This article may be a little more serious than others because your helmet is without a doubt, the most important part of your safety apparatus. This can not be understated. Most wrecks occur very close to the home. For most of us, that means residential roads, but even a slow speed crash can be deadly if you have not equipped yourself properly.
First of all, a full face helmet is highly recommended. You may think you’re a tough-guy, but how tough would you feel if you end up eating your meals through a straw or have to have someone help you to bathe, get dressed or feed yourself? The type of helmets 
people wear just to be legal is the worst choice you could make as far as helmets go. Not only do they not offer much as far as protection, but wearing the beanie type helmets can be akin to strapping a parachute to your head when you get up to speed. Full face helmets are quieter They’re drier, and will stay drier if it happens to rain when they are on the helmet lock on your bike and they help keep your face clean.
When shopping for a helmet you may notice that different brands may fit your head differently. You want to find a quality brand that feels comfortable to you. Your helmet should fit snuggly but not so tight that it’s hard to get on or off. Put it on your head then shake your head around, from side to side, up and down and round and round. If the helmet fits properly it should not slide around at all. Fasten the chin strap and check to see if the helmet covers your whole head including your chin. Move your eyes from side to side and see if it offers you the range of vision that you want. Your peripheral vision is very important when riding a motorcycle so make sure the helmet does not obstruct your vision from side to side. It may also be important to be sure that you can easily and clearly see your gauges when wearing your helmet.
Any quality helmet has to be certified. There are a few different certifications the least of which should be D.O.T. for Department of Transportation. This is the very lowest certification and offers a very low level of safety. We would recommend that you look for something with a SNELL certification. The SNELL certification has more rigorous standards and are modernized more frequently than the D.O.T. standards.
Additional considerations might be if you intend to fit the helmet with a communicator or if you frequently ride in cold weather. In these situations you will probably want to look for a helmet that offers removable padding. Many of the good helmet companies will sell the padding in different sizes so that you can interchange them depending on what gear you have or how many accessories you may be wearing underneath your helmet, like a Balaclava or head covering, eyeglasses, etc .
Finally, you may want to consider some accessories to go with your helmet like a tinted shield for riding on sunny days or anti fog spray to keep your breath from turning into condensation on the inside of your visor in the mornings or winter.
Lots of people say there are two types of riders, those that have been down, and those that will be going down. Adventure and thrill are components of the passion we have for riding but that doesn’t mean there’s no room for safety. Make the most of your passion by protecting yourself so you can continue riding for decades.
The people that work here could post page upon page of true stories of how helmets have saved our own lives. If you don’t do it for yourself, do it for the people that love you.
Always wear a good helmet.
