How to choose the best motorcycle helmet

A motorcycle helmet is the most important piece of riding gear you can invest on and it has to be done right. For beginners, it might get a bit complicated to choose the first helmet as more the ever evolving motorcycle range and body types, more the kind of helmets, brands and make to choose from. Getting the right lid, and getting it on time is critically important as probably hitting the road and finding the helmet you bought is crappy, isn't actually smart. So here's a quick head start if you are out there to buy yourself a new lid and confused about making the right choice.

Buy what you ride:

The journey of buying your helmet starts from the kind of motorcycle you ride or the kind of riding you'd be doing the most. For starters, if you have sports bike and track days is your thing then a race helmet will serve you the best. These are full face helmets aerodynamically designed to serve the best protection possible for the human head. These helmets also have specifically engineered air vents located on the upper head that allow for passage of air while the rider is fully leaned over. The only kicker is that they cost slightly on the higher side, and may be expensive to buy when you compare it with anything else. But on the brighter side, they are the best bet when it comes to protection.

Apart from the race helmet, there are ADV helmets for adventure motorcyclists, modular helmets that can be flipped up to talk to people or enter businesses, open-face helmets to look cool riding big cruisers, and motocross helmets. While all these helmets serve different purpose, the safest of them all are the full face helmets.

Ensure safety rating:

There are various safety rating across different parts of the world for example in India there is ISI standard for helmets but when you take the real rating into account (ratings that matter for helmets), especially for a riding gear that you have to trust for your life, enter Snell, D.O.T, E.C.E. or SHARP. Make sure your helmet has either or most of these safety ratings, as these are the most trusted in the helmet business around the globe.

• SNELL– Snell Memorial Foundation
• E.C.E.– Economic Commission of Europe
• SHARP– Safety Helmet Assessment And Rating Programme
• D.O.T.– Department Of Transportation

Get what's best suited for you:

Helmets by different brands are unique in their engineering, features, shape and sizes. It is perfectly normal for two different brands to have different sized/shaped medium helmets (and same goes for all sizes). On the other hand, not all riders have the same head shape/size. So it is recommended that you go out physically to a store that retails the brands you are looking out for and try most of the models that fit your budget. Things to make sure is that the helmet should be snug fit on your cheeks and head. Move your head side to side wearing the lid, and it shouldn't feel lose. If it is, try a smaller size.

Double-D is must:

Ensure the helmet that you have chosen has a double-D lock. That said, also ensure that you have wide and clear vision up ahead (including the vision on motorcycle's meter console). The helmet shouldn't be heavy as it may get uncomfortable even during daily city rides, and overall weight of the lid should be perfectly balanced.

Check out Upcoming Bikes In India.