Moving from one place to another has become easy and timely with motorcycles in recent times. Of course, you will need protective gear each time you set out with your bike. Helmets are the perfect devices for the job. However, there are some motorcycle helmet brands to avoid if you do not want to become a victim of those things you were trying to prevent in the first place.
These motorcycle brands have little or no technical expertise needed to produce helmets. As you already know, a helmet should possess rich features, offer maximum protection, and be comfortable to put on. The reverse is what you get with these brands. Some motorcycle brands you need to avoid include Shark, HJC, Torc, and several others.
Perhaps you want to know other brands you need to avoid, and why you need to avoid them, you should read this piece to the last full stop. Before then, let’s educate you on what you need to look out for before opting for a particular helmet.
What Makes a Good Motorcycle Helmet?
Whether you are a one-time motorcycle rider or one of those who perceive riding the mobile machine as an adventure, you need to make the right choice of helmet. Making the right helmet choice goes beyond going to the store and picking the helmet with the most attractive colors. Making the right decision can be highly beneficial for so many reasons.
It is crucial to know what qualities to look out for in a good helmet. It goes without saying that before you can justify whether a helmet is good or not, you need to know the purpose it serves.
Regardless of how often people use a helmet, who is using it, or what you intend to use it for, there are certain qualities that a helmet must possess. These are general qualities that make a particular helmet the best choice. If you are buying a helmet, do well to consider each of these qualities before making a decision. Some of these qualities include:
Material Used
As expected, there are a variety of materials utilized in making helmets. The materials used in making a helmet have a lot of impacts on the helmet’s safety rating, comfort, and weight. The core materials used in making motorcycle helmets include:
- Carbon fiber.
- Polycarbonate
- EPS
- Fiberglass composite.
Weight
To determine whether a motorcycle helmet is good or not, you need to watch out for the helmet’s weight. If it is not lightweight, it is one of those motorcycle helmet brands to avoid. The average helmet weight should be around 1800 grams. In order to make a balanced weight motorcycle helmet, what producers do is to distribute the weight around the shoulders and head evenly.
21st-Century Safety Features
You have the technology to thank for the myriads of innovative designs and features it has birthed in the production of motorcycle helmets. With the aid of technology, most helmet manufacturers now add accessories such as cheek pads and other emergency accessories to helmets.
That’s not all. Most helmets come with devices that make removal timely and easy. This makes first aid and medical assistance easy to deliver to an injured rider. A good helmet should reduce the risk of injuries by 69 percent.
Comfort
This is another feature you need to thank technology for. You hardly find any motorcycle helmet today that does not have communication devices, wind reduction devices, and integrated sunshades. All these new provisions make modern motorcycle helmets comfortable.
Examples of helmets with these qualities include-
- GLX Compact motorcycle helmet
- ILM full-face motorcycle helmet
- Bell Qualifier motorcycle helmet
- Shoei RF-1400 motorcycle helmet
- FreedConn motorcycle helmet
Motorcycle Helmet Brands to Avoid
Maybe you have been waiting to hear this: not all motorcycle helmets are good for you. Hence, before you go out to the store to purchase one, you should know the ones to avoid so you do not end up buying the wrong helmet. In the paragraphs below are some of the motorcycle helmet brands to void and why you should avoid them.
| Helmet brands | Reasons to Avoid |
| Shark | Absence of headphones and Bluetooth devices. |
| HJC | Lack of proper ventilation. |
| Shoei Qwest | Vulnerability to cracks and scratches. |
| AVG | Lack of safety and comfort. |
| Torc | Insufficient insulation. |
1. Shark
Although this motorcycle helmet brand has gained popularity among motorcycle riders and the general populace, some shortcomings are attached to it. Shark produces premium helmets that rank among the best options in the market. However, users have found some flaws with its helmets.
These flaws have made people avoid using helmets made by Shark. Some of the reasons you should avoid the Shark helmet brand include:
- Most Shark helmets are expensive.
- Their helmets come in irregular sizes.
- Modern features and technological devices such as headphones and Bluetooth do not come with their models.
- The helmets’ sun visors do not function properly.
2. HJC
The experience and technical expertise with which this brand produces helmets has made it one of the top choices in the past years. This brand offers quality helmets for sale. Whenever it comes to style, design, comfort, quality, and eco-friendly helmets, you can’t leave HJC out of your options.
However, this brand’s motorcycle helmets have some disadvantages. Perhaps these disadvantages are recent; you can’t trust HJC helmets to give you maximum protection and safety. Some other reasons you should avoid using HJC helmets include:
- HJC helmets are also expensive.
- Some of their helmets, such as HJC IS-17, HJC I-50, etc., have safety issues.
- Some models do not have check pads.
- They also lack proper ventilation.
3. Shoei Qwest
You might be looking for a full-face helmet, with Shoei Qwest helmets; your search should be over. When it comes to the safety factor, you can count on this brand to meet your specifications. Even at that, there are complaints from users about the helmets made by this brand.
There are several reasons you should avoid wearing this brand’s helmets. Some of the flaws users have complained about recently include:
- Lack of anti-scratch and anti-fog sun visor.
- Lack of internal mechanisms and check pads.
- Vulnerability to cracks and scratches.
- Not cost-friendly.
4. AVG
Helmets made by this brand come in handy. You are likely to find most motorcycle riders using it. The reason for their popularity owes to no other factor than their reliability, durability, and protection. But following careful consideration, there are many disagreements about these features. There are a lot of inefficiencies alluded to this brand.
Today, you hardly find people using helmets made by AVG because of the shortcomings their helmets possess. According to some users, AVG helmets have the following flaws:
- Lack of premium materials used in its production.
- Loosed chin curtains due to inadequate sizing.
- Inability to last for a long time.
- Lack of comfort and safety.
5. Torc
This is another motorcycle helmet brand to avoid each time you visit the store to get a helmet. Also, a popular motorcycle helmet brand known for making high-quality and stable helmets. Regardless of the wide acceptance that Torc helmets possess, some flaws make them far from the best option.
Although one of the qualities that makes a helmet good is being lightweight, Torc helmets are so light that they offer little or no protection during a crash. Some of the other shortcomings of this brand include:
- Sun visor issues.
- Lack of functional Bluetooth devices.
- Insufficient insulation.
- Improper ventilation.
5 Most Reliable Motorcycle Helmet Brands
Whether it is the first time, you are visiting the store to get a helmet or are pretty familiar with the different helmet brands, making the right choice of a motorcycle helmet can be puzzling. The selection process becomes easier when you know those brands that devote their time and expertise to making top-notch helmets.
Everyone seeks quality over affordability. If that is the same principle you hold, then it’s high time you knew those brands that offer quality helmets. To make the discovery quite easy for you, below are the five most reliable motorcycle helmet brands you can choose.
1. Arai Helmets
Arai helmets are a top choice for everyone. To produce motorcycle helmets of diverse styles and designs, this brand uses capital and human resources to achieve the best results. Before the final finishing, the helmets go through quick tests to determine their efficiency. Some of the reasons Arai helmets are reliable include:
- They are cost-friendly, meaning that you don’t have to empty your bank account to get them.
- Their safety rating is about 4.5.
- They possess both SNELL and DOT certifications.
2. Studds Helmets
In making these helmets, this brand uses high-quality materials such as polycarbonate. This material offers great resistance against scratches and cracks. Apart from this, Studds helmets have silicon coating. This coating is of different versions such as smoke, rainbow, mirror, and others. You want a plush inner lining, you can count on Studds to give you the best. Some other features include:
- They are suitable for both young and old, men and women alike.
- They possess SLSI and ECE certifications.
- They are industrial flip-up and open-face helmets.
3. Shoei helmets
You are probably amazed this helmet made the cut again. Although these helmets have some shortcomings, they are still one of the best motorcycle helmets you can find out there. If you are looking for headgears with premium carbon fiber, HJC helmets are the best bet. This helmet will give you maximum safety and protection if you are a motorcycle racer.
Some other merits of using HJC helmets are as follows:
- Adequate ventilation.
- Removable internal lining.
- The safety rating of 4.5.
4. Bell Helmets
Designs and styles are the fundamental priority of the producers of these helmets. Apart from that, Bell also uses premium materials in making its helmets. Helmets designed by this brand offer adequate comfort, protection, and safety. Perhaps you are riding in off-trail conditions; Bell helmets will give you safety and protection during crashes. You can trust Bell helmets because:
- They have about a 4.5 safety rating.
- They are pretty affordable.
- They are of various types, including half-face, full-face, etc.
5. LS2 Helmets
This is another brand that you can rely on. LS2 combines safety with comfort features while developing helmets. Also used in constructing these helmets is the modern material Kinetic Polymer Alloy (KPA). This material makes the helmet strong and lightweight. You don’t need to worry about crashes, as LS2 helmets will safeguard you against injuries and accidents.
Some additional qualities associated with this brand’s helmets are:
- Anti-fogging technology.
- Both ECE and DOT certification.
- Washable and removable interior liners.
Wrap Up
The chances of making the wrong choice of helmets are quite high when you do not know motorcycle helmet brands to avoid and those to embrace. You can also make the wrong choice if you don’t know the qualities that make a good helmet. Before selecting any motorcycle helmet, ensure you know its brand and qualities.
