Riding Without a Motorcycle Helmet Is Not Clever! |
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Michael Saville
May 5, 2007
Riding around without a motorcycle helmet to protect your head is just about the daftest thing you can do on a motorcycle. This is even worse than driving at ridiculous speeds or leaping your bike off jumps or ramps. There is simply nothing more dangerous and detrimental to your mental and physical health than riding your motorcycle without a proper motorcycle helmet.
There are many stories from the road about people taking a big spill on their motorcycle without a helmet. Generally, the rider ends up in a mess. It is this type of cold, bloody reality that many riders do not think about as they hop on their bikes without the proper head protection. Using a motorcycle helmet is generally seen as "not cool" by a lot of hardcore riders, but it would be a lot less "cool" to be dead or suffering paralysis from a head injury that could have been avoided with a small helmet.
Using a motorcycle helmet is a matter of having a properly fitted protective gear helmet fixed to your head whenever you are on your motorcycle. It means wearing it to the factory specifications, using the straps properly, and all of the other fixtures as well. It is no good if you simply place the helmet on your head without properly settling it and fastening everything that needs to be fastened to the proper tightness for your head size and your body type. All motorcycle helmets have an outer shell and an inner shell. The outer shell is meant to protect the head from initial impact and undertake all the abrasions onto it. The inner shell is basically a lining of foam that aims at minimizing the impact of the shock by absorbing it as much as possible. It is also supposed to provide comfort to the rider as well In order to work out whether your helmet is safe enough for you or not, you must check whether it has the Department of Transportation sticker or not.
A globally accepted safety standard for helmets is a sticker by the Snell Memorial Foundation. Besides these safety stickers, the other important thing is to ensure that the motorcycle helmet of your choice gives you a proper fit. It should not be loose or too tight. You must be comfortable with it, as remember that you will be wearing it for quite some time. There should not be any red marks on your head or face otherwise the helmet is too tight for you. At the same time, it should not come off your head or it just might fall off in an accident-providing you with no protection. Also, you must choose between the various types of materials of which motorcycle helmets are made. Heavy helmets are made of fibreglass but it can crack if dropped. Another type of material used is injection-moulded plastic. This is cheap and light but requires a lot of care.
The motorcycle helmet is no longer the symbolic interpretation of being "uncool" either. Now, you can grab a hot design with the expert drawing and stencilling of some of the best artists on the road. With snakes and skulls, you can add to your "terror of the road" moniker and keep safe at the same time. There is nothing cooler than a rebel with a brain in his head and wearing the right helmet can help keep that brain intact. Trust a motorcycle helmet to protect your most valuable possession, and ride with pride. A motorcycle helmet is not just about protection. It cuts down noise, deflects bugs and debris. It also gives comfort from the changing weather conditions, and therefore, decreases the possibility of fatigue. Finally, wearing a helmet radiates responsibility. It means that you take motorcycling seriously and that you care about yourself just as much as others.
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Michael Saville has written more articles about motorcycles. These can be found at http://www.vicariously.net The site provides information and advice on motorcycles, automobiles, car loans, repairs and car buying tips.