Mark Byrne asked:




'If you got a $50 head, then get yourself a $50 lid!'

That's the advice I was given before buying my first motorcycle lid. It's the best buying advice I've ever had too! Choosing a motorcycle lid is, in the end, a personal choice but it's pretty obvious that you generally get what you pay for.

There are various types, all of which have their strengths and weaknesses. Here's a list of the those available:

Full face lids - provide the most protection of all the helmet types and they encase the rider's entire head. You may find some (the cheaper ones) lacking in comfort and freedom. Hybrid or Flip-up face lids would give you more visibility but, as, if the 'flip' is 'up' it doesn't encase the entire head, the chin is left vulnerable. Open face lids also known as a three quarter motorcycle helmets provide protection for the skull, ears and the side of the face. This type of helmet has no chin protection at all. Also you'd need extra eye protection as they would be exposed to the wind, dirt, insects etc. Shorty helmets also known as a half helmets provide no protection for the chin or the side of the face. Again, as with the open face type you'd need extra eye protection as they would be exposed to the wind, dirt, insects etc.
Motorcycle Lid Buying Tips

Try on motorcycle lids a number of times to detect possible 'problem' areas with the fit. Use a mirror to see how the helmet looks on your head; make sure that the helmet rests just above your brow. Make sure the helmet rests tightly against your forehead, you shouldn't be able to get your thumb between the helmet and your forehead. Always check to see if any red marks are showing after you've removed the helmet.

Always make sure that the motorcycle lid you buy has been Snell certified, or is a DOT approved motorcycle helmet. If not, your insurance cover may be affected - check with your insurance company about this.

Noisy helmets are to be avoided as they distract the rider and cause extra fatigue. Lower quality ventilation systems are chief cause of noisy in helmets. The more aerodynamic the helmet and the better the vents, the less noise there will be. Generally, cheaper helmets are noisy helmets.

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...

	Joe Rocket Manta Tank Bag, Magnetic Mount Black List Price: $44.99 Sale Price: $44.99
	The Joe Rocket Manta Tank Bag is a small yet versatile tank bag. With its compact shape, it stays out of the way when mounted but still holds smaller items and is great for those shorter day trips. Wind/water resistant Rock Tex 680 construction...

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

	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...

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

	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...

Matt D asked:




A helmet is probably the most important piece of safety equipment that you'll buy when riding a motorcycle. There is a wide range of helmets available today both in terms of style and perhaps more importantly cost. What style helmet you decide to buy and how much money you decide to spend is very much a personal choice, however depending on how much you value your head you should aim to spend as much as you can comfortably afford. As with everything these days, you get what you pay for!

Rule number one when buying a motorcycle helmet is never buy a second hand helmet. There a few very good reasons for this. Most importantly you can never be one hundred percent certain of it's history. It may look clean shiny and new but serious structural damage is often not visible to the eye. As you wear your properly fitting helmet it gradually moulds to the shape of your head to ensure a perfect fit for you. A second hand helmet will have moulded to somebody else's head.

If you are tempted to buy your helmet from an auction site, make sure the helmet is brand new and has never been used. When you come to replace your helmet, don't sell your old one on, for the same reasons.

If you are thinking about buying a helmet, time spend on a bit of research is definitely time well spent. You need to make sure you are getting the best helmet for your budget and also ensure you get the right type of helmet for your needs. There are a number of different types of helmet available today, the main ones being:

Open Face; these are most popular with scooter riders these days. They offer much less protection than other types of helmets however many manufacturers are producing some very fashionable designs, The designer helmet market is growing rapidly as more and more people in towns and cities are swapping for cars for more economical and environmentally friends forms of transport. Open face helmets are also popular with riders of cruiser style bikes - Harleys etc, and with classic bike riders. There are many retro styled helmets around today to compliment classic bikes. Most open faced helmets do not provide any eye protection (some do come with a handy flip down visor) so you should consider buying a decent pair of motorcycle sunglasses to protect your eyes from the elements.

Full Face; This type of helmet offers the most protection of all the other types. As the name suggests, these helmets provide protection for your face, not just your head. Popular with all types of motorcyclists there are all kinds of colours and paint jobs to suit all tastes. Current favourites are the moto gp replica helmets from the likes of shoei, aria and agv.

Flip Front ; These helmets are great for touring. Effectively two helmets in one, they offer the flexibility of being able to wear them as an open face helmet or full face. Used widely by motorcycle instructors and police motorcyclists. Shoei and Caberg currently have a good range of flip front helmets.

Off Road; Originally designed to motorcross and enduro riders, more and more of these helmets are coming on to the market with the rising popularity of super moto bikes. Most off road helmets provide no eye protection to you should look for a decent pair of off road goggles to go with your helmet.

Another important factor to consider is safety rating and approval. All helmets sold today must have safety approval...

Other things to look out for to get the most out of your riding:

Noise - make sure the helmet provides good sound proofing. Wind noise can increase tiredness and make it more difficult to concentrate on the road. It could also leave you with permanent hearing damage. Whatever helmet you buy, the use of earplugs is always recommended to reduce potential damage to your hearing.

Removable lining

Ventilation - look out for big fins and bits poking out. While they look cool and futuristic they often disrupt the airflow around the helmet, increasing wind noise inside.

Anti fog visor - shoei pinlock

Easy to change visor - some visors are incredibly fiddly to change

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...

	Joe Rocket Manta Tank Bag, Magnetic Mount Black List Price: $44.99 Sale Price: $44.99
	The Joe Rocket Manta Tank Bag is a small yet versatile tank bag. With its compact shape, it stays out of the way when mounted but still holds smaller items and is great for those shorter day trips. Wind/water resistant Rock Tex 680 construction...

	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...