Wearing a motorbike helmet is an extremely important safety measure in case you suffer an accident while riding your motorcycle. It can prevent serious head injuries, many of which are potentially fatal. Many state governments have enacted laws requiring motorcycle riders to wear helmets to reduce the number of preventable motorcycle accident injuries and fatalities.

Sadly, many motorcycle riders dismiss the importance of wearing a motorbike helmet. They may believe it is to clunky or heavy, or they simply enjoy the feeling of the wind on their faces as they ride their motorcycle. Failure to use a helmet can result in serious injury in case of an accident.

While a motorbike helmet isn't phenomenally expensive, it's also not cheap. Many motorcycle riders make the mistake of budgeting all of their money toward buying a bike, without leaving room for necessary safety equipment. To save money, some riders decide to buy a used helmet. This is a dangerous practice that should be strongly discouraged.

It's dangerous to wear a used helmet, since you don't know whether it's been in a prior accident, or how old it is. These factors affect whether it will provide adequate protection in case of an accident. Helmets are made of a hard outer shell with a layer of expanded polystyrene beneath that is meant to cushion the impact of a fall. If a used motorbike helmet has already been in accident, this means that the polystyrene layer has probably already been compressed, making the helmet ineffective and useless in case of an accident.

It's important to realize that polystyrene weakens and becomes brittle over time. Once this occurs, it will no longer be able to absorb the shock of an impact if an accident happens. Polystyrene is also weakened by exposure to sunlight and certain chemicals, including gas vapors. For these reasons, it's important to buy a new motorbike helmet every couple of years.

Bikers who put their helmet near the gas tank are unintentionally damaging their helmets. Helmets should also be kept out of direct sunlight when not in use to minimize their exposure to the sun; park your bike in shaded areas whenever possible. Pointed objects may pierce the polystyrene layer of your motorbike helmet and reduce its lifespan; avoid hanging the helmet on an antenna or other pointed object. By taking these steps to protect your helmet, you'll prevent early wear and tear and maximize the protection it provides.

Author: Pius Ephenus

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Article source: Free Motorcycles Articles.