K11 Owners Group

[Scott_Anderson]

Opinions on best helmet color for visibility.

Thanks.
_________________
Ride safe.



1997 K1100LT 0302488
2017 FLHTK Ultra Limited
Garmin StreetPilot 2820
Garmin Zumo 550
Garmin Zumo XT
"One who does not ask questions is ashamed to learn" Danish proverb
1995 K1100LT 0302044(R.I.P.)
1997 R1100RT ZC62149(sold)

[Mystic Red]

Scott, Hi-Viz or yellow. If you can't stomach those choices, white. Next helmet, I'm going yellow. Doesn't go too bad with a red bike. So I voted other.
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Scott Hespelt, '94 K11LT
K11 OG #466

[Flying Duck]

I pay attention to what helmet colors I see when driving. White wins hands down. Because my first reaction to a white helmet is to think "COP!" and i'm actually looking for them when I drive/ride.

I don't think silver stands out at all.

My favorite helmet is flat black. I'm not into the high viz thing. I let my Johnny-Lites take care of that.

(You might as well have started an oil thread as opinions are all over the map.)
_________________
93 LT (x2)
94 RS
86-97 K75F(K75/100/1100 Frankenbrick)
86 K75C w/paralever, hi perf cams,TURBO!
91 & 92 K75Ss
91 K1
86 custom K100
14 WR250R
IBA #17739 (SS1K, BBG, 50CC)
Buy parts HERE

[RAL88]

I picked yellow for the helmet I just bought because the yellow stands out more. I would have gotten a hi-vis orange if they made one.
_________________
Rich

"If it ain't broke, take it apart and make it work better"
*************
'96' K1100LT-SE
'97' R850GS-R

[Scott_Anderson]

[Off the grid]

Yellow, but Drake might be on to something with his cop angle.
_________________
Bane of your existence since July 2006
2007 Triumph Tiger ABS. "Sabertooth"
2009 Husqvarna TE610. "The dirty Italian mistress"

[drikko]

As others said silver is really bad as it reflects the surrounding colours. Kinda what an invisibility suit would do.....

I have red to match the bike and it's surprisingly close. Next best thing to hi-vis orange.

Would like some reflective tape though. Can't seem to find it here.
_________________
K1100RS '97
Laverda RGS 1000 '84
Jim Young Trailer Sailer 5.7M WB

DISCLAIMER:- Anything I say may have been when I was drunk so please don't take it personally.

'Bigamy is having one wife/husband too many. Monogamy is the same.'
Oscar Wilde

[Jim]

Scott - white or pearl white. When you're out riding, just look around and see which color helmets stand out.
_________________
Jim
1997 K1100LTSE 94,000 - still has gremlins!
1995 R100RT Classic 16,650 crashed - repaired!
1992 K75RTP 46,000

"We shall not all die, but we shall all be changed."

[drmalacarne]

I read in someplace that white is the most visible helmet.
But a reflective vest helps.
And the helmet must have reflective decals. Here in Brazil the reflective decals in helmets is law.
http://www.reflectivedecals.com/moto.htm
Guilherme.
_________________
1994 K1100LT SE n° 0267
1998 HD Heritage Springer 95th anniversary
Yes, a Hog and a Beemer can live together!

[SugarHillCTD]

Voted for other. BMWMOA has several threads on this, most of which are personal opinions- just like here.

So here's mine.

First, what color are most highway warning signs? (school zone, crosswalk, slower speed road curve, etc) In the northeast U.S. they are YELLOW. I figure that color is chosen to get a motorist's attention.

Second, when I am driving I look at what color is not too comon. Dark colors (black, grey, dark silver) tend to be what our eyes always see when we look horizontally- ahead, to the sides or to the rear- so those colors would be likely to blend in to the backround- especially to an SUV or truck driver.

But with the trend toward smaller vehicles a motorcyclist's head will appear slightly above the horizon to those motorists. In daytime most light colored helmets (white, light silver) could blend into the sky on a bright day.

That being my reasoning (and I'm sticking to it ) I am looking into a helmet for 1-up days and it will be "warning sign" YELLOW. I might also go with a Scott Anderson approved HI-VIZ vest.
_________________
John & Cathy

'92 K100RS4V Pearl White SOLD
'04 K1200GT
IBA Several-SS1k, BBG, 50CC NYC to S.F.

[RAL88]

This is the vest I wear over my jackets

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=3604

and this is the helmet I picked up


_________________
Rich

"If it ain't broke, take it apart and make it work better"
*************
'96' K1100LT-SE
'97' R850GS-R

[Flying Duck]

Speed limit signs are white and are laws while yellow signs are just cautionary. (School zones being the exception.)

If you REALLY want to stand out in traffic and keep cages away then you can't beat this vest:




I would never get a green safety vest. I was following a rider in my cage one day on a rural road during the spring. All of the trees had fresh spring leaves on them and the irony was that his green high viz vest safety made him blend right in.
_________________
93 LT (x2)
94 RS
86-97 K75F(K75/100/1100 Frankenbrick)
86 K75C w/paralever, hi perf cams,TURBO!
91 & 92 K75Ss
91 K1
86 custom K100
14 WR250R
IBA #17739 (SS1K, BBG, 50CC)
Buy parts HERE

[SugarHillCTD]

Like I said- warning signs are yellow. To get your attention.
_________________
John & Cathy

'92 K100RS4V Pearl White SOLD
'04 K1200GT
IBA Several-SS1k, BBG, 50CC NYC to S.F.

[owrstrich]

_________________
yeeeeeehaaaaaaa...

[SugarHillCTD]

[Ted]

I just picked up my first white helmet, plan on adding some strips of the 3M Scotchlite I have kicking around. Scotchlite is incredibly reflective - day or night, doesn't matter. The added beauty is it is an off-white color so it won't look too goofy. I figure a 1" "halo" around the whole bottom of the helmet, then a few extra strips on the side and back.

I would probably have gone Hi-Viz if it had been available at the price I got the white one. It wasn't, and I figure white with the Scotchlite will hopefully be about as noticeable as you can get.


As a side-note, you can buy pre-cut pieces for your rear classic K-Bike cases, that is also on the "buy" list

Has anyone added this stuff to the sides of the bike? Seems like that would also be a good idea.
_________________
Ted
KOG#1

[Jim]

Ted - if you have luggage, it's also a good idea to put some reflective material on the bottom of the bags - just in case.
_________________
Jim
1997 K1100LTSE 94,000 - still has gremlins!
1995 R100RT Classic 16,650 crashed - repaired!
1992 K75RTP 46,000

"We shall not all die, but we shall all be changed."

[Scott_Anderson]

I had one of the Icon milspec vests for a couple of years now, but since I have worn it so much it's sun faded and not "hi-viz" green/yellow anymore.

I have one of these now.
http://www.visionvests.com/

I have had the 3M schotchlite reflective tape/stickers on the helmet and will get more for the new one.
As well as the reflective stickers on the back/sides of the luggage.

Jim, I hadn't thougt about the bottoms. Not a bad idea.

I see that Scorpion now has out a modular helmet in the Hi-viz yellow. Wonder how sun fading would affect it.

I have been doing some post reading at ADV and BMWMOA on the issue.
There's a whole lot of info out there to digest. Looks like I will have some more time to read as we're supposed to get another 5" of s%$# this weekend.
_________________
Ride safe.



1997 K1100LT 0302488
2017 FLHTK Ultra Limited
Garmin StreetPilot 2820
Garmin Zumo 550
Garmin Zumo XT
"One who does not ask questions is ashamed to learn" Danish proverb
1995 K1100LT 0302044(R.I.P.)
1997 R1100RT ZC62149(sold)

[Jim]

[Flying Duck]