Best of the Best

A good helmet is the most important piece of safety equipment for any motorcycle rider – fact! Sure, you need a nice pair of boots, some smart leathers, and flashy gloves – and these are all vital to keep you in one piece should the worst happen. But, to put it simply, your head is your brain is you. Serious head injuries are the number one killer in motorcycle accidents – you can break a leg or an arm and survive, even major damage to your body can be fixed up in the ER. But damage your brain, even slightly, and that can be the end of you. But a well-chosen, high-quality helmet can protect you from injury in many crashes. Helmets are generally made from a tough outer shell, usually of fibreglass, carbon fibre or Kevlar weave, with a softer liner. This liner – usually expanded polystyrene – protects your skull by absorbing the energy of an impact, slowing down the deceleration of your head inside the outer shell, and preventing the bruising, swelling, and skull fractures which are so often fatal. The outer shell also serves to prevent penetration injuries from such items as motorcycle footpegs and roadside fence poles.

A helmet’s primary purpose is protection, but they also have a number of secondary functions. A movable visor is essential, to provide eye protection, while many helmets have quick-release systems to allow a dark visor to be swapped in for riding in bright sunshine. Vents are important to allow cooling airflow into the helmet, and there are a variety of fastening systems available, including ‘seatbelt-type’ buckles for easy fastening.

The most important part of a helmet though, is the fit. It’s essential that the user tries the helmet on and makes sure it is the right size – not too large or too tight. A helmet that’s too big can come off your head in a crash, leaving you totally unprotected, while a too-tight lid can cause discomfort and headaches. It’s not just size either – different helmet models can suit different head shapes. If your head is long and narrow, you may find one model will suit you better than another that will better suit a rounder head shape.

This is one purchase that you really shouldn’t just make online – you have to go to a dealer and try on the helmet you fancy before you buy.