How to Choose a Racing or Motorcycle Helmet

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Your helmet is the one piece of gear you hope never to test. Picking the right one comes down to three things: a safety rating that fits how you'll use it, a fit that's snug and comfortable, and a price that buys the features you'll actually use. This guide explains each one in plain English, for street riders, car racers and snowmobilers alike.

Start with how you'll use it

• Riding a motorcycle on the street. In the United States, a helmet for road use must meet the DOT standard.
• Racing a car, or doing track days. Most car racing clubs require a Snell SA helmet, which is built and tested for car racing, including a fire test. A motorcycle helmet usually won't pass tech inspection.
• Racing a motorcycle. Racing groups set their own rules, often asking for Snell M, ECE or FIM-approved helmets. Always read your group's rule book.
• Snowmobiling. Snowmobile helmets are usually motorcycle-style helmets with a heated or double-pane shield to fight fogging. Look for the same DOT rating if you'll ride on or across roads.

The safety ratings, explained

Helmet labels can look like alphabet soup. Here's what the common ones mean.

DOT (FMVSS 218)

DOT is the U.S. government's minimum standard for motorcycle helmets used on the road. The helmet maker certifies that the helmet meets it, and the government buys helmets off the shelf to spot-check them. A genuine DOT helmet has a label on the back showing the maker, the model and "DOT FMVSS No. 218 CERTIFIED." Be wary of very light, thin "novelty" helmets with a stick-on DOT label. They aren't made to protect you.

ECE 22.06

ECE is the standard used across Europe and many other countries. Version 22.06 replaced the older 22.05 and added tougher tests, including impacts at more points on the helmet and a test for rotational (twisting) forces. ECE helmets are tested by independent labs, and the label is usually sewn onto the chin strap. Note that in the U.S., a helmet still needs the DOT mark to be legal on the road; many helmets carry both.

Snell M (motorcycle) and SA (car racing)

The Snell Memorial Foundation is a nonprofit that writes its own voluntary standards, which are generally considered tougher than the government minimums. Snell updates them about every five years, and the number tells you the year, for example M2020 or SA2020.

• Snell M is for motorcycles.
• Snell SA ("Special Application") is for car racing. On top of impact tests, SA helmets are tested for fire resistance and roll-bar impacts, and they come ready to attach a head-and-neck restraint.

Racing clubs usually accept only the most recent one or two Snell SA years, so an old SA helmet can age out of the rules even if it looks perfect. Top-level international racing may require FIA-rated helmets instead. Check your rule book before you buy.

Getting the fit right

A helmet that's too loose can shift or come off in a crash, and one that's too tight becomes a headache within an hour. Here's how to get it right:

1. Measure your head. Wrap a soft tape measure around your head about an inch above your eyebrows and just above your ears. Use the maker's size chart, because sizes vary between brands.
2. Know your head shape. Helmets come in round, intermediate-oval and long-oval shapes. Most people in North America are intermediate oval. If a helmet presses hard on your forehead or the sides, try a different shape, not just a bigger size.
3. Check the snugness. A new helmet should feel snug all around, with the cheek pads pressing gently on your cheeks. The padding breaks in a little over time.
4. Do the shake test. With the strap fastened, move the helmet side to side and up and down. Your skin should move with it rather than the helmet sliding on your head.
5. Wear it for a while. Keep it on for 20 to 30 minutes. Any sore spot that shows up now will be worse on a long ride or a race.

Buying online? Order from a seller with an easy return or exchange policy, and keep the tags on until you're sure of the fit.

Head-and-neck restraints for car racing

If you race cars, you'll likely need a head-and-neck restraint, often called a HANS-type device. It connects your helmet to a collar that sits under your shoulder belts and limits how far your head can whip forward in a crash. Look for SFI 38.1 certification, and make sure your helmet has the threaded anchor points to mount it. Snell SA helmets come ready for these.

What more money buys

A budget helmet that carries a real safety rating has passed the same tests for that rating as an expensive one. Extra money usually buys:

• Lighter weight from fiberglass, composite or carbon fiber shells, which you'll feel on long days.
• Better airflow and less noise from more vents and a smoother shape.
• Better shields with clearer optics, anti-fog inserts and quick-change systems.
• More sizes and shapes, which can make the biggest difference of all: a good fit.

Spend what you can on fit and the right rating first, then on comfort features.

Snowmobile helmets

Cold air and your own breath will fog a regular shield in seconds. Snowmobile helmets solve that with an electric heated shield that plugs into the sled, or a double-pane shield that works like a storm window. A breath box or deflector also helps keep warm breath off the shield.

When to replace a helmet

• After any hard hit. The foam inside crushes to absorb an impact and doesn't spring back. Replace a helmet after a crash or a hard drop, even if it looks fine.
• About every five years. Many makers and the Snell Foundation suggest replacing a helmet about every five years, sooner if it's used a lot. Check the date label inside.
• When the rules change. Racers may need a newer Snell SA year to pass tech inspection.

Avoid buying a used helmet. You can't see the damage from an earlier crash or a drop on a concrete floor.

A quick helmet checklist

1. Match the rating to the use: DOT for U.S. street riding, Snell SA for car racing, and your rule book for racing.
2. Measure your head and check the maker's size chart.
3. Try it on for 20 to 30 minutes and do the shake test.
4. Buy from a seller with an easy return or exchange policy.
5. Replace it after any hard hit, and about every five years.

The bottom line

The best helmet is the one with the right rating for how you ride or race, that fits your head snugly, and that you'll actually wear every time. Get those right, and spend any extra on comfort. Browse more gear in our Motorsports section.