Your motorcycle helmet is one of the most important pieces of protective gear for a motorcyclist is a helmet. It is illegal to ride a bike without one.
They protect your head and face in case of a crash. As such, they are designed to fit around your head to provide both safety and comfort.
The level of protection depends on how well it fits.
Quick Summary
By the end of this article, we will go through:
- How can you tell if a motorcycle helmet is too small?
- How to tell if a motorcycle helmet fits you?
- What are motorcycle helmets made of?
Let’s take a look into it.
How to Tell If a Motorcycle Is Small?
As discussed earlier, helmets are designed to provide both safety and comfort. They have two separate shells, which have crushed foam between them. The outer shell spreads the impact, and the inner shell protects your head.
Helmets are available in different sizes. You should always get one that’s your size. There is a reason behind this.
The level of safety provided by the helmet is directly related to how easily it fits your head. When your wear a helmet, it is easy to tell if it’s too big. But it is harder to tell if the helmet is too small or too tight.
There are different ways by which you can tell the size of a helmet. Let’s take a look at these:
Pressure points
This is the best way to tell if your helmet doesn’t fit you. If you experience pressure points or any pain when you wear your headgear, you need to get one in a suitable size.
How can I tell the shape of my helmet?
The helmet is not long enough if you have pain in the back of your head. If you have any pain on the sides, then the shape of your helmet is not oval enough. We recommend that you first measure the helmet or try it in an internal environment before you take your bike on a ride.
Keep the helmet for at least half an hour. If you experience some pressure points, you need to get a new one.
Helmet Doesn’t Fit Comfortably
This is another method that can tell you if the helmet is too small. If your helmet is too tight around the cheeks, it is too small. You should always allow for some level of movement around your head.
Generally, the helmet should allow for some movement when you have not strapped it in. If your helmet is too big, you can also come across some issues. It may come off in case of a crash.
You may also experience unnecessary noise if your helmet doesn’t fit you comfortably.
How Should a Motorcycle Helmet Fit You?
Unfortunately, there is no compromise between the safety of a rider. That’s why you have to consider the helmet from all dimensions.
You surely wouldn’t want an uncomfortable helmet. That’s why you must get one that is your size. When you get a new helmet, make sure that the snugness is not too uncomfortable.
With repeated use, the internal lining will become loose. This is nothing to worry about as the lining has just adjusted to your head.
You need to remember that a helmet should not be too tight or too loose around your head. This lowers the safety of the headgear and may also lead to issues in case of a crash. It is important that you buy a helmet that fits right.
What Kind of Material is a Motorcycle Helmet Constructed with?
Motorcycle helmets have various layers of protection for your head. They have two shells to protect you. However, the material of their construction may vary. This will affect how much they weigh and how big they are.
Let’s take a look into what a helmet is made from.
Helmet Construction
Helmets have different layers of protection. These are in the form of an external shell and the internal shell. These have crushed foam between them.
The internal shell also has a lining attached to it. Together, these all work to form the helmet and protect your head from any trauma. The designs never let anything penetrate the shells.
Helmets generally have the same lining and internal shell. The construction materials differ in the exterior of your helmet. Let’s see how these are different:
Composite Material
These helmets are widely available in the market. Technically, almost all helmets are considered composite helmets.
Composite helmets have materials mixed with epoxies in them. These materials may be tough and heavy based on their amount.
Carbon Fiber
This is a dense and highly tensile material. It is due to the crystalline structure of carbon fiber. This makes them lighter than most kinds of helmets.
These kinds of helmets also have good shock deflection. This means that they can absorb a large amount of force. In terms of durability, they are better than most models of helmets.
Sometimes, these helmets also have other materials in them. For example, Kevlar is a tough additive.
Fiberglass
Fiberglass helmets are made of glassed fibers mixed with epoxy resin. This makes for a highly lightweight but durable build.
Fiberglass is widely available, which makes helmets easy to make. This reduces their price.
The material is also super hard and protects your head from all kinds of impacts. They also have different materials mixed in them sometimes. If you want a helmet that protects you and is also is easily affordable, we recommend that you get this helmet.
Plastic Helmets
Other than resin and fiber-based helmets, there are also plastic helmets on the market. Many motorcycle accessories are made from this material. These can be made easily but do not provide good safety. That’s why these helmets are oversized. The reason behind this is to compensate for the lack of safety features in them.
There are different plastic helmets. You’ll find two kinds:
- Thermoplastics
- Thermoset
In terms of construction, thermoplastic designs are first liquified and then set into a mold. To harden thermoset helmets, a curing agent is used.
Plastic helmets only contain plastic in their mold. They don’t have any kinds of composite material in them, so they are not as strong as other helmets, as discussed earlier.
Wrapping Things Up…
Motorcycle helmets are a necessity. Hence you mustn’t compromise on them. They are available in different shapes and sizes. However, their level of protection is directly related to how comfortably they fit your head.
You can check if your helmet is too small and tight. You can check the factors which affect it in the instructions above. With this, we reach the end of the article on “How to tell if a motorcycle helmet is too small?”.
Do let us know what you think about it in the comments below. If you’re looking to learn more about motorcycles, CLICK HERE.
