What do you do with your helmets when you are out?

[KnightRider]

Just a quick one, whenever I go to town and leave my bike I always take my helmet with me. This is a major bind as I have to carry it and it is not exactly small.

I recently bought a small chain which I am thinking of using to lock my helmet to the bike and was wondering whether you guys thing it will be safe. In addition to the chain I am also going to wrap the helmet in a waterproof bag that I already have to stop it getting wet.

My main concern therefore is theft as the helmet is a Shoei x1000 and is worth a bit. My thinking was that as the second hand market for helmets is pretty much non-existent so unless someone wants it for personnal use then it is unlikely to get stolen. Do you think the helmet will be safe?

[Drew Carey]

Well, for me it depends on where I am. If going into town to shop, then I carry it with me and put it in a rucksack. But, if out on a social ride somewhere like Stratford, there are normally hundreds of other bikes. Therefore I make it blatantly obvious that I am attaching it to the hooks under the pillion seat. Unlikely with that many peeps around someone will have a go.

[SoulKiss]

Just a quick one, whenever I go to town and leave my bike I always take my helmet with me. This is a major bind as I have to carry it and it is not exactly small.

I recently bought a small chain which I am thinking of using to lock my helmet to the bike and was wondering whether you guys thing it will be safe. In addition to the chain I am also going to wrap the helmet in a waterproof bag that I already have to stop it getting wet.

My main concern therefore is theft as the helmet is a Shoei x1000 and is worth a bit. My thinking was that as the second hand market for helmets is pretty much non-existent so unless someone wants it for personnal use then it is unlikely to get stolen. Do you think the helmet will be safe?

Your bike will already have the facility to lock a couple of lids to it - well at least the Z750 and the Pointy SV have.

However

Would you REALLY want to leave your lid out of your sight?

Not from theft - but from potential damage.

[custard]

topbox!! :)

[Dangerous Dave]

There was a thread about this not to long ago, I keep it with me as you never know what will happen to it when you leave it with the bike (even when chained to it).

In many cases it is an expensive piece of kit, and an important piece of safety equipment.

[kwak zzr]

i use the helmet lock on my bike or carry it.

[KnightRider]

hmm, as long as the helmet is off the floor i dont really see what the major problem is. I seriously doubt that anyone could damage it without knocking the bike over when it is attached to the side of the bike. I was also thinking of strapping it to the top of the forks/yoke so it wouldnt be hanging off the side of the bike.

Has anyone on here ever had their helmet stolen whilst it was attached to the bike?

[mike_avfc]

if i'm at the bike shop i use the helmet hooks under the pillion seat, anywhere else i take it with me.

Only got a cheapo HJC at the mo, want a Arai Viper :smt040

[sv-robo]

Carry it,you lazy sod!!;)

[Dangerous Dave]

Has anyone on here ever had their helmet stolen whilst it was attached to the bike?
Not me personally but when I parked up in a bike bay the guy already parked next to me warned me as his helmet just got nicked. I have also seen yobs kicking a helmet against the wheel it was chained too....

I guess it is all down to where you park, and of cause the total of mentally handicapped youths that are nearby.

[zsv650]

carry it with me just dont trust somebody not to either nick it or be a a hole and kick it or hit it with something.

[KnightRider]

Fair points I guess. My misses hates it when I have to carry it around with me.

[chakraist]

Get her to carry it about!

[yorkie_chris]

A friend of mine locked his to his bike, when he came out of the shop there was a guy about to take a slash on it!

Needless to say, the drunk had trouble holding his face together moments later. But yuck!

I carry mine with me.

[SoulKiss]

Fair points I guess. My misses hates it when I have to carry it around with me.

Just tell her to STFU

Simple really

[Mr Speirs]

I am rubbish when it comes to leaving my helmet. Bearing in mind I am never far from my bike but I just leave it near the bike somewhere along with the rest of my stuff.

I once (through stupidity) left my bag with all my overnight clothes etc next to the bike, the helmet hanging off the wing mirror and the keys still in the ignition at the Ponderosa.

[Baph]

hmm, as long as the helmet is off the floor i dont really see what the major problem is. I seriously doubt that anyone could damage it without knocking the bike over when it is attached to the side of the bike. I was also thinking of strapping it to the top of the forks/yoke so it wouldnt be hanging off the side of the bike.

Has anyone on here ever had their helmet stolen whilst it was attached to the bike?

I don't see this as the point really.

Without a helmet, you cannot ride (legally). Hypothetical situation:

You use the hooks under the pillion seat to secure the lid, then wander off shopping. Some scrote takes a knife to the chin strap on your lid, and you arrive back at your bike to find a lid you can't use. Mighty p****d off, but this is only the start!

Given that there's no spare helmet at home (or if there is, no-one to bring it to you), then you, lets say get a bus to a mates house, who's helmet you can borrow for a while to get your bike home.

When you return to the bike, with your mates lid, you find the same scrote that knifed your chin strap has had your bike away a long time ago.

In this situation, I'd imagine that the scrote saw the bike, but didn't know when you'd be back - assuming it would be quite soon as you'd left the helmet there. So they tamper with the lid & stay close by to watch what you do when you find their 'craft work.' Once you leave the bike, that's the green light for them to take it.

The helmet isn't always the target, and could just be used in a bigger event. Taking the helmet with you would stop this happening. A bike is more expensive than a helmet (depending on the bike/helmet :D ).

[Baph]

I once (through stupidity) left my bag with all my overnight clothes etc next to the bike, the helmet hanging off the wing mirror and the keys still in the ignition at the Ponderosa.

I've done this too, only with a slight change.

I've left gloves/helmet on the tank/bars of the bike, with the ignition key in, outside the house. My bike jacket was also draped over the seat! The bike was left like this overnight!

I've done that twice!! Thankfully I live in a very quiet area.

[Lissa]

I've done this too, only with a slight change.

I've left gloves/helmet on the tank/bars of the bike, with the ignition key in, outside the house. My bike jacket was also draped over the seat! The bike was left like this overnight!

I've done that twice!! Thankfully I live in a very quiet area.

Yeah, but you've got a Pointy anyway, who'd nick one of those!

Back to the lid debate, we carry ours. Not worth the risk of theft, damage or pee leaving them with the bike.

[Orpheus]

I live in Romford, so i personally wouldn't leave my helmet, or even a pair of socks for that matter without fear of them being stolen/shat in by the time i get back.

[Littlepeahead]

The nice man at the Caberg stand at the bike show gave me a free rucksack when I bought a new visor. I carry the helmet around in that and then swap the helmet for the shopping when I've finished in town. But if I'm parking alongside lots of other bikes, like at a pub, I just attach to the under seat hook. Then again my head is so small that you'd have to be a six year old to get your head in it if you stole it!

[Dave20046]

As has already probably been said it's illadvisable for a few reasons
1- damage be it accidental or scrote driven
2- getting nicked
3 - makes the bike more nickable as they'll look legit when they ride about with your nice shiny shoei on.

[Frank]

Yeah, but you've got a Pointy anyway, who'd nick one of those!

Back to the lid debate, we carry ours. Not worth the risk of theft, damage or pee leaving them with the bike.


mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...but I do remember a certain mulleted man leaving his keys in the bike while he sat in a cafe .



how naughty were we to hide them:mrgreen:

[DanAbnormal]

I like to play with mine. :cheers:

[thedonal]

I've got a carry bag for my lid- just a simple one with a drawstring. Just pop the lid in that and sling it over my shoulder. Nice!

[Kilted Ginger]

Attach mine to the hooks under the pillion seat, never really considered doing anything else. I do have a helmet rucksack but keep her helmet in it to stop it getting dusty

However if I came back to the bike and found the helmet gone I would ride home and if stopped by plod explain the situation

If they cut the chinstrap off could it be repaired to be used again?? I wouldn't have thought so.

[Dave20046]

Attach mine to the hooks under the pillion seat, never really considered doing anything else. I do have a helmet rucksack but keep her helmet in it to stop it getting dusty

However if I came back to the bike and found the helmet gone I would ride home and if stopped by plod explain the situation

If they cut the chinstrap off could it be repaired to be used again?? I wouldn't have thought so.
And what if they kick it and there's no external damage to suggest that?

[joshmac]

I like to play with mine. :cheers:
Dan you can get arrested for that in public mate... I think they call it indecent exposure ;):lol:

[MR UKI (1)]

Used to either put it in Helmet bag and carry it round or use helmet lock under seat. When i go on the bike next season it will now live in the TOPBOX :smt040

[KnightRider]

And what if they kick it and there's no external damage to suggest that?

If they kicked it hard enough to damage the helmet internally then they would either damage the helmet, damage the bike or knock the bike over. It also depends on where you leave the helmet. I'm thinking of leaving locked on top of the yoke in between the handlebars. It wouldnt be easy to kick it in that position.

Overall, yes most times having the helmet with you isnt a problem. There are however times when it is just a hassle. Like when you go to a pub where there are no seats - on those occations I think I'm going to risk it especially if I park in a low hoody risk area like a designated NCP car park.

[-Ralph-]

I leave it on the designated helmet lock on the bike. Nobody is going to nick it to either use it or sell it 'cos a helmet with no chin strap is useless and unsellable anyway, so it's really only clueless idiots and vandals you have to worry about. I have never had an issue. It's just not attractive to a real thief.

I used to use the same principle with my car when I stayed in a dodgy area of North London, I left it empty and unlocked. I often came down in the morning to a door ajar or boot open, perhaps a few muddy footprints on seats, open glovebox, etc, but as there was nothing worth stealing and the car itself was an old heap, thieves had a look, then moved onto the next victim. Before I started doing that it was costing me a fortune in broken locks and smashed glass, only to have them look inside and then move on empty handed anyway.

[-Ralph-]

Also if you are talking into London, then you may be able to park near a railway station, then use a coin operated luggage locker. If your talking about just into Maidenhead through 30mph limits, buy a really cheap £35 helmet, if you come off you'll still be better protected than a cyclist who is moving at a similar speed.

[Lozzo]

I carry mine around with me so I can 'accidentally' smack it into the ignorant chavs who frequent the town near where I live

[NickWilde123]

KNOX make a bag with a special bungee cord strap that hold helmets perfectly, called a knox sixpack. im thinkin bout getting one tomorrow. any one had one???

and for the chav beating carbon fibre knuckles are quite good aswell :D

[PsychoCannon]

I always just strap the helmet strap onto my backpack straps or belt, doubles as a handy storage device then as well and I don't have to think about it, wouldn't ever leave it unattended on the bike.

See lots of people chain them to their front wheels and having seen all sorts from dogs taking a "break" in them to the people kicking them as they walk past without looking where they are going, can't understand why people do it tbh.

[DanAbnormal]

Dan you can get arrested for that in public mate... I think they call it indecent exposure ;):lol:

Nah, most girls just look at it and go "Aaaaaaw".

Sigh.

I would never leave my lid on the bike though, for some reason I am paranoid about someone p*ssing in it! I must have heard of that somewhere.

[joshmac]

Nah, most girls just look at it and go "Aaaaaaw".

Sigh.

I would never leave my lid on the bike though, for some reason I am paranoid about someone p*ssing in it! I must have heard of that somewhere.
Can't have your helmet covered in P1ss now can we! ;)

[BBadger]

i thought about this recently.
take my old beaten caburg into town and leave it on the bike/ floor if its a nice day with a chain.

other solution is what my dad just bought.
Its a helmet bag, but had metal mesh wire in it so someone cant chav it, completely waterproof and the tightening bit at the top is also a chain and padlock so you can tie it to what ever you want, and it screws up under the seat nicely.

[Heed]

Depends on where I park really. If I'm at the bike racing I know it will be fine on the bike. In town I carry it with me.