BMW claims that its new System 5 retractable crash helmet is one of the safest and quietest around, thanks to extensive research into design and manufacture. It's the fifth generation of BMW's unusual front-opening motorcycle helmets.
The front opening facility means that you don't have take it off to talk, have a quick drink at the roadside or pay for fuel and the multifunctional design converts easily from a full-face helmet into an off-road or open-face version without any special tools.
You just pull the lever and push up the front of the helmet.
The outer shell is made of a glass-fibre, carbon and Kevlar laminate, formed using a hot-press process to guarantee dimensional accuracy.
The polystyrene foam inner shell consists of eight segments to make sure that its damping elements are of an ideal density in all-important areas - the crown and back of the head, chin, forehead, and cheeks.
Chin and neck pads are available in a variety of sizes to tailor a "perfect" fit. All BMW helmets incorporate a second around the back of the neck to keep the helmet where it belongs - on your head - if you crash.
The System 5 uses a special mesh grid top provide ventilation while the DuPont Coolmax interior padding, which has anti-bacterial and active breathing properties, is removable and washable.
BMW has been able to simulate aerodynamic configurations and acoustic levels for every practical or climatic riding situation, using one of the most advanced wind tunnels in the business.
As a result the helmet's interior noise level at 100km/h has been reduced to 86db, eight to 10 less than comparable helmets; given that decibel noise levels decrease logarithmically, for every three-decibel noise reduction rider-perceived noise is halved.
Thanks to the wind tunnel, the helmet has been designed to be stable in all wind conditions with the rider's neck movements causing little or no force on the helmet - the neck muscles get less pressure from the airflow and remain more relaxed during long rides.
The three-dimensional, injection-moulded visor has anti-scratch and anti-mist coatings. Visor ventilation can be adjusted using two-level forehead and head ventilation sliders, together with a stepless slider at the back of the helmet.
The System 5 helmet 1.7kg and comes in all sizes in five colours - midnight black, titanium silver metallic, magnesium matte metallic, manganese blue metallic and metallic rock red.
It will be available from BMW dealers soon for a little more than R4000 - the exact price will be settled when they get here.
- Available soon - Bluetooth communication:
The System 5 helmet is also compatible with BMW's wireless communication system (WCS-1), which adds only 120g to the weight of the helmet. Even at high speed the rider and passenger can talk effortlessly to each other through an invisible (from the exterior) array microphone and earphones.
The WCS-1 is powered by rechargeable batteries, completely wireless and has a range of up to 10m. It can also connect to other Bluetooth-enabled equipment such as a cellphone.