Need helmet advice for my first Baja trip

[TigerTanker]

7 day trip starting mid April. 

I have a Bell Adv helmet, but it's not modular....

Was thinking I want a lightweight, well built modular/adv helmet? I plan on installing a Senna 30 comm system in the thing. 

Thanks for your battle tested suggestions!

[ehall]

wear  what you always ride in. Don't be testing out new equipment 2500 miles from home.

[TigerTanker]

Just now, ehall said:

wear  what you always ride in. Don't be testing out new equipment 2500 miles from home.

I've got over a month to dial it all in, plus we have a chase vehicle, perhaps a good idea to have a back up helmet.

[trooper8]

Put your money in tubes, tools, tires, goggles, & lights.... you asked.

[ehall]

Those helmets are pretty cool. Not sure why you would need one.

[ehall]

Tell us about the trip. Where you going? What bikes you taking etc. If I can't be there at least I can read about it.

[TigerTanker]

4 hours ago, ehall said:

Tell us about the trip. Where you going? What bikes you taking etc. If I can't be there at least I can read about it.

Going with 3 ride friends that ride there regularly. One of them runs a guided tour. I think our group is 8-10 people. We leave San Diego on 4-16. It is part of a 6 week trip for me covering the West. I did a 4 week trip last spring. We are riding Ktm husky 450/500 bikes. We are being followed by a chase van. We are all advanced to expert riders. 

[TigerTanker]

This helmet and a senna30 is what I decided on. The guide has this helmet and loves it. 

 

[TigerTanker]

Scorpion exo at950 modular 

[TigerTanker]

Last years big trip started in Moab. I ruptured my Achilles on day 4 of my 23 day trip. This was day 6. I made videos on chronicled my adventure on YouTube and a travel thread on advrider.com. The experience was awesome and illuminating. This year I’m adding New Mexico and Colorado. 

There, now you know my evil plot entirely. FYI, we could take 2 more people on the trip. I’m paying $1,500 and it includes support, guide, lodging.  

 

 

[ehall]

33 minutes ago, TigerTanker said:

This helmet and a senna30 is what I decided on. The guide has this helmet and loves it. 

 

Nice helmet. It will be nice not to have to wear goggles.

[ehall]

36 minutes ago, TigerTanker said:

Going with 3 ride friends that ride there regularly. One of them runs a guided tour. I think our group is 8-10 people. We leave San Diego on 4-16. It is part of a 6 week trip for me covering the West. I did a 4 week trip last spring. We are riding Ktm husky 450/500 bikes. We are being followed by a chase van. We are all advanced to expert riders. 

Sounds fun. How far south you going? Riding any singletrack?

[craig hammon]

I have the Shoie version of that helmet, It's great when I ride the street but not so great for single track.

[trackmaster]

Be careful of tinted lenes in the dark.budget well for tacos.

[TigerTanker]

1 hour ago, ehall said:

Sounds fun. How far south you going? Riding any singletrack?

I’m sure there will be challenges, all three are expert riders that like a good challenge. They have been riding there for many years. 

Their last trip had tons of flats. Especially the last day. So it’s going to be nitro mousse front and back. 

Im not sure how far south we will get. 

[o3dave]

Sounds like fun. Who are the other guys? Anyone we know? You still gonna do the d100 this year. Liked your write ups on last year’s. I will be there as well. I always take 2 helmets to baja. And 2 pairs of boots. Went 3 days with wet boots 2 years ago and my feet hated me. 

[TigerTanker]

8 minutes ago, o3dave said:

Sounds like fun. Who are the other guys? Anyone we know? You still gonna do the d100 this year. Liked your write ups on last year’s. I will be there as well. I always take 2 helmets to baja. And 2 pairs of boots. Went 3 days with wet boots 2 years ago and my feet hated me. 

In some of my videos are The Terminators. They are the guys. Dan is my mechanic and primary ride partner. I’m not racing d100, because I’m headed to the snake pit about the 11th and need to be in one piece so they can kill me. 

Last year I could barely walk for 2 days after the 100. 

Im friends with Lee Bissinger aka crazy Alvin. Will probably hang out with him as he defends his adv title at d100. 

[MX813]

10 hours ago, TigerTanker said:

I’m sure there will be challenges, all three are expert riders that like a good challenge. They have been riding there for many years. 

Their last trip had tons of flats. Especially the last day. So it’s going to be nitro mousse front and back. 

Im not sure how far south we will get. 

I ran the Nitros 2 weeks ago on a 6 day ride.  Worked well but rear got a little soft towards the end and we only did total of 60 miles of slab, the rest on 2 track and single. Lots of extra lube installed too.  Curious to see what the foam looks like when I pull it out.

My thoughts:

-Replace F and R wheel bearings since you are coming from the PNW...

-15/47 gearing

-pliers readily available...cholla is a bitch to pull out with gloves

-I have an adv helmet too...and thought about running that. Glad I didn't.  I liked being able to swap quickly between tinted and clear googles quickly.  Plus my helmet weighs 1600grams (before sweat.)

 

[TigerTanker]

35 minutes ago, MX813 said:

I ran the Nitros 2 weeks ago on a 6 day ride.  Worked well but rear got a little soft towards the end and we only did total of 60 miles of slab, the rest on 2 track and single. Lots of extra lube installed too.  Curious to see what the foam looks like when I pull it out.

My thoughts:

-Replace F and R wheel bearings since you are coming from the PNW...

-15/47 gearing

-pliers readily available...cholla is a bitch to pull out with gloves

-I have an adv helmet too...and thought about running that. Glad I didn't.  I liked being able to swap quickly between tinted and clear googles quickly.  Plus my helmet weighs 1600grams (before sweat.)

 

I’m thinking of running a pirelli mt43 in the rear. What you use?

so, are you saying you used an mx helmet your entire trip? 

[MX813]

Kenda Parker DT front and rear - held up extremely well.  No chunking.  Leaving those on for D100 sweep/clean-up/course setup duty as well.

For the 3 trips I've done to Baja, I used an MX lid the entire time.  I could see the advantage of using the helmet you are thinking about:  road noise, etc... if you are doing lots of slabbing and a shorter visor to catch less wind/buffeting on the neck.  This is all personal preference really.  Ear plugs helped our last day as we slabbed from El Rosario to San Quintin/Jardines Hotel.