There are many opinions and controversies on which type of helmet is the best for a Harley rider. Harley Davidson bikes are great beasts when it comes to bikes and move with very fast speed. So, you require wisdom in choosing good and high-quality protective gear as a Harley owner.
However, the decision of whether or not to wear a full-face helmet on a Harley is solely yours. So, while contemplating on can you wear a full-face helmet on a Harley, you should consider your safety. Wearing a full-face helmet gives your head and face complete covering and protection against crashes in cases of accidents.
This article will discuss wearing a full-face helmet on a Harley and why Harley riders do so. Also, we’ll discuss if full face motorcycle helmets are safer. Read on!
Can You Wear A Full-Face Helmet On A Harley?
Harley Davidson is one of the great, rugged, and prestigious bikes. One of the outstanding features is the tremendous speed of the motorcycle. While riding a Harley, you can’t settle for less in terms of protection.
Just like your motorcycle, you need the best protective gear for your face and head. Are you wondering can you wear a full-face helmet on a Harley? Wearing a full-face helmet gives you the right and overall protection for your head and face. Also, your face will get proper protection from the face shield. This helps to keep off debris, dust, and dirt that flies around during your ride. Furthermore, a full face helmet comes with a chin bar covering your chin up to your neck region.
The full face helmet is the only type of helmet with a chin bar. Other helmet types will leave your chin and jaw exposed. Thus, you stand the risk of injuring your chin and jaw lines during crashes. So, using a full face helmet is the surest way of giving the safest protection to your chin, jaw, and neck areas.
Why Do Harley Riders Wear Full-Face Helmets?
If safety is your priority above other personal convenience and other factors, a full-face helmet is your best option as a Harley rider. You must remember that the motorcycle you’re using is not just one of those slow-moving bikes. Harley Davidson is reputable as a fast-moving motorcycle of our time. So, there’s every need for you to get a full face helmet for Harley riders.
However, there are people who have some personal opinions against the use of full face helmets while riding a Harley bike. One of their reasons is that a full face helmet will completely cover their faces such that no one can recognize them.
But a full face helmet has more advantages for you as a Harley rider. Here are some reasons for Harley riders to wear full face helmets.
Complete protection
A full face helmet is the only type of helmet that features a chin bar. It’s the chin bar that protects your chin and jaw against impacts during crashes and accidents. Also, with the fact that over 60% of motorcycle crashes result in great impacts on the chins and jaws, it’s very crucial, to exercise caution and apply the necessary precaution for safety and protection. One of the best protective gear for your rides with a Harley bike is a full face helmet.
Protection from the weather and other environmental elements
Besides its protection from crashes, a full face helmet provides adequate covering for Harley riders against other weather conditions. It will keep off sunlight from striking directly on your face while riding a hot sunny day. Also, it limits the impact of wind on your face which could be a distraction and discomfort on long distances.
Moreover, a full face helmet keeps off dust and debris that floats in the air away from your face and eyes. As the face shield covers your face, it’s quite impossible for your eyes to dim from dust as well as the impact of wind during your ride.
Additionally, by keeping off the effects of the environmental elements from your face, a full face helmet makes your long trips less tiring and fatiguing. So, even after your long-distance rides, your face and eyes are not dimmed and weary from the impacts on the road.
Added tinted visor
Most full face helmets come with tinted visors. This makes the helmet more preferably by lots of Harley riders that engage in entertainment and sports. The tinted visor enhances the visibility of the riders, which allows for easy maneuverability and tricks during their rides. Using a full face helmet that features a tinted visor eliminates the need for any form of glasses, including sunglasses. In addition, the visor provides protection from rays that could disturb your eyes.
Serves as a facial disguise
Though some people will consider a full face helmet’s disguising ability as a shortfall, many individuals think it’s a plus. To the latter group, a full face helmet will conceal their identity since they are riding Harley, which is a prestigious bike.
Others of the latter group think of the full face helmet as a means of hiding their old ages. Hence, they can get attention from the public while on their Harley Davidson bikes.
Are Full-Face Motorcycle Helmets Safer?
Full face motorcycle helmets offer the safest covering and protection for your head and entire face. The design of a full face helmet includes a chin bar that covers that chin and jaw. Also, the extended lower part of the helmet protects some of your neck regions.
Going with the knowledge that most accidents on bikes affect the chin and jaw majorly, it’s very necessary to protect them. Out of all the types of helmets, the full face provides maximum covering and protection for your chin, jaw, and neck region.
Here are some of the features of full face helmets that make them the safer option of protection for bike riders.
Sturdy outer shell
A full face helmet features an outer shell that is designed to display rigidity and sturdiness. This helps a helmet in distributing any impacting force during crashes and accidents. Hence, the force will not concentrate on a particular location that will easily result in concussions for the rider.
Furthermore, the sturdiness of the outer shell prevents penetration of objects in cases of crashes. That’s the right protection that your head requires to remain safe and unharmed in situations.
Comfortable and adequate padding
The inner part of a full face helmet has some comfortable and adequate padding that gives the head a cushioning effect. With the padding, the helmet will remain in position without turning around on the rider’s head.
Also, it’s the padding that will help the head not to feel the ruggedness of the outer shell. It helps in maintaining the retention system with its protective and safety capacity.
Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) liner
The presence of EPS foams distinguishes and makes a full face helmet quite unique. The manufacturing of full face helmets inculcates EPS of higher density, quality, and grade. Thus, they have higher ability in absorbing energy and impacts from crashes and accidents.
With the sizes and shapes of full face helmets, they tend to have more amounts of EPS lining. This means that their impact-absorbing capacity is higher and greater.
The presence of chin bar
Full face helmets are the only type of helmets with a chin bar feature. This part of the helmet covers the chin, jaw, and possibly some of the neck regions. Since lots of motorcycle crashes impact greatly on the chin and jaw, wearing a full face helmet allows your maximum protection.
How Should A Full Face Motorcycle Helmet Fit?
While focusing on the protection and safety with a full face motorcycle helmet, the fit is of paramount importance. This’s because a full face helmet that fits properly has the chance of reducing up to 40% of concussions from impacts during crashes. So, you may be wondering how a full face motorcycle helmet fit.
Below are the steps to ascertain the fitting of your helmet.
Choose a helmet that has the right size for your head.
This should be your first move while going for a helmet with the proper fit. Don’t pick on the one that is too large or too tight for you. You can measure your head by allowing one inch up the eyebrows in your front. With that, you can check the manufacturers’ size chart. This will give you an approximate value though most brands have a little twist with their measurement. But you will always be close with your value.
Consider the shape of the helmet.
There are different shapes of heads. Thus, helmets manufacturers are considering that as they produce helmets with shapes like oval, narrow, and others. Get the one that has your shape of your head.
Test out your choice
Before you complete your purchase for the full face helmet, you should try it out by wearing it. Check the strips and confirm that the shell is not too large. Also, strap up the chin bar to ensure that every part is perfect for you.
Confirm the retention
You should fasten all the straps to acknowledge the tightness. Remember that the helmet shouldn’t be too tight for you. You should keep your head steady and put your fingers at the bottom edge. Then, try rolling the helmet out of your head. If you succeed, it means the size is quite large for you. So, go for a size smaller than the previous one.
Conclusion
Riding your Harley bike with a full face helmet will not only protect your head from impacts during crashes and accidents. You will receive full coverage for the face, chin, jaw, and neck region while using a full face helmet. So, going through this article clears all your doubts and questions on can you wear a full face helmet on a Harley.
You should understand that Harley Davidson bikes are great motorcycles that move at high speed. Therefore, there’s every need for you to apply all the necessary safety precautions, especially on wearing a helmet. Where safety is your priority, a full face helmet remains one of your preliminary protective gear while riding.
