This entry was posted on Tuesday, January 6th, 2009 at 9:03 am and is filed under Helmets, Motorcycle, Safety. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
January 6, 2009
As someone who loves to ride motorcycles, it’s likely that you’ve been in dangerous situations while on the road. Drivers who get too close, highway traffic that boxes you in, bad weather that comes up on your suddenly. There are many situations where you can’t completely control the road. You can help yourself stay safe by being prudent and cautious as you ride, but that isn’t always enough. To make sure you’re always protected, make sure that you’ve got a high quality safe motorcycle helmet.
A safe motorcycle helmet is a great investment, because it’s something you will use every time you ride, that will keep you both comfortable and safe. You may wonder how a helmet keeps you safe, and even think that there’s no point, if you’re thrown off, it’s over. That isn’t true, and a helmet can go a long way towards saving your life. Modern helmets use foam layers, packed underneath the hard shell, to absorb shock waves on impact. This helps to prevent brain damage, and has been shown to save lives.
How can you find a safe motorcycle helmet? There are several different ways, some of which are things you can look out for, and others which you can do while you’re shopping for your helmet. The first is the most simple. For any helmet that you’d like to buy, look and make sure that it has a small white sticker that says DOT. This stands for the Department of Transportation, and means that it has met their minimum safety standards.
Your next step will be choosing which type of helmet is right for you. There are several types of helmets that qualify as safe motorcycle helmets, however, some are safer than others. You should always go for at the least, a three quarter helmet, which covers your head and the sides of your face. However, for the safest helmet on the market is the full face helmet, which includes a face shield to protect you from wind, rain, and road kick up. Which style is the safe motorcycle helmet for you depends on which you find the most comfortable.
The next step you’ll need to take is actually trying on your helmets, to make sure that they fit you well. There are many reasons that fit is an important part of a safe motorcycle helmet. First, it’s important for comfort, and if a helmet is uncomfortable, you may be tempted to leave it and home, leaving you completely exposed. It’s also important because a good fit means proper cushioning, ensuring that you are subjected to the least amount of shock should you be thrown from your bike.
A good, safe motorcycle helmet is an important safety tool for every rider. If you don’t have one, go and get one before riding again, following these tips. If your own helmet is old, or you know that it has been damaged, it’s also the time for a new helmet. You’ll be able to ride knowing your safe and secure.
Article courtesy of ezinearticle.com author Frank Medley
Although, I do agree a safe motorcycle helmet is essential but it is a bit simplistic to think you can be guaranteed a safe helmet because it is labeled DOT-approved or Snell. As stated in other posts on this blog, the Department of Transportation (DOT) DOES NOT test every helmet from every manufacturer. They only set the standard and allow the manufacturer to test and certify their own helmets. The DOT does a random sample tests periodically and surprise, surpise even the big name manufactures products have failed to meet the DOT standards during these random tests. Snell approval does meet a higher standard and is more likely a safer helmet but even Snell certification has come under attack and may not be the safest. England has its own certification and the EU also has its own and they do not recogize the Snell certification for competive motorsport events. The bottom line is modern manufacturing and design is producing helmets that are better than wearing nothing at all but the best safety equipment is a safe rider.
Disclaimer: www.motorcycle-leather-gear.com and www.openroadcyclegear.com are wholey owned by RobyCo, Inc. of Reading Pennsylvania. Excerpt articles do not represent the management opinions of RobyCo, Inc or its holdings. Selected information is provided for discussion purposes.