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It’s a new year, summer is on its way and your wife finally said okay...you’re finally headed to Modern Classics to buy a motorcycle. When you get there, the salesman tells you all about the safety features, and bells and whistles of all their models until you finally find the perfect one.

You sign all the paperwork, get the insurance in order, and just as the salesman is about to hand you the keys, he asks you if you have a helmet, because they also sell top of the line motorcycle helmets as well. You tell him there’s no need because you already have one. With a confident smile, you whip out your old bicycle helmet. The salesman’s smile disappears and he rescinds the keys.

He tells you that he can’t allow you to drive the motorcycle wearing a bike helmet and highly suggests you pick one from their selection.

But, why buy another helmet when you already have a perfectly good one? Why can’t you just wear your bike helmet when driving the motorcycle?

Life Saving Differences

Although both motorcycle and bike helmets are designed to protect the head from impact collisions, come in a variety of shapes and colors, and are essential accessories for ‘bike’ riding, they vary greatly on safety standards.

  • Bike helmets, by law, need to only meet the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s bicycle safety standards. They’re generally light weight, have less cushion, and have built in vents to help cool overheated bikers.
  • Motorcycle helmets, by law, need to meet both the CPSC’s safety standards as well as the Department of Transportation’s standards. They are larger, heavier, and more durable than bike helmets, and have a cushier and a more snug fit than bike helmets 

Motorcycle helmets are intentionally more durable and heavy duty than bike helmets, due to the fact that the potentially severity of motorcycle accidents outweigh bicycle accident injuries. Not that bike accidents can’t be severe, but motorcycles have the potential of traveling at higher speeds, surrounded by fast moving vehicles more often than bicycles.

Regardless of what you ride—motorcycle, Vespa, bicycle or scooter—protecting your head with the proper vehicle helmet is essential to your safety. Before you rev up, gear up, or suit up, make sure you have a well-fitted helmet for your travels.

Need more information about motorcycle safety or bike accident injuries? Contact us today for a free consultation or like us on Facebook for periodic updates.