Friday, September 27, 2013

Alternative secure helmet storage

My topcase can't hold my helmet today because I am hauling other stuff home.

I thought I'd try the topcase rack as a place for the helmet during the day while the bike is parked at the office.  There is a cable lock and padlock that you can't see making sure the helmet doesn't walk away.

By the way, the bike on the right is a very nice Beemer, I think it's a R1200R, but there is no marking on it.  I do know that it has a very nice custom Corbin seat.  Black Beemer, black Vespa.  Nice parking companions.

On an irrelevant side note, Montreal is largely bedrock.  There are condos going up all around the office.  Lots and lots of dynamite (or whatever they use these days to blow stuff up) is being used.  There was a blast while I was stowing stuff on the bike.  Yikes!  Quite a different experience when you're underground across the street from the blast than being 19 floors above ground.  It sounded and felt like the Jurassic Park T-Rex was right around the corner stomping on an SUV.

17 comments:

SonjaM said...

Nice to give the top case rack some purpose.
I would be scared sh!tless if I were to hear explosions while in a parkade with all the concrete on top of you...

Unknown said...

David:

what about your empty PET carrier ? no room in there either. And that's NOT an R1200R, gas tank is not the right shape

If you had a small backpack you could have carried your helmet UP to your office

bob
Riding the Wet Coast

RichardM said...

Another nice option. I usually prefer to keep my helmet with me but have looked into other secure storage options. If going to work, I usually just carry my helmet to my office as it's a pretty short walk. Then there isn't any concern on my part.

Trobairitz said...

Blasting while you are underground - that would be freaky.

Did the top rack work well? It is good you are out of the elements so that rain isn't a factor with in on top.

Troubadour said...

I'm fortunate that if I can't store my helmet on the bike at work I use the bike rack as it is just outside the security shack.
I believe your neighbour may be a BMW K1200, a friendly lot.

len@RE-GLAZE-IT said...

HI DAVID,

Like to keep a hold of my lid!



How things are these days.....the blasting would have momentarily have set my alarm bells off.

Regards
Len

Coop a.k.a. Coopdway said...

David, I've never had anything stolen from my bike but there are many places that I don't park where other, more urban (populated) riders park. Do you know of any stolen helmets? I appreciate we've never worn or carried helmets that were worth what these are before. Maybe I've just been lucky.

David Masse said...

I'm sure it's safe Sonja, but it was certainly a surprise. It was like someone had hit the exterior of the garage with a massive sledgehammer.

David Masse said...

Richard, I used to always take my helmet up the office. My new bike has a much larger topcase and easily holds my helmet. I had gone down to the garage to put in some stuff for my wife and that left no room for the helmet. I didn't feel like bringing it up to the office and was curious to see if I could use the topcase rack.

David Masse said...

It was more a case of trying the topcase rack to see if it would work.

David Masse said...

Thanks Troubadour. You can fill a thimble with what I know about motorcycles. I can tell the manufacturers, and the type of bike but not much else. I can spot a GS mostly because if I were to let myself be tempted, I think that's the way I'd go.

David Masse said...

Len, I have to say I was mildly startled. The blast sounds and feels very different underground.

David Masse said...

Coop, my first bike in college was stolen right out of my garage. I lock up the helmet and stash the GPS in the topcase because it would be really a pain to find the helmet gone when I wanted to get going, and the cost of replacing it would be substantial cause I'd want another Nolan. It's not a bother to secure it, so better safe than sorry. It would be nice to live somewhere where petty theft is rare to unheard of.

David Masse said...

Bob, my Nolan is huge!! That and the GTS pet carrier is actually smaller than the one in the LX. They needed the room for the extra cc's.

RichardM said...

Which Nolan do you have? I picked up a N104 last March and really like it. It is much quieter than my HJC but the shell is huge. The HJC fits in a side case but the Nolan doesn't. And my top case isn't that large.

David Masse said...

Richard, it's an N102. It's on the loud side and doesn't have the sun shade but I always wear earplugs, and wear very dark sunglasses which makes up for the shortcomings. It's really comfortable for me, and I need the modular because of my glasses and the convenience of flipping my lid. The plus for me is also safety. In the UK tests (Snell?) the Nolans are the only modulars that stay locked 100% of the time. The Schuberths get rave reviews for being quiet and light, but they don't didn't score 100% last time I checked.

BMW has a really nice (very pricy) modular, but I don't remember how it scored.

I think the key to the Nolan's performance (pardon the pun) is the strong locking mechanism combined with the two factor opening mechanism that makes it impossible to unlatch inadvertently. Yet even with gauntlets on, it's a snap to open. I also love to euro quick release strap for the same reasons.

The City Mouse in the Country said...

I generally take mine into the office if I can't stow it away as well. Normally it's not an issue. For me, the problem is the riding jacket. I have to wear that in.

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