You only have one brain in your head which makes it all the more important to look after if and buy the best motorbike helmet that you possibly can. Buying the best motorbike helmet doesn’t always mean spending a small fortune though. Big Bike Book have an incredible selection of discount motorcycle helmets from big brands such as Shoei, Airoh, Caberg and Spada.
Just because a motorbike helmet is on offer or clearance, it doesn’t mean that it’s not going to do the job it was made for.
When it comes to wearing a motorcycle helmet, It’s important to note that as far as the law is concerned, you are legally required to wear a motorcycle helmet when you’re on your motorbike, and to be honest, You’d hope that most people would just consider it common sense to protect your brain when you’re out on the road.
The first thing I would do when picking a motorbike helmet would be to consider what it is that I actually want, There are so many different types of motorbike helmets in the market and they can vary hugely with features that they have, but if you’re not going to use half of the features you’ve paid for, then it’s going to be a waste of money and you may be a little disappointed.
Types Of Motorbike Helmets
The basic elements of motorcycle helmets tend to stay the same on different types of helmets, the hard outer shell with a softer impact-absorbing liner, a chin strap and some kind of viewport. There are however some differences with elements and accessories that make some helmets better than other ones when it comes to your riding style, your suit or the type of motorbike that you may have.
Open Face Motorbike Helmets
Open face motorcycle helmets are typically designed for riders who value their safety but also want to feel more freedom when they’ve got their helmet on. They usually provide excellent ventilation and have a minimalist design with a visor in the viewing port to keep debris out of the riders eyes.
The first open face motorcycle helmet was designed to replace the outdated “bowl” style helmet in 1956 and they’ve remained very similar since.
Full Face Motorcycle Helmet
Full face motorbike helmets are designed to reduce head and neck injuries in motorcycle accidents. As they sound, they are full face.
There is not a single part of the face that is exposed to the elements when you’re wearing a full face motorbike helmet. There is a visor across the viewport of the helmet and the other usual features that you’d expect such as a chin strap.
Flip Up Motorbike Helmet
A flip-up motorbike helmet, Also known as a modular helmet is the best of both worlds of an open face helmet and a full face helmet.
Flip-Up motorcycle helmets are composed of a hinged front section to which the chin bar and visor are connected, allowing the entire front section of the helmet to flip up.
They’re incredibly versatile, You can put the lid down when you’re riding, then easily flip it back up when you’ve stopped to save you from having to take the whole helmet ofef your head.
We typically do find that most flip-up motorcycle helmets are slightly heavier than full face helmets and open face helmets as there are more too them, They can also be slightly noisier than a full face helmet because there are more moving parts to them and a less aerodynamic seal.
They are however great for touring, they’re great for wearers of glasses and they offer a great balance between safety and convenience that a full face motorcycle helmet wouldn’t.
Are Clearance Motorcycle Helmets Still Safe?
This is one of the most common questions that we get asked and it’s really important question to ask as well, You should always ask questions when it comes to your safety.
In the UK all motorcycle helmets must meet specific legal standards in order to be road legal, This usually means ECE 22.05 or ECE 22.06 (Depending on when it was manufactured) or BS 6658:1985 (Rare but still recognised)
The above certifications tell you what the helmet has been tested for:
- Impact Absorption
- Chin Strap Strength
- Penetration Resistance
- Field of Vision
So if a motorcycle helmet has these certifications, then it has passed a strict safety testing, regardless of the price or whether or not it’s clearance.
Why Do Helmets Go To Clearance?
Being part of a bigger company, We buy thousands of helmets every single year, Sometimes those helmets can be seasonal or the last of the design in that range, the specific colour or design of the helmet wasn’t as fast moving as we originally hoped it would be or, we could just be trying to make some more room in our warehouse for next seasons motorcycle helmets.
The helmets are still completely safe and unused, just no longer trending in the world of motorcycle helmets.
Do Motorbike Helmets Expire?
Most motorcycle helmet manufacturers will recommend that you replace your helmet every 5-7 years, Caberg for example recommend that you replace your motorcycle helmet after 5 years, even if it hasn’t been dropped or damaged, It’s just good practice.
Should I Buy a Used Motorcycle Helmet?
Absolutely not! Whilst it might be tempting or the deal may look too good to pass up on, We would never recommend anybody to buy a second hand or used motorcycle helmet. Even if you are trying to save money.
When buying a second hand motorcycle helmet, you can’t ever be 100% sure of that helmets history, you don’t know if it’s been in an accident, dropped or compromised in any other way.
You don’t know how hygienic it’s going to be, It could be full of somebody else’s sweat, skin, oils, the padding could be worn out or compressed.
You really just shouldn’t buy a second hand helmet, The whole purpose of a helmet is to keep your head and your brain safe if you do happen to have an accident and when you buy a second hand or used motorcycle helmet, You can’t be sure that it’s even in a fit state to do so.
