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Re: Keeping cool in the Dog Days of summer



Bruno,

My Shoei helmet is serving its 8-th season, it is a good helmet.  Since my friends have FRS radios but my wife and son have CB radios, I have to have both system on the bike.  In the helmet my son installed the CB earphones as the first system, then installed the earphones of the FRS radio on top of the CB's earpieces.  The CB earphones are so strong that while being covered by a second set, they just working fine.  Earphones have nothing to do with helmet ventilation, I just mentioned that to described my helmet.  
> You need a helmet with good shell ventilation.  if there is air circulation around the inside of
 >the helmet, there is possibility for eveporative cooling.

Ventillation, on most helmets are badly designed.  The helmet has ventillation only if the helmet's shield is down, otherwise the shield covers the opening for ventillation.  I was considering to drill some vent holes in the shell but I don't want to weaken the helmet.  If small holes would be randomly located (not in a row) it might not effect the strength much, the net area betwheen holes could be determined the way we used to do that between rivet holes of steel structures.  Also the location of the holes could be in an area where their effect is the least.  As I said, I was only toying with the idea, did not spend time thinking it through, not yet, let alone drilling them.   

Last June (2004) riding around and through Las Vegas I was boiling.  I carry a small old helmet for hot weather riding but I don't use it for a bit more serious riding.  To receive some ventillation, I reclined my windshield (R1100RS) and exposed my helmet covered head to the wind, shield down.  At decent speed it is almost OK. 
Something should be done for helmet ventillation, that's sure.  

>I'm sure that if you had the opportunity to explain that in court, the policeman's judgement would >have looked silly.
I am pretty sure that contesting the ticket in court would have been fruitfull and I even told the officer that I will do that, but considering the cost of $60 on gas + some on food and drink, and to loose a day for going to Kingston, made me realise that the whole thing would have been for academical reasons only, and I could not be bothered with that, so I paid.

Bob Silas

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