Via: Falcon Blog

Via: Really Japan

Engineers are designing a helmet that could protect the spine from serious injury. The full story By Lauren Gravitz at Technology Review

Motorcycle Rider, Beijing. Via: nataliebehring.com's photostream

The art of the helmet and the helmet as art. Via: Speed Junkies

The Cylon Shift knob. from Hwnzn Bross

"It doubles as a sunshade and a rotary type clothes line.. plus of course it's handy to be able to use it when it's raining" Via: Ram Mounts

Via: bubblevisor

Re-Creating Daft Punk's Helmets. Via: Tomopop

Pray for bad weather.

The Motorcycle Umbrella from SZ Wholesale

Roam home to a dome.

Via: High Voltage

See you in the funny papers...

Casques incredible "newsie" helmet. Via: Le blog moto

Zen Moment.

From: auto trim design Via a tip from the UMTC

Silly helmet covers.

"These latex rubber covers that you fit on your open face helmet to make you look very different from the crowd. Silly Helmet Covers are unique and designed to fit the majority of open face motorcycle helmets (including those with detachable press stud peaks)

They are easy to fit and to stop them being blown off above 50mph, we suggest you secure the leading edges of the covers to the helmet with either double sided sticky tape, or better still, inner tube repair glue or a solvent free contact adhesive. This also allows you to easily remove the cover without damage to helmet or cover.

Safety: These Helmet Covers are a novelty item only and do not offer any protection to your Head. Only your crash helmet does that.

Old news: The Dolmette bike.

"The combined power of 24 DOLMAR chainsaw engines is fed into to a 5-speed Harley-Davidson transmission by a series of twelve toothed belts. For use in the Dolmette the engines were tuned and tweaked to deliver 5.2 kW of power (7.1 PS) at 10,000 rpm. Maximum torque delivery is 5.5 Nm at 7,750 rpm. When all 24 are combined, the result is a 24-cylinder power plant with a total displacement of 1.9 litres, a power output of 125 kW (170 PS) and 130 Nm of torque at the centrifugal clutches.

Twelve engines are mounted in two rows of six on either side of the drive belt casing. Each engine is held in place by means of two threaded studs that normally serve to secure the guide bar to the chainsaw power head. The individual motors are coupled together in sets of three by means of a double-sided drive belt, making up eight modules in all. The individual engines are not rigidly connected; instead they deliver their torque through the centrifugal clutch that is a standard feature of every chainsaw."

(link)

Shopping in Japan: Otaku helmets.

Sadly not snell rated. Via: danny choo

Lawrence of Arabia and the origin of the crash helmet.

Via: mindhacks

"An article from a 2002 edition of Neurosurgery that tells how a brain surgeon who unsuccesfully operated on Lawrence of Arabia after his fatal motorcyle crash was inspired to research and design crash helmets that now save thousands of lives.

T.E. Lawrence, better known as Lawrence of Arabia, was a hero of the First World War who worked as a covert agent leading a revolt against the Ottoman Empire in the Middle East and was immortalised in the 1962 film.

Lawrence was also a fan of motorbikes. Sadly, his interest eventually led to his death after a motorcycle crash in Dorset.

The Neurosurgery article tells the story of Hugh Cairns, a young neurosurgeon who attempted unsuccessfully to save Lawrence's life as part of the surgical team who treated him.

His experience led him to research the benefits of early crash helmets on Army motorcycle riders during the Second World War, finding that they were one of the major life-saving factors.

He later went on to use his knowledge of how the brain becomes damaged during impact to design and test various types of crash helmet that could best protect against these forms of injury.

Cairns' work was a major influence on both the legal system, that has mandated helmets in many countries, and the design of the headgear itself - preventing thousands of fatal brain injuries in the process."

A Rose is a Rose.

Via: motorbiker

"Motorcycles can be really macho stuff! Hard and cold metal, stiff leather, shiny plastic, it can be harsh in a harsh world. So why not brighten up your motorcycle? Put some colorful flowers on it.

Italian accessory manufacturer Tucano Urbano has a brilliant idea. They're manufacturing these plastic flowers that you fasten to your motorcycle or scooter. They come in a variety of sizes and colors, so you can really go to town, redecorating your motorcycle. They offer sunflowers, daisies, roses, peonies, lotus flowers and even orchids. "

I will be the gladdest thing Under the sun!
I will touch a hundred flowers And not pick one.

~Edna St. Vincent Millay, "Afternoon on a Hill"

Gallery: Vintage helmets.

Picts via: deadlicious

Zen Moment-Vemar Powerpuff Girls Helmet.

We and the lads at Hell for Leather all want one of these cheeky Powerpuff Girls Vemar helmets.