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What you Need to Know about Your Motorcycle Helmet | Up North Sports


What you Need to Know about Your Motorcycle Helmet

Modern helmets are designed not only for safety, but for comfort and style as well. Today’s helmets are made from plastics and are often reinforced with Kevlar or a carbon fiber. For comfort and protection they generally have fabric and foam interiors allowing a snug and comfortable fit.

A typical HJC motorcycle helmet has two major protective mechanisms:

  • An outer shell that is made of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) plastic, fiberglass or Kevlar. It is usually fairly thin. The purpose of this hard outer shell is to prevent penetration of the helmet by a pointed object that could puncture the skull. It also provides structure to the inner liner so it does not disintegrate when it hits concrete, pavement or any other hard surface. The foams used on motorcycle helmets usually have very little resistance to penetration and abrasion.

    During a crash situation, a motorcycle helmet is designed to break in two. The helmet will absorb the energy and impact of the fall instead of the rider’s skull.  As a result, they don’t offer much protection after their first impact, but generally that is the most crucial one. A helmet may be irreparably damaged from other impacts such as dropping the helmet from a high place. As a rule, helmets should be replaced after any type of major impact. But, it’s a good idea to replace it after three to four years, regardless of whether it has sustained impact or not; it’s a good safeguard.


  • A thick, soft inner liner made of expanded polystyrene foam or expanded polypropylene foam. The purpose of the foam liner is to crush during impact, which increases the distance and time over which the helmet stops, reducing its acceleration.

HJC  and Bell motorcycle helmets are some of the best brands of helmets in the industry. Always think safety first. Find the helmet that offers the most protection for the kind of motorcycle riding that you do. Then go for comfort and style!