Proper Motorcycle Helmet Fitting

[SpudRider]

Every motorcycle rider should wear a helmet, and to afford proper protection, that helmet must fit correctly. Yet many, if not most, motorcycle riders are wearing the wrong sized helmet. :(

I highly encourage all readers of this forum to check out this superb thread posted on the thriftyriders.com forums:

http://thriftyriders.com/viewtopic.p...=57&p=257#p257

Spud

[lego1970]

That's a good video. The high end brands give you more options to get a helmet that is supposed to fit your head better, while being comfortable. I've always done the "put on head and move your eyebrows up and down, and the helmet should move up and down with your eyebrows." My head measures 55cm which is supposed to be a medium for all the helmet charts I've read, however I seldom get a medium that fits comfortable, and have to go with a large. Most mediums get so uncomfortable for me that after riding for an hour all I think about it getting the helmet off my head. So it's kind of a toss up as to which is safer. A helmet that is uncomfortable and becomes a destraction, or one that's not a perfect fit, but lets you focus on the road. I've had decent luck finding HJC and ICON helmets that are proper fits and comfortable, but I really like open face helmets for trail riding or city riding. The open face gives me much better visability but not as safe and bugs hurt at highway speeds. I bought a real cheap $25.00 helmet from ebay, and the qaulity is not too bad but there is a slight chemical smell that probably is eating my brain from the inside out. Come to think of it, I'm always really in a good mood when I wear that helmet

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by lego1970

…but I really like open face helmets for trail riding or city riding. The open face gives me much better visability…

Yes, I also prefer open face helmets. I can’t find a full face helmet that fits me. :( An uncomfortable helmet that distracts the rider is unsafe; therefore, I have found that an open face helmet is the best option for me.

Originally Posted by lego1970

…I bought a real cheap $25.00 helmet from ebay, and the qaulity is not too bad but there is a slight chemical smell that probably is eating my brain from the inside out. Come to think of it, I'm always really in a good mood when I wear that helmet

Spud

[knothead]

Not really to knock anyone, but there has only been one or two times that I have gone down without hitting the chin bar of my helmet. Twice I have hit hard enough to really damage the helmet, had I not been wearing a full face it might have been pretty nasty.

And then when it comes to riding offroad... I wouldn't even think about an open face in the woods!

I bought an AFX FX-37DS a month or so ago. If you guys don't like the reduced visibility of a full face, you really need to take a look at this lid. It has the widest field of view of any full face I've seen. You really don't even notice the helmet at all. Plus it's compatible with goggles, just flip the visor all the way up and most goggles fit just like with an MX lid.

[lego1970]

Originally Posted by knothead

Not really to knock anyone, but there has only been one or two times that I have gone down without hitting the chin bar of my helmet. Twice I have hit hard enough to really damage the helmet, had I not been wearing a full face it might have been pretty nasty.

And then when it comes to riding offroad... I wouldn't even think about an open face in the woods!

I bought an AFX FX-37DS a month or so ago. If you guys don't like the reduced visibility of a full face, you really need to take a look at this lid. It has the widest field of view of any full face I've seen. You really don't even notice the helmet at all. Plus it's compatible with goggles, just flip the visor all the way up and most goggles fit just like with an MX lid.

Knothead, Your Fired! Just kidding. I like the security of a full face, but when I trail ride, I'm seldom going more then 10-15 miles per hour. Now when I'm riding on the street I'll admit I think about the total discomfort of a dislocated jaw when riding with an open-face. I'll have to look into the AFX FX-37DS. Sounds like it would be comfortable when wearing sunglasses, which is something I've never been able to find in a helmet.