Mind your head when it comes to bike safety
When you plan on riding a motorbike, one of the most important things you need is a proper helmet, as a helmet can be the difference between life and death when you are involved in an accident
POLOKWANE – Protective headgear forms part of the essential protective gear when you plan on riding a motorbike, it is also required by law to wear a helmet when you ride a motorbike.
The primary goal of a motorcycle helmet is to protect the rider’s head during impact, thus preventing or reducing head injury and saving the rider’s life.
Some helmets provide additional conveniences such as ventilation, face shields, ear protection, intercom and even built-in sunglasses.
Review Bonus spoke to Sarel Nong, president of Sapa Yopa Motorcycle Club on the importance of wearing a helmet that best suits the biker’s needs.
He said a rider should look at the type of helmet he buys and first of all make sure the helmet fits properly.
Buying a helmet that is too small or too big will be uncomfortable and can distract the rider.
He said one of the best helmets available at the moment is the Shark Evoline Series three.
“The helmet is the first modular model on the market to receive the double integral/jet helmet certification in addition to earning five stars in the Shark crash test. The Shark crash test is a test that is done specifically on the Shark brand helmets. Simply put, one of the world’s safest modular models,” Nong said.
The helmet boasts the following features:
• Auto-up system – automatic raising of the visor when transitioning from integral to jet position.
• Chin guard completely retracted in back of the shell when in the jet position, for optimal aerodynamics and equilibrium.
• Integrated sunshield.
The helmet is available in various sizes: XS (53/54 cm), S (55/56 cm), M (57/58 cm), L (59/60 cm), XL (61/62 cm). Shark helmets undergo severe testing to make sure they can withstand heavy punishment and still offer the best protection.
Some of these tests include the Head Injury Criterion (HIC), this measures the probability of head wounds resulting from a shock during an accident. Nong said riders must take into consideration that the helmet is one of the more expensive one’s available, but this is due to the extensive safety features.
He said, for example, the visor of the helmet is made out of very special plastic that does not break easily and can withstand the punishment of a fall or a stone smashing against it.
“There is no amount of money that can be linked to the saving of a biker’s life and seeing as most bikers who die, die as a result of head injuries, a good helmet can make the difference between living and dying or having head injuries to deal with for the rest of your life,” Nong said.
