How to Buy a Motorcycle Helmet

6. Faceshield
If you are buying a helmet with a faceshield, the shield probably has certification info molded into it, as all quality shields that we have seen do. The relevant standards are VESC-8 and ANSI Z-87. Snell-certified helmets also have meet the Sneff Foundation's faceshield standards. The shield should seal all the way around the edges of the helmet opening and be easy to operate and stay in position when raised. While you are trying the helmet on, close the shield and look for signs of optical distortion (such as straight lines that get curvy). If you note distortion anywhere near your normal line of sight, you should probably select a different helmet. Distortion is rare these days but can be quite annoying and tiring on long rides. Unfortunately, quality faceshields have gotten quite expensive, but the good news is that they resist scratching and are much more durable, so that the cost stretched over several years is about the same or perhaps even lower. In any event, the shield should resist scratching. Most offer UV protection. The best shield mechanism designs have provisions to crack the shield open to prevent fogging and to change without tools. I can quickly change shields on my favored Shoei RF900 without taking the helmet off my head. A simple screw pivot, once the standard, is now pretty outdated and inconvenient and is likely to break or back out.

An extra faceshield (a tinted one to complement the standard clear) is a nice feature. You might want to buy one if it is not included. And ask about availability of shields.

7. Convenience features
An extra shield and a quick-change faceshield mechanism are the best convenience features. A storage bag is useful and some can even help you carry a spare helmet on your bike, though you can purchase bags for this purpose from other sources too.

Some helmets have features to help you fasten the strap or to secure the strap's end when it is fastened to prevent the strap from flapping, which can be quite uncomfortable. If your state requires a reflective patch on the helmet, that should be included with the helmet. A variety of other features, such as a breath guard , may make your helmet more convenient. And, as is the case for large-nosed wearers who buy helmets with these breath deflectors, the features should be easy to eliminate if they prove inconvenient. Padding that can be removed and washed is a nice feature, particularly if you live in a humid climate.

One not-too-obvious feature we have learned to appreciate is Nolan's scratch-resistant finish. We have seen Nolans dropped from 15 feet onto pavement without a scratch on the shell, and one we lab-tested for our flip-face comparison had only a tiny scratch after multiple impact-test drops. The other helmets in the comparison (See Motorcyle Cruiser, April 2003) showed the results, but not the Nolan. Other helmets with similar polycarbonate shells may be equally scratch-resistant.

8. Comfort features
Venting is the primary issue here. Other riders might put it a bit higher on the list, but I can't feel much difference between vented and unvented helmets. In most cases I can't even tell if the vents are open. The primary advantage I see from vented helmets is that the shields are less likely to fog. However, for those that can tell the difference, this can be an important consideration in hot weather.

Vents may have some drawbacks. For one thing, protruding scoops are particularly susceptible to damage if the helmet is dropped or scraped against something while you are carrying it. Because they intercept the wind flow, they may also create some wind noise. Some helmets with top vent scoops stick up just far enough to engage the turbulent air flowing over the top of a cruiser's windshield. With one helmet with no scoop, I didn't notice this turbulence, but it became an issue when I wore a similar helmet with a scoop.

Other comfort features you might encounter are padded straps and different, interchangeable padding shapes to fit your head shape.

9. Appearance
There is a mind-boggling variety of graphics available on top-shelf helmets these days, but you will pay a premium for them, and the more complex they are, the more they tend to cost. If a dealer shows you a helmet you like with complicated graphics and quotes a horrifying price, ask what it would cost in a single color. The difference is usually significant.

Before you settle on basic black, however, consider a brighter color. The Shoei RF1000 that I currently wear 97.9 percent of the time is painted a solid bright orange. When I first started wearing this color scheme, I was amazed at how aware other drivers suddenly became of my presence. Over the years I had tried spotlights, headlight modulators, and bright suits and jackets. Nothing ever had the effect that my orange orb created. If orange is a little too, er, individual, for you, other solid bright colors would probably have similar effects. Florescent colors would be good, but solid yellow, red or white will also stand out more than black or another dark color during daytime. I am also convinced that a solid color is more visible than any pattern or graphic. While a checkerboard scheme might make a large surface more eye-catching, I think a helmet is too small for these sorts of treatments to increase conspicuity.

If you want to match your bike's paint, you have several options. In some cases the manufacturer of your motorcycle will offer a helmet line color-matched to your model. Browse its website or accessory catalog to see what's available. These are often only available for a year or two after the paint scheme is introduced. Some helmet manufacturers also consciously make colors to match popular models each year. If you plan to have to the helmet custom painted, a solid color, preferably basic white, is probably the best choice.

10. Cost
Chances are that the helmet that fits your head the best, has the most useful features, and feels the best on your head costs substantially more than the cheapest models you tried. If the cheapest helmet you saw fits as well as or better than the pricey model and has a D.O.T. sticker, then go ahead and buy it without qualms. The protection will be comparable.

However, if you are shocked by the expense of the helmet that works the best, there are a couple of things that might get the price down. First, heed the note above about the price of graphics. Second, there may be a similar model in the same line with fewer bells and whistles. A model with less elaborate venting may cost substantially less, for example.

Yes, you can order it by mail, but if a dealer spent time and made an effort to fit you and find you a helmet, then you have an unspoken contract to buy it from him if he has or can get what you want. The dealership paid for the cost of stocking the helmet and helping you find what you wanted. If the cost is simply out of reach, ask if the price has any room for negotiation. Don't think that your dealer doesn't notice if you come in to try on helmets then show up a week later with a new helmet of the same type that you bought elsewhere. This might be the number-one complaint I hear from dealers about customers. I suspect that customers who pull this deal pay for it somewhere else later.

Finding the right helmet may be more time-consuming than buying a bike, but it can be just as rewarding.

Art Friedman, may be reached at ArtoftheMotorcycle@hotmail.com

For additional evaluations of, comparisons of, and shopping advice for motorcycle gear and accessories, see the Accessories and Gear section of MotorcycleCruiser.com.

For more information on safe-riding equipment, strategies, techniques and skills, see the Street Survival section of MotorcycleCruiser.com.