Selecting a Helmet
The choice to wear, or not to wear, a helmet is a very personal and emotional decision. Debating the relative advantages and disadvantages of helmets is far too complex and political for this site, so no attempt will be made in this arena.
Suffice it to say, however, if you have decided that you want to wear a helmet, or if you live in a state that requires you to wear a helmet, it is important that you select the right helmet for your needs and that you select the right size of helmet for your head.
Keep in mind that different helmets by different manufactures come with different safety and comfort features. Many helmets come with vents that promote flow-through ventilation and keep the wearer cool in hot weather. Some helmets are made out of fiberglass, others are made out of more advanced and exotic materials. Ask a MotorClothes representative to explain all of the various features found in the helmet that you select.
Helmets come in 5 primary styles, each of which offers relative benefits and disadvantages:
Beanie Helmets
Beanie helmets are the most form-fitting and unobtrusive of the group, covering only the top of the skull (hence their name, "beanie" helmet). Their small size makes them a favorite amoung riders who don't want to sport the bulkier look of other helmets. These helmets also weigh far less than other styles of helmets and often cost less than $100. Sounds great, right? After all, they are smaller, lighter, and less expensive.
Unfortunately, the small size, light weight, and cheap cost of a beanie style helmet comes at a price … and this price is typically that they provide absolutely no protection whatsoever in the event of an accident. Furthermore, the reason this style of helmet is so cheap is that it has not been tested by either the DOT or Snell to ensure that it will protect the rider in the event of an accident. [Update]
Because of this, most beanie helmets are not considered to be protective gear by anyone. For the most part, the DOT does not recognize this style of "helmet" as a true helmet at all … think of it more as a hard, form-fitting do-rag.
States that require helmet use will cite you for using this type of helmet unless it meets DOT requirements. Strangely enough, even the beanie helmet manufacturers themselves don't consider their helmets to be protective gear; they classify them as fashion accessories. Unless you want all the "style" of a helmet without any of the benefits associated with using a helmet, do not use beanie helmets.
Update: Recently, several helmet manufacturers have begun making beanie helmets which meet DOT requirements; however, given the limited success of these ventures, care must be taken when chosing to wear a beanie helmet … always look for a DOT sticker on the back of the helmet and be aware of the fact that the beanie helmet covers as little of your head as is allowed by law.
Half Helmets
This helmet typically covers from the top of your eyebrow to the base of your skull (leaving the ears open), and is typically the smallest, lightest, and most form-fitting helmet you can buy that does meet DOT requirements (look for a DOT or Snell sticker on the back of the helmet).
Because this style covers the least amount of area, it is typically the coolest helmet to wear during the summer months. However, because the half helmet leaves the face, chin, and the sides of the head exposed, this helmet provides the least amount of protection in the event of an accident.
This style of helmet can be equipped with a snap-on face shield that will protect the rider's eyes from flying debris, rain, and wind. It is usually recommended that this type of helmet be worn only if the rider's motorcycle is equipped with a windshield. While this may seem silly and unecessary, our experience has been that half helmets, unless used in conjunction with a windshield, tend to drag in the wind and "float" on the rider's head at highway speeds, leading to a potentially distracting and dangerous situation.
Three-Quarter Helmets
This style of helmet typically covers from the top of your eyebrow to the base of your skull. It also wraps around the head to cover and protect the sides of the head and the ears. This style of helmet also meets DOT safety requirements (look for a DOT or Snell sticker on the back of the helmet).
Three-quarter helmets are not as cool during the summer months as half helmets, but many three-quarter helmets are equipped with ventilation systems to offset this disadvantage.
This style of helmet can also be equipped with a snap-on face shield that will protect the rider's eyes from flying debris, rain, and wind. Three-quarter helmets provide more protection—especially to the sides of the head—during an accident than do half helmets, but they still leave the face and chin exposed. Finally, because three-quarter helmets wrap around the head, they typically "float" on the head less than half helmets when riding at highway speeds, limiting the necessity of a windshield.
Full-Face Helmets
Full-face helmets offer the most coverage, and hence the most protection, of any helmet listed here and most will meet the DOT safety testing requirements (look for a DOT or Snell sticker on the back of the helmet).
They cover the entire head, and typically are fitted with a flip-up faceshield that protects the eyes from flying debris, rain, and wind. Full-face helmets also typically hold the most heat of any helmet, so if you plan to wear this style of helmet during the summer months make sure that you buy one that comes with a good flow-through ventilation system.
Because this style of helmet retains more heat than any other style, and also blocks more wind than any other style, it makes the full-face helmet an excellent choice if you do any cold weather riding. A properly fit full-face helmet should not "float" on the head at all when riding at highway speeds.
Convertible Helmets
Convertible helmets—so named because the front section of the helmet from the chin to the eyebrow can flip up, much like the top of a convertible car—are relative newcomers to the helmet lineup, having only appeared in the last several years.
This style of helmet sits squarely in between the three-quarter and full-face helmets, and offers many of the advantages of both. Like a full face helmet, the convertible helmet can be closed to protect the rider from flying debris, rain, and wind. The convertible helmet can also flip up the front half of the helmet to make small tasks easier (like putting on sunglasses, eating and drinking, and talking to others).
Many convertible helmets can also be locked in the "up" position, giving the rider more airflow when riding. Due to their unique design, convertible helmets offer the rider almost as much protection from the elements as a full-face helmet while offering the rider the convenience and crash protection of a three-quarter helmet.