Useful info about buying motorcycle helmets. |
| 6/10/2008 4:12:34 PM |
Comparison and info about motorcycle helmets.
Most motorcycle riders have more than one helmet and many have collected several helmets as they progress through their motorcycle riding years. You might own an Arai or Shoei or HJC or Bell or one of the many other brands of helmets but I am sure one is your favorite. It can be a long, frustrating and expensive road before you find just the right motorcycle helmet but when you do it is worth the time spent weeding out the others. There are a few tips to keep in mind when shopping for a quality motorcycle helmet.
Number one is to pick up a few motorcycle magazines or go online and read a few helmet reviews, concentrate on the motorcycle helmet or helmets you are interested in. In these helmet reviews you will find alot of useful information such as how well the helmet is constructed and what materials it is made of. The newest and best motorcycle helmets are being produced using a carbon fiber so look for this feature. Take note of how well the helmet did in the standard drop test. This is a test conducted by an independent laboratory to verify the ability of the motorcycle helmet to absorb a hard hit and still have the ability to protect your head. Also make sure any helmet you are considering buying is Snell and DOT approved. Most motorcycle riders have heard that if you drop your helmet or the helmet is more than 5 years old you should replace it. Arai recommends this for safety reasons. Is this really necessary? I can't say but after 5 years you are probably want a new helmet anyway. There are some good facts to back this advice up and in fact many motorcycle racing organizations will not let you use a helmet that is older than 2 years or has been subjected to a fall to the pavement. The rational behind this is any fall or an aged helmet does not have the original protection integrity.
Keep one important thing in mind when selecting your helmet---there is a BIG different between the higher end and thus more expensive helmet and the cheap ones. You get what you pay for when it comes to motorcycle helmets and since it is going to your or a loved ones head inside the helmet opt for the best you can afford.
Most of the newer helmets made by reputable companies have very good ventilation while the cheaper helmets have little to adequate air movement. This is important for a couple reasons. A well ventilated motorcycle helmet is going to naturally keep your noggin cooler on hot days and also it will help keep the face shield from fogging up. Also look for a helmet with a quality liner that you can remove and clean as needed. Nothing worse than sticking your head in a helmet that has never been cleaned! You don't want to have to smell a helmet with a couple years of sweat emanating from the liner. And take note of the cheek pads the helmet has. if it does not even have cheek pads then move on to one that does. Plus look for a brand that offers different size cheek pads so you can get the perfect fit. Not to loose and not to tight. Snug is what you are looking for.
Noise.
Most of the cheaper helmets are very noisy. I think the quietest helmet I’ve ever tried was the Shoei RF-1000. This motorcycle helmet is a top notch skid lid and quieter than the Arai RX-7 Corsair.
Weight.
Again, most of the cheaper motorcycle helmets are very heavy when compared to the top line models. this is due to the fact they are constructed of cheaper but heavier materials. Trust me on this one---you DO NOT want a heavy motorcycle helmet! Any rider who has worn a heavy helmet on a long ride will tell you to get as light a helmet as you can and this means one of the quality and expensive helmets. A few hours in the saddle wearing a heavy helmet and you will not only have stiff and sore neck muscles but will toss the heavyweight in the closet and go buy the lighter one. One thing I have herd from many riders is there is no way they would purchase a motorcycle helmet without trying it on first. Good point. And this works if you live near a mega motorcycle helmet dealer or shop that carry's dozens of makes and models. My preference is to shop online for a new helmet. I already know the size I need and the selection is so much larger I have never had a problem buying a motorcycle helmet this way. and the online super-stores have one big advantage over your local dealer. they buy in volume so they can sell you a top quality motorcycle helmet at a much lower price than you will pay at "Teddy's motorcycle shop" down the street. Plus you can call a toll free number with any questions, shipping is free in many instances and no hassle return policies if you are not satisfied make buying a motorcycle helmet online my choice. Try it and save yourself a nice chunk of coin.
 
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