Helmet Needs to be Replaced in every 3 years

The most important part of a helmet is an expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam liner (which resembles Styrofoam) That is like those white packing box material when you buy a TV from Walmart. This EPS actually absorbs the energy of an impact. DOT standard requires 1 inch thickness of it.

In a crash, the polystyrene is permanently crushed, so if you hit your head with your motorcycle helmet on, the helmet is no more use to you than a baseball cap. The helmet may look just fine externally, perhaps just a small scratch, but it probably no longer has impact-absorption in that area. The important points that a motorcycle helmet should protect, according to the Snell institute, are the crown of your head, your temples particularly right behind your eye socket, and your jaw.

Your helmet should be replaced every 3 years. This makes sense when you understand that plastic foams do break down over time, just from exposure to sunlight. So make sure you replace you helmet on that timescale and more frequently. It is very simple to say. You get the white packing foam after you buy a TV and put it aside for 3 years in your garage. See how fragile it can become.

Motorcycle Helmet Polystyrene Liner to absorb energy

The liner of the helmet is a very functional component and is designed to absorb and disperse an impact so it's not all directly transmitted to your skull. The shell will absorb a certain amount and this is the reason that it's not necessarily a bad thing to crack a helmet in a crash.

The liner is often made from expanded polystyrene, which is liked those white-colored packing material inside new TV or DVD sets in stores, acting against shocks too during the delivery. It works the same to the head too. However, different manufacturing techniques are used by different companies to get the greatest possible dispersion of impact forces. Helmets meeting the minimum federal safety standard (DOT) have 1-inch thick inner liner of appropriate firm polystyrene foam. Always, the inner liner is not visible. Unsafe helmets normally contain only soft foam padding or a bare plastic shell with no foam at all.

The density of this liner can not be too soft or too hard. DOT & ECE requires thicker liner than SNELL somehow. If you crash and hit your head the outer shell may look fine but the liner may have had to absorb the impact and by doing so the polystyrene may have been greatly compressed.

If there is a subsequent impact the liner will not be able to absorb or compress to the same degree and if the polystyrene is completely compressed it will offer no benefit and the forces will be transferred to the rider's head which may result in serious concussion.

my Masei Chrome Flip-Up Modular HELMET !!

DOT Motorcycle Helmet Buying Tips

Motorcycle Helmet Tips

Below we have provided you with a list of motorcycle helmet tips for choosing a helmet that perfectly suits your head and your riding experience:

1. Try on motorcycle helmets for at least five minutes to detect bothersome areas. Look in the mirror for symmetry, to ensure that the helmet rests just above your brows and to see if any red marks remain after taking off the helmet.

2. After you have purchased your helmet, try not to store in a high or unsteady place where it could come crashing to the ground (such as the motorcycle saddle or side of the mirror. Don't risk scratching or busting an expensive motorcycle helmet.

3. Observe motorcycle helmet safety standards. If a cheap motorcycle helmet has not been Snell certified, for example, or is not a DOT approved motorcycle helmet, your insurance company may refuse to provide accident coverage.

4. Make sure your helmet has undergone anti-scratch and anti-fog treatment. In addition, be sure the visor doesn't touch the helmet outer shell resulting in scratches or fuzzy vision areas on your visor.

5. A lighter helmet may be more comfortable than its heavier counterpart, but is perhaps less equipped to ensure motorcycle safety.

6. Consider your chinstrap while checking your motorcycle helmet--the strap should not be too long and should be able to be tucked away so as not to hit your chin repeatedly.

7. Poor ventilation systems are chief causes of noisy helmets. The more aerodynamic the helmet and the better the vents, the less noise there will be.

8. A motorcycle helmet's comfort liner can mold a bit to the shape of your head so the helmet typically becomes more comfortable over time and use. Be sure, however, that you start with a good fit.

9. Inquire about the motorcycle helmet safety standards the motorcycle helmet manufacturer has met. A cheap motorcycle helmet may eschew certain safety testing standards. Moreover, always observe motorcycle helmet law by state, particularly if you are a young rider.

How to clean your helmet for better performance!

In order for your helmet to provide the maximum level of performance and service, proper care and attention to it's condition and general upkeep is essential. Clean the exterior and interior of your helmet regularly. Use a soft cloth with mild detergent, using only lukewarm water. Never use gasoline (petrol), thinners, benzene or any other solvents or chemicals because they can adversely effect the shock absorbing inner liner and plastic components.

The comfort liner and cheek pads are fully removable, washable and replacements are available usually. Carefully hand wash and air dry the comfort liner and cheek pads when required. When the comfort liner is damp or wet due to perspiration or rain, always dry the helmet and liner in the shade, gentle air movement through the material will speed the drying process.

Reviews: Masei Helmet Quality - OK

Masei helmets are quite reasonable ranging from US$70 to US$180. Their quality is fair.. quite similar to AFX ones. They mostly import from Taiwanese and Chinese OEM makers. Their Quality Control are still not reaching very top level of famous brands.

Masei graphics are fancy, but the finish is not fairly done. Their gloss clear coat seems thinner. The decals are placed under the clear coat, giving the helmet a more finished look. Again, their gloss clear coats are softer than normal.

Masei helmets look all OK, but the quality of their modular locks and the overall execution are not reaching top-class levels yet. For example, the helmet seems to have a lot of lateral flexibility. When the rotating visor is closed and latched, I can squeeze the helmet and it flexes, both at the shell and around the sides of the chin bar on the rotating visor.

In my opinion. I guess if you're really limited on funds and you really want a good looking modular helmet with fancy graphics, Masei is definitely the best choice. On the market, a normal flip-up costs you at least US$139, but you can get them for US$99 sometimes online.

Why ARAI Helmets are so expensive? US$550 vs US$65

So far, Arai is the best-known helmet on the market, because they have been in business for decades. First comes first serves! I do not believe that at this moment they are the best helmet, since many middle-range helmet brands have improved their quality and also developed more features such as LED, blue-tooth, carbon fiber... However, Arai helmet quality control (QC) is definitely still the best.

Every Arai helmet is virtually 100% handmade. Each craftsman signs the helmet shell along the way. And every helmet is hand inspected at least three times during construction. Not every hundredth helmet, or every tenth one — every single helmet. I went to inspect some Taiwanese helmet makers in mass production (probably 5,000 helmets daily). There are no way they can do eyesight inspection on every helmet.

The price of DOT-approved helmets, let's say full face, can range from US$65 to US$550 - 10 times. Their price difference are coming mostly from their marketing, sponsorship, quality control, and R&B. Big brands spends most of their operating costs on these things.

新品MASEIヘルメット

このMASEIヘルメットをインターネットで買いました。間違いなくかっこよく、機能性も抜群です

あめりかでの店頭価格は１８９ドルですが、いまインターネットで購入するとたった８９ドルで購入できます 不思議ですね

Motorcycle Helmet Impact Absorption Test for DOT & ECE

The ECE standard has the most stringent 'peak g' rating which on face value is the most re-assuring. However, while the other standards (SNELL and DOT) all employ a hemispherical anvil which increases the concentration of loading and challenges the shell to withstand puncturing, the ECE does not and the nearest equivalent is the kerbstone.

During the test, the helmet is fitted to a metal head and dropped onto a steel anvil from a height of 287cm in order to get an impact speed of 27km/h. Four points on the helmet are each tested once and the anvils are both flat and rounded. Furthermore, the helmet is then dropped chinguard first onto a flat anvil from a height of 155cm. The velocity and duration of impact are both measured by sensors on the dummy head and when analysed, the acceleration of the head due to gravity must not exceed 275g.

The Head Injury Criteria (HIC) factor is a measurement of the total impact energy onto the head. It is usually calculated by multiplying the velocity with the duration of impact. The maximum permissible figure for this is 2,400. Reducing the total peak g and also the duration of impact will provide the rider with the best protection.

Chinstrap testing is also essential for helmets to get the necessary certificates.The chin strap is also tested by hanging a mass from it (a static load) and then dropping a proportion of this mass (a dynamic load) from a height of 75cm. This must not displace the chin strap by more than 35mm (from the dynamic load) and the static load must not displace the chin strap by more than 25mm.

Beautiful Masei Motorcycle Helmet !

This is a helmet featuring a bengal tiger. New release!! The chrome version is more beautiful, but cost much more.

California Planning Motorcycle Smog Checks

For those of you living and riding in the state of California, you should be aware of a proposed senate bill that will require smog checks for motorcycles. Senate Bill 435, introduced by California State Senator Pavley on February 26, proposes smog checks on motorcycles, beginning January 1st, 2012, for all motorcycles model year 2000 or newer. All motorcycles had previously been excluded.

SB 435, as introduced, Pavley. Smog check program: motorcycles. Existing law establishes a motor vehicle inspection and maintenance program (smog check), administered by the Department of Consumer Affairs, that provides for the inspection of motor vehicles upon registration, biennially upon renewal of registration, upon transfer of ownership, and in certain other circumstances. Existing law exempts from biennial inspection all motorcycles until the department implements test procedures applicable to motorcycles. Violations of smog check requirements are a crime. This bill would require the department to include model-year 2000 and newer motorcycles in the smog check program beginning January 1, 2012.

If you would like to comment on this bill, the time to contact your state legislators is now.

Recession has hurt the automobile and motorcycle sales badly in the years of 2008-2009

The US Motorcycle Sales is not good for the first six months of 2009, compared to the same time period in 2008. Street bike sales for the first two quarters of the 2009 year so far totaled 212,130, down 46% from the same time period in 2008. Dual sport sales are down 48%; off-road motorcycle sales down 39% and scooter sales are down 67% from the first 6 months of 2008.

On the other hand, some numbers from Japan indicate motorcycle production in May 2009 was down 28,445 units or 40.9% of the May 2008 number of 69,626 units produced. Motorcycle exports from Japan in May 2009 totaled 33,845 units, down 28,203 units or 45.5% of May 2008 figure of 62,048 units. This is the biggest drop in one year in history. Just for comparison, Japanese car exports in May 2009 were 233,217 units, down 295,400 units or 55.9% from the May 2008 figure of 528,617 units. However, the sales are expected to pick up and grow in 2011.

New Snell Standard - M2010

From the beginning October 1, 2009, the motorcycle riding public will be able to buy and wear motorcycle helmets certified to the new Snell M2010 standard.

There are major differences between M2010 and previous Snell Standards; mostly due to the emergence of ECE 22-05, the standard now in mandatory use throughout the UK and Europe.

Snell motorcycle helmet standards are voluntary; manufacturers build to Snell standards because they want to and they build to DOT, ECE 22-05 or other standards because they have to.

And if it comes to a choice between what a manufacturer wants to do and what it has to do, they will give up Snell for DOT or ECE 22-05 every time.

It’s not like there’s a real choice. In North America, since the mid 1970’s, the mandatory motorcycle helmet safety standard has been the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 218, colloquially known as the DOT standard (info).

In the United States, a motorcycle helmet might meet the Snell standard, but it had better meet FMVSS 218. If it doesn't, the manufacturer, the distributor, the dealer and, depending on the state, the rider would be in for a lot of grief.

For this reason, Snell said that their motorcycle helmet standards have been compatible, at the very least, with the DOT standard.