The retention system is usually linked to the type of helmet; helmets designed for racing (on/off road) often feature a double D fastening device, while helmets dedicated to touring or urban commuting more frequently have a micrometric buckle. In reality this is not a rule, simply common practice.
For example, helmets designed to be used on race circuits or tracks require a double D fastening device, which is considered less likely to accidentally unbuckle. On the other hand, helmets that are more intended for tourist use, such as the modular, flip-up, jet or demi-jet helmets, often use micrometric buckles, as they are more straightforward and more practical to use.
Both systems are safe and in line with the Highway Code and can be personalised and adjusted to perfectly adapt to the consumer.
In any case, the most important thing is to fasten your helmet. Unfortunately these days you still see many people with their helmet on, but unfastened! For Airoh safety is priceless.
Wearing it without fastening it correctly is like not wearing it at all! In the unfortunate case of an accident or an impact, the helmet can in no way do its job and insurance will not cover any damages! Without mentioning the civil and criminal penalties to be incurred.
At present, our Highway Code does not provide for an “expiry date”, also because a lot depends on how it is used and the care devoted to it during its maintenance.
However, it must be considered that the materials any helmet is made of are subject to normal wear and tear and thus to a gradual decay of the intrinsic mechanical characteristics of the material itself.
To be even clearer, the condition of the materials used (such as HRT and HPC) to manufacture a helmet that has just been placed on the market will be better than that of a helmet that has been worn for more than 4 years, in summer and winter!
Although this may sound like an obvious and sensible consideration, it is always worth striving for the utmost clarity when expressing concepts that are debatable, as there is no law that regulates them.
A golden rule in this sense is that of carefully analysing the whole helmet in order to check its condition. Deep scratches on the decals, the paint or the visor, streaks that do not disappear with mild soap, unglued air vents or damaged clips, frayed and worn straps, unstitched interiors; these are all signs that a helmet needs maintenance or even to be replaced!
It is now time to face a delicate and rather controversial subject that is nevertheless extremely important for your safety. In any motorcyclist’s career, whether we’re talking about a MotoGP champion or a teenager dealing with their first motorcycle, sooner or later you need to allow for a fall!
So…what should you do if your helmet gets banged? The golden rule is to have it checked by qualified personnel. Specialised dealers can give you their valuable opinion and, should they deem it necessary to examine it further, will send it directly to the manufacturer. Should this extra step highlight structural damage in addition to aesthetical ones, the helmet will need to be replaced.
Bear in mind that the energy produced by the collision is absorbed through the complete or partial breakage of the outer and inner shell. The problem is that this type of damage is not visible to the naked eye because of how the product was constructed.
Any motorcycle or scooter owner can answer this! The visor can be used in either the open or the closed configuration because there are no obligations in this respect. However, you know well what it means to be hit in the face even just by an insect at 50 km/h!
So, even when you decide to use the Sun Visor, if available, with the main visor open, you will in any case run the risk of being hit by sand, dust, debris and insects…
Airoh recommends always using the visor in the completely lowered position. This is actually the only way to be safe against the dangers listed above!