Protecting Your Head Every Ride

[Kiara Wilson]

Protecting Your Head Every Ride

 

Through the progression of the motorcycling industry over the last century, safety has always remained an important topic among enthusiasts. Protecting yourself from the harmful elements of the road is vital, but what would happen if you should find yourself in an unfortunate accident with other motorists on the highway? Some view the motorcycle helmet as a limiter of freedom, as it can constrict the view and feel when blasting down the road. At the very least, finding something that's comfortable on the head is priority number one for most of us riders, but wearing a helmet should always provide the rider with enough confidence to travel farther, faster and with more control. Let's take a look at some popular helmets that have been industry standards for the last few decades.

 

Street Bike Riding With Protection

 

If you're a fan of street bikes like I am, you'll understand that there's no replacing the exhilaration of knee dragging, throttle twisting curves on a mountain road. Often seen as the pinnacle of motorcycle riding by those who dare to push the limits, street bikes offer us a glimpse into what it's like to ride a rocket – hence the aptly placed nickname. Although there are still a crazy few who continue to ride street bikes without helmets (some states still allow it!), it makes more sense to buckle in when you're pulling 2 Gs on the skidpad. And while any helmet will serve a street bike rider the same as any other motorcyclist, it's best to look at styles and solutions that are designed specifically for use with these super bikes. After all, we only get one head, so it's best to protect them in situations where we fly close to the ground. Helmets like the Arai Corsair, developed from street racing legends such as Dani Pedrosa, offer riders a way to look as aggressive as they feel. This total full-face design helps shield the head from dangerous situations and harsh impacts.

 

Open Face Wins the Race

 

Despite the purpose built nature of a street bike, not every rider is going to use the motorcycle the same way as the next person. For myself, I just enjoy the subtle beauty of the Yamaha R-series motorcycles, and street bike racing is a sporting spectacle in its right. As a daily commuter, I look for a street bike helmet that offers enough protection in traffic, but lets me experience the joys of cutting through the wind on a beautiful day. Open face helmets like the Blade Solid allow me to breathe a bit more easily than a traditional full-face sport bike helmet, and a protective glass shield offers a layer of safety against the harmful elements of everyday travel. But there are certainly other lightweight, open face solutions that fit every kind of riders needs. Even still, models like the FX-76 Youth offers a glimpse into a symbolic past in motorcycling history. Protection doesn't have to come in the form of total helmet enclosure, and you'll quickly see that these open face models – available in many different styles – are durable right to the core.

                                                          

Appearance Is Sometimes Everything

 

You can maintain that rugged street bike appearance without breaking the bank or hiding the face, because open face helmets provide street bike riders with more freedom. When the summer heat starts to roll in, you'll be happy to chose a helmet that allows fresh air to reach your face as you glide down the road, but also shields your mug from insects, road debris and the glare of the sun. But not all rides allow for more comfort than protection, and as experienced motorcyclists, we must understand the difference in circumstances. For riders who tend to find themselves in rainy, inclement weather most of the year, a full face helmet is really the way to go. Of course, if you're the type of street bike rider who finds him- or herself on the track more often than sitting in traffic, a full face is a bare necessity. It helps us stay protected in the event of a ruthless crash, and of course, it keeps the harmful punishment of high-speed travel out of the way. If you enjoy drastically changing the lean angle of your bike on a curvy, mountain road, a full face helmet is absolutely the choice for you.

 

Street Bike Wear

 

On the other end of the spectrum, casual street bike riding gives us the opportunity to be a bit more frugal with our head protection. We still very much want our noggins to be encompassed by a durable helmet, but the freedom of a half-face model allows us to really feel the power and might of the open road. Featuring a more classically styled design that mimics yesteryear's helmets, riders can leave bulky, hot full-face domes at home and feel the wind slap their face as they roar down the highway. Personally, I always keep a half-face helmet on my motorcycle, because I want to always have the option to switch. Late night rides, summer weekends and beach cruises pave way for these types of head protection to be mighty useful. The half-face helmet should make its way into the garage of every motorcycling enthusiast, because there comes a time when relaxing rides down the back roads are more preferred over the terror-inducing leans of sport bike riding.

 

I've had a bit of a love/hate relationship with motorcycle helmets over my years of riding, but in the end, I'm glad the industry has progressed to its current point of technology. From open-face and half-face to full-face models, it's really all about finding what's comfortable for your riding style and what works best in day to day situations. If you enjoy riding as much as living itself, you may just want to get multiple helmets for different purposes. After all, finding a comfortable helmet is sometimes about how well the fit is on your head and less about how much open space you have before you. While there is no real clear winner out of the different motorcycle helmets I've just mentioned, each one has their main areas of use.