9 Step Motorcycle Helmet Buying Guide

Wearing a helmet can be a frustrating task while going for a ride. But in reality, it is the most important thing one should do while going for a ride. 

No one knows when they can get involved in any kind of serious accident or injury. Therefore, one should wear all the safety gear and follow all traffic rules.

I know, no one likes wearing those ugly-looking helmets. If you are someone who knows they have to be safe while riding or planning to get a new helmet. Then, here is your two wheeler motorcycle helmet buying guide that can help you choose the perfect helmet that can ensure your safety while riding a two-wheeler.

By using this quick and easy two-wheeler helmet guide, you can pick the stylish and perfect-looking helmet that can protect you from different kinds of injuries. So, go through each point and make sure your selected helmet ticks all the boxes of the best and perfect helmet.

Why should one wear a helmet?

Helmet is the most important safety wear that one has to wear while riding. It doesn’t protect your whole body but it protects the head from getting injured when one is involved in any sudden accident.

That is the primary reason why one should wear a helmet while riding a bike. Another reason why one should wear a helmet is that it helps solve the most common problem that every rider faces, that is, dust particles or insects entering into eyes, smoke that can affect your overall health and it also protects you from wind, rains, snow. 

Apart from that, helmet can also prevent getting earaches, acne, and face from external air pollution. Nowadays, a modern smart helmet comes with cool features such as GPS navigation, music streaming, and many more.

We have already seen a FARO smart helmet for bicycle riders that comes with an integrated light that helps riders signal their intention while riding a bicycle. Apart from that, it also makes riders visible in case of low visibility. 

7.8
FARO Smart Helmet With Integrated Light Review
The problem with ordinary helmets is that they look very ugly. No doubt, They are safe and also help us protect our …

Buying Guide To Choose The Best Motorcycle Helmet

Everyone has different tastes when it comes to choosing something or deciding something. Each one has different factors that impress or depress them. Below two-wheeler helmet selection guide can help you choose the comfortable and right helmet for your two-wheeler riding.

The criteria that most people use while choosing a helmet are based on helmet brands. They decide on one brand and only search through that narrow window. 

This way they try to narrow down their search. Sometimes it works well, they get what they want. But in most cases, they end up paying more. 

Having just one criterion for shortlisting a two-wheeler helmet doesn’t work well. That is why you need a proper helmet buying guide that can help you decide on the perfect and stylish helmet that is perfect for your riding need.

9 Criteria To Look For While Deciding A motorcycle Helmet | Helmet Buying Guide

01.

Decide the type of helmet

Before selecting the type of helmet one should know their riding intention. What I mean by riding intention is that, what is your primary purpose of buying a helmet? 

Do you want a helmet for an off-roading ride or a helmet for your daily commute from your home to work and vice versa. To get this answer just ask yourself, “why do you want to buy a new helmet?”

Selecting the type of helmet is the most important step while deciding on your motorcycle helmet. 

Here we will see 6 types of helmets that are suitable for different use cases. you can read their pros, cons and for what situation they are perfect. Let’s dive deep and understand each type of helmet one by one. 

1

Full face helmet

Full Face helmet
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As the name suggests, full face helmet fully cover your head. This helmet is used by most people, it covers all sides of your head, including your chin, face, eyes. Full face helmets are marginally bulky as compared to the other type of helmets.

Pros
  • They are very comfortable during long-distance riding.
  • Protect from wind, bugs, and insects.
  • It is versatile, and adapts perfectly with different styles and looks.
Cons
  • Can be uncomfortable, especially during the hot season; if the proper ventilation system is not there.
  • Completely blinds you with an upcoming vehicle light, if you use it during nighttime.
Best suit for People who want a helmet for their day-to-day activities like going to the office, grocery store, dropping someone off at a nearby place, and so on. This helmet is an all-rounder.
2

Half Face helmet

Half face helmet
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Half-face helmets are also called three-quarter helmets. This type of helmet covers the head leaving your face open. Making one enjoy the full open road. They provide excellent protection from the top, sides, and forehead. Good for the one who wants to enjoy the full road, with less distraction.

Pro
  • One can easily wear sunglasses. since the front side of the helmet is open.
  • One can easily drink any kind of beverage without removing a helmet and also wipe the face very easily.
  • One can take a call without removing the helmet.
  • Comfortable and lighter for long-term wear.
Cons
  • If one is involved in accidents; the face, jaw, and eye are more prone to injury.
  • Noise and other dust particles may come inside the helmet.
Best suitable for people who are riding at the speed limit of 60kmph and don’t go beyond this speed limit.
3

Modular Helmet

Modular Helmet
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A modular helmet is a combination of a full-face helmet and half face helmet. As a result, one might feel this kind of helmet, a little heavier than the other. 

Pros
  • One can use them as a front face helmet or half face helmet at one time.
Cons
  • Wind, noise, rainwater might enter inside the helmet.
  • Can feel a little bit heavier.
Best Suitable for people who want to combine full-face and half-face helmets.
4

Half shell helmet

Half shell helmet
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Half shell helmets provide protection only to the top part of your head. Generally cheaper as compared to other types of helmets. If you are concerned about your safety then you shouldn’t go for this kind of helmet. But, they can still be used in certain kinds of situations. wherein, one travels for the least distance or if one rides a scooter.

Pros
  • Can provide good airflow, since your full face is open.
Cons
  • Offer the least safety while riding. That is why it can be dangerous.
  • Since the whole face is left open while traveling, dust particles get stuck to the face which may lead to face acne and other skin problems.
5

Off-Road Helmets

Off-road helmets
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Off-road helmets are special helmets, which are used by people who love to go on adventures. where a rider creates a road, it is like riding on a no road. Most off-roading tracks are full of dirt and debris. And when one rides on this track, all these dust particles and dirt get mixed in the air. Off-road helmets are specially designed to avoid this particle from entering into your helmets.

Pros
  • Best suitable for off-road riding.
  • Has a good ventilation system.
  • They are convenient, lightweight, and have an awesome look.
Cons
  • Less comfortable as compared to full-face helmets.
6

Dual sport helmets

Dual sport helmets
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Dual sport helmet is especially for the people who are pro bikers, one who like going beyond the speed. They have good aerodynamics.

Pros
  • Better than an off-road helmet, stylish and lightweight.
  • Can be a good alternative to full-face helmets.
  • Proper ventilation helps keep the inside temperature to normal.
Best suit for people who want a stylish helmet for their everyday commute or an adventure bike tour
02.

Select your style

Selecting the type of helmet which we have discussed above can do half of your job. Here you can decide the type of color and type of design you want on your helmet. 

Select the color which can be easily noticed by other people. If you are the person who rides during the night time then select the helmet color that can be easily visible from a far distance.

03.

Comfortable fitting

If you are buying a new helmet. It should feel comfortable once you wear it. It should be a little tight and should be freely moveable. The main reason behind this is, as you use it more often, the inside material might compress.

Remember it should not be super tight, Make sure you can move your head comfortably and be able to see what is happening on the road while you ride.

04.

Ventilation or proper airflow

One might not think of this as an important factor but it does, proper ventilation allows regular airflow inside the helmet, and keeps your head cool when you wear a helmet.

The primary reason to have a proper ventilation system is, you can have a control on the bike but we can’t have a control on the traffic, with increasing car population, it is highly possible that one might get stuck in traffic.

Proper airflow inside the helmet ensures, that the inside temperature is at a normal level.

05.

Noise

While riding, one analyse the surrounding situation and then decides their actions whether he has to go right or left, want to stop, or want to increase the speed.

While doing this, one makes use of the two major senses, one is the eye and another one is the ears. Combining both this information one decides the action that one has to take.

In other words, a helmet should not produce any disturbing noise which can divert your attention.

Still, this can be an exception because some people manage to ride perfectly, even if they are listening to a song using an inbuilt earphone helmet.

06.

Budget

Decide your budget and try to find the best helmet in that range, you can even make use of the filter option to hunt for the right helmet.

For most people, it will be a one-time purchase and it is related to safety. Therefore, It is okay to go a little out of the budget, but make sure you get everything that could protect you while you ride.

07.

Follow the safety standard

Each country has a different helmet safety measure, make sure your selected helmet follows all of this.

It shouldn’t be the case that you have already purchased the helmet and after some days you come to know that the purchased helmet doesn’t follow all the safety guidelines provided by your safety department.

As per the Indian standard, the helmet should have an ISI certificate. And for the US, the US Department of Transportation(DOT) has set a DOT helmet standard or Federal Motor vehicle safety standard 218 (FMVSS 218) for the motorbike helmet.

08.

Easy to clean and replace

When we use a two-wheeler helmet while riding. The outside dust particles and other substances might stick onto the helmet. That’s why you might be cleaning it regularly. 

That is why it should be easy to clean. And also if certain parts of the helmet get damaged, they should be easier to replace.

09.

Inbuilt Smart feature

In the Faro smart helmet with integrated light, we have seen many smart functionalities that make helmets perfect for bicycle riders. 

Motorbike helmets also come with certain smart features like Bluetooth connectivity, GPS facility, automatic emergency alert, and many more.

Although, these criteria need not add more value to most people. But, if you are a person who likes this kind of add-on inside your helmet, then you can go for it.

Final Takeaway 

The main purpose of helmets is to protect the rider from serious accidents. All helmets are designed not to protect your full body, but they are good enough to protect the most sensitive part of our body, which is our head. 

Also, No matter which type of helmet you choose, your first preference should go for safety. You need to see if the selected two-wheeler helmet is good enough to protect your head in case of a sudden accident. 

Frequently Asked Question

Which is the most common type of helmet worn by most people?

Full face helmets are considered ideal while selecting the type of helmet. It is designed to protect the rider’s head in case of an accident or fall. It even protects the eyes from flying debris.

How to choose motorcycle helmet size?

Select as per the size and shape of your head, most helmets have oval, round or neutral shapes, and all these come in different sizes such as (S, M, L, XL)

Still, if you are finding it difficult to decide your size, try measuring it with the measuring tape.

When should I replace my helmet?

If your helmet gets damaged due to a crash, you need to replace it immediately. Suppose the connecting strap gets damaged, try to fix it; if fixing is not possible – get a new one. 

Also, most helmets have a lifespan of 5-6 years. One needs to get a new one if one finds the current helmet is not suitable to protect in case of an accident or impact.

How tight should a helmet be?

Helmet shouldn’t be super tight and it should not be very loose-fitting to your head. It should fit comfortably to your head. In the beginning, if it is a little tight to your head, it is okay. Because over time padding might compress.

What type of helmet is best while riding in hot summer?

During summer not only does the air inside the helmet gets warm but also the nearby environment gets hot too. That’s why you need a good ventilation system that allows a good flow of air when you ride.

Go for a helmet that has a good vents system for airflow.

Which Bike helmets are recommended for Indian weather conditions?

If you are from India then the helmet needs to be ISI certified. this certificate ensures the helmet is safe to wear while riding a bike.

if you want a helmet that can withstand Indian weather conditions then you can go for a full-face helmet with a proper air ventilation system.