Reevu lets loose updated MSX1 helmet with built-in rear-view system
By Donald Melanson 
posted April 24th 2010 10:01AM
posted April 24th 2010 10:01AM
posted April 24th 2010 10:01AM
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Pretty sweet! Where's the pre-order list at?
@shadowj0
Looks preety cool, Even thou i'm not a bike rider.
What's the cost thou?
how do motorcyclists see in the rear-view mirror normally? isn't it on the bike itself?!
@buoy Motorcycles do have wing mirrors, but a lot of the time it requires the rider to actually turn their body and look backwards.
@buoy Most rear view mirrors on motorcycles (especially sport bikes) give an excellent view of your elbows.
You have to do a bit of a body movement to see behind you. This is much nicer. We were just talking about this a couple days ago on motovlog motorcycle forum. =)
@buoy
And of course your body blocks the direct rearview.
I'm not sure if I want a rear-view helmet or not. Of course more information is always helpful ... but being able to see that cager tailing me for miles might just end up making me too nervous to concentrate on the road ahead. I'd have to learn a new level of patience and defensive motoring.
For motocross racing, it would be invaluable.
@buoy I imagine the equivalent is similar to side-view mirrors on a car. Since motorcycles don't have a full-length front windshield, this would be the closest equivalent. I see motorcyclists turn all the way around to check for cars in the next lane. To me, that seems kinda dangerous because turning your body might also turn the motorcycle but I guess they get used to it (shifting their body so that doesn't happen).
@Ducman69 These transparent LCDs can be useful here.
@trunksy You don't have to shift your body to compensate, as its not leaning that is steering the bike. At speed, motorcycles are inherently stable, and nearly all of the force needed to turn comes from countersteering.
Leaning does almost nothing but help move the CG for extra traction.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nRUeEkS644
@Atkins Very true! Would love to have a little HUD w/ a simplified "exit name, left/right turn, distance" GPS strip on there as well!
@buoy
As others have said, you mostly see your elbows. Side mirrors are good for checking next to you, then a quick glance over to confirm for a lanechange. But for seeing behind you, you need to tuck in your elbow and lean a bit, and you're never quite confident you're seeing properly behind you. Plus mirrors vibrate like hell, it's hard to make out any objects (ie, is that a cop behind me?)
Though I've heard this helmet is a bit bulky/heavy, it's a cool idea.
@Ducman69 ::> Less than 5 years away for sure
@buoy the main problem when turning around is not the weight shift, it is the amount of time you are not looking forward. This can be a problem in a dense traffic area.
@James Sonne
It would be awful for MX racing. Far too much going off already.
If you can't see who's behind you, there's no reason to slow down or lose your concentration on what's it front. If you can constantly see them it's a major distraction and you'd ultimately slip up and lose the battle.
I'm happy with my principle of; if the persons engine behind get's loud, make yours even louder.
I can see this much more suited to the road. That's its market. It will hopefully save lives in more ways than one there.
@buoy- Yeah but the ones on the bike kind of suck though. At least on mine anyway.
Man, I be busy too! lol
Sign me up!
@dalumberjack
So how does this work on different bikes? A sport bike you are bent over farther, on a cruiser you are sitting more upright. I assume this has some adjustment?
(sorry video is not opening for me, if that explained it, then feel free to downrank)
@SlaterGS
The mirror inside the helmet is adjustable.
Most importantly, however, the site says that the helmet itself is "built like a tank," and is "good enough to stand on its own even if it didn't have the rear view system."
"Most importantly"? No offense, but I should kind of hope that this part is a given. Most importantly would be Snell certification on top of the camera goodness, though I imagine the structural modifications necessary for the camera might make it ineligible (just like full-face flip-up helmets).
@sadpanda
The fact that people would "hope its a given" is exactly why its "most important".
@FORDY What I'm getting at is that, as far as I'm concerned, no reviewer or (in my opinion, though when I ride through New Hampshire, I feel like I'm in the minority here) rider worth her salt would ever review or buy a helmet that didn't feel solid from the moment you pick it up--except, perhaps, as a cautionary measure. e.g., No review, just "Don't buy this helmet! Please!"
@FORDY
I think he was referring to the fact that the reviewer almost sounded surprised that the safety helmet was actually 'safe'. According to the reviewer 'they could have thrown together a cheap product just to showcase the system' as though somehow have an innovation somehow would excuse it. While I agree with sadpanda on that count, I did like the review. And it's a cool helmet.
@sadpanda
A lot of the time, just because it is Snell certified does not mean it is safe. Of course, every helmet for sale has to be certified by the DOT, but some helmets are still better than others. This helmet is one of those better than other helmets helmet, which is remarkable as it is currently a prototype.
Also, it does not use a camera, it uses polyurethane mirrors. No batteries, no precious bits to break and fly into your eyes. Which makes me curious why Engadget picked up the story.
@James Sonne
I wouldn't be surprised if they posted about a new dolphin stunt on a day like this. Pretty slow weekends on Engadget.
@James Sonne That is easy. It's still techonology and innovation. Not all technology comes with batteries
@sadpanda SNELL certification is not better than ECE.
SNELL standards require a very strong outer shell. While at first glance you might say "great", time and time again it has shown that softer ECE helmets impart lower G-forces on the brain under 95% of survivable accident conditions.
My current helmet is a pricey SNELL, the next will not be.
@Ducman69 >> I have heard of DOT (along with fake helmets with DOT sticker) -- The much safer SNELL approval (usually more $$) -- never this you talk of though. Is this new? I'll have to check it out, thanks
@loox42 ECE is the European safety standard (SNELL is a US one), and it allows more flexibility in materials and are generally made softer as they don't have to survive SNELLs double hemispherical object strike.
All helmets are designed to break on impact, as this is what absorbs the energy and lowers the G-forces on your brain. Can't be too soft or too hard. SNELL aims for the strongest helmet possible without exceeding 300Gs brain impact, ECE aims for 200Gs. Most survivable impacts favor the softer ECE helmets, which are usually sold as DOT only in the US.
That was M2005 though, dunno if the new SNELLs are doing better.
@Ducman69
Your wrong!!!!
SNELL is not the US standard. DOT is the US standard. SNELL is a independent standard that the best helmets adhere too. Thats why a SNELL helmet costs more then just a DOT or ECE helmet.
A Arai helmet is either DOT or ECE + SNELL + There own standard. Thats they they are the best because they use the better standard + there own standard.
And only fiberglass helmets break on impact. Carbon Fiber helmets do not break on impact, and neither do plastic helmets. Plastic helmets dent on impact. Thats they whey are the cheapest.
I wonder if the mirror system has an inverted axis - otherwise it might be awkward to use as you'd have to turn your head to the right when you want to look to the left and viceversa o_0
@astrodemoniac
It does not have an inverted axis. Still better than turning completely around on your bike at 90 mph on the interstate.
@James Wrong. You don't have to turn around, ride like him-->
liveleak.com/view?i=6bf_1271997294
yes, eyes in the back of my head!
Just waiting now for a cyclist helmet that offes this - it's a heck of a lot better looking than those handlebar mirrors or those god awful helmet mounted ones.
"Most importantly, however, the site says that the helmet itself is "built like a tank," and is "good enough to stand on its own even if it didn't have the rear view system.""
Most importantly? No offense to Engadget or webBikeworld, but I should hope that part's a given. I personally would never buy a helmet that didn't feel solid from the get-go. What would be great would be Snell certification, though I imagine the structural modifications necessary for the camera make it ineligible by default.
I got excited when you said MSX
I was thinking something a little more high-tech, but i guess it works.
Front-facing camera!
So would you just be looking at your passenger if someone is on the bike with you?
@HuntWorks hahaha good point! unless you have them put on the helmet...oh, wait...
@HuntWorks And if she has a nice rack, you only need tilt your head up.
giggity! ;D
who needs a bike ill wear this in my office, keep an eye out for my boss always sneaking up on me
Y not just use d side mirrors on the bike ?
@bgphoenix
You've never driven a bike have you? Those don't work as well as they probably should.
@bgphoenix Most of the time your elbows are in the way. They also still have blind spots, just like a car.
@barry99705
I own a bike and have been riding bikes for the past 3 years, and never really had any issue with the side mirrors
but the point about the elbows is quiet right...
i guess it's all about personal preferences...
Wow...that is some motorcycle helmet awesomeness! I wear a Shoei but would definitely like to give this a try.
@dand
I do as well. I don't know if I can sacrifice the comfort and weight of my shoei for a rear-view system.
I've been riding for years, I never had any trouble looking behind me as I just check my blind spots and not look directly 180 degrees behind me.
Cool idea but I'd like to see a demo of the field of vision provided. One of the YouTube commenters asked what happened when a car with HIDs rolls up behind you - Is the mirror out of sight enough to avoid it or are you going to be blinded? What about trucks etc where the headlights are much higher and more likely to shine in the back of the helmet?
This is one of those why-didn't-I-think-of-that devices. Very cool.