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As promised in my last post, I want to take a moment to discuss helmet certifications. While I’ve stressed the importance of wearing a helmet at all times when riding, there are some important testing and certifications that every rider should know about.

When shopping for helmets, you will notice that they are labeled as having passed certain certification standards. Three of the most popular of these certifications are DOT, Snell, and ECE 22.05.

The United States Department of Transportation (DOT) rates helmets based on a few standards, including impact force. The catch here is that there is NOT always actual testing on each helmet. A manufacturer can advertise that their helmet is DOT rated if the manufacturer believes that the particular helmet meets the DOT standards. Every so often, helmets are randomly purchased by DOT and tested. Surprisingly (or maybe not), there are quite a few helmets that DO NOT pass the DOT testing, even though they may have previously been rated as DOT approved. Therefore, unless the DOT approved helmet that you’re wearing on your head has really been tested and approved by DOT, it may not be as safe as you are led to believe.

Another, more stringent rating is Snell. Rather than passing a series of standards, helmets with this rating are actually tested in 7 different areas including impact, penetration, and flame resistance. Snell testing is voluntary, and the manufacturers pay for the helmet to be tested. Most companies strive for Snell approval on their helmets, ensuring riders some of the best possible protection. Owning a Snell approved helmet shows that you are serious about your safety and you are a responsible rider.

The ECE 22.05 certification comes from the Economic Commission for Europe and is one of the most common certifications in the world. Over 50 countries in the world require an ECE certification. ECE testing is similar to DOT testing, though ECE requires helmets to be tested at higher velocities than DOT. Therefore, all ECE helmets will be DOT certified, but all DOT helmets will not be ECE certified. In addition, ECE requires that random batches of ALL helmet productions be tested PRIOR to being released to dealers for sale. This is much different from DOT who performs random testing after helmets are released. ECE helmets are approved for competitive motorcycle events and are even the preferred certification by most professionals.

Hopefully by now you realize the importance of wearing a helmet. And not just any helmet, one that has been properly certified and can help protect you in case of an accident. Once you’ve decided which helmet rating (DOT, Snell, ECE) you would prefer to protect your head, stop by your local dealer and start trying some helmets on. While you may be new to the riding scene, your gear should reflect your seriousness and responsiblity.

-Julie

Riding a motorcycle without a helmet is NOT an option. This applies to both you and your passenger. And I really don’t care if you happen to live in a state without a law requiring a helmet. Not wearing a helmet is irresponsible, selfish, and just plain stupid. It doesn’t matter if you happen to be the best motorcycle rider in the universe, you can never predict the actions of all the others on the road with you.

Over the weekend a close family friend was in a motorcycle accident. The car in front of him hit a passenger, the passenger flew over the car, and directly into my friend, who was then thrown from his bike. Since he was in Maryland, he was wearing the mandated helmet. Even so, he has life threatening injuries and has been in a coma since. Had he not been wearing a helmet, it’s almost certain he would have died immediately. At least he still has a chance…

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, approximately 7,502 lives were saved over the 5-year period ending in 2007. Clearly wearing a helmet can save your life.

Deciding on the type of helmet to purchase can take some time. Over the next few days I’ll go over some tips for choosing a good helmet, including rating, ventilation, padding and more. Today though, I want to discuss the difference between a full face helmet and a half helmet.

A full face helmet generally offers more protection than a half helmet. In recent studies, it was found that 35 percent of crashes had a major impact on the chin area. Obviously wearing a half helmet does not protect the chin area, therefore, you are really only utilizing 65 percent of the protection available to you.

In addition, full face helmets will protect you from various elements (rain, wind, bugs, road debris). A full face helmet may have you sweating more than a half helmet, but it just takes some getting used to.

Clearly, in my opinion, full face helmets are the way to go. But as long as you’re wearing some type of head protection, I won’t argue. Most importantly keep yourself in check. As I mentioned before, no matter how confident you may be in your skills, you can never predict what may happen. If you’re not wearing a helmet when you ride, you may as well paint a target on your back. Your life just is not worth risking.

-Julie

When purchasing your first motorcycle, you probably have already given some thought to the gear you'll be wearing, including a helmet and jacket. One piece of protective gear you don't want to overlook is gloves.

Motorcycle Gloves are one of the most important accessories for riders. In addition to protecting the hands in case of an accident, they also protect the hands from road debris and weather conditions.

Gloves come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors. There are also a few different options based on your normal riding conditions. Ventilated gloves will offer some air flow for hot or steamy weather. Water resistant gloves protect against light rain, puddles, etc. Rain gloves are available to wear over riding gloves and most are completely water proof.

When purchasing gloves, look for ones that have a metal or plastic barrier over the knuckles and Kevlar, metal or heavy padding for the palm. It’s important to purchase a glove that will not only look good and protect from weather, but ultimately one that will protect your hands in case of an accident.

So while you're all excited to get out there and ride your new bike, please remember that safety always comes first.

-Julie

In addition to purchasing your first bike, you’ll also need to purchase safety gear, including pants, jackets, gloves, etc. The choices you make in purchasing protective clothing are just as important as your helmet and bike choice. While you may not think that your clothing choices are a big deal, you should really put some thought and research into these items before buying. Your protective clothing choices can make a lot of difference if you’re in an accident.

Below are some interesting numbers on differences in fabrics. Obviously there are comfort and personal preferences, but before purchasing any clothing or accessories, you should take note of this:

Tear and Abrasion Strength by the numbers:
pounds of force until fabric tears, abrasion cycles on pavement until fabric fails

Cotton Jeans: 4.5 pounds to tear, 50 cycles to failure
70 Denier Standard Nylon: 4.5 pounds to tear, 165 cycles to failure
500 Denier Polyester: 8 pounds to tear, 180 cycles to failure
200 Denier Standard Nylon: 7.5 pounds to tear, 275 cycles to failure
500 Denier Cordura: 22 pounds to tear, 710 cycles to failure
620 Denier Cordura: 35 pounds to tear, 1200 cycles to failure
Competition Grade Leather: 80-110 pounds to tear, 1200-1700 cycles to failure
1000 Denier Cordura: 110 pounds to tear, 1780 cycles to failure
Air Mesh Kevlar: 1260 pounds to tear, 970 cycles to failure
Stretch Kevlar Blend: 420 pounds to tear, 1800 cycles to failure

Basically, the higher the number of cycles till failure, the further you can slide on the pavement before the fabric tears. These numbers are very important, as this could be the difference between a minor scrape and a major injury. As you can see, your regular jeans may not be the best clothing to wear when riding. Even if you’re confident about your riding abilities, you can never predict what will happen when you’re on the road.

So before you start riding, please invest some time and funds into your protective clothing. It just may be the best decision you’ve ever made.

-Julie

A great new bike for rookie riders will be introduced in the US in 2009. The Suzuki TU250 has a cool retro style and is perfect for those who are just beginning to ride.

The tu250 is lightweight, about 328 lbs, great for those who don’t want to worry with having a heavy bike which can be hard to maneuver and keep balanced. The short seat height (30.3 inches) gives this bike a more natural riding position and makes it very comfortable for those who are just getting used to riding.

The fuel injected, 249cc, four-stroke, single cylinder engine gives the tu250 just enough power, but not too much to make new riders feel uncomfortable or overpowered. Top speed of the bike comes in at about 75 mph. The bike is reliable, and most maintenance can be done yourself or by a mechanic at a relatively inexpensive cost. The tu-250 also gets great gas mileage for a bike.

The best part of this bike has got to be the price. Listed at about $3,500, the Suzuki tu250 is certainly affordable for most beginner riders. While this bike has been selling in Japan for some time, it is scheduled to be released in the US in early 2009.

-Julie

If you already have a motorcycle license and are looking to buy your first bike, here are some tips to keep in mind when shopping.

Know your riding level…
Start out with a bike that you will be able to handle, particularly one with an engine smaller than 600cc.

Consider your riding circumstances…
Think about the type of travel you’ll be doing and the weather in which you’ll be doing it. Will you be traveling long distances or mostly on highways? Is your bike for everyday commute or just for fun?

Choose a bike for YOU
Bikes come in tons of different shapes and sizes. Try out a lot of different ones to find something that is comfortable and fits you. It’s hard to really know how it’s going to feel without test driving one!

New or Used?
Decide if you want something new or something used. There are pros and cons associated with both. Used bikes are good because you typically don’t have to worry with scratching or damaging, though it may need more maintenance. New bikes will have a warranty, and be more reliable, but do you want to start out riding on something brand new??

Consider the other financial factors…
Don’t forget that as with a car, there will be insurance and maintenance costs. In addition, you will need an entire wardrobe of safety gear – helmet, jacket, gloves, boots, pants, etc. All of these little costs do add up!

Above all, think your purchase through. While you want to be sensible, you should also purchase a bike that you will have fun on. Make sure that any choice you make is a practical and safe choice!

-Julie