10 Ways A Lightweight Motorcycle Helmet Will Make Your Ride Better
Motorcycle helmets have become lighter and more compact in recent years. They offer a great number of benefits for riders. Protective headgear enhances safety, improves comfort and reduces certain expenses. If you don’t already wear a lightweight motorcycle helmet, please consider doing so. Here are the top ten ways that wearing a lightweight motorcycle helmet will improve your ride – you may be surprised at some of the most beneficial reasons to wear your helmet.
1. Staying Alive: Most importantly, a helmet can truly save your life in a motorcycle accident. Various studies indicate that helmets decrease the likelihood of death by about 40 percent, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. A lightweight motorcycle helmet will offer you the same protection but with less weight on your head/neck, allowing you to move easier to watch for traffic conditions.
2. Skip the Brain Surgery: Lightweight helmets can prevent head wounds, skull fractures and provide the same protection as standard helmets. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that riders with helmets experience far fewer serious brain injuries than other motorcyclists.
3. Don’t Get Pulled Over: Some states (like California, Oregon, New York and Georgia) have laws that require adult motorcycle riders to wear helmets. Most states expect minors to wear them, according to Consumer Reports. Wearing your helmet not only protects your brain but your wallet.
4. Keep Your Head Dry: If you wear a lightweight motorcycle helmet, your hair won’t get drenched when it rains. It will also shield you from hail stones, strong winds and other harsh weather. A lightweight motorcycle helmet will also offer additional ventilation for hot weather, you can enjoy that hot summer day without swimming inside your helmet.
5. Use Less Sunscreen: If you’re riding in the sun, your helmet offers a better protective barrier between you and the sun. If you’ve got a visor and/or face shield, you’ll be well protected against the harmful UVs that cause skin cancer.
6. Don’t Get Stung: Helmets prevent bugs and other outside elements from smacking you in the face while you’re riding. Have you ever been stopped at a red light and had a bee decide to circle you? Rest assured that a full coverage helmet will keep it out of your face. Occasionally, stings can cause allergic reactions and just general panic which can cause an accident.
7. Dust in the Wind: Helmets provide protection from pebbles, sand and other small objects that vehicles throw into the air. If there is a face shield, it will also stop them from scratching your eyeglasses or shades. A lightweight motorcycle helmet will also weigh you down less and offer less wind resistance.
8. Stay Comfortable: Lightweight motorcycle helmets offer the same features and protection as standard weight helmets. The one important separation is the weight of the helmet while riding. With a lightweight helmet you’ll be equally protected with double the comfort.
9. Express Yourself: Lightweight motorcycle helmets come in a wide range of colors, styles and sizes. Some of them are specifically designed for men or women. An extra benefit of brightly colored helmets is that they make it easier for other drivers to see motorcyclists.
10. Set a good example: Motorcycle riders can feel good about wearing helmets. Remember that your choices may influence the decisions of your friends, co-workers or children. When you wear a safety helmet, you encourage other riders to do the same.
The only real obstacle to buying a lightweight motorcycle helmet is the cost. It’s vital to recognize that helmets can help you save thousands of dollars in the long run. Riding without a helmet puts you at a disadvantage when filing a motorcycle-related lawsuit, if you survive it.