Choosing the Right Gear Part 1 of 5: Helmets

[The Dude]

This is Part 1 of 5 of the series "Choosing the Right Gear"

The following is an excerpt from a book that I am currently working on entitled "Beginner's Motorcycle and Riding Theory". The book is designated for prospective riders that have no prior experience with motorcycles. It will take the rider through all of he ins and outs of owning a motorcycle and being a safe rider. The information from this book draws on lessons learned from my experiences throughout my first year of riding. Some lessons were learned the easy way, some the hard way, some passed on my more experienced riders and a lot from online research.

HELMETS

The helmet is by far the most important piece of motorcycle protective gear that you will need to own. For this reason it is the only equipment required by local law to be worn by all motorcycle riders and passengers. The statistics shown below show exactly how much of a difference wearing a motorcycle can make to a rider involved in an accident

TYPES OF HELMETS
Motorcycle helmets come in several designs to suit various riding styles and user preferences. Below is of the types of motorcycle helmets that is arranged from highest protection to lowest protection.
Full Face Helmets

These helmets cover your entire head and face and most include a built in flip up visor to protect the rider’s eyes from flying debris.
Pros

• Maximum protection from crashes as well as wind, weather and debris.

Cons

• Can become uncomfortable in hot weather.

Dirt Bike/ Motocross Helmet

These helmets also cover your entire head and face like a full face helmet; however, these helmets possess an elongated jaw for easier breathing and more comfortable airflow as well as a sun shade. These helmets may or may not come with a built in sun visor like the full face helmet.
Pros

• Maximum protection.
• Less confined that a full faced helmet.

Cons

• Larger size reduces aerodynamic performance at higher speeds. (Visor suitable for high speed riding)

Modular Helmets

These helmets are essentially full faced helmets with a moveable jaw that allows the helmet to act as an open faced helmet. However, many user reviews state that the hinged jaw has a tendency to break off in severe accidents and therefore offers less protection to the rider’s face in accidents.
Pros

• Offers good protection from wind and weather
• Modular style increases comfort in more diverse riding and weather conditions

Cons

• Offer little to no protection to the rider’s face in severe accidents.

Snowmobile / Snocross Helmet – (Not for Local Use)

These helmets are very similar to ordinary full faced helmets. However these helmets possess an elongated jaw that is sometimes equipped with a breath box to redirect the rider’s breath and prevent the rider from fogging up the inside of the visor in colder riding conditions.
Open Face (3/4) Helmets

As the name suggests, open face helmets expose the rider’s face to the elements. ? Open face helmets cover the top, back and sides of the head. Some open face helmets come with a built in visor, just like a full face helmet, to protect the rider’s eyes from wind and flying debris. If the helmet does not come with a built in visor, additional eye protection would need to be worn by the rider.
Pros

• Comfortable to wear.
• Non-intrusive to the rider.

Cons

• Offer little to no protection from wind, weather and

flying debris.

• Offer no protection to the riders face in an accident.

Half Helmets

According to the statistics previously shown, half helmets would only be effective in less than 2% of accidents where the rider’s helmet suffered an impact. It is clear that these helmets offer little protection to the rider’s face and head. It is the minimum amount of head protection that can legally be worn locally.
Pros

• Comfortable.
• Easy to put on and remove.

Cons

• Offer no protection to wind or weather.

Offer little to no protection to the riders face and head during a motorcycle accident.

This article has been provided for illustration purposes only and the writer takes no liability for any damages or harm that may occur as a result of following the instructions in this article.This article may not be reproduced in any way or form without the expressed permission from the author in writing. For more information or permission to use/reproduce this article elsewhere please contact "The Dude" on RealTrini.com

 

[The Dude]

Below is a technical breakdown of the different safety certifications of helmets. In short, it's best to buy a helmet that is either Snell or ECE R22 certified.

DOT
An acronym for Department of Transport, DOT is the is US government approved standard and, in the United States, is the most popular. DOT standards are aimed at protecting skulls from 90% of impact types (low to moderate energy impacts according to the HURT Report) and favour a more shock-absorbent helmet. The maximum G-force allowed by the DOT test is 250g’s, an impact of 200 to 250 g’s to the head would result in a severe, though probably survivable brain injury (the DOT anvil is either flat or “kerb shaped” depending on the test). The DOT’s favouritism towards more shock-absorbent helmets seems to fall inline with recent studies indicating that absorbing the force of an impact is more important than resisting the impact.

Snell
The Snell Memorial Foundation is a not-for-profit, independent organisation established in 1957 and is named after William “Pete” Snell, a famous racing car driver who was tragically killed in 1956 when a helmet failed to protect his head during an accident. The Snell M2005 is the “old standard” and favours a more shock-resistant helmet; the M2010 is the new, more shock-absorbent standard. The Snell M2005 test allows an impact-shock of up to 300g’s, a 250 to 300g impact would result in a critical head injury. The M2010 standard allows a maximum of 275g’s (the Snell anvil is a steel ball shaped rather like a tennis ball, they also test with flat and “kerb” shaped anvils). The Snell M2005 standard is widely believed to be too “hard”, the newer M2010 is set to replace it completely in 2013, the M2010 standard favours more impact-absorbent helmets and a helmet that passes the M2010 test will probably also pass the DOT and ECE R22-05 tests (though this isn’t guaranteed). Snell certified helmets are allowed by the AMA for professional motorcycle racing however the M2005 standard will no longer be permitted after 2011.

ECE R22-05
Developed by the rather lengthily named United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, this is the most common helmet certification internationally, required by over 50 countries worldwide. It is approved for all competition events by AMA, WERA, FIM, CCS, Formula USA and the big one – MotoGP. It, much like the DOT standard, favours a more impact-absorbent helmet allowing a maximum of 275g’s (the ECE R22-05 anvil is either flat or “kerb shaped” depending on the test). The ECE R22-05 is arguably the most up-to-date helmet certification standard, it’s wide use in a variety of high-level motorcycle racing classes is reassuring to many. The ECE R22-05 has more in common with the DOT standard than either the Snell M2005 or M2010 standard, an ECE R22-05 certified helmet are likely to pass the DOT test and vice-versa. (Silodrome n.d.)

http://silodrome.com/snell-vs-dot-vs-ece-r22-05-helmet-standards-throwdown/