Buying a swanky is bike is never enough. It is, in fact, life threatening. Along with buying the bike, you need to buy gear, mainly safety gear to protect yourself from injuries which will definitely happen in your time as a motocross racer or rider. You’d want to stay safe in the tracks, wouldn’t you? Because, if not, there’s a very high chance that you might get injured and would never be able to ride even a damn cycle again!
The first piece of gear that anyone should buy is that helmet. It’s the most crucial piece of protection you’ll have. It’s suggested that you should invest more in a helmet to acquire one with which provides really great protection and comfort compared to safety gears that over other parts of your body.
So here’s a very compact guide to help you buy your MX helmet.
What’s your purpose?
If you’re just starting out, don’t splurge all your money in buying the costliest helmet you can lay your hands/eyes on. The important part is to figure out the weight and your ability to manoeuvre the bike with that weight on your head. Once you get the hang of it, you can move on to heavier and costlier brands.
However, this does not mean that your buy a low-end helmet. Keep aside a large chunk of your investment into buying a mid-range, good (but not great) helmet that will provide adequate protection.
If you’re a seasoned rider, it’s always recommended to keep aside your trusted helmet which has worn out due to its usage and look for a new and better version. Here’s where you think of all the features your helmet can provide according to your needs. This will require a lot of investment than you had put into your previous helmet.
Budget matters!
Keep in mind that it’s absolutely nonsensical to spend all your money that you’d kept aside for safety gear. It’s very important to protect your other body parts too.
Don’t forget the weight.
Typically, helmets weigh in the range of 1400-1800 grams (1.4-1.8 kilos) and they key is to find a helmet that distributes its weight evenly. It’s very important to gauge whether the weight is making you off-balance while raiding. If possible, take a few test runs with a few helmets and see which suits best. It shouldn’t feel like a burden on your head and shoulders.
What’s the stuff made of?
The material put into the manufacture of the helmets is extremely crucial. A few materials used in helmets are Polycarbonate, Fiberglass composite and Carbon Fiber. They affect the weight, comfort and safety rating.
How does it look?
MX riders have a liking towards the whackier and very creatively designed helmets. However, there are no mandates about it. You can choose a simple black helmet if you are not looking for the crazy stuff.
Safety Ratings.
Yes. They matter. The US Department Of Transportation (DOT) has set certain standard levels of protection for helmets in US called and in Europe, it’s the U.N. Economic Commission of Europe (ECE).
The Snell ratings were started by a Non-profit organisation in the US after the death of a sports car racer named Pete Snell who died from head injuries. They’re known to be very stringent with their standards. There have been a lot of debates on which ratings amongst the DOT, ECE and Snell are better without any final conclusion. However, any helmet you buy must be certified by at least one of these standards.
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