What makes the difference between a quality motorcycle helmet, and a “Brain Bucket”?
Photo Courtesty of Popular Science
A good motorcycle helmet can save your life in a crash situation so it’s important you find the right one. The term “Brain Bucket” refers to a helmet that won’t protect you in a crash. It’s a common misconception that all helmets are Brain Buckets; a quality helmet can actually save your life.
Motorcycle helmets, in general, are not Brain Buckets. According to the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), there were an estimated 3,661 rider deaths in motorcycle crashes in 2003. Helmets have an effectiveness rate of 37 percent meaning 1,158 more motorcyclists would have died had they not been wearing helmets.
Helmets are made up of layers; like an onion. The first layer is the Hard outer shell, made of a combination of polycarbonate, kevlar, fiberglass, and/or carbon fiber. The next layer is the EPS foam, it absorbs the energy of a blow to the helmet. The EPS liner is compressed after the first impact, so even if a helmet looks fine, it’s important you replace it because it won’t protect you again. The next layer is the comfort liner, the cheek pads, neck roll, and general floofy stuff that cradles your head is in this layer. Shoei and Arai allow you to add or remove padding to fine tune the fit. The airflow vents do not match the whole onion analogy; but they’re there to make sure you can breathe in a closed full face helmet as well as to provide cooling while on the move. Cool air comes in through the top and front vents and hot air is filtered out through the back. The last layer is everyone's favorite part of an onion: the chin strap. While most chin straps are a tough nylon strap and a pair of “D” rings, some helmets use a quick release strap instead which are not as effective. You can modify your helmet to have a quick release strap if your death wish is particularly strong.
The basic types of helmets include full face, half shell, off-road, dual sport, modular, and three quarter. Full face or dual-sport helmets generally offer the most protection because they cover your entire head. Modular helmets are full-face helmets that have the capability to be flipped up by the chin. A dual-sport helmet comes with both a visor and a peak visor. The visor is removable so that you can put goggles in as you would with an off-road helmet. Comparably, An off-road helmet has no visor, a more pointy chin, and a specialized filter in the chin air vent to keep dirt out. These helmets can be as protective as a full face helmet. A three-quarter helmet is not as safe as the above-mentioned helmets because it leaves the chin and face exposed. The helmet that provides the least protection is the half shell helmet. As safe as the top shell may be it is still viable to fly off in a crash and offers no real protection. The most common area on the helmet that receives damage is the chin so it is vitally important that you have a chin bar.
DOT, Snell, and ECE certifications are badges of honor given to helmet models when they perform at satisfactory levels according to a given organization. DOT is the only certification required for a helmet in the US. Snell standards are generally regarded as higher. Snell is a private non-profit testing organization. ECE is the Economic Commision for Europe and is the certification required for helmets in Europe. ECE also has higher standards than the US DOT standards and is something to look for when out shopping for helmets.
Although it has been proven that helmets are effective, the law does not require you to wear a helmet in some states. In Illinois, Iowa, and New Hampshire motorcyclists are not required by law to wear a helmet. 27 states have partial helmet laws; meaning after a certain age you are no longer required to wear a helmet or you are not required to wear a helmet on a low power motorcycle. Typically the age requirements are 17, 18, or 20 years of age. In 20 states all riders are required to wear a helmet.
Heat exhaustion is the primary reason states don't require the use of a helmet. There are many ways to combat this issue while still wearing a helmet. In extreme heat, no matter what you’re wearing, take rest stops and drink lots of water. Consider carrying a water pack and having perforated leather or mesh protective gear. It may be appropriate to wear a DOT certified modular helmet: A modular helmet is a full face helmet that can flip up; in order to combat the heat.
More people need to be wearing helmets. In recent years only 58 percent of motorcyclists in the US were observed to be wearing helmets. States that don’t require the use of a helmet found that 59 percent of motorcyclists killed were not wearing helmets, compared to 8 percent in states with helmet laws. Wear a Brain Bucket; it makes a difference.
