A History Of Motorcycle Helmets


by Sarah Adido Haddon - Date: 2010-01-16 - Word Count: 377 Share This!

The engineer and industrial designer Gottlieb Daimler who also invented the first high-speed petrol engine, four-wheel automobile and the first motorcycle invented the first motorcycle helmet in 1885. This 'helmet' consisted of a leather cap with fur lining offering little real protection.

As technological and engineering advances increased and motorcycle design changed to incorporate a greater focus on speed, the number of accidents and fatalities also increased. The initial motorcycle helmet had not been designed to with stand high-speed impacts.

It was then that C.F Lombard, a University of Southern California professor designed and tested helmets with the strength to withstand and absorb the shock of an accident at high speed whilst protecting the wearer. The helmet incorporated both a hard outer shell to absorb and spread the impact of an accident but also a padded inner layer to provide added comfort.

After the introduction of this patented helmet to the market many agencies including government organisational bodies recognised the need for safety protection. This resulted with the introduction of mandatory helmet laws in America from 1966 onwards. These were quickly adopted in many other countries worldwide, including the UK.

From these initial helmets many developments and advances were made both in the design of the protective head wear but also to the materials used to produce them. Design changes included the shape of the helmet, the weight and also the fastenings used to secure them into place.

Modern helmets now have to pass rigorous safety tests. The motorbikes available on the market become ever more powerful means the protection needed from these super bikes also increases. There are numerous styles of helmet available in today's market from full helmets, three-quarter helmets and half helmets.

The increased importance on safety over the years has meant that many manufacturers have introduced other protective lines to their ranges. Bikers nowadays always use a protective helmets but also the rely more and more on other types of protective clothing such as Aplinestars biking boots, trousers and jackets.

About Honda of Bournemouth: Located on the outskirts of Poole, Honda of Bournemouth offers everything you'd expect from a modern Honda dealership. As well as Honda motorcycles and Honda accessories, we also sell top quality motorcycle clothing and provide servicing and MOT cover.

Related Tags: honda accessories, alpinestars, honda motorcycles

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