The motorcycle helmet market is filled with all types of helmets. Some of them are expensive, while some are cheap. All this variety and price difference creates confusion in the minds of the buyers. However, you don’t have to worry about anything as we’re here to tell you the difference between expensive and cheap motorcycle helmets.
The prices of helmets can be anywhere between under $100 to more than $1000. All of them are designed to protect your head, but some of them offer more protection than others. Different types of helmets provide different levels of protection and freedom. These types include full-face helmets, modular helmets, and open-face helmets.
Are Expensive Bike helmets worth it?
A helmet is the most important part of any rider’s protective gear. Wearing a helmet can protect you against any facial injury in case of a collision or an accident. Most people think that buying an expensive helmet will offer more protection and keep them safer. But are expensive motorcycle helmets worth it?
If the helmet is expensive, it would be made from better and lighter materials and would also offer a better design and structure. Expensive helmets also tend to be more comfortable than cheaper helmets.
However, sometimes you’ll find helmets that offer a much higher price due to the graphics on them. A helmet with a more attractive graphical design might cost a lot more money than a helmet with plain color on its outer shell, despite them offering the same level of protection as they are the same helmet but with different graphics. In that case, it won’t be a good idea to go for the more expensive option if you’re only looking for safety and comfort.
Cheap Motorcycle Helmets
The cheapest motorcycle helmet might cost you about $50 to $100, and it will also offer just about the same level of protection as a more expensive helmet. However, the main difference between the cheaper helmet and the very expensive helmet would be between the helmet’s weight, comfort, and overall design.
Cheap helmets are heavy and most likely won’t be usable after one crash. But they can still save your life. A cheap motorcycle helmet can protect you, and while it lacks flashy features found in expensive helmets, it does get its job done.
The cheaper helmets also offer less noise reduction and might hurt your neck after you’ve worn them for a couple of hours. They also won’t come with removable liners, so you’ll have to do some extra steps if you want to clean your helmet after a sweaty ride.
Cheap helmets are slightly less comfortable, but they offer decent protection, provided that they have proper safety certifications. If your helmet has a DOT or ECE certification sticker on it, it doesn’t matter how inexpensive it is. It will provide enough protection.
If you’re short on budget, you can definitely go for a cheap helmet, but keep in mind that there’s a significant difference between wearing an expensive helmet for hours and a cheaper one. Also, only buy more affordable helmets from well-known brands with a good history.
Expensive Motorcycle Helmets
Expensive helmets are of much lighter weight than inexpensive helmets. They also offer much more comfort and provide better ventilation and reduced wind noise.
You can find expensive helmets starting from $200 to $1000+. You’ll also notice that the more expensive helmets are made up of much stronger yet lighter material. This is because these helmets go through the most expensive development stages.
Also, it isn’t true that expensive helmets are safer than cheaper helmets. If your helmet has a safety-approved sticker, then it is just as good at protecting you as any other helmet. Keep in mind that there might be no different from the safety point-of-view, but an expensive helmet offers a lot more than just safety for all that extra money.
Expensive helmets also have several unique features and functions, such as Bluetooth motorcycle helmets and auto-ejecting cheek pads.
Compared to their inexpensive counterparts, expensive helmets are also fairly durable due to their carbon fiber construction. If you’re going to invest in an expensive helmet, you should make sure you buy one from a particular brand that has some history and weight to its name.
Things to Check Before Buying Motorcycle Helmet
There are a lot of things that you should check and plenty of factors that you should consider before buying a helmet, but honestly, it all depends on your budget and your own preferences.
Safety Certification
Before buying any helmet, you should first check its safety certification. If you’re from the US, then you should check the DOT-approved sticker on the back of the helmet before making the purchase. In the EU, there’s the ECE safety certification.
Comfort
If you’re going to wear your helmet for longer rides or for a couple of hours straight every day, then you should also check the comfort level of your helmet. An uncomfortable helmet will most likely make your neck hurt after a few hours, and you’ll feel like putting down your helmet for good.
Size and shape
You should always check the size of your helmet and your head shape. There are different types of head shapes, but a helmet can only target one type of head shape. On our beginner’s extensive buying guide, you can read more about checking your head shape and helmet sizes.
Helmet Ventilation
A helmet should provide good enough ventilation to keep you cool in hot weather. Also, keep in mind that you might also face an increase in wind noise with better ventilation. So, you should try to get a helmet with adjustable air vents.
Helmet retention
The chin strap or the chin-guard is the thing that keeps your helmet on your head. You should make sure that it isn’t loose before buying the helmet. A loose chin strap can make your helmet come off your head, which can prove to be very risky during an actual ride.
What to Expect from Expensive Helmets:
Expensive motorcycle helmets offer a lot more than just plain safety. You’ll be spending more money, but you’ll also get a more comfortable helmet out of it.
Durability
A helmet that costs more is also much lighter in weight and more durable. It usually depends from helmet to helmet, but most of the time, an expensive helmet can help you survive multiple collisions. In contrast, inexpensive certified helmets can become unusable after one incident. That is because these helmets are constructed from higher-quality materials.
Ventilation
An expensive helmet would offer decent ventilation while also giving you the ability to close off the vents if need be. That is because, with more ventilation, you also get more wind noise, so it is important to have a choice in this matter.
Better design
An expensive helmet will offer a much better design than cheap helmets. Expensive motorcycle helmets tend to be more aerodynamic and graphically attractive. Aerodynamics is an important aspect of a motorcycle helmet. It reduces the drag that you feel while riding at high speed, and if your helmet isn’t aerodynamically designed, you’ll end up feeling the strain on your neck and shoulders.
Accessories
Accessories can be bought for both cheaper and expensive motorcycle helmets. However, expensive motorcycle helmets offer you a wide variety of accessories to choose from, but these accessories are also fairly expensive. You can attach a helmet cam to those, and they might also come with a quick-release fastener.
While we’re talking about accessories, you should check out these 10 excellent action cameras designed for helmets. These action cameras will record any and everything so that you can watch it later on for safety and enjoyment purposes.
Conclusion
While there might be a fair difference in the price of a cheap helmet and a more expensive helmet, the safety they offer depends entirely upon the safety certifications. If your $50 helmet is certified, then it offers the same protection as the $1200 helmet. However, keep in mind that wearing the $50 helmet for an hour can feel like an eternity, while you can easily and comfortably wear an expensive helmet for the entire day.
Most Frequently Asked Questions
How much should a motorcycle helmet cost?
A motorcycle helmet can cost from about $50 to anywhere near $1200. While the level of safety that these helmets provide might be about the same, the comfort and other features of the helmet differ with the price.
Do motorcycle helmets make a difference?
Wearing a motorcycle helmet can make a lot of difference in case of an accident or a collision. A helmet protects your face from any facial injury and protects your head from any damage to the brain which might prove to be fatal. It is always recommended to wear a helmet whenever you’re riding your motorcycle.
Why are some motorcycle helmets so cheap?
Some motorcycle helmets are cheaper because they’re made up of low-quality materials. They provide enough protection, but they are much heavier and less comfortable.
How long do you keep a motorcycle helmet?
You should keep using your helmet for about 5 years and then replace it with a new one. It is a different case if your helmet has survived a crash, you are a heavy sweater, or your helmet is in bad shape overall, then you should replace it as soon as possible.
Should you buy an expensive helmet?
If you’re looking for plain safety for shorter rides, then you should go for cheap helmets. If you’re someone who has to travel a lot on their motorcycle, then an expensive motorcycle helmet would be the perfect choice for you.
Why are motorcycle helmets so expensive?
There’s a fair amount of science and technology behind the construction of an expensive helmet. Some of the total price of the helmet goes to that, while some of it goes to the high-quality materials used to bring the helmet to life.
