What To Look For When Buying A Motorcycle Helmet.
Buying a motorcycle helmet can be quite confusing these days. there are so many helmets to choose from, trying to figure out which one is the right one for you can take some time. Motorcycle Helmets come in a variety of shapes sizes and colors. There are also quite a few manufacturers to choose from. Most people pick a helmet that fits their personality or the colors of their bike. That is a good way to it. You should like the helmet so you will wear it whenever you are out there shredding some curves. Here are a few of the most popular motorcycle helmet makers around: Icon, AGV, Suomy, ZR, Nolan, Thor and Scorpion are just a few of the popular manufacturers you can choose from. You have several types of motorcycle helmets to choose from.
Lets talk about half helmets. These are helmets that do not cover your entire face they just cover the top of your heads the side of your head and sometimes come with a visor. A lot of these types also come with a face shield to keep debris and bugs out of your face. If the half helmet you pick does not you will need to get you some goggles. Half helmets are very popular with the cruiser crowd. Also skullcaps are popular with this crowd. A skull cap is exactly what it implies it is a helmet that only covers the cap of your skull. A skull cap usually has no visor. They are very popular with the American bike crowd mainly because the skullcaps are usually adorned with a nice paint job like skulls or an old airplane motif, bullet holes, flames, iron crosses and the like.
Skullcaps are mostly for show and really do not offer much in the way of protection. You will find most of the really cool ones are not DOT and SNELL approved. So if you are looking for protection I would recommend at least a half face if not a full face helmet. For cruiser riders it is sometimes hard to ride around with a full face when your buddies are wearing next to nothing. So I would recommend at leas a half helmet if nothing else. If you absolutely want a skull cap then ck to see if you can find one that is at lest DOT approved if not DOT and Snell both. I ride a cruiser myself so I understand the notion of the wind in your hair and the freedom of the road. Its just a good idea to cover your head with some thing just in case.
Full face motorcycle helmets are mostly worn by guys that ride crotch rockets or sport bikes is the more correct term. Sport bikes these days pump out a serious amount of horsepower, therefore it is vital to wear a helmet that can protect you in case of a crash, while still keeping you comfortable when you are out there tearing up the street or track. It is almost impossible not to find a full face helmet that fits your personality or your ride. These days you can even get custom graphics painted on your helmet. Most offer a venting system which will keep air flowing in, a quick switch face shield so you can switch from a clear to a tinted shield in no time. Full face helmets are usually available starting at about $100 on up in to the $600+ range depending on what you want, but for a couple of hundred you should be able to find one that suits you. Make sure that the fit is tight enough where the helmet can not be turned when its on your head. the fit should be snug.
Motocross helmets are the other type that we should mention. Specifically designed for off road use these helmets are made to be full face helmets with a visor and no face shield. A set of goggles is needed for them if you want eye protection. Thor makes some really nice ones for you to choose from.
When it comes to choosing a motorcycle helmet just remember a few things. Choose a helmet that you will like and will choose to wear. Make sure its DOT and Snell approved for your safety. Make sure that the helmet fits properly on your head and is comfortable enough to wear for hours on end.
Dominik Hussl
http://www.articlesbase.com/automotive-articles/what-to-look-for-when-buying-a-motorcycle-helmet-128666.html
What to look for when buying a motorcycle helmet?
I'm brand new to motorcycles and need to buy a helmet. What brands are reliable? How much should I spend? What features are important? Any info would help, thanks.
Oh and does it look silly to get a full face helmet when riding on a cruising bike?
I'll be riding on the back of a Honda Shadow.
fit is everything… full face protects chin and face better…
bell is a good brand…simpson….mostly look inside
at the liner and padding…
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First thing, Can my head fit in it?
Second, Does it look good, does it look Darth Vadar Robotic and sexy in a sinsiter, helmetty sort of way?
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: 83rd Reason: Is it safe?
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try sumthing new i recomend buying audio helmets they r quiet expensive but fun too try search on google.
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Buy for comfort . Period.
A couple years ago Cycle Mag, did a big test of helmets. They found the $40 DOT ( department of Trasportation ) helmets gave the same safety results as the $400 helmets. Their expensive sponsers were furious. They had nothing to gain. The test was called "Blowing the lid off". Lid is a nick name for helmets. Happy Trails.
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Make sure the helmet fits correctly, not too tight, not too loose. It should be DOT certified. If you don't like the bulky looks of the typical fiberglass helmets, check out the carbon fiber helmets. If you go for carbon fiber, make sure it's made out of carbon fiber and not carbon fiber graphics, as the graphics version is still the bulky fiberglass. Daytona Carbon Fiber makes some nice/safe non-bulky helmets.
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last helmet I had was the Carbone from Vemar, really good but it is expensive.
The first thing you need to do is not look for brands or colors in the beginning.
fit every helmet and feel what fits best ( in the beginning your face will go a little red) this is what you want in a is new helmet, not to much leave it on for 10 min if the helmet is not start to irritate you it is good.
When you put the helmet on, you need to shake your head when you feel that the helmet moves to much around it is to big.
When you found your helmet that fits you best, then take this brand and look for the graphics, if you can try to ask if you can go and test it because some times a helmet can fit you and looks cool but it is loud as hell when you ride you bike and this is something you don't want.
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Others have answered pretty well but I want to give you my own opinion. 8^) For what it's worth.
Every so often a motorcycle magazine will do testing of helmets. And every time they seem to find that the safest helmets are not the most expensive, in fact they are often the cheapest helmet in the test. From which I gather that the more expensive helmets have more features, perhaps more comfort, but are no safer. And certainly -any- helmet is safer than none.
Comfort is a main factor. You want to be able to wear the thing for hours at a time. Motorcycling is a blast, but not if you're not comfortable.
As to full-face. I have been riding since 1967. The last injury accident I had was in 1971. A woman made a left turn in front of me. I hit her about even with the back wheel. I flew over her car and landed on my face. I was wearing a 3/4 helmet with a face shield, and the face shield kept me from having my face scraped off. As it was I broke three teeth and had a nasty scar on my chin. But I consider myself lucky to still have the same nose I had before.
The helmet comparison articles in the magazines usually have a diagram that shows what percentage of impacts come from what direction. And half or more come from the front. This means that a 'half helmet' truly is only half a helmet!
After my accident, I wouldn't bother with a half or 3/4 helmet. Ful-face helmets take some getting used to, but they're worth it. And your right, they do look a little funny on a cruiser. But hey, it's your face we're talking about! 8^\
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DOT approved and a good fit.
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Fit
dot
what you like
nuff said.
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Style and type of helmet depends on your personal preference.
Fit is very important. The new helmet should be snug. If you move the helmet you should feel your scalp move with it. I buy helmets that are just a bit tight, but not painful,when new because they will take a set to your head and loosen up with a little bit of wear time.
Go to a good shop and ask for their help in fitting and choosing your helmet. Different brands will fit different head shapes so try a variety.
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Full face. Fits you. Real DOT sticker. "Snell rating."
These things cost $200 and up these days. Expensive.
Edit:
You should seriously consider getting your own motorcycle. Take the Motorcycle Safety Foundation course in your area, to learn about riding.
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Look for these things, in this order:
1- FIT. Does it fit snugly around your head? Does it fir your skull, i.e. is it an oval helmet designed to fit an oval head? Remember, they're like ski boots; they fit pretty snug at first until the padding breaks in, usually in about a week or two of wear. NOTHING IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN FIT!!!
2- Safety. Don't buy one of those stupid half helmets, get a full face one. 47% of all impacts happen in the areas that a half helmet does NOT protect, so why would you leave it exposed? What looks sillier: a full-face helmet on a cruiser, or a woman with no teeth and metal plates in her jaw? Helmets are for safety FIRST. If you want to look fashionable, take up golf instead of motorcycling.
3- Price. There are vast differences between a Kia and a Ferrari, but both will get you down the road. In helmets, there is a vast difference between an $80 Zox and a $600 Arai, but they are both better than nothing. Be prepared for a $200-$300 price tag, even if you don't spend that much. Just keep that amount handy when you refer to Item #1.
4- Availability. Can you get replacement parts at a local shop, or do you have to spend $10 to ship that $7 plastic bit you need? Can you get a replacement faceshield if a rock hits yours?
As for good brands, look for Arai, Shoei (my favorite), Icon, Shark, HJC, KBC and Scorpion (one of the best on the market for the price, in my opinion).
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Don't go for all the fancy stuff to look cool! get a good fit that the padding is touching your face and it's not to tight at your forehead.
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heres a little something that may help you decide
a neighbor cranks up his hardley does the typical rev it up look at me annoy the neighboorhood thing decides to ride around the block with no gear well the idiot hit a dog went over the bars smashed his face on the concrete and you could see his teeth thru his lower lip (he left that part on the concrete)
now everyday he has to look in the mirror at his new face for the rest of his life
now you tell me how dumb a full face helmet looks on a cruiser
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