Anirban Bhattacharya asked:




For many riders, buying a helmet can be just an easy walk. Much because of the fact that people do not have proper information about 'what to buy' and 'how to buy'. Lack of proper research and enquiries may make your riding a rather carefree amusement with little investment to make but any encounter with accidents can altogether change your perception soon.

Here are some important points that may help you buy an essential safety equipment maximizing your riding pleasure while guaranteeing better security:

DOT Certification:
It is always advised to choose a helmet that has DOT certification on its back. The certificate is a kind of quality assurance from U.S. Department of Transportation. Usually every helmet must carry this certification sticker. The department gives its nod after checking a helmet's prevention measures and other internal features to withstand significant force.

Roll-off test
Before buying a helmet, it is better to take a quick roll-off test. In this test, a user is asked to roll the rear lip of the helmet in order to get it off from the head with fastened security straps.

Look into Fitting:
A good helmet should be comfortable to wear. Before choosing one, you need to try the helmet and see whether it is fitting comfortably to your head or not.

Coverage:
One can find so many kinds of helmets these days. Some are half covered and others give you full coverage. A rider must buy a helmet that provides the full coverage; for the entire face. In case of accident, full coverage helmets prove better.

Appearance:
A good bike helmet must be attractive. There are many styles of helmets are available in the market. People can choose helmets in different designs, colors, and sizes to satisfy their needs in different ways.

Cost:
Helmets come in different price ranges. The cost of a helmet also depends upon its features and safety gears. Check the price before a helmet. Compare it to the features associated.

motorcycle helmets

	Harley-Davidson® Full Face Zip-up Helmet Bag. Bar & Shield graphics. 98165-02V List Price: $20.00 Sale Price: $18.95 Average Rating:
	Zip-up bag for carrying full face helmet. Soft inner liner to protect helmet from scratches. Outside pocket for extra storage with Bar & Shield logo graphics. Three tie down loops on the bottom of bag to secure to bike...

	MOTOCROSS Sign parking motorcross dirt bike decal gift Sale Price: $8.99
	BRAND NEW SIGN!! 12" tall and 8" wide sign. Our novelty signs are made from outdoor durable plastic with professional grade vinyl graphics. These signs will never rust or fade, perfect inside or out (4-5 years outdoors)! The sign has round corners and a hole pre-drilled for easy mounting...

	HJC CL-16 Helmet CR Silver XS List Price: $134.99 Sale Price: $121.48
	HJC CL-16 CR Silver XS

	Complete Video to Painting Motorcycle Helmets with Vince Goodeve [VHS] List Price: $39.95 Sale Price: $39.95 Used From: $25.40

	Girls Rock Star Rubber Ducks (1 dz) Sale Price: $6.50
	These biker rubber duckies are ready to hit the road. Fun party favors and carnival prizes feature leather jackets, denim jackets, headbands and hats on these duckies who are ready for a ride on a hog...

	Decorated Mouse Pad with cat, helmet, pair, motorcycle, riding Sale Price: $9.95
	Professional "Brite White" fabric mouse pads are among the most versatile and durable, providing brilliant graphic reproduction for spot color or full color imprints. This durable polyester surface is above industry standards and provides a superior product value overall...

Doug Miller asked:




Here's how to go about it.

Choose a full face helmet and not a "decorative" helmet. A "brain bucket" (looks like a soup bowl) or open face helmet will NOT provide the protection you need to keep everything where it should be.

The first step is to measure your head. Even if you think you know what size helmet you need, it's worthwhile to take the time to double-check. Get someone to help and a small measuring tape. Measure the circumference of your head from about one inch above your eyebrows in front to the point at the back of your head that gives you the largest measurement. Measure several times just to make sure you've got it. Now match the measurement with the helmet sizes on the chart provided by producers (check on wb-sites), rounding up to the next largest number if your measurement falls between sizes.

Next, it's time to try on a few helmets. Don't worry about colors and graphics yet, our first concern is finding the right fit. Grasp the helmet by the chin straps with the top of the helmet down and the front of the helmet facing you. Balance the helmet with your fingers, and slide your thumbs to the inside surface of the chin straps. Now spread the helmet apart and slip it over your head. You may need to tip it backward or forward a bit to help slip it on.

The helmet should go on with some resistance if it's in the proper size range. Unfortunately, most people tend to choose helmets that are too large, so if the helmet feels snug at first, you're probably close to the proper size. Don't reach for a larger size unless you can't get the helmet on at all. Now that you have the helmet on, go find a mirror for a quick visual check. The helmet should sit squarely on your head, neither tipped forward nor backward.

With a full-face helmet, your eyes should be centered in the opening with the padding of the liner fitting just above your eyebrows. While you're looking in the mirror, check for gaps between the padding and your head. The cheek and brow pads should be in firm contact with your face, without causing excessive pressure. Now put one hand on each side of the helmet and hold your head still while trying to rotate the helmet from side to side and front to back.

The helmet should not slide around on your head without a lot of resistance. In fact, your skin and scalp should move with the helmet. Remember that helmets will "break in" just like hats, so the helmet that's just right for you may feel overly-snug at first.

Note any pressure points or "hot spots." If the helmet fits properly, the pressure should be evenly distributed around your head. Make sure the chin strap is snugly fastened and try the "roll-off" test. Reach over the top of the helmet and grasp the bottom rear edge. Try to roll the helmet forward off your head while you hold your head as still as possible. Pull as hard as you can without causing yourself pain. If the helmet moves significantly or rolls off your head, it's too large.

Before you take the helmet off, think about pressure points again. Do there seem to be spots where the pressure is excessive? Remember pressure that may be only mildly irritating at first, can cause a raging headache after an hour in the saddle. Stay close to the mirror while you take the helmet off, then look for any areas of reddened skin that signal pressure points. If you find any, put the helmet back on and see if you feel extra pressure in the reddened area. When you think you've found the perfect fit, try on the same make and model of helmet in the next larger and smaller sizes, going through all the same tests.

Before you make the final decision, put the helmet back on and wear it for at least ten minutes just to make sure you haven't missed any pressure points. Helmet manufacturers have different ideas about the general size and shape of the human head. If you have trouble finding the proper fit, try a different brand of helmet, or even a different model by the same manufacturer. Be patient, work through all the steps for getting the right fit and you'll end up with the helmet that's right for you.

motorcycle helmets

	Harley-Davidson® Full Face Zip-up Helmet Bag. Bar & Shield graphics. 98165-02V List Price: $20.00 Sale Price: $18.95 Average Rating:
	Zip-up bag for carrying full face helmet. Soft inner liner to protect helmet from scratches. Outside pocket for extra storage with Bar & Shield logo graphics. Three tie down loops on the bottom of bag to secure to bike...

	MOTOCROSS Sign parking motorcross dirt bike decal gift Sale Price: $8.99
	BRAND NEW SIGN!! 12" tall and 8" wide sign. Our novelty signs are made from outdoor durable plastic with professional grade vinyl graphics. These signs will never rust or fade, perfect inside or out (4-5 years outdoors)! The sign has round corners and a hole pre-drilled for easy mounting...

	The Motorcycle Helmet: The 1930s-1990s List Price: $69.95 Sale Price: $50.94 Used From: $49.99 Average Rating:
	The motorcycle helmet has encountered much resistance from bikers who cherish the sense of freedom they get when riding without one. At the same time, the design revolutions it has undergone since its introduction in the 1930s have made it as much a part of the motorcycle culture as the leather jacket...

	Modern Sports Helmets: Their History, Science and Art (Schiffer Books) List Price: $49.95 Sale Price: $36.68 Used From: $34.68 Average Rating:
	This wonderful new survey follows the evolution of the sports helmet from early military and aviation uses, through early motorcycle and auto racing, and to modern helmets used in a wide variety of sports today...

	HJC CL-16 Helmet CR Silver XS List Price: $134.99 Sale Price: $121.48
	HJC CL-16 CR Silver XS

	Air Skillz Hip Hop Airbrush DvD List Price: $20.00 Sale Price: $20.00
	. In this DVD Airbrush Assassin teaches you professional time saving and money making tips and tricks that can be used by any novice to expert airbrush artist offering custom hip hop airbrush t-shirts...

	Complete Video Guide to Painting Motorcycle Helmets List Price: $39.95 Sale Price: $9.95 Average Rating:

John Daniele asked:




The federal Department of Transportation (referred to hereafter as DOT) mandates that all motorcycle helmets in the U.S. be tested for safety. The DOT does its own in-house testing on these helmets, labeling those that meet its standards. If you are thinking about buying a motorcycle helmet and do not see a DOT sticker, think again. This is not a helmet you want to trust with your life. They are likely meant as a novelty item, not for motorcycle riding.

Get a proper helmet on your head, and get your head around these statistics -

The DOT's studies show that the percentage of motorcycle riders wearing helmets has dropped 13 percent in the last four years, down to 58 percent of riders. Despite accounting for only 2 percent of the traffic on our roads, motorcycles are involved in 10 percent of all road accidents. Deaths from motorcycle accidents have more than doubled in the last decade, and number over 4,500 highway fatalities annually. There are also 78,000 motorcycle crash related injuries, and the rate of accidents among motorcycle riders over the age of 50 has increased fourfold.

Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards -

The NHTSA, or National Highway Traffic Safety Administration set a FMVSS (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard) for motorcycle helmets in the U.S. all the way back in August of 1973. This was last updated in October 1998. These standards cover impact and penetration protection, as well as being able to remain on the rider's head during an accident. There is also a requirement that motorcycle helmets sold in the U.S. allow at least a 210 degree field of vision, and a multitude of regulations regarding the labeling of helmets.

Labeling requirements -

So what are these labeling requirements? A sticker or label from the DOT must be attached on the back of the helmet, centrally located and towards the bottom. There also must be a DOT label permanently sewn in to the inside, and not located where it could be removed along with the foam cushioning. A genuine DOT label will have the following information: the name or logo of the manufacturer, size, date of manufacture, model name or number and the components from which the helmet is made. If you do not see this information on the label, do not, repeat do not purchase this helmet.

Beware of the novelties -

Novelty helmets, such as the iconic Prussian style helmets may be popular and stylish, but do not provide adequate protection in a crash and as such are never DOT approved. These aforementioned helmets do not even cover much of the head and are therefore unsafe to wear while riding. If you see a DOT sticker on one of these novelty helmets, check inside for the DOT label; sadly, frauds are out there - don't be let yourself be fooled into thinking a novelty helmet has DOT approval.
Unless you intend the helmet to be worn for a costume party, take a pass on it.

motorcycle helmets

	Harley-Davidson® Full Face Zip-up Helmet Bag. Bar & Shield graphics. 98165-02V List Price: $20.00 Sale Price: $18.95 Average Rating:
	Zip-up bag for carrying full face helmet. Soft inner liner to protect helmet from scratches. Outside pocket for extra storage with Bar & Shield logo graphics. Three tie down loops on the bottom of bag to secure to bike...

	MOTOCROSS Sign parking motorcross dirt bike decal gift Sale Price: $8.99
	BRAND NEW SIGN!! 12" tall and 8" wide sign. Our novelty signs are made from outdoor durable plastic with professional grade vinyl graphics. These signs will never rust or fade, perfect inside or out (4-5 years outdoors)! The sign has round corners and a hole pre-drilled for easy mounting...

	Complete Video to Painting Motorcycle Helmets with Vince Goodeve [VHS] List Price: $39.95 Sale Price: $39.95 Used From: $25.40

	HJC CL-16 Helmet CR Silver XS List Price: $134.99 Sale Price: $121.48
	HJC CL-16 CR Silver XS

	Air Skillz Hip Hop Airbrush DvD List Price: $20.00 Sale Price: $20.00
	. In this DVD Airbrush Assassin teaches you professional time saving and money making tips and tricks that can be used by any novice to expert airbrush artist offering custom hip hop airbrush t-shirts...

	Complete Video Guide to Painting Motorcycle Helmets List Price: $39.95 Sale Price: $9.95 Average Rating:

	Without Motorcycle Helmets: We All Pay the Price Sale Price: $14.95
	Without Motorcycle Helmets: We All Pay the Price (1998) was produced by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The film examines why it is vital to wear a helmet when riding a motorcycle. It goes into detail on injuries and how much more severe they are when the motorcycle rider is not wearing a helmet...