When you buy a motorcycle, the tendency to upgrade parts is always an aftersales itch that needs to be scratched. But before you buy that high-performance part that you want to replace a stock part, always remember to invest first on the most important thing you need when riding a motorcycle – your helmet.
Helmets come in all shapes and sizes, offering varied degrees of protection in exchange for varying degrees of discomfort for riders like you. And it is always the rider who has to understand this trade off in order to ensure the safety that he wants and needs.
Full-face helmets, as implied by the name itself, offers 360 degree protection for the rider’s head because it basically wraps the head in layers of plastic, foam and other protective materials that can withstand impact. However, because the head is fully enclosed, these types of helmets come with a level of claustrophobic discomfort, as well as heat and sweat suffered by the rider in a tropical country such as a Philippines.
Half-face helmets do not offer 360 degree protection since part of the helmet exposes the face, while protecting only the back and sides of the head. While offering less protection, the helmet offsets this with a bigger degree of comfort and negates the feeling of claustrophobia. The open front of the helmet allows for more ventilation, thus is the most commonly prefered helmet in the country.
Quarter-face helmets, also known as skullcaps, offer the smallest protective quality among all motorcycle helmets. Worn merely to give minimum compliance to motorcycle helmet laws, skullcaps will never, ever, prevent serious injury to the head in the event of crashes. It exposes large parts of the rider’s head and provides great ventilation in exchange for minimal survivability should serious accidents occur.
So how do you decide which type of helmet to choose?
Easy, always go for maximum survivability for the full-face. But for some people who can’t stand that feeling of claustrophobia, the best option will be the half-face helmet. And, honestly, you can go for skullcaps only if you have a deathwish. But whatever helmet you choose, never go for the foam helmets designed for bicycle riders. Aside from totally compromising your survivability during a crash, these kinds of helmets will ensure that you get a ticket.
In the end, helmet up always when you ride. Because you never know when accidents might occur. And any upgrade that will keep you safe is the best aftersales investment you can make.
Visit any of our Motorcentral branches and we will hook you up.
