| Motorcycles and Twowheelers: Motorcycle clothing and luggage - "Tips for Locating the Perfect Motorcycle Helmet" Friday, 18 May, 2012 | Home |
| Motorcycles and Twowheelers: Motorcycle clothing and luggage - "Tips for Locating the Perfect Motorcycle Helmet" Friday, 18 May, 2012 | Home |
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You cannot choose a helmet based on its size or the material it's made from alone. There are many things that need to be considered when purchasing motorcycle helmets. Sure, it's probably possible to locate a helmet that is the right color or that is made from the type of material that will satisfy your safety concerns, but when it comes to "proper fit" it opens up a whole new can of worms. It is so important to consider the "safety factor." Some motorcycle helmets are just not as safe as others and you should be aware of this.
Some of the more popular motorcycle helmet manufacturers are Icon, Arai, Shoei, Suomy, Erex, Bell, HJC and Nolan. The majority of their helmets are approved by DOT or Snell. There are many other makers, but these are some of the better known companies.
When it comes to safety there are two major concerns. One, how is your visibility? How is your peripheral vision? Can you see enough of the surrounding area to be safe? If your visibility is poor your chances of being in an accident can increase dramatically. And two, if you are involved in an accident will your head be protected as well as you'd like? Will the material that the helmet is made from stand up to the test, to the punishment?
Many motorcyclists or bikers look solely at the aesthetic qualities of a helmet and disregard safety when looking to purchase a helmet. But in reality it should be viewed oppositely. Safety should always come first.
The main options you have when searching for the perfect motorcycle helmet are color, shape, visibility and liners. Color is the easiest decision to make, right? Wrong. As far as the safety factor goes you should be able to be seen well by other drivers. Bright colors stand out and are very noticeable, even at night, while dull dark colors are not seen easily. It's very important to choose a bright color that can be seen easily by other drivers, even at night.
Another factor to consider is the shape of the helmet. Some people have tall slim oblong heads (egg shaped) while others have round or oval-shaped heads. Trying on helmets for a good fit is the only sure way to tell if it will fit your head properly and comfortably. Plus, you want the weight of the helmet to be distributed properly so that the head can support the helmet easily.
As far as safety is concerned the number one thing to consider is your peripheral vision. Some helmets simply do not allow a biker to see to their periphery well enough to be safe. With good visibility it's a lot easier to see when an accident might happen and have time to react to the circumstances and maneuver out of harms way.
Liners are the last item on the agenda. The purpose of a liner is for comfort, but it also is there to help you with a correct fit. If the liner is not a good fit for your head you will notice specific spots on your head that are receiving more pressure than others. Avoid these liners. Possibly the most comfortable liner is the skull cap. You will usually have less pressure in specific areas when using this type of liner.
Last, but not least, it is not wise to buy motorcycle helmets online unless you have tried that specific helmet on previously in a retail store. In most cases you will be better off trying one on in a store first. Then, once you know the brand, size, color and type of liner that you prefer it's an easy job to browse online for the best deals.
The biggest mistake most consumers make is locating a flashy cool-looking helmet online and then buy it solely because of its looks and for no other reason. Spend a little time shopping and you will likely end up with a product that you can be happy with for many years to come.
Most motorcyclists put their bikes away sometime around October or November, and leave them tucked up in the garage until March or April. Some of us are more foolish and ride all year round. Keeping the motorbike in good order through the winter requires work and I hope to write about this soon.
Keeping warm is the other problem. I have been riding through 15 winters now, and I have learnt an awful lot, mostly the hard way. It is a cold and fresh November day as I write this and I've been out on the bike. I would like to
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Quality motorcycle gear combines comfort, style, fit, durability, weather protection, and armor. The bottom line with equipment is, you WILL eventually fall, and when you do, you will most likely become very close friends with the pavement. So you need the "maximum impact and abrasion resistance" as possible.
Armor is extra padding sewn into the jacket or pants to cushion likely spots of impact. Road rash is the not so fun part about riding a motorcycle. It is painful and bloody, but impacts can cause serious and sometimes fatal internal damage. So shoulders, elbows, buttocks, and knees are spots that you
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When you purchase leather clothing online or at a store, what exactly are you getting? We've been selling leather for a long time online. Time and time again, many people want to know more about leather types and quality to make sure they are receiving value for their dollar. This article is a brief rundown on leather types and qualities found in stores and online, plus some prudent advice.
First, when we think of leather, each of us may have a different idea of what leather is. We can think of the leather furniture, a fine pair of leather shoes, or
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There is some great looking motorcycle clothing on the market these days, but believe me not all of the motorcycle clothing offers as much protection as you think. In Europe, for motorcycle clothing to be lawfully sold as “safety clothing, it has to pass a series of European standards, which are pretty lengthy but are available on my website. The standards cover the clothing's performance in abrasion, tearing and impact tests, and when they have passed; they are sold with the CE mark. However, no such regulation is available in the USA, so what should you look for?
The leather jacket is perhaps one of the biggest wardrobe staples for a motorcycle enthusiast. After all, who can picture a Harley rider without a great jacket? But there's more to biker gear than just looks.
The leather jacket itself is the favored option for many riders for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the protection leather can provide. Riding a bike is serious business and the safety gear a biker buys should be a top priority. From leather jackets to helmets, biker gear must speak to safety first. To do otherwise, is to make a bad
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