Approved Helmets dailycarblog
Where to Find DOT Approved Helmets
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Having the right helmet for your ride is a vital part of being safe on the road and the trail, but not all helmets are considered equal. On top of the different shapes and style lines, helmet coverage shapes your comfort in different seasons and affects the amount of protection you receive. In some cases, designing helmets to resist the forces encountered regularly in off-road motorsports means compromising the field of view or other features that make approved helmets meet DOT standards.

Often the unapproved helmets offer more collision protection, but in regular traffic their drawbacks reduce safety for the rider and others. That’s why you need to be sure your road helmet is DOT approved. On top of the safety concerns, riding with an unapproved helmet is often a ticketable offense that puts points on your licence.


You can find road-approved helmets that meet the DOT standards in stock at the same retailers you go to for the best variety of quality and style in other types of riding clothes, as well as most places that sell quality OEM and aftermarket motorcycle parts. Dirt bike dealerships and retailers focusing exclusively on off-road motorsports may not carry them, but it’s still worth checking because many of those dealerships do carry dualsport bikes, which are DOT approved for road use. If you know your size, you can even get them online while enjoying free shipping on motorcycle parts you need for your next round of maintenance and upgrades.

What Does DOT Mean on a Helmet?

If you’re wondering whether an individual helmet meets road standards, just look for DOT approval on the box somewhere, because the makers of approved road helmets want you to know when you’ve found them. DOT stands for the Department of Transportation, the federal body that oversees the regulation of interstate highways and roads, as well as the commerce that runs between the states on those roads. Individual states with their own motorcycle guidelines generally still rely on the federal DOT approval criteria to help standardize helmets on the road across states, but some do restrict helmet styles in addition to requiring they be DOT approved.

If you don’t find the DOT approval on a helmet, it might have been made for dirt bike events like motocross or trail racing. Those events have different risks, and the kinds of extreme forces faced by riders in a collision off-road are different in terms of where they hit the helmet and what direction forces will be applied. As such, the designs of these helmets are very effective for their purpose, but their purpose is not riding on the road.

Finding Motorcycle Helmets, Gear, and Parts,

You can find helmets for both on and off-road riding at most of the same retailers you turn to when you are browsing motorcycle jackets on sale for something that looks new without breaking the bank. In fact, with the right online parts retailer, you can order motorcycle batteries on sale when the price is right while bundling in your new helmet and saving on shipping.


Approved Helmets dailycarblog
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