Choosing a motorcycle helmet

Most commonly, the first accessory motorcycle riders buy is a helmet. 摩托车头盔的安全性使其成为摩托车骑行装备的关键部件.

摩托车 helmets are not just about protection. They also can shield you when 恶劣天气下骑行, protect against road debris and help reduce some of the noise pollution. Built differently than dirt bike helmets, 它们旨在帮助减少听力损失，并专注于最重要的事情——你的骑行.

多年来, 新技术和研究数据导致了摩托车头盔的重大变化，所以你可能会发现一些摩托车头盔购买指南可以帮助.

在回答这个问题时，你可以考虑以下几个问题和想法: How do I choose a motorcycle helmet? – and find one that is best for you.

What should you look for in a motorcycle helmet?

Finding a helmet isn’t only about picking a style you like, matching the color to your motorcycle or finding the best price. 这是关于买一个合适的头盔，这样它就可以保护你的水平，在一个 崩溃. 也, 头盔不合适或戴起来不舒服可能会导致骑行时不必要的分心.

在挑选头盔的时候，你也要考虑合适的款式 safety features for you and your motorcycle-riding 经验.

摩托车头盔类型

虽然全面头盔提供了最大的保护，但还有其他类型的摩托车头盔.

• 全面安全帽 -覆盖骑手头部的全面头盔有助于保护鼻子、眼睛和下巴. They are also the quietest but provide minimum air flow.
• 模块化的头盔 – Unlike the full-face helmet, the modular helmet includes a hinge to swing the chin bar out of the way.
• 双运动头盔 -这些头盔是为从街道骑行到越野骑行的骑手设计的. 它们提供面罩的保护，但也有越野自行车头盔的“峰值”，允许通风和与护目镜兼容.
• 开放式安全帽 -防护性不如全头盔或模块化头盔，这些头盔允许最大的空气流量.
• 半壳盔 – Like open-face helmets, half-shell helmets cover just the top of the head.

Consider the safety, fit and color of the helmet

• 头盔安全等级 -在检查潜在的头盔时，确保其符合安全标准和要求. 有几个头盔安全认证评级，包括DOT(交通部)和Snell. 符合这些标准的头盔应该有表明认证等级的标签. 具有DOT评级的摩托车头盔被认为符合美国汽车安全管理局制定的基本安全标准.S. Department of Transportation for protection in a 崩溃. Helmets with safety certificate ratings from the 斯奈尔基金会, an independent 车辆 safety foundation, may be a little more expensive but have undergone more rigorous testing.
  
  
• 适合 -贴合，全面和模块化的摩托车头盔提供最大程度的安全性. 看头盔的时候, look at those that match your head shape: long oval, intermediate oval and round oval. 你也可以用卷尺来测量你的头围，以匹配头盔上推荐的尺寸. Make sure your helmet is form fitting. You don’t want padding to slide back and forth. If it does, the helmet might be too big. 当你戴上头盔，内部垫将开始符合和适合你的头更舒适.
  
  当你比较款式的时候，你可能会想:摩托车的半壳头盔应该如何适合? And the answer is snug, just like a full-face helmet. You should be able to shake your head without it moving. No matter which motorcycle helmet style you choose, 不要害怕戴着头盔在商店里走15-30分钟，以确保它是舒适的.
  

• Color – Visible colors on your helmet will help other drivers (and riders) see you. 一顶黑色头盔配一辆黑色摩托车可能看起来很吸引人，但考虑到它不会立刻吸引人 司机可见.

Other helmet factors to consider

• 通风 -良好的气流是很重要的，无论你选择全面或开放式头盔.
• 可拆卸的衬垫 -骑行可能会很脏，有可拆卸衬垫的头盔可以让你在汗水弄脏时更换它们, dirt and the everyday weather.
• 护目镜 -一些头盔带有防雾系统，以帮助在某些天气下防止雾.
• Additional safety features – With technology advancing, helmet safety has advanced as well. 一些头盔配备了“脸颊垫系统”，以便在发生碰撞时更容易取下头盔. 它们还可能包括“多向冲击保护系统(MIPS)”，旨在减少碰撞时的旋转力.

How long do motorcycle helmets last?

在正常佩戴的情况下，摩托车头盔的正常使用寿命是三到五年. 许多摩托车爱好者同意头盔至少每五年更换一次. 作为头盔使用, t在这里 is wear and tear that occurs to the components, such as the chin strap and padding. 记住，经常挂在下巴的带子会缩短摩托车头盔的使用寿命. 也, 如果头盔掉落或发生事故，立即更换头盔是非常重要的.

如果你骑的是 passenger on your motorcycle, consider buying a new motorcycle helmet to have available for them to use. T在这里 are some options that offer a more universal fit, so if you ride double with multiple people, 这可能有用. 然而，如果你有一个固定的乘客，考虑给他们自己的摩托车头盔.

摩托车 helmets provide protection from noise, 天气和碎片, 最重要的是, offer some 崩溃 protection. Helmets are recommended but not required in every state. Check with your state’s DMV to find out the laws in your area. Then, when you are ready to purchase your helmet along with a motorcycle, contact your 状态 Farm® agent for a quote.