Camera Placement Safety

OlliePrice

The Friends of Ollie
Sep 16, 2014
670
97
28
31
I ride a
Triumph Tiger 800
Do they really need to fit cameras on helmets? When they are all over the bikes and the tracks.

Also my camera is on top of my head, not the side or chin. So unless I have an accident like the coyote from road runner...
 
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Lurch

Administrator
May 5, 2014
5,527
2,067
113
Yorkshire
I ride a
2016 Street Triple R and a 1999 Honda NT650V Deauville
I prefer cameras on top, but it's impossible to do with my Nolan flip as both the visor and the flip go too far back to allow a camera to fit unless i like sky footage!
 

GixxersShadow

Asylum Ryders
Sep 12, 2014
343
82
28
35
Rancho Cucamonga, Ca
I ride a
K5 GSX-R600
After reading that Michael Schumacher's GoPro may have been responsible for his helmet 'exploding' on impact with a rock while skiing, I've gotten a little paranoid. From what I can tell, motorcycle helmets seem to be a little more robust than ski helmets, though we are generally more at risk on a motorcycle. It's possible that the camera basically pierced into the helmet and split it in two.

Have there been any studies/articles on injuries caused my wearing a camera on a helmet?
I actually got pulled over because of my GoPro side mount, the officer said that it was unsafe and could break my neck in a crash, first off he was wrong, a gopro would snap off, not snap my neck, second he was just making excuses up to pull over bikers...
Your fine, I've wreck during a boarder x event at about 45 and my gopro just snapped off, my helmet was fine, and I was as well.
 

OlliePrice

The Friends of Ollie
Sep 16, 2014
670
97
28
31
I ride a
Triumph Tiger 800
I actually got pulled over because of my GoPro side mount, the officer said that it was unsafe and could break my neck in a crash, first off he was wrong, a gopro would snap off, not snap my neck, second he was just making excuses up to pull over bikers...
Your fine, I've wreck during a boarder x event at about 45 and my gopro just snapped off, my helmet was fine, and I was as well.
Glad you are okay, and that's to true about POs they pulled over me to check all my details, something they can do just by searching up my registrationfrom there car.
 

Fuz

Wannabie Member
Oct 8, 2014
54
5
8
38
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
I ride a
2006 Suzuki Intruder VL250
I actually got pulled over because of my GoPro side mount, the officer said that it was unsafe and could break my neck in a crash, first off he was wrong, a gopro would snap off, not snap my neck, second he was just making excuses up to pull over bikers...
Your fine, I've wreck during a boarder x event at about 45 and my gopro just snapped off, my helmet was fine, and I was as well.

Nice to hear you came out alright. How was the GoPro?
 

Syntaxxor

Wannabie Member
Oct 24, 2014
79
18
8
37
Bangor, WA
I ride a
2014 CBR1000RR
I wouldn't at all be worried about my chin mounted Airmada. If I fell onto that, I'm pretty sure A)My Dual Lock would separate and the camera would bounce away. or B)I'd crush the little bugger.

On my new Variant, I have the camera mounted underneath the visor, again with Dual Lock. I'm, again not too scared, if I fell face forward, the visor would hit first and break, taking the camera with it.
 

SwissMotard

The Swiss Motard
Sep 19, 2014
3,282
917
113
I ride a
Triumph Street Triple
I too would be interested to see if there has been any research in to cameras on helmets in an accident. Of course, it may well be the case that it does, and the severity is certainly unknown. But then again, a camera mounted on the right won't affect you if you land on your left :)

I think it's fair to say you'd be a fool to assume anything with regards to safety with a camera fitted or not as the case maybe - until proper research is done. I would imagine there's a bunch of folk right now trying to work out the best way of carrying out some realistic tests on bike and ski helmets...

No scientific results so far.
 

NastyEvilNinja

4 wheel racer, 2 wheel lunatic
Feb 18, 2012
339
13
18
47
South Birmingham, UK
I ride a
Honda VTR1000 Firestorm, Yamaha FZR600R
Show me an example case study, otherwise you're a fool.

Whether I agree with you or not, you can't just call people with a different opinion a fool when neither side have evidence.

Go smash your helmet on the corner of a table.

Now go smash it on the flat part of the table.

Imagine the corner of the table was actually a camera attached to your helmet.

I could spell out all the physics of it, if you really need me to, but you don't NEED to see a study to know the end results, do you??? It's not a matter of 'opinion'.
 

SwissMotard

The Swiss Motard
Sep 19, 2014
3,282
917
113
I ride a
Triumph Street Triple
Definitely a matter of opinion until a scientific study has been performed, my overly aggressive friend.

For all you know, a GoPro on the chin could disperse the force of certain impacts across the back of the camera. We simply don't know either way. Period. :)
 

NastyEvilNinja

4 wheel racer, 2 wheel lunatic
Feb 18, 2012
339
13
18
47
South Birmingham, UK
I ride a
Honda VTR1000 Firestorm, Yamaha FZR600R
Definitely a matter of opinion until a scientific study has been performed, my overly aggressive friend.

For all you know, a GoPro on the chin could disperse the force of certain impacts across the back of the camera. We simply don't know either way. Period. :)

Overly aggressive?! o_O Isn't it you who called ME a fool?

Now I will call you an idiot, though: You're an idiot.

Do you honestly think the MSA and ACU have banned them on no evidence? They banned them for SAFETY.

Helmets are NOT designed or tested to have anything else stuck on the protective and specifically designed outer shell, because it will weaken them in an impact. It's beyond their scope. It's far too much of a variable, but will almost certainly pinpoint the impact rather than dispersing it as they are designed to do. And that's without going into adhesives weakening shells etc...

Honestly, you're trying to rubbish this stuff?

Why?

Genuine question, BTW.
 

SwissMotard

The Swiss Motard
Sep 19, 2014
3,282
917
113
I ride a
Triumph Street Triple
A convincing retort :rolleyes: Let's have a grown up debate shall we?

There is no evidence for your opinion, which you are stating as fact. My argument is simply that we cannot say with certainty one way or another, based on said lack of evidence.

Please note that I never said that they are safe, simply that we do not know. How am I wrong?
 

NastyEvilNinja

4 wheel racer, 2 wheel lunatic
Feb 18, 2012
339
13
18
47
South Birmingham, UK
I ride a
Honda VTR1000 Firestorm, Yamaha FZR600R
There is no evidence for your opinion

Yes there is, and again, it's not an 'opinion' - it's very basic physics. It's also the basic fundamentals of helmet design.

Go smash your head against the wall (a bit like I'm doing!). Then tape a ball bearing to your head and smash your head against the wall again.

Which hurt more?

MSA and ACU has not totally banned the use of helmet cameras - as I stated originally the camera has to be an integral part of an approved helmet design. The fact that nobody has managed to even get one of these designs (to my knowledge) through the standards should surely ring alarm bells for you? I don't know how many have tried, but if they're not, and with the popularity of helmet cameras and forums like this, there is a massive market there.

Unlike you, I am fully aware of the increased risks, but I'm still trying to get the MSA to let me wear a helmet camera for racing.

I'm just not sticking my head in the sand and trying to pretend there's no evidence that you're degrading the function of your helmet by fitting a camera.

I'm still not sure if you're just trying to troll, don't understand what I'm saying, or honestly believe you're right?!
 

Lurch

Administrator
May 5, 2014
5,527
2,067
113
Yorkshire
I ride a
2016 Street Triple R and a 1999 Honda NT650V Deauville
Going to depend where it is placed on the helmet as well. Mine is quite low down on the side above my shoulder (it's a Drift), the chances of impact there are minimal, thus a reduced potential risk.

While the ACU/MSA have banned helmet cameras, have the banned helmets that have the mount stuck to them? That's going to be nearly as bad as mounting a camera, it's a point source on the helmet, just not sticking out as far.
 

flybmw

Wannabie Member
Nov 16, 2014
102
55
28
41
Kazakhstan
I ride a
Suzuki VanVan RV200
Very good piece of debate going on here. Never actually thought of risks associated with mounting a cam to helmet- something I will now think about after mounting my Ghost just above my right ear yesterday.
 

AndyManCam

www.youtube.com/anymancam
Feb 26, 2014
489
155
43
43
Hamburg
I ride a
Versys 650
I have my drift high on the left side. Just above my temple. The way I see it, the only way I could hit it on the floor is if the camera touches down first. In which case I think having a camera there will be the last of my concerns.
 

Lurch

Administrator
May 5, 2014
5,527
2,067
113
Yorkshire
I ride a
2016 Street Triple R and a 1999 Honda NT650V Deauville
I've resorted to GoPro mounts for my Drift on the new lid. Strikes me, if you use an elbow with a GoPro, it'll probably bend out the way or snap the elbow.
 

Fuz

Wannabie Member
Oct 8, 2014
54
5
8
38
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
I ride a
2006 Suzuki Intruder VL250
The more I think about it, I feel like a top mount is the best placement for a Drift. Having a look at those helmet crash zone diagrams, the top is the least likely. I had trouble putting the adhesive on top due to the shape of my helmet due to the shape, which is why mine is on the top right side.
 

SwissMotard

The Swiss Motard
Sep 19, 2014
3,282
917
113
I ride a
Triumph Street Triple
It's all just guesswork. This is why we need a proper scientific study.
 

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