How should a properly sized helmet feel when you put it on?
- Snug all the way around your head
- Loose enough to rotate easily on your head
- Tight enough to leave a headache
- Loose at the crown and tight at the chin
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A. Snug all the way around your head
A helmet has to fit snugly all the way around so it stays in place during a crash. A loose helmet feels more comfortable in the shop but can shift or come off on impact.
Reference: MSF Motorcycle Operator Manual, Wear the Right Gear: Helmet Selection
What is the quickest way to tell that a helmet was built to the federal safety standard?
- A thick and heavy feel in the hand
- A price tag above one hundred dollars
- A DOT symbol on the back of the shell
- A tinted shield supplied with the helmet
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C. A DOT symbol on the back of the shell
Helmets certified to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 218 carry a DOT marking on the back of the shell. Weight and price say nothing reliable about whether a helmet was certified.
Reference: MSF Motorcycle Operator Manual, Wear the Right Gear: Helmet Selection; FMVSS 218
You drop your helmet hard onto concrete from the seat of a parked bike and see a crack in the shell. What should you do?
- Replace it before you ride again
- Tape the crack so water stays out
- Keep using it if the liner looks fine
- Use it only for short trips in town
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A. Replace it before you ride again
A helmet with a cracked shell or other obvious defect can no longer be trusted to manage a crash impact, so it should be replaced. The liner can look normal even when the helmet is damaged.
Reference: MSF Motorcycle Operator Manual, Wear the Right Gear: Helmet Selection