Loud Helmets save lives - Custom painting a Shoei X-11.
Over the last couple of years there has been a lot of controversy in the moto-journals regarding the technical particulars of helmet safety. Does the multi-impact standard of the Snell foundation tests produce an EPS liner that is so stiff that it actually transmits more force to the brain in an impact? Is the BSI standard safer than the DOT standard, though not recognized by some state departments of transportation or racing organizations? Are the articles in the magazines designed to bring about a strategic re-thinking of these standards, or to merely sell more helmets manufactured by the magazine’s major advertisers?
Damned if I know.
I will say this, though. On the street, the helmet can serve a vital function that could well preclude the necessity of the helmet serving as an impact shield at all, and that is to make you VISIBLE to the cell phone-using, brain dead, insulated cagers who would be trying harder to kill you, if they could be bothered to focus on anything at all.
I’m a strong advocate of bright, ultra-visible protective gear for street riding. The fact that I formed this opinion while flying through the air a distance of more than 100 feet after being rear ended by a blind old son of a bitch in a pickup truck gives it some priority in my personal credo.
I figure if your helmet does the job of alerting cagers to your existence, it may never have to perform its real task, that of keeping you among ranks of living, thinking riders. In that 1996 accidentm my pearl silver SHOEI did the job for which it was designed – I hit the street hard, several times, and my glasses didn’t even come off. But it failed to alert the driver to my presence adequately.
The next day, after I was released from the hospital, (where I was treated by having sadistic nurses shove a tube up EVERY orifice in my body and then telling me I was OK,) I went Orange.
My next SHOEI was more effective than the first one, because I never had to test its shock-absorbent qualities. It was a blaze orange RF700. Not stylin’, but very noticeable. People actually began to drive differently when I was wearing that helmet. They’d wait for me to cross intersections instead of turning left in front of me. It was eerie. I still don’t trust the bastards, but they definitely saw me on the road. Loud pipes don’t save lives, loud clothing does!
When that helmet was 5 years old, I retired it and bought the best Shoei available, which is my current X-11. It is a lightweight, comfortable helmet with great ventilation, expanded visibility, and the highest degree of quality that great company could invest in its design and construction.
There was just one problem… it didn’t come in orange. So I bought a white one and painted it.
The primary tools I used were a Paache airbrush and AUTO–AIR brand water soluble paints by Createx. And tape – lots of tape…The graphic I used as the theme is the logo for for one of my favorite 60's bands, Traffic.
I took the masking off with razor blades, and since that was a major pain in the ass, I took a different approach and masked the red-to-orange part with plastic and tape.
Next came a very subtle shade of fire engine safety-yellow, with a bit of metalflake blown in for shadow.
Since I couldn't get an exact shade to match my screaming orange leathers, the orange-red fade made sure it worked.
Now I can be seen by the legally dead... If you do a search on createx auto air, you'll find a bunch of mail order houses like Dick Blick that carry them The retailers should be available through Createx Colors A pretty good description of the line is at air brush depot They have pearls, iridescents, candys and generally a really nice selection.
Re: Loud Helmets save lives - Custom painting a Shoei X-11.
Great job and write up!
I almost think I could do it after reading that...yeah right.
"It's not debt per se that overwhelms an individual, corporation, or country. Rather, it is the continuous increase in debt in relation to income that causes trouble." --Warren Buffett
Re: Loud Helmets save lives - Custom painting a Shoei X-11.
Wow, it is loud! I said IT IS LOUD!
Looks great Nice job and great writing and pics!
The owners manual with my Shoei Syncrotech says no painting, is this just a liability thing?
"The Father wove the skein of your life a long time ago. Go and hide in a hole if you wish, but you won't live one instant longer. Your fate is fixed. Fear profits a man nothing." Herger the Joyous
Re: Loud Helmets save lives - Custom painting a Shoei X-11.
Yes. Shoei will not be responsible for possible degradation of the EPS liner if it is painted, because most paints have isocyanates and other Volatile Organic Compounds that can degrade the EPS if used incorrectly. In this case, the color coats were water based, and the clear coat was applied and cured in a heated paint booth in a matter of 2 hours. I used a balloon inside the helmet to keep the fumes from gathering in there, so I am confident the helmet was not compromised in any way.
Re: Loud Helmets save lives - Custom painting a Shoei X-11.
Excellent write-up! Thank you. And yes, I agree with the concept that loud helmets save lives. Anything we can do to be more noticed is definitely in our best interest.
Re: Loud Helmets save lives - Custom painting a Shoei X-11.
Originally Posted by Jetbdude
wow, nice joc cbr!!!! Nice write up as well Do you do fairings ?
Leaving aside the question of when you might have seen my jock...
I took a few auto restoration classes at the community college and painted my '92 VFR as a project. I'll post the write up on that pretty soon, but there's a few pictures here before paint pictures from motorcycles photos on webshots I'll probably do something with my race fairings on the SV this winter.
Originally Posted by colryn
That's mad skilz Yo!!! Looks great.
Question - What does BB stand for on your leathers?
Barnacle Bill Leathers - I have to write a review on them as well - great people and products Barnacle Bills Racing Leathers
Re: Loud Helmets save lives - Custom painting a Shoei X-11.
I've been considering keeping the same basic design of the Scorpion helmet, subbing fluorescent yellow for the red and fluorescent orange for the white.. but I'm not that wild about their design overall.
I think I'm leaning toward keeping the basic "traffic" arrows logo design I currently have and switching the colors; Orange arrows and Yellow body. Then I'll figure a way to variegate the colors in the arrows and airbrush shadows for the shapes.
Where my current helmet has a SHOEI badge, I may ask BDA or Grafixman to make me a MCADX label in the same style..
But these decisions shouldn't be made while sober..
Your 2006 "Loud Helmet" paintjob has inspired me to try something similar. I'm curious how your paint job has held up over the years? I've never tried water based paint before and I'm interested in how chip resistant they are. Of course, you did cover the water based paint with clear coat. What did you use for a clear coat paint?
I noticed that you painted over vents. Did you have any problems with the paint gumming up the vent switching mechanisms? As it happens, the helmet I'm painting is also an X-11, so any tips from your experience would be very helpful.
By the way, I got one of the last of the x-11s. They are being discontinued and after seeing the pictures of the x-12, I decided I better hurry up and get an x-11 before they were gone.
Your 2006 "Loud Helmet" paintjob has inspired me to try something similar. I'm curious how your paint job has held up over the years? I've never tried water based paint before and I'm interested in how chip resistant they are. Of course, you did cover the water based paint with clear coat. What did you use for a clear coat paint?
I noticed that you painted over vents. Did you have any problems with the paint gumming up the vent switching mechanisms? As it happens, the helmet I'm painting is also an X-11, so any tips from your experience would be very helpful.
By the way, I got one of the last of the x-11s. They are being discontinued and after seeing the pictures of the x-12, I decided I better hurry up and get an x-11 before they were gone.
Actually, there are more pictures on the Triumph 675.net forum. Also, there is a completely new visor system similar to the new RF1100. Google up the Shoei Europe site to see a description of the new visor system and the RF1100. From what my source told me, RF1000s and x-11s are discontinued and will be going on clearance. The new helmets are due in October.
The helmet has held up very well, hasn't faded or shown any incresed tendency to chip.
I was taking a community college course in painting at the time, and we used high-end DuPont paint, so that was the clear that I used, though any brand would have been compatible.
As I recall, I painted the vents with the water-based paint in a closed position but opened them and stuck Q-Tips into the vent holes when I clear coated the helmet. I made sure that everything opened and closed as soon as I could get my hands on it after it came out of the heated booth.
I plan this winter to paint two more helmets with the same design, but in different colors - One with similar eye-attracting colors, and another in a color scheme that is compatible with my RC30.
One will be a Scorpion EX700 and I might get that new Shoei after I try one on. I have been very happy with all the Shoeis I've owned.
I'll do the water-based coats and get them over to 08silvercbr for clear-coating, since he's a much better painter than I could ever be.
The helmet has held up very well, hasn't faded or shown any incresed tendency to chip.
I was taking a community college course in painting at the time, and we used high-end DuPont paint, so that was the clear that I used, though any brand would have been compatible.
As I recall, I painted the vents with the water-based paint in a closed position but opened them and stuck Q-Tips into the vent holes when I clear coated the helmet. I made sure that everything opened and closed as soon as I could get my hands on it after it came out of the heated booth.
I plan this winter to paint two more helmets with the same design, but in different colors - One with similar eye-attracting colors, and another in a color scheme that is compatible with my RC30.
One will be a Scorpion EX700 and I might get that new Shoei after I try one on. I have been very happy with all the Shoeis I've owned.
I'll do the water-based coats and get them over to 08silvercbr for clear-coating, since he's a much better painter than I could ever be.
Thanks, but it's only because I do it every day. Wasn't always like that.. Let me know when you get them where you want them, and we'll set up a time to knock them out so you can take them right back with you.
Lehmanhill, like CBRVFR said.. any of the better lines will work fine. Helmets and motorcycles in general don't see the daily abuse and sun like cars do. The UV protection is in the catalyst in the clear (or basecoat if you add it to it) so as long as it's cleared with a decent urethane clear there won't be fading issues. As far as chipping try to avoid as much film build of material as possible. Too much paint = chipping. Also as for the waterbased base goes.. All basecoats will be switching to the waterborne line over the next 3 years. There won't be any adhesion issues as long as you let the waterbased base totally dry out before the clear. (speaking quality paint lines anyway) Water is much slower than solvent based if you don't have the proper air movement. The only draw back to using water is you can't get the same airbrushing effects with water yet as the solvent base.
Do sober what you said what you'd do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut. - Ernest Hemingway
Thank you to both CBRVFR and 08silvercbr. Its always great to hear the voice of experience. Its also good to know some other motorcycle addicts in SE Michigan. I grew up in Davison and now live outside Chelsea.
Great suggestion. Let's get together and share our favorite local roads. I might have trouble keeping up with your hot rod bikes, though.
By the way, I was telling my normal riding buddy about your helmet painting project and he told me that he painted the gas tank of his dirt bike with the same Traffic symbol back in 1973. Great minds think alike.
...dude you ride an offroad bike with slicks, 1/2 the weight of a GS, double the suspension, with a browning 50 cal going off 32" from your skull as a daily freaking driver - I'd expect anything except a nitro dragbike to be bland by comparison - SSG
how about something similar to the RC?
wheel in all its single sided glory.... on one side only.....
Red, light blue, blue arcs both sides. incl. gold pinstriping
other side??? maybe ghost of the honda wing?
don't have very good graphics skills, but hopefully gets across a point.
LinkBack URL
About LinkBacks
Reply With Quote
Nice job and great writing and pics!
Originally Posted by Jetbdude
Bookmarks