Bike and Other Fixes

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Index of fixes

Widder Hook up

Nolan N100 shield noise

Concours Highway Footpegs

Project -SuperTanker!

Nolan N100 Helmet-

I have a Nolan N100 helmet, new to me February 00.  Love it; however, the first time I had it out on the highway, I noticed it was prone to "shield" noise, when both the chinbar and the face shield were down.  Now, it's nothing when compared to my old Bell TourStar, another helmet I really liked.  

Recalling some physics from college (see dad, I do remember some of that stuff they crammed in my head between beers), helmet noise was being caused by turbulence.  In the Bell's case, a poorly fitting shield and the lack of a proper gasket.  For the Nolan's, I was briefly stumped.  A brand new, state-of-the-art helmet should not have turbulence issues, especially at these prices.  Then some more gray matter kicked in as I remembered that turbulence can be caused by un even surface fits in moving fluids.

As I tooled down US-50 toward the Capitol Beltway, I used my fingers to "plug" various "gaps" on the helmet until I found that when I laid my finger along the top of my shield, the noise diminished.  Once home, I looked over this gap carefully. 

While very small (less than 1/8"), it needed to be either smaller or larger to prevent the air from building up in the gap.  The Nolan has a very clever interlock-weather stripping system, so making the gap wider was not a choice.  Therefore, making is smaller became the solution.  Modifying the helmet is not an option, so I looked around my leftover project material and found some gray foam weather stripping (I have replaced it with white to match the helmet).  I cut it down several down several times and stuck it to the helmet about 1/4" above the helmet's interlock.  Viola!  Shield Noise Abated.  You think Nolan would have come up with this solution.

Here's what you need to do (Cost= $1.79 - Time=10 minutes):

1. The smallest foam weather stripping you can find- most local lumber/ home improvement yards.  I found 3/8" wide by 1/4" high foam.  It usually comes in a roll in either white, gray or black; I recommend white for the lighter colors, gray or black for the darker colors.
2. Wipe the "brow" area above the helmet's weather strip interlock with rubbing alcohol to remove any crud; also, makes for a better seal.
3. Cut a hunk of foam about 12 inches long. 
4. Unless you found real small stuff, you'll have to cut it again to get it 1/8" wide by 1/8" thick. 
5. Press the foam in place firmly.  Cut off the excess, leaving about 1-2 inches of gap on each side.
6. When the chinbar is down and the the shield is closed, there should be a tight fit between the foam and the shield, but not so tight that the foam detaches from the helmet when you raise or lower the shield.

That's it; your Nolan should be shield noise free.

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Widder Hookups

I have a Widder System II vest, with collar, and both sets of chaps- love them. Some riders have asked how I placed the hookups so I can get to them easily while riding and not have the cord between the leg and tank. Well, here you go. I wired tied the female connector to the centerstand grabrail. Plug the cord in while seated, the cord now lays over your leg. I thread my cord through my jacket belt so it doesn't flop around too much. This brings the thermostat to an easily accessible position. No Velcro, no double backed tape, no fuss, no mess.

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