We all love that great feeling of a speed induced adrenaline rush, but no matter how much we enjoy the sense of danger, we must never forget to put safety first. And a fine, suitable equipment is essential for safety.
For now, let’s focus on protecting the most vulnerable and exposed part of your body, your head. Helmets come in many sizes, shapes and colours, and while aesthetic aspect is important as well, protection and comfort is crucial. A good helmet can save your life, so choose wisely.
Choose your types of helmet
There are many things to factor in when choosing your type. If you are a motocross/off road rider, you will probably buy a motocross helmet, which comes with special features, including longer sun visor, larger chin protector, no face shield and better ventilation. It is designed especially for extreme conditions and is the right option for those who prefer dirt and bumpy roads to racing tracks or highways.
If you, however, prefer any of the last, you can choose from full face helmets, open face or 3/4th helmets, modular helmets or half helmets (with different subtypes). And while every type has its pros and cons, with safety and protection in mind we recommend full face face helmets. Even though they limit your vision and are heavier, their first and most important advantage is safety itself, since the full face helmets protects not only your head, but your jaw and face as well. They also provide better weather protection, little wind resistance and they muffle the noise.
Safety Standards
Research safety ratings of any helmet you consider purchasing. There are three helmet safety standards that might help you with that: DOT, ECE R22 05 and SNELL. DOT is most popular in the US and it is the bare minimum your helmet must provide and ECE R22 05 is very similar to DOT. Any good helmet would pass these standards. Meanwhile SNELL is an independent, non-profit organisation with rather strict regulation and their standards can serve you for any extensive research on safety.
Also, going for a trusted brand, might be a good move too. Good, recognised brands with longstanding development test their products independently before launching them. Therefore, specialised dealers or stores with those products might be the best place to visit when buying.
Good fit
No helmet will protect you properly unless it is a perfect fit. And believe me, when you are headed on a long journey, comfort is important too. You must consider your head shape and measurements of your head. A correctly sized helmet will move slightly, but will pull the skin on your scalp and face with it, preventing larger movements. If some of the pressure points become painful after a while, the helmet is too small, and vice versa, if it is too loose, it might be too big.
Helmets should be light for your neck’s sake: the exterior of the helmet should be made using carbon and kevlar or any lightweight plastic combined with composite fiber. Also, make sure your vision is wide and clear.
Before buying we would highly recommend consulting with an experienced seller as well.
Happy motoring.
