How to Choose a Motorcycle Helmet
July 15, 2008 – 10:22 am
Many people find it difficult to pick out a motorcycle helmet. You may have asked your friends, spouse or fellow riders for help and each one has a different opinion or suggestion. If you find this confusing, that’s because the only person who can tell you what helmet you should be wearing is you. But how do you choose a helmet when you don’t know how to pick one? Well, we are going to try to help you out with some key points to consider…
Type of helmets
There are several types of helmets on the market today. Full face helmets which cover your entire head and face. Three quarter or open face helmets which leave the face open (or covered by an optional shield). Modular or flip face helmets which allow the face of the helmet to be raised when needed. And finally, shorty or half helmets which cover the top of your head.
Safety First
There are several things to consider when thinking about safety in a helmet: How well the helmet stays on your head in a crash, How well the helmet is constructed and How much protection the helmet offers your head. To be safe, the helmet must protect your head when and where you need it.
Which brings us to coverage. How much a helmet covers your face is always a big concern for motorcycle riders. Although a bug hitting your face at 60MPH might sting, it also distracts you for a few seconds which is enough to get you in trouble on a bike. But worst yet is the road hitting your face at 60MPH..that is going to do more than sting a little. From the figure below, you can see that the majority of impacts occur to the chin, face and back of the head. A half helmet or open face helmet isn’t going to provide enough protection in a large number of accidents. Take a look at the helmet below that helped a rider survive a crash..note the top of the helmet looks like new.
To aid in safety, some manufacturers have started including LEDs on their helmets. These help get the rider seen at night. But to be seen better in the daytime, studies have concluded that helmets with bright colors get motorcyclists noticed more than their headlight (unless the headlight is modulated). Even though white is a better color for visibility by other motorists, black helmets are the best selling (and the worst for visibility by motorists).
Another trick used to increase visibility by other motorists is to add reflective tape or decals to your helmet. Your head is the highest point on your motorcycle and is not obstructed by the fairings or saddle/tank/tailbags. The best reflective tape to use is retroreflective tape.
Another thing to consider for improved safety is replacing an old or used helmet. Helmets that have been in an accident have done their job, protecting your head when you fell. Even though, the helmet isn’t scratched up that badly, you should still replace it. The interior of a helmet is designed to crush when your head takes an impact (this lessens the amount of force your head and brain have to withstand). You may not be able to see the crushed area and the padding may hold the helmet properly but there is now a “hard” spot in your helmet that will not protect you as well in your next crash.
Older helmets (4 years or more) might need to be replaced as well. Sweat, usage and time take their toll on helmets. Liners become loose (or come apart) and protective materials break down. Even if you don’t wear the helmet that often, years of just sitting in a closet will cause problems. Have your helmet inspected and replaced if needed.
Helmet Certifications
There are numerous certifications that a helmet can achieve. All of which have test standards that the helmet must pass before they can display the certification on the back of the helmet. The two most common certifications in the US are D.O.T. FMVSS 218 and Snell M2005. Both have different test standards with their own advantages and disadvantages but having a helmet that meets both standards might mean that you have a safer helmet. Also, keep in mind that many states have different requirements for motorcycle helmets (check with your Department of Motor Vehicles for these requirements).
These certifications also insure that the helmet is constructed of appropriate materials which will aid in absorbing the impact of a crash and thus protecting your head (for the area that they cover).
Proper Fit
Fit is the part of the decision process that you should spend the most time on. Just because your friend thinks that the Shoei RF-1000 is the best fitting helmet on the planet doesn’t mean it will fit you properly. Everyone’s head shape is a little different and the fit of a helmet is a very personal thing. Try on several different helmets before picking one. A properly fitting helmet will be comfortable to wear but a improperly fitting one will make your ride miserable!
First, when you try on a helmet it should fit snugly so that the helmet doesn’t move around too much when you shake your head from side to side and up and down. It should move with your skin and not slide around. But you don’t want it to be uncomfortably snug. On a full face helmet, if the helmet fits your head but the cheeks are too tight or loose, have the salesperson swap out the cheek pads for you.
Next, with the helmet strapped on tight, reach behind your head, grab the back of the helmet and try to pull the helmet over the top of your head. If it comes off, the helmet will probably not stay on in a crash.
Now, walk around the store and check out what else they have for sale. A bad fitting helmet will develop pressure points on your head and it takes several minutes for these to become evident. So wearing the helmet while shopping or looking around the store will give you time to see if the helmet fits properly (give it about 10 minutes).
Satisfied with the fit and feel? Try on another one. The more you try on, the better decision you will make.
The Comfort of a Good Helmet
Many people think there is no such thing as a comfortable helmet mainly because they haven’t tried on enough helmets. With the advances in helmet technology, there is no reason to be wearing an uncomfortable helmet.
Fit may equate to comfort for many people but other features come into play as well. A helmet with good ventilation won’t make a helmet fit better but it goes a long way to keeping you cool and comfortable on a hot summer day. Ask your saleperson to show you how the helmet is vented and how to work the vents. A well vented helmet with all the vents open on a cold winter day isn’t too comfortable.
Another feature that may help some people with improving the comfort of their helmet is padded straps. While trying on the helmet, check to see if the strap digs in or irritates your skin. If so, you may need to find another helmet that fits differently or has padded straps.
Convenience Items
Many helmet manufacturers are trying to win the consumer over these days with more convenience items. A few of the most popular items are chin strap buckles, tinted visors and liners.
Chin strap buckles allow the wearer to quickly buckle their helmet instead of having to thread the strap through the D-rings that come standard on most helmets. When looking at helmets with chin strap buckles, look for one that is made of metal. Plastic chin strap buckles aren’t as strong as the original chin strap D-rings and could allow the helmet to come off in a crash.
Many people find the use of sunglasses with full face and three quarter helmets to be difficult or painful due to the padding holding the sunglasses tight against their heads. So many people opt to buy tinted shields for their helmets. These replace the standard shield and work like sunglasses. However, just like sunglasses, tinted shields don’t help you see on a dark night. So many riders will swap out there shields when it gets dark. Several manufacturers are now making helmets with integrated visor systems that put the visor in place only when you want it. In the picture below, the HJC FS-10’s tinted visor in in place behind the shield and retracts at the touch of a button.
Great advances have been made in liner systems. Many helmets feature removable liners that can be washed and replaced if needed. Some even have anti-baterial treatments to keep them from getting too funky on those hot summer days. And even more offer replaceable cheek pads to insure a proper fit throughout the life of the helmet.
Cost
There is an old expression which says “A $10 head gets a $10 helmet”. To get a good, safe helmet, in the past, you had to pay more. Today, that isn’t always the case. There are some very good helmets available for everyone’s budget. In the past, Arai and Shoei produced some of the best helmets on the market (and still do) but today, other companies (HJC and Scorpion to just name two) are trying hard to produce high quality helmets at lower cost. In short, you don’t need to pay $500 – $700 to get a good, safe helmet these days!
Summary
We hope you are now a little more informed about helmets and can make a decision on the purchase of your new motorcycle helmet. Try on several helmets before making your choice and buy a comfortable helmet that fits well and provides you with the best possible protection within your budget! For more information, check out the MSF (Mototcycle Safety Foundation) document entitled “What You Should Know About Motorcycle Helmets“.
Note: In some states you can not return a helmet after you purchase it (health code violations). So make sure you are happy with the helmet before you buy it.
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