How to Size a Motorcycle Helmet
The most effective and important safety measure a motorcyclist can invest in is a helmet. No other single piece of motorcycle gear provides more protection in the event of a crash. Choosing a helmet isn't just figuring out your size and your favorite paint job, a rider should buy the best fitting, most highly rated helmet they can afford. Even if it’s not required by law in your state, we recommend everyone strap one on. Let’s learn how to find the perfect fit to protect your noggin and keep the bugs outta your teeth.
Styles of Motorcycle Helmets and How They Work
When your helmeted head experiences an impact the impact-absorbing liner is designed to manage those forces, but if there’s too much of a gap for example between the helmet and your head, you're going to get smacked by your own safety gear. On the other hand, if your helmet is too tight because there's too little of a gap, the helmet will be uncomfortable, it’ll become distracting or painful to the point where you'll just stop wearing it and what good is that? Motorcycle helmets come in five different types, each offering certain benefits to address your riding style.
An open face helmet is the least restrictive, usually the cheapest option, but also the least protective. Whether half or three-quarter coverage, your chin and face will not be protected, and you may actually regret all of that noisy air flow. A full face helmet on the other hand totally encloses your head, a face shield protects your nose and eyes, and an extension of the shell called a chinbar covers the bottom of your face. These helmets are the least ventilated, but also the quietest and most protective.
Modular helmets are a subset of full face helmets and feature a hinged mechanism that can swing the chinbar and face shield out of the way. These helmets let riders choose between the benefits of both open face and full face helmets, all in one. If you’re destined for dirt, consider an adventure helmet which has a face shield with lots of ventilation, but also a peak/bill, and goggle compatibility. Dirt helmets aren’t usually street legal, but offer airflow, a peak/bill and are intended to be worn with goggles. They won’t protect your face but are lightweight.
How to Measure and Determine the Shape of Your Head
Determining your head shape helps filter the enormous selection of helmets down to a smaller list. A long oval is a head which is longer front-to-back (forehead to back of the skull) than it is side-to-side (ear to ear). An intermediate oval, the most common, is a head which is slightly longer front-to-back than it is side-to-side. A round oval has almost identical front-to-back and side-to-side measurements.
Next, measure your head’s circumference with a soft tape measure. The tape should run above your eyebrows and ears and around the back of your head, including the widest part. A piece of string will also do, just lay it against a ruler after measuring to figure out the length. If you’re ordering online and are in between sizes, go with the smaller size or order both- you really won’t know until you get it on your noggin.
Remember that helmets aren’t designed to be comfortable while your head is passing through the pads (you might need to adjust your ears), and there will be a break-in period, especially if there’s extra neckroll cushioning. You should feel the cushions against your cheeks, they’ll be pushed up a little like “chipmunk cheeks”, grab the chin bar and move it around, your cheeks should move, not the helmet. Wear it for a good 15-30 mins to ensure there aren’t pressure points and notice when you take it off if there are lines across your forehead.
Feeling overwhelmed? Choosing the right helmet doesn't have to be a daunting task: give us a call at 303-308-1811 or stop in and we’ll help you get the right fit.