The last few years, maybe as much as the last ten years, I've noticed a growing trend a**** California hot rodders who prefer the roadster to the coupe to don nostalgia style motorcycle gear while driving. A huge number of roadster rodders are also bobber, chopper, and flat tracker pilots, and most roadsters don't have roll bars much less roll cages because the car's clean lines get spoiled by such visual interference, so the crossover habit makes some logical sense as well as some aesthetic sense. There's always been a debate a**** roadster drivers about whether it's safer to have or not have safety belts in a car that has no roll over protection. Those who advocate for no seat belts reason the driver is more likely to survive being thrown from the vehicle in a wreck than being rolled upon in a wreck. In California's nostalgia racing events motorcycle helmets are required for anyone riding a motorbike, obviously, but also for anyone driving a roadster. Despite the past few years' political pressures --or perhaps because of them!-- the nostalgia racing scene in the Kingdom of California has become more popular than ever, on both two wheels and four, and both on pavement on on dirt. Our cult has more and more converts every year. As a result of all this I'm seeing more and more roadster rodders driving with moto helmets, including even full face helmets, as habitually as if they were riding one of their choppers. Proponents of this practice, no surprise to any moto rider, will cite a quieter and more comfortable ride as pleasant side effects of having the safety of a motorcycle helmet plunked on their domes. Because of course driving a roofless hot rod is by nature going to mercilessly blast the driver with mechanical noise, wind noise, wind buffeting, and sunburn from the eternal California sun as well as frostbite in cooler temps at highway speed. As much as I enjoy driving roadsters, I used to be adamantly against ever piloting one that didn't have a properly engineered and welded roll bar, and a proper engineered and attached seat belt. But lately I've been wondering if I really feel that way anymore, simply because I have no such features on any of my motorbikes. I wear a helmet with face protection, kevlar denim and a leather moto jacket, moto boots, and leather moto gloves when riding, but all of these items aside from the helmet, while being manufactured as moto-specific, are crafted specifically to not necessarily look like moto gear, but rather just regular fashion clothing. A hot rod roadster really is simply a bobber, chopper, or flat tracker on four wheels. The heritage matches, the aesthetic matches, the niche gearhead culture matches. Below are various photos from nostalgia race events. One can instantly see that a properly safe roll bar or roll cage immediately ruins a roadster's visual lines; one can also instantly see that moto helmets make a weirdly smooth visual transition to roadsters. Also, I think I might actually agree that for a roadster without roll over protection it's safer for the driver to be thrown from the vehicle than rolled upon by it should there be a wreck. I like my hot rod's appearance better without the roll bar, I like having the weather and noise protection afforded by a moto helmet with face protection, and in cooler weather I'm wearing gloves and a jacket when roadster driving anyway, so why not just use the moto gloves and jacket and boots I have anyway? Right now I'm kind of having trouble seeing myself driving a roofless car without a roll bar and seat belt, and while wearing a moto helmet no less, but I think this is because it's been my standard practice for years to expect automotive roll over protection and safety belts; anything to the contrary gets a knee jerk response. But when I see some dude roaring by in his roadster while wearing his nostalgia moto gear I find myself thinking, "Actually, that looks properly cool, and it kind of makes safety sense, too." The more I look at it the less weird the practice becomes. I might even be oddly drawn to it, now, not merely curious. One immediately sees the easy and natural transition from moto to roadster. Opinions? Who in here would use their (properly vintage aesthetic) moto gear for hooning about in a roadster rod? Or who would not?
I have a long term 32 roadster project. So long term the final version has changed a couple times! I am currently mulling over a lakes inspired version; no windshield, hard tonneau, head rests/fairings. And yes, the wife and I would wear helmets. Mostly because I would be sick if she took a pebble in the face or eye. Me too, but mostly her.
^^^^ Lakes roadster didn’t drive to and from the timed event with out a windshield. They were removed when they got there. Towed ones yes driven ones no. Very few had hard tonneau’s and they were the towed ones also. What you’re wanting to build should be towed with a bar behind a 40 Ford pickup and not street driven. My father a mother were going to Muroc before the war.
Full face helmets are great for face protection. They will do nothing if you are under the car, with no roll bar. If you are hit hard enough in a car to knock you out of it (presumably not belted), the helmet is largely only a courtesy to the paramedics, coroner, and funeral home staff. The same goes for motorcycles. On a motorcycle you have no protection. Most HAMB acceptable roadsters have all of the structural integrity of a Dorito. What are you going to do? Belts and a roll bar? Helmet and full Kevlar gear? Both? We're all going to die, just probably not today.
I don't think I'd enjoy driving a roadster with the wind in my face. not to mention my hair would look like Doc from Back to the Future. had a Sunbeam Alpine for a while just long enough to fix the rust and sell it. I never took it on the freeway and only drove it a little bit around town. had a few motorcycles and NEVER rode without a helmet outside of going to my buddies house a block away in the neighborhood. as for seat belts you are far more likely to NOT roll your car all the way upside down, seatbelts are a good idea.
I have a roadster…no belts or roll bar. I understand the dangers that are presented in driving such a vehicle. I like the feel of the sun on my bald head and the wind on my face. Wearing a helmet while I am driving is not something I consider at the moment. Not gonna judge anyone that does.
This has crossed my mind while building my roadster. I could see myself wearing a moto helmet on long drives. Simply to help minimize sun / wind burn and fatigue. During winter moto rides, I use heated gear that plugs into my bike. I've got plans to wire up a few 12v outlets in the roadster so my wife and I can wear said jackets and try to stay cozy. Doing whatever you want despite what's seen as cool; is actually cool, in my book.
Yeah, definitely going to be wearing a moto helmet on long trips in my phaeton. Not only the relief from sun and wind-noise, but it also lets you have integrated communication/music headphones built in to break up the monotony of cross country driving.
Seat belts, no roll bar in mine, it's got that kinda sketchy old hot rod feel about it that keeps you paying attention, like riding an old Harley, but I'm not sure I could get into the 'helmet on the street thing' in a car, not for crash protection, anyway. It might be nice in cold weather but I like the wind in the hair/sun on my face when it's warm out. Plus helmets are heavy, you can't hear, peripheral vision is compromised, all the same things that I don't like about wearing them when I ride. I look at people driving those 3 wheeled Polaris things wearing helmets and think, "What's the point?", it just looks like it takes so much of the feel out of driving something open to the elements. I could maybe see a leather aviator style helmet and goggles (ala Simpson driving his "rail job" in Hollywood Knights) on long trips, that could give some protection from too much sun and wind, if you're cool enough to pull it off and not look like a short bus kid.
Full-face helmet, leathers, boots, gloves, 5-point harness, roll cage, fire-suit, and air bags are a must.
Every picture you have put up looks like it is from a motoring event of some kind. You will probably find that helmets are mandated by the event organisers so as to meet insurance/safety requirements.
I wanted to run a half-face helmet, goggles and mask in my FED project. The local track laws (IHRA sanctioned) prohibit me from anything other than a full-face helmet. Probably a smart idea, though at times it feels like an $800 helmet on a 5c head... too much armour, not enough brains Cheers, Harv
I regularly dove a traditional '29 A roadster in the '90's. I found a leather pilot's helmet and goggles that I liked, so that's what I wore. All the kids said I looked like Snoopy. I even got a red scarf for the cooler days. I still have the garb, but my roadster is long gone. Worked for me.
Just wear the gear on the day you are going to have a wreck. On second thought leave it in the garage that day and play checkers instead.
Hello, The photos show folks wearing helmets as the ***le shows, but they are all at special events that require helmets and obviously safety equipment. So, the ***le is a little skewed. There are plenty of roadster owners from the way back time machine, those of us that rode in an open roadster with seat belts only and lived to tell about it. Sure, it is not daily driving on the PCH traffic or the 405 road trip to Long Beach daily at rush hour, just the normal Sunday cruise to the beach, coastal attractions and friend’s homes. No helmets necessary for all vehicles, let alone roadsters. So Cal cruising on any weekend for the "wind in your hair" experience. Jnaki Sometimes, a So Cal coastal experience cruise presents a red 1932 roadster out for a ride. It, like all old hot rods surprises all of those on the highway and cruises right on by… as if a daily experience. YRMV No rollbar, no helmet, just the wind in your hair and fun, fun, fun…
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