Motorcycle Helmet Tips & Buying Guides

Motorcycle Helmet Tips

Below we have provided you with a list of motorcycle helmet tips for choosing a helmet that perfectly suits your head and your riding experience:

1. Try on motorcycle helmets for at least five minutes to detect bothersome areas. Look in the mirror for symmetry, to ensure that the helmet rests just above your brows and to see if any red marks remain after taking off the helmet.

2. After you have purchased your helmet, try not to store in a high or unsteady place where it could come crashing to the ground (such as the motorcycle saddle or side of the mirror. Don't risk scratching or busting an expensive motorcycle helmet.

3. Observe motorcycle helmet safety standards. If a cheap motorcycle helmet has not been Snell certified, for example, or is not a DOT approved motorcycle helmet, your insurance company may refuse to provide accident coverage.

4. Make sure your helmet has undergone anti-scratch and anti-fog treatment. In addition, be sure the visor doesn't touch the helmet outer shell resulting in scratches or fuzzy vision areas on your visor.

5. A lighter helmet may be more comfortable than its heavier counterpart, but is perhaps less equipped to ensure motorcycle safety.

6. Consider your chinstrap while checking your motorcycle helmet--the strap should not be too long and should be able to be tucked away so as not to hit your chin repeatedly.

7. Poor ventilation systems are chief causes of noisy helmets. The more aerodynamic the helmet and the better the vents, the less noise there will be.

8. A motorcycle helmet's comfort liner can mold a bit to the shape of your head so the helmet typically becomes more comfortable over time and use. Be sure, however, that you start with a good fit.

9. Inquire about the motorcycle helmet safety standards the motorcycle helmet manufacturer has met. A cheap motorcycle helmet may eschew certain safety testing standards. Moreover, always observe motorcycle helmet law by state, particularly if you are a young rider.

Some Helmet Buying Guides & Tips

When trying on a motorcycle helmet wear it at least 5 minutes and then take it off. Concentrate on places which start to bother you. If possible look in a mirror after to see if you have any red marks on your face.

Try to avoid placing your helmet too high off the ground. So often have I seen a helmet go crashing to the ground because they were left hanging on the mirror, placed on the saddle or on top of a wall. A simple fall can bust your expensive motorcycle helmet and that's just a shame.

Always make sure you understand with what helmet safety standard you are riding. You should be aware that if it doesn't meet the norm your insurance company might give you a hard time. Just so you know...

Check if your selected helmet has anti-scratch and a good anti-fog treatment. Also look to see that the visor doesn't touch against the helmet outer shell. This will result in scratches and unclear area on your visor.

A lighter helmet will of course always be more comfortable than a heavier version.

Give your chinstrap some consideration when checking your motorcycle helmet (make sure it's not too long and can be tucked away, so it doesn't keep hitting you on your chin). The strap is often made of nylon (like a seatbelt).

Ventilation systems are a major cause of noisy helmets. The more aero-dynamic the motorcycle helmet (and the vents) the less noise you will have.

The comfort liner adjusts a bit to the form of your head. Generally motorcycle helmets get more comfortable. But always make sure you do start with a very good fit.

Always inquire about the helmet safety standard. Especially cheaper motorcycle helmets try to avoid some safety testing standards.

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Thanks!

How effective are motorcycle helmets? (DOT ECE SNELL)

Compared with cars, motorcycles are an especially dangerous form of travel. The federal government estimates that per mile traveled, the number of deaths on motorcycles in 2006 was about 35 times the number in cars. Motorcyclist deaths have been rising in recent years — more than doubling by 2007 from the record low in 1997. In 2007, more motorcyclists died in crashes than in any year since the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) began collecting these fatal crash data.

In contrast, passenger vehicle occupant deaths reached a record low in 2007. Motorcycles often have excessive performance capabilities, including especially rapid acceleration and high top speeds. They are less stable than cars in emergency braking and less visible to other motorists. Motorcyclists are more prone to crash injuries than car occupants because motorcycles are unenclosed, leaving riders vulnerable to contact with hard road surfaces. This is why wearing a helmet, as well as other protective clothing, is so important. Helmets are the principal countermeasure for reducing crash-related head injuries, the leading cause of death among unhelmeted riders.

How effective are helmets?

Helmets decrease the severity of head injuries, the likelihood of death, and the overall cost of medical care. They are designed to cushion and protect riders' heads from the impact of a crash. Just like safety belts in cars, helmets cannot provide total protection against head injury or death, but they do reduce the incidence of both.

NHTSA estimates that motorcycle helmets reduce the likelihood of crash fatality by 37 percent.2 Norvell and Cummings found a 39 percent reduction in the risk of death after adjusting for age, gender, and seat position. Helmets are highly effective in preventing brain injuries, which often require extensive treatment and may result in lifelong disability. In the event of a crash, unhelmeted motorcyclists are three times more likely than helmeted riders to suffer traumatic brain injuries.

While no real-world crash studies have yet evaluated the effectiveness of novelty helmets, or helmets that do not meet federal performance standards in preventing injury or death, recent NHTSA laboratory tests suggest that head injuries are much more likely with these helmets than with ones certified to the US Department of Transportation standard.