14 Tips You Should Know About Motorcycle Helmets

Your motorcycle helmet is probably the most important piece of safety equipment you will ever buy. It will protect your head in an accident or wipe out, and could save you from a serious head injury. Follow these 14 tips to be sure you have the right helmet to protect your noggin.

1. AboutMotorcycle helmets are protective head gear used by motorcycle riders. The helmet is designed to protect the rider's head from injury during an impact. Many helmets come equipped with face shields, ar protection,and even communications.

2. StandardsNorth America has two sets of standards which are used to judge the effectiveness of helmets in an impact or accident. DOT is the minimum for legal riding. Make sure the helmet you buy meets the legal requirements. Just because it's cool looking doesn't mean it will work

3. The Snell Memorial FoundationThey developed stricter requirements as well as stricter testing for motorcycle helmets and helmets used in other activities like horse back rider, bicycling and rock climbers. If you have any questions these people are a great resource.

4. StandardsHelmets are tested for a wide range of impacts that could happen in a motorcycle crash, ranging from moderate to serious. Modern testing is very sophisticated and is able to duplicate accidents and injuries ranging from a small bump to a extreme crash to set standards for manufacturer of motorcycle Helmets. Make sure the helmet you purchase meets these standards.

5. Full Face HelmentA full face helmet covers the entire head as well as the back of the skull right to the base of the neck. They are open and cut out in a band across the eyes and nose. The opening may have a plastic shield attached to protect from wind. This shield often swings up. Many full face helmets also have vents that increase air flow keeping the rider more comfortable.

6. Flip Up HelmetThe flip top or flip up helmet has a chin bar that flips up or pivots up wards. On some helmets it can be completely removed. This style helmet easily allows the wearer to eat or drink.

7. 3/4 Face HelmetThe 3/4 face helmets covers the back entire head and the back of the skull just like the full helmets do. However, it does not have any lower chin armor. You can attach a face shield to this style of helmet and some even come with a flip up shield. The shields come in either tinted or clear.

8. Open HelmetAn open helmet is just what it says - open. This means you will need to purchase a good pair of sunglasses or goggles. Otherwise you are going to be wearing a lot of bugs and dirt which will irritate your eyes and worse yet it can pose a safety risk.

9. BeaniesThe beanie is the smallest helmet and provides the least protection. In fact it's debatable whether it provides any protection other than making clean up less messy. The beanie only covers the top of the head thus providing little or no protection. They are not certified and they no don meet the basic DOT standards. Some motorcycle rider wear these helmets to provide the illusion of a helmet or because they think they are cool. The only protection they'll give you is against a sun burn. They'll do nothing to protect the brain or head.

10. StrapsAll motorcycle helmets are secured by a chin strap. If not done up securely it will reduce the effectiveness of the helmet you are using, so make sure the strap is adjusted to fit snuggly but not be uncomfortable.

11. Synthetic materialsModern helmets are made from synthetic materials that can be molded or extruded into its shape using materials like Kevlar ,carbon fiber and high resistant impact plastics. These synthetic materials are very strong and absorb impact really well. The newer helmets are far superior to older ones because of the technological advancements so you should think about buying a new helmet.

12. Foam

Kristopher is the Editor and Publisher of Article Click. For more FREE articles for your ezine and websites visit - www.articleclick.com

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