Monday, January 18, 2010

Motorcycle Helmets For The Youth

It is particularly important to be aware of motorcycle safety when it comes to the youth. You might have a child who likes to ride motorcycles. To ensure his safety, try to invest in a youth motorcycle helmet that provides good protective coverage and excellent retention to help lessen your worries.

Youth motorcycle helmet safety also involves proper fit and sizing. Every motorcycle helmet dealer should have an expert available to help you find a youth motorcycle helmet that perfectly shaped to your child's head.

In looking for the perfect fitting motorcycle helmet for your child, it is better that you should bring him with you when you do your helmet shopping. This way, you can have him determine for himself if such a helmet would be perfect for his own use. Here are some tips that would be able to help you find that motorcycle helmet with the perfect fit.

Let your kid try on several motorcycle helmets for at least five minutes to check for any bothersome areas. Have him look in the mirror to check for symmetry and ensure that the motorcycle helmet rests just above the eyebrows and to check for red marks after taking off the helmet.

The comfort liner of a motorcycle helmet can form to the shape of your head so the helmet typically becomes more comfortable over time and use. Be sure that you start with a good fitting helmet. You should also make sure that the helmet you choose has undergone anti-scratch and anti-fog treatments. In addition, make sure that the visor doesn't touch the helmet’s outer shell that can result in scratches or fuzzy vision areas on your visor.

When choosing a youth motorcycle helmet, remember that a lighter model may be more comfortable than its heavier counterpart, but is perhaps less equipped to ensure motorcycle safety. You must be able to strike up the perfect balance over both features to ensure that your child enjoys comfort while wearing the helmet along with the features to provide the protection that you look for.

After you have purchased a helmet for your child, try to be cautious and careful in storing them. Avoid placing them in a high or unsteady location where the helmet could come crashing to the ground. Avoid the risk of scratching or busting an expensive motorcycle helmet by taking very good care of it. Avoid placing the helmet on the motorcycle saddle or the side mirrors. Doing so can damage the interior padding which can make the helmet unusable over time.



Motorcycle Helmets | HCI Helmets

Motorcycle Helmets: The Statistics

When you go for a ride on your motorcycle, you’re out to have fun. And hey, you’ve never had a crash before, so why would it happen now? Here are the government statistics about motorcycle helmets.

A brief history of the Law

In 1967, the US federal government said that it would take away funding from any state that didn’t have a helmet law. By 1975, 47 states had complied with the federal government. However, in 1976, they repealed the law, ruling it unconstitutional. Most states softened their helmet laws.

Kentucky and Louisiana

In the late 1990s, Kentucky and Louisiana repealed their helmet laws. While the helmet laws were in effect, nearly 100% of the people wore their helmets. When the laws came off the books, it fell to only half of people wearing helmets. The rate of fatalities per number of registered motorcycles rose 37% in Kentucky, and it rose a staggering 74% in Louisiana.

Don’t mess with Texas

Similarly to Kentucky and Louisiana, Texas took its helmet law off the books in 1997 for riders 21 or older who have insurance or training. Helmet use dropped from 96% to 66%, and motorcycle related deaths went up 1/3rd. This means that the death rates corresponds almost directly to the proportion of people who do not wear helmets.

Florida’s Example

Florida repealed its helmet law in 2000. From 1997-1999 (three years while the law was in place) 515 motorcycle riders were killed in crashes; 48 of those deaths were people not wearing helmets. From 2001-2003 (three years after the law was created) there were 933 motorcycle riders killed in crashes; 566 of these were not wearing their helmet.

What we can learn from this is that more people die when helmet use becomes optional. There were roughly 400 deaths in each three year period of people who wear helmets. However, the rate of people who died not wearing helmets went up more than 10 times. This is not coincidental.

Helmet Law Defense League

The Helmet Law Defense League is a group of people who lobby against laws requiring the use of helmets. They claim that it anti-constitutional to force people to wear helmets. They also argue that the word “helmet” is too vague.

Bells and Whistles

Even if you don’t choose to wear a motorcycle helmet for safety reasons, there are other reasons. The face guard allows you to see more clearly and prevents damage to your eyes when you go at high speeds. It also offers ear protection. Some helmets can be equipped with intercoms so you can communicate with your friends while you’re on your bike.

The Source

The mortality rate statistics are taken directly from The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The figures can be accessed through their annual reports, and some are available on their websites.



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Looking For Motorcycle Helmets For Women

Are you looking for women’s motorcycle helmets? Before you do your search, you should be aware of what makes them different from the men’s. First of all, most of women’s motorcycle helmets are made as slightly smaller than your average men’s motorcycle helmets. The designs are made to match the likings of the women to provide more appeal. But all of these should not take away the protection that such helmets should offer.

Women’s motorcycle helmets come in more attractive colors such as bright pink to polished purple. Women’s motorcycle helmets do not hinder any woman from trying to flaunt her femininity while wearing such headgear. In fact, sex appeal comes into consideration also when designing motorcycle helmets geared for women riders.

Looking for the right motorcycle helmet for women would require you to know about the proper sizing and fit. Men and women helmets follow different size measures to prevent one from mistaking the other. But when looking for the best size, nothing still beats fitting them personally before purchasing any helmet. There are some tips that you can follow in order to determine the proper motorcycle helmet fit for you.

First of all, you should try to make use of the manufacturer’s fitting chart to guide you with the sizes available. Find the corresponding helmet size categories that are made available to you. Put them as small, medium, large or extra large. When fitting a certain motorcycle helmet, tug at the chin straps outward in order widen the helmet and place it over your head. Once worn, keep in mind that it should fit snugly and comfortably without moving.

To determine the right fit for your motorcycle helmet, it should be resting tightly on your forehead. It should be tight enough that you will not be able to wedge your thumb between the helmet and your forehead. Once you have made the right fit, adjust and fasten the chinstrap. Do not allow it to restrain your neck.

Once you have the helmet fastened, give your head a little shake to make sure that the helmet doesn’t shift unnecessarily or fall off your head. Once doing that, try mounting your motorcycle in your riding position. Make sure that the top of the helmet won’t be affecting your field of vision while doing this. Along with this, you should also have an unhindered field of vision from both sides while mounting your motorcycle.

If you wear glasses, make sure that your helmet is able to accommodate your corrective eyewear and still fit comfortably. Try pressing down on the helmet and check if the helmet feels comfortable and is able to surround your head. Also check for added comfort, convenience and other safety features before you purchase and take that motorcycle for a ride.


Motorcycle Helmets | HCI Helmets