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Buying kids motorcycle helmets can be a difficult decision...Save 25% off all closeouts at RideGear.com! Enter coupon code: 25CLOSEOUT at checkout.
Here are some tips to make choosing kids motorcycle helmets a lot easier....
Before I talk a little bit about child helmets, lets think about
how old a child should be before they ride passenger on a bike. (If your kids are
riding off road on their own bikes, bear with me!) As a guide their feet should
be able to reach the pegs. If they can do this, they are going to have the
stability required on the bike when riding passenger. Resist the temptation to
start them any earlier, you would'nt forgive yourself if anything went wrong.
There are enough uncontrollable variables as it is when riding a motorcycle.
So what about kids motorcycle helmets?  A
lot of the motorcycle helmets made for kids are  aimed at
the off-road side of the market.There is absolutely nothing wrong with this, but
make sure that the helmet has been tested to at least DOT
standards, and preferably Snell certified. (see
my article on cheap motorcycle helmets for more background on
testing). Most of the XXXS kids motorcycle helmets on the market are
off-road lids, not all of which are D.O.T.-certified. Look for a
 full-coverage helmet with a chinbar with real expanded polystyrene (EPS,
the hard foam) in the chinbar as well as the rest of the shell. Most
importantly, has to fit properly, to be sure it will stay put during the
violence of a crash. An example of a kids motorcycle helmet that fulfils these
requirements is the Arai Astral, or Quantum
2 . Both are bona fide full face helmets, the
real deal as you would expect from a market leader in kids motorcycle
helmets. You ca read more about Arais approach to helmet design here
As your child grows the choice
of helmet widens considerably. At $200 or so apiece, this out-growing
helmets isn't cheap, but don't cut corners. The worst thing you
can do is plonk any old adult helmet onto your child's head; it simply will not
stay on through impact. And make sure the helmet is fastened
snugly. Kids will typically complain at first, the helemt will feel
much tighter than anything else they have worn, and they probably won't like
having the chinstrap tight. Don't let them fasten the chin strap loosely. Remind
them that motorcycles travel faster than skateboards, cars are on the road as
well and they don't move if you run into them!I'd also have trouble giving a
child a kids motorcycle helmet with anything less than a full-face helmet with a
chinbar, since facial scars could be almost as devastating as a head injury and facial impacts can kill you too.
Choice of kids motorcycle helmets
I am a big fan of Snell certification, and I can tell you
that as of August 2004, there are 5 kids motorcycle helmets on the Snell
certified list, all Arai models (XXXS). The choice widens considerably
as the size increases; for the XXS size, the number jumps to 85. So plenty of
choice out there people!ÂÂ
Child harnesses for passenger
riding Although this is a little off topic, if you are serious
about your kids safety on a motorcycle you should check these out. The best system I have found
for passenger riding with kids safely is the Child's Riding Belt ($129)
from Child's Riding Belt Company,
and imported by several retailers for the U.S. market. The Childs Riding
Belt is a harness that goes around the child's waist, over the shoulders
and between the legs so she can't wriggle or pull out. The quick-release buckles
are all on the back so she can't release them, but getting in (before the helmet
is donned) is quick. The child's harness fastens to a foam-rubber pad with
handlebar-type grips. A large belt, attached to the front of the pad, goes
around the rider's waist to secure the child to you. The child cannot fall off
unless you do. Of course, if you did crash, the child would be attached to you,
which might cause additional injury if they ended up between you and whatever
you bounced against. On the other hand, you can also jump up to leap out of
harm's way, and the child, since it is attached, will come with you, without the
need for an explanation. When they get older another option is the Buddy Belt which is good for adults
too! So thats all you need to know about
kids motorcycle helmets, you've got your safety harness now all you need is a
kid! Here are some places you can source
kids motorcycle helmets | ||