Engine Fumes
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Engine Fumes
I live here in Los Angeles. Engine Fumes are killing me. I just got a new PCX150 and I my first day riding it in traffic was today. I can't stand the fumes. Is there a helmet that does a good job of getting rid of these fumes. I want a surgical mask or a painter's mask system and the helmet...but that's not realistic...or is it. I need idea people!!!
- Indyglow
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Re: Engine Fumes
I don't know if this will help with LA traffic, but when I first started to ride fumes bothered me, too. I always wear a full face helmet. After a while, without really thinking about it, I learned to breathe differently in different situations. Now traffic fumes, roadkill aroma, dead skunk smell, even pig farm stench don't bother me because as soon as I notice a problem starting, I automatically breathe different. Same with helmet shield fogging. At first I would always fog up my shield at every stop sign and traffic light when it was cold out. Now I breathe different when fogging might be a problem and I rarely have fogging issues. I don't even know how to describe it, but maybe others here know what I'm talking about and can do a better job of describing what I am trying to say.
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Re: Engine Fumes
Aren't most vehicles equipped with catalytic converters in LA?butch3r wrote:I live here in Los Angeles. Engine Fumes are killing me. I just got a new PCX150 and I my first day riding it in traffic was today. I can't stand the fumes. Is there a helmet that does a good job of getting rid of these fumes. I want a surgical mask or a painter's mask system and the helmet...but that's not realistic...or is it. I need idea people!!!
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Re: Engine Fumes
Indyglow wrote:I don't know if this will help with LA traffic, but when I first started to ride fumes bothered me, too. I always wear a full face helmet. After a while, without really thinking about it, I learned to breathe differently in different situations. Now traffic fumes, roadkill aroma, dead skunk smell, even pig farm stench don't bother me because as soon as I notice a problem starting, I automatically breathe different. Same with helmet shield fogging. At first I would always fog up my shield at every stop sign and traffic light when it was cold out. Now I breathe different when fogging might be a problem and I rarely have fogging issues. I don't even know how to describe it, but maybe others here know what I'm talking about and can do a better job of describing what I am trying to say.
I love the smell of the country on a bike. It's one of the biggest bonuses. Bacon breakfasts in the morning and bbqs in the evening
Farm smells are great too. Wet grass and heather
Not Heather. All Heathers sweat a lot
- kramnala58
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Re: Engine Fumes
In Bangkok where the pollution is very bad, many motorcyclists wear masks such as these. I got these images from Google, but there are plain ones readily available as well. Is there nothing like this in the US?butch3r wrote:I live here in Los Angeles. Engine Fumes are killing me. I just got a new PCX150 and I my first day riding it in traffic was today. I can't stand the fumes. Is there a helmet that does a good job of getting rid of these fumes. I want a surgical mask or a painter's mask system and the helmet...but that's not realistic...or is it. I need idea people!!!
2010 Honda PCX 125 in Thailand (White) - "White Lightning" Sold in Sept 2017
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2009 Yamaha Majesty YP400 in USA (Metalic Titanium) - "The Throne" Sold in June 2020

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Re: Engine Fumes
Will that get rid of the fumes as it's only cloth?
- WhiteNoise
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Re: Engine Fumes
kram, I saw a lot of masks the other day that looked similar, it was Halloween
I couldn't resist, sorry
Seriously with that kind of air quality they better wear masks (more like carry-on oxygen!) I remember reading a post you wrote awhile back (with pics) about pollution. I had mentioned controlled burning in FL at that time. *All* of it is awful to breath. In Florida you see a lot of HD riders wearing masks for pollen reasons too. There's always some form of that in the air.
How to Not breath engine fumes? Gosh, don't know. It's everywhere in L.A. It just sits there right? You can't avoid it. Maybe google for ideas? Ask cycle shop?
I'd rather deal with cow/horse farm/stable poop. There was a large farm nearby to me in FL that broke down their cows manure in water and then watered their farmland with it! Ripe! God awful smell when the wind was wrong. So yeah, I sympathize with everybody that breaths all this bad stench stuff!


Seriously with that kind of air quality they better wear masks (more like carry-on oxygen!) I remember reading a post you wrote awhile back (with pics) about pollution. I had mentioned controlled burning in FL at that time. *All* of it is awful to breath. In Florida you see a lot of HD riders wearing masks for pollen reasons too. There's always some form of that in the air.
How to Not breath engine fumes? Gosh, don't know. It's everywhere in L.A. It just sits there right? You can't avoid it. Maybe google for ideas? Ask cycle shop?

I'd rather deal with cow/horse farm/stable poop. There was a large farm nearby to me in FL that broke down their cows manure in water and then watered their farmland with it! Ripe! God awful smell when the wind was wrong. So yeah, I sympathize with everybody that breaths all this bad stench stuff!

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- kramnala58
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Re: Engine Fumes
LOL ... or as they say in Thailand 555 .... the word for 5 is 'ha', so 555 make hahaha.WhiteNoise wrote:kram, I saw a lot of masks the other day that looked similar, it was HalloweenI couldn't resist, sorry
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2010 Honda PCX 125 in Thailand (White) - "White Lightning" Sold in Sept 2017
2009 Yamaha Majesty YP400 in USA (Metalic Titanium) - "The Throne" Sold in June 2020

2009 Yamaha Majesty YP400 in USA (Metalic Titanium) - "The Throne" Sold in June 2020

- kramnala58
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Re: Engine Fumes
It doesn't keep all of the fumes out, but where there are fumes, there are particles of pollution, and they do help keep that out ... at least some of it anyway.you you wrote:Will that get rid of the fumes as it's only cloth?
2010 Honda PCX 125 in Thailand (White) - "White Lightning" Sold in Sept 2017
2009 Yamaha Majesty YP400 in USA (Metalic Titanium) - "The Throne" Sold in June 2020

2009 Yamaha Majesty YP400 in USA (Metalic Titanium) - "The Throne" Sold in June 2020

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Re: Engine Fumes
kramnala58 wrote:It doesn't keep all of the fumes out, but where there are fumes, there are particles of pollution, and they do help keep that out ... at least some of it anyway.you you wrote:Will that get rid of the fumes as it's only cloth?
Fumes are just as bad in Udon Thani, especially in the centre of town.
Re: Engine Fumes
I also lived in LA, when I was going to college. Fumes were killing me then, too...found the perfect solution.butch3r wrote:I live here in Los Angeles. Engine Fumes are killing me. I just got a new PCX150 and I my first day riding it in traffic was today. I can't stand the fumes. Is there a helmet that does a good job of getting rid of these fumes. I want a surgical mask or a painter's mask system and the helmet...but that's not realistic...or is it. I need idea people!!!
Moved to Colorado.

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Re: Engine Fumes
Always the option of donning an astronaut space suit or high altitude jet mask with oxygen bottle.
Re: Engine Fumes
I use n95 mask when it is very polluted.