Ode to Helmets

It has been too long since I’ve posted something purely motorcycle related (not in terms of the number of blog posts, but just passage of time). And today, I would like to talk to you all about one of my favorite topics: Helmets. Why helmets? Because they are, hands down, one of the most visible, straightforward, and important pieces of equipment for riding (apart from the motorcycle itself). In my case, the preferred helmet is a Shoei RF-1100.

First, a little bit about the helmet. The RF-1100 is Shoei’s sport-touring helmet. Constructed of fiberglass and tested to the new Snell m2010 standard, this one clocks in at a retail of $550. That said, the old adage about “if you have a $50 head, buy a $50 helmet” springs to mind. While the two I have purchased were purchased for far less than that, I would have no problem paying the full amount for one of these. Fit-and-finish on this helmet is spot on, as one would expect from one of the top two helmet manufacturers in the world.

In typical Shoei fashion, there is a certain head shape that fits these helmets. I happen to have such a head, so there is no gripe there. For those who don’t have a “Shoei head,” but would still like the same level of protection, Arai helmets offer multiple head forms (and you will never hear me knock Arai helmets, those dudes over there know what they are doing. I just don’t fit in them as well). Apart from that, though, the rest of the manufacturing is spot on as well. Vents are easy to open while riding, the latch for the visor is easy to use.

Air flow through the vents is refreshing. Compared to the rather simple helmets I have used in the past, the vents in this helmet actually work. Noise level is another important point. While no helmet will completely shut out noise, this is, by far, one of the quietest I have used (granted, I haven’t used an enormous number of different types of helmets). Also, turning my head at highway speeds to check for traffic is not a problem; especially after I have used a supermoto helmet in the past.

After those major points, one small point I would like to make is that there is plenty of space for my mouth. This may seem a little odd, but one of the reasons I originally went with a supermoto for a time was to give my mouth a little more space. With the RF-1100, it has never been an issue.

I’ve mentioned, in the past, a preference for DOT helmets. I originally based this argument on an article I read that bashed the Snell approval as unnecessary for the average rider. That 90% of all accidents don’t require the stronger shells that are required by Snell. So, when I bought my original helmet (a Z1R Venom), I patted myself on the back for getting a good helmet at a great price ($150). Well, I often try to pride myself on my ability to change my mind when presented with the right argument, or evidence, of my faulty thinking. In this matter, I most certainly have.

The argument can be broken down into two separate points: Cost and Level of Protection.

Cost: My least favorite of the two, talking about the cost of a helmet makes my skin crawl. Really, when it comes down to it, how much do you value your head? I tend to value my head quite a bit, so I am perfectly willing to shell out big bucks for the best protection I can. Other people, not so much. The opposition likes to throw this out there sometimes, “the Snell label is used just as a reason to charge more for their helmets.” Actually, when you read up on Shoei and Arai, that is quickly laid to rest. When most helmet producers say “We need to build a $300 helmet that passes the Snell certification,” Shoei and Arai tend to say, “Let’s build the best helmet we can and price it after.” When you compare a handmade helmet (Shoei and Arai) to any of the production helmets (off an assembly line), it becomes apparent that the justification for the cost is in the production values and attention to construction and not the fact that they have a Snell sticker.

Level of Protection: I could go on for days about this topic. But, in the interests of this article, I will narrow it down to the Snell vs. DOT arguments. The supporters of the basic DOT certification rally around research done by Harry Hurt. His company, the Head Protection Research Laboratory, supported the argument that a typical DOT, polycarbonate shelled, $150 helmet was preferable for the everyday rider. The basis of this comes from a study that they did showing that the layered construction of a plastic helmet actually dissipated energy better than the hard shells of fiberglass and carbon fiber helmets. They then go on to say that the DOT helmets are more suitable for the vast majority (>90%) of motorcycle accidents, which tend to take place at lower speeds, with the impact never being more than a head hitting the ground once. There was an article in Motorcyclist magazine about it called "Blowing the Lid Off" (Here is the article, And Snell's Response).

Snell, or more properly, the Snell Memorial Foundation, tests helmets to a much more exacting set of specifications. The testing process is very comprehensive (In-depth Description Here), and I will summarize the bit that is most important to the argument at hand. If you take a standard plastic, DOT, non-Snell (there are Snell-certified plastic helmets) helmet and smash it against the ground with your head inside, the helmet will, indeed, take the impact. However, should the impact happen a second time (heads do, indeed, bounce) and hit the same area again, well, the DOT helmet won’t really help (some Icon helmets being an exception, since they don’t submit their helmets for testing).

What it boils down to, in the end, is whether you want to be protected against the worst possible scenario, or the most common ones. I would never presume to tell anyone, or force them in any way, to purchase one helmet over another. I prefer to give them the facts (as I hope I have done here) and let them make the decision for themselves.

For most people, cost is always going to be a factor. Shelling out even $350 for a Snell-approved helmet (HJC’s RPHA series, for example) can be a little hard to swallow, especially if you are aware of a much cheaper alternative staring you in the face. Truth is, as Harry Hurt once said, *any* helmet is better than no helmet at all (and, no, I don’t count those stupid novelty skid lid things as helmets, nor did Harry Hurt when he made that statement), even those stupid DOT half-helmets. Me, personally, I’m willing to pay the price, now, for the best protection I can get.
I also happen to be a helmet snob and the fit of the Shoei is perfect for me.