Car and Auto Blog

Beginners Guide to Motorcycle Helmets

As this motorcycle helmets guide discusses in greater depth, buying your first helmet can be a challenging task. For new riders especially, the prospect of buying their first motorcycle helmet is one that raises a seemingly endless stream of questions. What’s the difference between DOT and SNELL? And does it really matter? What does a good fit feel like? How much should I spend? Can I buy something cheaper, or do I need to shell out cash for a high-end Shoei helmet? And setting price aside, how do I even decide what *style* of helmet I need? Full face? Three quarters? Half helmet? Modular? How do I make sense of it all?

Not to worry. Take a deep breath, grab a cup of coffee, and take comfort in the fact that motorcycle helmets are perfectly understandable if you do a bit of reading before you go out to buy. It’s really not as overwhelming as it can seem at first. The basic considerations are pretty easy to pick up (here’s one: novelty helmets = bad. See that was easy , and once you get the basics under your belt, you’ll start feeling a lot more confident in tracking down the best motorcycle helmet for you.

Don’t believe me? I’ll prove it. Three sentences from now you’ll know some basics: a DOT motorcycle helmet is one that’s officially safety certified, and a SNELL helmet is basically the same. You don’t need to blow hundreds of dollars on a Shoei or Arai helmet if the one you buy is safety certified. And by starting with head shape and matching that to your helmet first, you’ll find a far better fit than if you just start pulling them on.

Was that really so painful? In three sentences you’ve got some solid guidelines for finding your motorcycle helmet. Stop stressing then! Part of why we ride is to have fun, and there’s no reason buying a motorcycle helmet can’t be enjoyable too. Because motorcycle helmets are part of a safe and enjoyable riding experience. And ultimately, when people are more confident in their choice of motorcycle helmets, they’re more comfortable cruising down the road.