04th Aug 2010
Picking the right motorcycle helmet types
If you are interested in buying an open faced (also known as retro motorcycle helmet) motorcycle helmet, make sure that the helmet you are interested in purchasing is either Snell or DOT certified. The certification procedures are extremely intense and through. Not all helmet manufactures will go through Snell certification procedures because of cost reasons. Usually high volume helmet makers will participate in Snell testing certification as they can spread out the cost of testing over more units. Low volume helmet makers will typically only be DOT certified. DOT certified helmets do not necessarily meet Snell standards, while all Snell helmets can usually meet DOT certification standards. Snell helmet testing is extremely thorough, as they even test random helmet samples from the open market. The reason they test helmets directly from the store shelf, is to make sure that the integrity of the testing procedures are intact. The danger of testing only manufacturer provided helmet samples is that results can be skewed because helmet makers can cherry pick the best helmets to get around a poor quality control process. Part of the drawback of the DOT certification process is that it does not have to be done by an independent testing agency. Manufacturers can choose to self certify their own DOT helmets, which can definitely lead to a conflict of interest when your goal is to sell helmets and make as much money as possible.
Chances are if you are buying a helmet from a well known brand such as Bell, Shoei, Arai, Fullmer, or Davida they will be DOT or Snell certified. Davida offers some of the most unique helmets in the marketplace. They are known for making extremely comfortable old school motorcycle helmets as they are handmade in the UK. They also have a variety of different color and graphic combinations to suit the needs of every individual rider.
Other articles you might like;
Leave a Reply