Whether you are young or old, a man, a woman, or a teen, you are all prone to the thirst for speed that can only be quenched through the freedom of a motorcycle. Some of you may even find that a street bike or scooter is more cost-effective means to getting to work or school on time; and what a stress relieving ride that can be. Whatever the purpose, you are going to need a helmet and what better choice than a stylish open face helmet, especially if you can find one for a great price. The options are many for which type and style to get, with several brands offering different features for more comfort, safety, and to integrate technologies as well. Even if you are on a tight budget, there are many choices available for you through several retailers both online and on land locally.
Laws and Standards
Although there are several styles, types, and brands to choose from, you don’t want to start that far ahead. You want to generally start by looking for a helmet that has a high rating and comply with all laws and standards, which are basically the minimum guidelines motorbike helmets should follow in order to be deemed safe for wear. There are different laws per state and many adopt the compulsory helmet law, however other states are opposed to it deeming it unnecessary. There are various helmet standards depending on the country such as:
- USA: DOT FMVSS 218
- India: IS 4151
- Canada: CSA CAN3-D230-M85
- Europe: ECE 22.05
The DOT standard is efficient, however most US bikers seek the Snell rating as it is a bit more significant than the DOT standard as the requirements are higher and the testing is much stricter than with the Department of Transportation’s. Developed by the Snell Memorial Foundation, these standards were developed to accommodate sport and racing helmets. The US’s Snell standard is the equivalent of the UK’s ACU which also is much stricter than the ECE standards imposed, following the same accommodation for more risky biking. You typically don’t want a open faced helmet that doesn’t pass at least the DOT standards no matter how much it costs.
Low Price, Great Quality
Once you have found a selection of DOT and/or Snell certified helmets, you want to begin searching for a great bargain. Yes, you want something stylish, but starting with price allows you to find the best deals. There are many times you can find a once in a lifetime deal, which is the main objective of bargain hunting. Generally, there are various models starting with basic and standard, some even retro-style, helmets with open faces that can be found as low as $30 and can range up to about $60-$70. Then you have more high quality, updated and technology integrated styles that can provide much more safety and comfort topping around $400-$500 and going as low as $250 without losing many of the extra benefits. The average open face biking helmet can range around $125 for a top quality, brand-name, high safety rated open face scooter helmet, offering supreme safety, some neat tweaks, and a great bargain.
Styles, Types, and Brands
Once you have found what budget suits you, you are able to sort your options to find what will be the best deal for your money. Getting to the very basic and least expensive helmet that is still DOT certified, the open face motorcycle/scooter helmet can be found for as low as $30 such as the retro-style Raider; a great find with a great amount of open road use, suitable for most local riding-not so much for any type of excessive speed or sporting activities. For more durability and a better comfort, you could opt for a more expensive, yet basic and still stylish small vented open face bike helmet that can be found around $36 with a forehead visor, like the THH, and $34 with a shield, like the Fuel brand.
Getting in the higher brands, you can find the Arai helmet with open face, protected by a brow vent face shield, and an industry leading ventilation system that provides supreme ventilation and comfort during the ride. This brand is actually the only one to offer differentiating fits such as the intermediate, long, or round oval fittings.
