Global Sports: Icon Sportbike Motorcycle Helmets - Wear The Right Bike Riding Gear

Friday, October 15, 2010

Icon Sportbike Motorcycle Helmets - Wear The Right Bike Riding Gear

By Dominic Corelo

Icon sportbike motorcycle helmets are part of the riding experience. The air races by, and you can smell the grass and hear birds singing. Yet, the fact remains that the hard, unforgiving pavement is only inches away, and can make riding a bike somewhat more dangerous than driving a car. For those who wish to exercise their personal freedoms, riding without the enhanced safety features of helmets may seem attractive, but it comes with an added risk of accidental injury or death.

While there are those who will automatically resent being told what to do no matter how timely that advice may be, wearing a motorcycle helmet is the law in most areas of the USA, and in many other countries as well. Some hardcore bikers assume that wearing protective gear automatically relegates them to amateur status, but the fact is that most sportbike accidents involve some kind of facial injury when the driver is not wearing a helmet. These injuries often are a result of direct contact with the road surface, and can be disfiguring or fatal.

Motorcycles make up only 2% of all road vehicles, but account for 8% of fatal crashes in the U.S. One of the best ways to avoid becoming a fatality, of course, is to wear a good helmet. While riding gear alone can't prevent accidents, it can help keep mishaps from becoming serious or life-threatening. Unfortunately, most bikers know which brand or model type of motorcycle they want, but often don't have a clue about what makes one helmet superior to another. As with any sports accessory, there are many different makes and models, all with varying levels of function, protection and safety features.

Icon sportbike motorcycle helmets have one basic goal or function, and that is to protect riders and their passengers. When the first motorcycles were introduced in the last part of the 19th century, there simply were no helmets yet available, and early riders adapted the headgear of early pilots. Those were not really helmets, but were better than nothing. Constructed of leather or pith, they actually provided little genuine protection in the event of a collision.

For today's riders, there are five basic kinds of protection. Common to all is the chin-strap, vital to keeping protection in place during a fall. Full-face versions give the most consistent protection, shielding both the upper and lower face from contact. They usually have a visor, unlike their off-road versions. Next in the lineup are modular or "flip-up" designs, which allow a wearer to eat, drink and converse while wearing the helmet without having to completely remove it.

Some unfettered bikers may prefer a three-quarter helmet, which does not cover the front of the head or face. Others opt for the half-helmet, which is basically a reinforced hat covering only the top of the skull. Neither of these two offers the same safeguards as a full helmet. Those in the market for new riding headgear should always check for the DOT (Department of Transportation) sticker. This means that the chin strap will withstand the pressures of an accident, the helmet can't be penetrated by most other crash debris, and the unit itself is designed to withstand a specific energy load before failing.

Test a new helmet by strapping it to the face snugly, and then attempt to push it off the head from behind. It should not move freely, even when a great effort is made. This type of fit is important, because movement within the helmet should not be possible, even if the head is strongly shaken. Moving that helmet should also cause the facial skin to move. Once properly and expertly fitted, a new helmet should not be restrictive, but should feel comfortable and stable. Once you and your passengers are properly fitted with Icon sportbike motorcycle helmets, then you are ready to ride.

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