HUD helmet might be a nice match to a Brammo!

[7racer]

Well, the helmet is up for pre-order now but bummer never got to test it.  Anyone going to give it a go?

[Shinysideup]

Too rich for my budget.

I get almost 180 degree coverage with bar end mirrors, and never change lanes without a head check, so this reduces the utility, for me, to the gee whiz, really cool, latest tech kind of attraction and THAT's what I don't have the budget for!

[Jeff]

The $1400 price tag actually didn't surprise me that much.  When you consider the cost of my helmet right now is:

Shoei RF-1200: $450
Gopro: $400
(+ SD card + mounts + accoutrements) ~ $100
Sena 20S: $250
Etymotics MC5 earphones: $60
_________

That's almost to $1300 right there, and that doesn't even include a damn Android phone hardware and the HUD setup and whatever other custom stuff is in the Skully.  The reason I have not pulled the trigger . . . . .

Their 'preorder' process is an Indiegogo campaign?!??!  Dear god don't even get me started.  Google around for just what exactly Indiegogo and their 'flexible funding' model entails.  Here's one link at random.  When you "donate" money to an Indiegogo campaign, you are not buying a product.  There is absolutely nothing preventing Skully from simply taking the money and running.  While I don't think they'll do that -- there's also nothing preventing them from not coming out with a product for 2 years, or coming out with something vastly different from what they promised, or who knows what.

Utilizing something like a crowdfunding website (and particularly, one as notorious as Indiegogo) as a 'preorder' platform just left a very bad taste in my mouth.  I hope Skully does great, and I hope the product turns out well, but I'll be waiting for an actual store in which I can place an actual order.  You know -- one with a receipt.

Also, they don't make one in yellow.   

[7racer]

LOL good points.

I have done some Kickstarter and Indigogo campaigns and it can be a PITA.

Would really love this for GPS and the HUD...less so for rear view but it would have been nice to see how useful it would have been in real life first.

[frodus]

I personally like the Nuviz better since you can mount on any helmet.... But it's still a kick-start.

http://www.ridenuviz.com

Good news is that as more come out.... Prices will likely start to be competitive between manufacturers.

[protomech]

http://www.androidpolice.com/2014/08/20/utter-failure-of-kreyos-smartwatch-with-1-5-million-in-backing-shows-the-continued-perils-of-hardware-crowdfunding/

Caveat emptor .. though with indiegogo and kickstarted you're not actually buying anything. Caveat donor?

[Jeff]

Yeah, don't get me wrong: I'm a big fan of crowdfunding.  I really like the model (especially for games).

What stinks to me in this particular case is:

A.) Indiegogo.  Indiegogo is a much worse platform to me than Kickstarter.  Indiegogo is notorious for being a slightly shadier, loose and groovy version of the crowdfunding model.  Take for example their 'flexible funding' feature, whereby even if a campaign doesn't raise all the money, the person gets the money anyway.

B.) Hardware.  It is much easier for me to contribute to campaigns for software or other intangibles, because even if they miss their deadlines or get something wrong or whatever, developers can simply push some updates and fix it.  Hardware you have to get 100% right the first time.  Proto's example of the Kreyos is a good one.  Also more ridiculous implosions like the Healbe.

C.) It's a motorcycle helmet.  The most vital (literally) piece of equipment I use on a daily basis.  If I get it and it doesn't fit right or something's wrong with it or who knows what, I want some recourse.  I don't think Skully would be douchebags about it, but who knows.  I want a receipt and a credit card transaction going to Skully Systems Inc. -- not an Indiegogo terms of service that refers to an ethereal 'perk' for my 'contribution.'

Indiegogo is an online crowdfunding venue for people and entities seeking to raise funds for their own Campaigns and to contribute to the Campaigns of others. Campaign Owners can offer gifts or rewards in the form of tangible items or intangible services (collectively, "Perks") to Contributors. Perks are not offered for sale. Indiegogo makes no representations about the quality, safety, morality or legality of any Campaign, Perk or Contribution or the truth or accuracy of your User Content (as defined below) posted on the Service. Indiegogo does not represent that Campaign Owners will deliver Perks or that Contributions will be used as described in the Campaign. Users use the Service at their own risk.

Haha what's most hilarious is I think we're all pretty crazy early adopter types here -- what with buying Brammos and all -- and even we're balking at this.

[Richard230]

According to the September issue of City Bike the kickstarter campaign for Skully Helmets was started on Indiegogo on the morning of August 11.  Two days later they had raised almost 1 million dollars.  I hope they use the money to actually produce and sell the helmets.

In the meantime, there seems to be no end to unusual helmet designs lately: 

http://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dx/idea-a-see-through-motorcycle-helmet.htm

[ttxgpfan]

If you want to see behind you, you can actually buy these: http://www.reevu.com/

[ttxgpfan]

I personally like the Nuviz better since you can mount on any helmet.... But it's still a kick-start.

http://www.ridenuviz.com

Good news is that as more come out.... Prices will likely start to be competitive between manufacturers.

It's not the first heads-up display for motorcycles. I still have my sportvue, and loved it when I was using it. But the company went out of business years ago. https://www.google.com/search?q=sportvue+motorcycle+heads+up+display&espv=2&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=ikn9U6a5Eo3coATS6YDwBw&ved=0CEIQsAQ&biw=1280&bih=923

But this new one has a lot more features, for sure.