplate, but with more safety and made from the same safe materials as the base helmet that it was and still is before those cosmetic add ons were added on. The facts are, that you can call ANYTHING you stick on a helmet, either a snap on clear faceshield, or a snap on visor, installing blue tooth inside the helmet, or even an aftermarket faceplate that users commonly strap on to attach to the helmet to protect their face and chin, or even attaching a pair of goggles to the helmet,..... can all be called "a modification" can't they? So the facts are, what you consider a "modification" is purely subjective and up to individual interpretation and OPINION, and your opinion is what you've stated not FACTS. You are certainly entitled to your opinion (wrong though it may be), but you are not entitled to the facts. Mechanical science and science itself is only entitled to the facts, and even then, only those things that can be PROVEN as facts. Some facts are just common sense that is obvious to most. But some people seem to be incapable of realizing the obvious. Like someone who can't understand how an add on faceplate to an otherwise open face, no face protection, motorcycle helmet IS a safety improvement. Know anyone like that?

You have to remember this, motorcycle helmets are not a guarantee that you will not be injured in a wreck. Their outer hard thin fiberglass shell is a safety measure against moderately hard hits, but the inner padding and styro-foam insert is what REALLY cushions and protects your head against impacts. A helmet decreases the risk of brain injuries if a rider goes down and hits their head. But many times the rider's head is protected, but they die from a broken neck, internal injuries, etc. A helmet is a safety measure, but unless your entire body were to be encased in an extremely thick kevlar or steel suit of armor, (which would weigh too much to wear), you aren't really protected from getting badly injured or killed in a motorcycle wreck. And even a suit of heavy armor like those, if you get hit by a semi or crash at high speed, even heavy armored suits like that would not be a guarantee that you would be uninjured. If some idiot on a crotch rocket doing 120 MPH hits a telephone pole with their helmeted head, their helmet isn't going to save them. So a helmet, even a very good expensive one, can only do so much to avoid injury to your head. In my state of Florida, we do not have mandatory helmet laws. So many riders ride without one. I think that is foolhardy and irresponsible, because not only are they not taking any measures to protect their skull, but if they do get badly injured in a wreck, that is what causes the insurance companies to have to go up on helmet wearing rider's rates, because of the financial loss of the medical treatment the non helmeted rider caused them to pay out for hospitalization, therapy, home improvements for a disabled person if they are permanently brain injured, etc. So I always wear my helmet and am always aware of safety since I live in a state where we have some of the highest rates of motorcycle accidents in America.

Unless someone has any additional POSITIVE ideas, that I have not already covered, about how to further improve the ONLY Rocketeer motorcycle helmet on the market, don't ask me any more questions that have already been previously answered in my posts in this thread. Read. And concentrate on what you're reading, don't let your attention wander and try to remember and comprehend what you are reading. No one here is in kindergarden just learning to read, so act like intelligent adults and don't give an incorrect, negative opinion when you have no information nor knowledge about what you are talking about. I am not going to explain all this and post again to answer questions that have already been answered in my previous posts in this thread. I welcome positive ideas posts and questions, but not negativity and insulting trolling remarks that I have received from one individual I had to click the "ignore" button on. If you don't have any positive helpful ideas to add that have not already been mentioned, then don't reply. I have covered this in EXTREME detail now, if you are at all interested in acquiring a Rocketeer motorcycle helmet, refer to my posts or research it for yourself like I did. This is my last time explaining it.

Sorry if I sound annoyed, but some people here have misquoted me, took what I wrote out of context, some have insulted me, some have asked the same questions I already answered in my first two posts, some have said I "derailed and hijacked this thread for my own off topic purposes" when this thread was 11 years old already and the last person who posted before me was in 2010 so I didn't "derail" nor "hijack" anything, and I was not "off topic" because three people had PREVIOUSLY posted about Rocketeer motorcycle helmets on page one of this thread back in 2010 and I was merely resurrecting this thread on that same previously discussed topic, and the same guy that incorrectly accused me of all that said he was going to cancel his subscription because I had resurrected this thread! That's the kind of uninformed, moronic people and responses I've had to listen to and deal with since I first posted in this thread. Only one person was nice to me in this entire thread since I posted, thanks Chibobber, you were the only decent one and the only one that had the humility to post admitting that you didn't catch my explantions in my first post and apologized for not catching them before asking the same questions I had already answered.

So my "welcome" to this forum has been very annoying and frustrating. I have been reading the threads at this forum for quite a long time. I decided to register and join just a few days ago thinking it would be a nice experience. It's been less nice than I expected so far. So yes, I'm frustrated and annoyed at people who do not have good reading comprehension skills, have the memory and attention span of a three year old, don't bother to read an entire post, are insulting, make illogical and ignorant uninformed statements, don't pay attention to what I've previously posted and ask inane questions that I have already answered in my first two posts and waste my time. I'm sure the reasonable people here can understand my annoyance and frustration.

Of people at what is primarily a movie prop site (mixed with steampunk and a few other things), where they can remember all the minute details about this or that brand of laser printed Rocketeer cosplay helmets, how this brand is too narrow, that brand is too big, this brand is junk, this brand is good, this Rocketeer jacket brand doesn't have the movie cuff straps and side straps, this brand does have the cuff straps but not the side straps, the Abbyshot Rocketeer jacket was the best one, but isn't made anymore, the Wested brand jacket is just okay but they got the collar wrong, the Magnoli Clothiers in New Zealand jacket is the only one that is still made that is movie correct, this rocket pack is better than that one, this Rocket kit has movable flame deflectors, that one doesn't, these jodphurs are better than those other ones, these are the only correct to the movie high boots, This rocket pack harness has the movie correct buckle, that one doesn't and an entire thread was made either at this forum or another Rocketeer forum, about how some guy was selling counterfeit rocket harness buckles and claiming they were originals from the movie,.....etc, etc, etc, etc,.....AND ALL THOSE MINUTE DETAILS people at this forum can remember but they don't have the reading comprehension skills, memory or attention span, to remember comprehend and get right, what I wrote in my first two posts in this thread? Seriously??!! Really??!! I expected more "in the weeds" detail retention and more intelligence from people at this forum, especially from Rocketeer fans. Over and out.

 

[JoeG]

You seem nice.

 

[Rocketeer fan]

You seem nice.

Thanks JoeG. I try to be and normally am, unless provoked.

 

[joberg]

I think your idea is an interesting one. You have, obviously, made your research and your experience as a rider is another +
Love that you'll have some sort of integral helmet but with the optical illusion of a "face-shield-visor" that will reproduce the look of the Rocketeer helmet. You were also mentioning a type of soft fin. Maybe it could be made in solid rubber, so every time your head would turn, the major surfaces of that fin would bend/collapse with the wind pressure. Or, securing the fin with springs (a little bit like a saloon door), so it can collapse on either sides when turning your head?