Use Brain – Do Not Fail To Wear A Certified Helmet

Sometimes, Life Sucks and we should be very cautious to handle such situations. Wear a Helmet and Live Longer. In the previous posts, we had covered the helmet certifications and their types. Based on what you read in the previous two blogs posts A $14 Helmet For A $14 Head & DOT Helmets For Motorcycles, I hope we now know how imperative a Helmet is and Helmet parts that we choose are.

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When it comes to Helmet parts, it does not start at the visors and ends at the shell instead have got a lot more. In this post, let us uncover some more details about the helmet parts making this post and the prior ones as a reference document for the Helmet buyers.

Visors And Its Types

Every rider should have a good vision while on the road and for that a good visor is a must-have. A visor protects the rider from the sun and other dust particles getting into the eyes with the help of sunscreen panels in it.

Most of us would have come across motorcycle riders with their helmet visors being colorful and reflecting the road. They are not just a showpiece instead got a reason. In the market, we can get a visor with Sunscreen, Smoked Glass, Mirrored Visor, Transparent Glass, etc.

Sunscreen Visor allows the rider to ride comfortably during the day. But, at night it is not a ride-friendly option. The same applies even to smoked glass helmets. But, how will this sunscreen help the riders during nights?

Dual Visor – The Upgrade

Mirror or Iridium visor is not allowed in most of the countries as per their standards. Hence, these types end up rejected during the certification test. This had led the helmet manufacturers to decide to come up with the dual visors as one of the helmet parts. Yes, it is the upgraded version. The first one with transparent glass visor and back of that there will be a sunscreen glass for eyesight. In this type of helmet, you can pull the secondary glass manually or by using the button provided at the side of the helmet without much effort. This helps the riders who spend most of their day in commute by a motorcycle. What a great idea for the formulator, isn’t it?

Ventilators

Ventilators cannot be termed as a helmet part, however, it plays a great part in making the rider comfortable.

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How can we use the full face or full cover helmet without air circulation?

Who would be interested in removing the helmets for every 15 minutes during the ride to wipe off the sweat?

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When there is a lack of airflow, then it is not possible to experience the joy of riding a motorcycle as well as it may divert the concentration of the rider. Most of us would have experienced similar issues, especially in a low-cost helmet. But, this ventilation problem is rectified in branded helmets. Yes, in the branded and certified helmets there are ventilation portions maintained for regular airflow in and out. At the time of buying a helmet, it is must a rider examines the helmet for good ventilation.

Paddings

Are air circulation and proper visor enough to use a helmet for a long drive?

Yes, this question is very much valid.

What would be the case if a rider finds the helmet with no grips and soft cushioning helmet parts in it? Won’t the rider’s cheekbones and the face would directly have an impact at the time of a crash?

Image Credit: pinbike

Padding came into the picture as an answer to the above questions. Padding is nothing but the cushion which is located between the helmet and our face. Most of the helmet have this nowadays with various materials like foam, velvet, and sweat absorption materials like Cotton, Rayon, etc.

By seeing the picture you can raise a question. Can the padding be removed? Yes, of course, most of the helmet brands nowadays provides the option of removing the padding setup to wash or clean. Quite interesting right? Yes, to continue our hygiene there is an option to take out the padding. You can remove it wash, dry and use it. Thanks to the manufacturers for continuously making advancements and filling the gaps.

Size Matters In Helmets

While speaking about this padding most of us think of the size. Yes, there is the size for the helmet also. Most of our heads are of the same size only but with some exceptions in the least count of persons as they own larger head sizes. The padding indeed gets adjusted as the day moves but this would also reduce the chin space.

So it is highly advisable to refer the size chart in the helmet showroom to arrive at the correct size and buy the helmet. In case if you fall under the exceptions list, do not hesitate to ask for XXL sized helmets so that the shop keeper can order it for you in case if that is unavailable.

Thumb Rule is that when we turn our head towards the left or right the helmet should not rotate in the opposite direction.

Anti-Fog Visor

This is not helmet parts that are available by default in all the helmets. If you reside in colder regions and in the cities where the winter or rains are expected to be severe or last for longer duration then a Fog resisted visor can be a great addon as one of your helmet parts.

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During rains, we will come across a mist forming inside our helmet. Just like how in a car, where we can turn on the defogger to clear the fog that formed in the windscreen, the recent helmets have come with the FOG resisted visor in it. This will help in clearing the fog formation leading to a safe and hassle-free ride. It is also a wise move to opt for an anti-scratch visor at the time of your helmet purchase.

The Chin Strap

One of the important helmet parts without which in the helmets it is not safe to ride a motorcycle. While wearing the helmet most of us avoid using the chin strap. This we do without hesitation though we know wearing helmets without locking the strap is equal to No helmet.

Yes, stay wise. This simple chin strap is provided to hold the helmet properly in the head. During accidents, our helmet will roll out of head, hence, locking the strap will keep the helmet in place and will help us to stay away from head injuries.

Choose the correct length and material when it comes to this helmet parts so that it does not irritate you during the rides. Likewise, the interlocking system should be easy to unlock with two fingers during the unavoidable circumstances. Read the manual card on how to use the lock correctly.

Helmets Travel With Time

In this technology world, all products are getting advanced. Do you think Helmets are an exception? You might be already aware that nowadays helmets are equipped with Bluetooth technology. Two Speakers are provided on both sides of padding and an integrated remote to connect it to your phone. Using this we can hear music, attend a call, control volume, etc. This replaces the regular external headsets and its tangling mess.

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Listening to loud music or speaking while driving or riding is not safe.

Most of the helmet is manufactured with wired or Bluetooth. If not equipped, we can fit 3rd party Bluetooth kit fittings. In most of the country including India, there is a law to not use headphones while driving. So think well before you decide to go for the helmet parts like these.

Not just Bluetooth. Helmets are also equipped with cameras in it and available in the market. The captured videos are backed up in the memory card for future purposes. A camera-equipped helmet is a good option if you are Vlogger in Youtube or similar. Because it not only saves time and effort when we need to capture on-road scenarios but also serves as a piece of evidence when something happened to us or others while on road.

Weight Matters Too

Choose helmets that are lightweight and durable. The weight of the helmets varies based on the materials used in it. The most common materials used in the helmets are Poly-carbonate and Styrofoam. Poly-carbonate makes itself a perfect choice for creating the outermost layer to reduce the impact on our heads in case of an accident. Styrofoam aka Thermocol is the material mostly used in the inner layer of the helmet. It is very cheap and also good to absorb any impacts.

Image Credit: helmet saves.life

Good To Know

– Fiberglass, composite fiber, polycarbonate, carbon fiber are widely used for manufacturing Visors. Foam is the material used for the side padding comforter. Nylon or polypropylene used for the strap belt for sweatproof and non-irritation.

– Maybe we can expect styrofoam to be replaced by the material Koroyd sooner as it absorbs 30% more impact than Styrofoam.

The Reflector Helmets

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These are new arrivals to the market and they come as Radium (shown above) or Neon (shown below) type helmets. Looks bright in dark roads and can act as a reflector indicating other vehicles on the road that you are in there too. The Neon stickers are also available separately and can be bought and pasted easily in our helmets.

Image Credit:motomummy

Helmets For Children

Okay, you have got a DOT helmet for your own. But, what about your family who also rides with you on the motorcycle?

Helmets for motorcycles are important for the other riders too who accompany you on the ride. Adult pillion riders can opt for a DOT helmet or any similar standard helmets for their safety.

What is challenging is to make the little ones wear a helmet. Sometimes it is very tricky. So, when you plan to buy a helmet for your little rider it is better to take them to the helmet showroom so that they choose the one that they like. Kids outgrow sooner than adults. Hence, ensure that you choose the size that is slightly bigger (but not loosely fit) than their head circumference.

Helmets for kids are also available with lightweight and size. The colors and images are also very attractive and children will surely love it. Do not hesitate to get a full-face helmet for your loved ones at home.

It is a must for all the riders of a motorcycle to wear Helmets.

Helmet Parts & Accessories

Some of the other helmet parts or accessories that are available for the helmets in the market are as follows.

– Helmet cap (the cover between head and helmet)

– Nose mask

– Cleaning polish

– Fog Protector spray

– Led strip light with battery

– Spike and Horns

– Chin curtain

– Bluetooth kit

– 3M Reflective Tape and Vinyls stickers like the one below & many more.

Note that a rider can choose decals for the helmets from the many designs that are available in the market. Many colors and 3d design stickers can make your helmet look stunning. There are many online sites that can help you to design your helmet as per your choice of color and design. Try it.

Take-Aways

1. Follow Traffic Rules. They are safer than any helmets.
2. Ditch sub-standard helmets. Buy certified helmets preferably ECE/DOT helmets. Instead of spending money towards those additional blinking color lights and dual-tone horns, spend towards buying quality helmets.
3. Remember, the pedestrians are the priority before the law than those who are in vehicles on the road even when they are at fault.
4. Choose helmets for your motorcycles by keeping Safety and Protection as a priority in your mind.
5. Research, Think wise, and decide when you purchase a Helmet and Helmet parts.
6. Durability & Comfort are important than how the looks of the helmet and the helmet parts are.
7. Do not ride/drive vehicles when you are drunk. Choose Uber or OLA.

As I mentioned earlier, the prior two blog posts and this one contains only the basic details about the helmets for motorcycles. When it comes to buying helmets, we cannot stay confined to a particular brand. So, do your research too by keeping the information from these posts as reference. You can also try ECE certified MT (Manufacturas Tomas) and HJC brand helmets in case if you could not find a stock of DOT-certified helmets.

Wish You A Happy & Blessed New Year 2020.