How to Choose a Motocross Helmet

A good quality motocross helmet is a key part of your protective outfit.  The helmet protects some of the most important parts of your body: the head and the face.  Here are some tips for choosing a helmet to make sure you are adequately protected.

A helmet should protect the whole head and your face. Rocks and other particles could hit your chin and damage the chin and the mouth area or the nose. A good full-face helmet protects the whole face, including the cheeks and the eyes, from flying sand, dirt and rocks, and also from scratches in case of a fall. Many motocross and dirt bike helmets have a sun visor and also come with an area for strapping safety goggles.

Hybrid helmets and dual sports helmets are combinations of a dirt helmet and a street helmet. They usually have a flip-down shield, adjustable chin protection you can flip up or down as needed, and a removable sun visor.

Open face helmets used to be popular in the past, but they have gone out of fashion as they do not provide enough protection for your face. Without adequate face protection there is a serious risk of scratching the face, being hit by flying rocks or dirt, bruising and even breaking some facial bones. For serious motocross riding an open face helmet is simply not protective enough.

Always check that your helmet conforms to all the current safety regulations. A DOT certification is a general guarantee of good safety standards. Choosing the right size is also important: if the helmet is too big, it will not protect you enough, and if it is too small, it will be very uncomfortable. Always try a few helmets in different sizes and in different models to find the right one for you.