How Much Are Motorcycle Helmets and What Types Can You Get

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When you’re shopping for motorcycle safety gear, a Motorcycle Helmetz should be at the top of your list. One of your primary questions is likely to be something like, “how much are motorcycle helmets?” The truth is, it depends on a variety of factors, including the type of helmet you get.

There are six types of helmets to choose from for riding a motorcycle. They are as follows: dual-sport, modular, half helmet, full face, off-road, and open face. Let’s take a closer look at each one. When it comes to price, they can range anywhere from a few hundred dollars to thousands, depending on the type and brand.

Full-face helmet

When you think of a motorcycle helmet, this is most likely what you think of. A full-face helmet covers the top, front, and back of your head. The only open area is for your eyes- since you do need to be able to see, which is still covered by a shield. A full-face helmet has a chin bar, which is great because just under half of helmet impacts happen in this area.

The major issue with a full-face helmet is ventilation. If the visor is closed, the helmet is a bubble. So, make sure that if you choose a full-face helmet, it is well-ventilated so that your face/head does not spontaneously combust. In addition, you’ll want to pay attention to the visor and whether it’s clear or tinted. The visor is not only to look cool, but to protect your face from the sun as well.

Modular helmets

The modular helmets are versatile, which makes them great for those who want to smoke, talk with friends, look at a map, or grab a bite. All you have to do is flip up the chin bar—you don’t have to take the helmet off.

Of course, for most modular helmets, you don’t want to ride with the chin bar flipped up. It’s fine to do when you stop, but isn’t safe or aerodynamic when riding, plus it just looks silly.

Open-face helmets

In regard to safety, open-face helmets are just as safe as full-face. However, open-face helmets do not have as much coverage. Obviously, there is no chin bar—and in most cases, no face shield either. So, an open-face helmet covers the sides, back, and top of your head but it does not offer protection for your face.

The main benefit of an open face helmet is that your skull is protected, but you can still get the wind in your face. Of course, if it’s raining or extremely dusty, this can be an issue. If your helmet doesn’t have a visor, you’ll need something to protect your eyes, either sunglasses or goggles.

Half helmets

These are also referred to as “brain buckets” because they are very minimal in terms of protection. They cover from about the top of your forehead to approximately halfway down the back of your head. Typically, helmets are DOT approved, which is a good thing, but they are not as safe and the impact resistance is typically subpar.

Off-road helmets

These are a lot like full-face helmets in the protection they offer, but are different in that they have angular chin bars and sun peaks. Plus, off-road/motocross helmets are lighter and offer more ventilation, due to the fact that dirt biking is typically done in warmer weather and demands a high level of physicality.

Of course, you don’t want to use an off-road helmet on the highway due to the minimal soundproofing which can cause the wind noise and traffic noise to be highly irritating. Plus, if you ride too fast, the sun peak will turn you into a human kite.

The off-road helmets are made without face shields, which means you’ll probably want to wear goggles with them.

As with standard helmets, the off-road helmets require that you be fitted. You’ll also want to keep in mind that certain helmets work better with certain goggle shapes. When you purchase an off-road helmet, check to see if there is a specific goggle mentioned that it works with.

Dual sport helmets

The dual sport helmets fall somewhere in between full-face and off-road styles. They have the sun peak and ventilation that an off-road helmet has. However, they are also a little warmer and provide more soundproofing for riding on the highway. Plus, they have a chin bar and a built-in visor.

The sun peak that is on a dual sport helmet is designed to resist being lifted at highway speeds, so, you’re not going to turn into a human kite as you ride down the road. The visors are manufactured in such a way that you can flip it up and use goggles if you wish. The whole idea behind the dual sport helmets is that they can be used in a variety of ways. If you plan to do both on- and off-road riding, then a dual sport is definitely the best option for you.

As you can see, there are lots of different types of helmets and each one will have a different price point. So, the answer to the question, “how much are motorcycle helmets?” depends on what exactly it is that you want.

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