A helmet is a basic need if you want to ride a motorcycle safely. But do you know your safety not only depends on the type of motorcycle helmet you are wearing but also on the motorcycle helmet material type?

Do you have any idea about what material is your motorcycle helmet made of?

Well, you should! Because if you will not know this then how will you purchase the safest helmet for yourself?

Don’t worry! I will tell you everything that you need to know about the motorcycle helmet’s outer shell, visor, liner, and padding materials. Not only this but I will also do a comparison among them. So that you can know which one is the safest motorcycle helmet material out there.

So without any further ado, let’s get started!

What Material Is Motorcycle Helmet Made Of?

A motorcycle helmet is made of different materials. It consists of different parts like an outer shell, inner shell, visor, padding, etc. And all these parts are made up of different kinds of materials.

A motorcycle helmet is a composite thing. This means that it does not have a single part and is made up of multiple different parts.

These parts of a motorcycle helmet include:

• Outer Shell: This is the most important part of the helmet. Because it is the one that takes the first impact in case of a crash or accident.
• Inner Shell: It is the second most important part. Because it is responsible for absorbing most of the impact of the crash. It does not let the impact get transferred to your head.
• Visor: A helmet visor is a thing that protects your face and eyes from the external environment. It lets you have a clear view of the road. And adds another benefit to the many benefits of wearing a helmet while riding.
• Padding: Inner padding is part of a motorcycle helmet that makes it comfortable to wear the helmet. So that you can keep wearing the helmet even for long rides.

Needless to say, all these parts are not made up of the same material. Different types of materials are used to make these motorcycle helmet parts.

So let us look at the materials that are used to make these parts one by one.

Types Of Motorcycle Helmet Materials – Outer Shell

The types of motorcycle helmet outer shell materials are:
1. Fiber Materials – Fiber Glass, Carbon Fiber, Kevlar, etc.
2. Plastic Materials – Polycarbonate, ABS, ATR, etc.

The materials that are used to make the outer shell of a motorcycle helmet can be divided into more than 6 types. However, they are largely categorized into two major types:

1. Fiber Materials
2. Plastic Materials

Let us look at these types and their subtypes one by one. You are going to see a lot of scientific terms in this article but I will try to use them as less as possible.

Plastic Materials

The most common and cheapest material that is used to make motorcycle helmets is plastic. And this is why all the affordable motorcycle helmets are made of plastic materials.

Plastic provides good flexibility and rigidity to motorcycle helmets. However, these helmets are not as strong as the helmets made up of composite fiber materials.

Since plastic is not as strong therefore a thicker layer of plastic is used to make the motorcycle helmets to provide the safety to riders. As a result, all the helmets made up of plastic materials are generally quite big and heavy.

There are generally two types of plastic materials used to make motorcycle helmets:

• Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS)
• Polycarbonate

Let me tell you about them one by one.

Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS)

Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene is one of the cheapest forms of plastic that is used to make helmets. The qualities of this material include:

• Strength
• Rigidity
• Chemical resistance
• Heat resistance
• Lightweight as compared to other plastic materials

All the helmets under 2000 in India are made up of ABS. Helmets made of this material are considered to be the weakest ones.

If you ride mainly in the city with a speed of not more than 50-60 kmph then you can purchase motorcycle helmets made up of ABS. Otherwise, I will not recommend these helmets to you.

Polycarbonate

Polycarbonate is a little more expensive plastic material compared to ABS. It offers greater strength and impact resistance as compared to its ABS counterpart. This is the same material that is also used in eyeglass lenses and bulletproof windows.

If you ride at a speed of around 100 kmph then you should definitely opt for a helmet made up of polycarbonate.

These helmets are a little big and heavier compared to their ABS counterparts but they offer greater safety. You can find a polycarbonate helmet under 5000 in India from the brands like MT, Axor, LS2, etc.

Fiber Materials

Helmets made from fiber materials are the safest and the costliest ones. These helmets are made by weaving lakhs of fibers together.

The advantages of fiber helmets as compared to plastic helmets are as follows:

• High impact resistance
• Great strength
• Lightweight
• Smaller size

The fiber materials that are majorly used to make motorcycle helmets are:

• Fiberglass
• Kevlar
• Carbon Fiber
• Composite Fiber

Let me tell you about these fibers one by one.

Fiberglass

Fiberglass is like the ABS of plastic materials. It is one of the cheapest fiber materials that is used to make a helmet.

It makes the helmet strong and flexible. However, it is brittle by nature, therefore the helmet can crack on the impact.

But make no mistake, fiberglass is still very strong compared to its plastic counterparts. And helmets made up of fiberglass are costlier compared to helmets made up of polycarbonate.

Kevlar

Kevlar is basically the name given by its manufacturer DuPont. The base of Kevlar is fiberglass, which is then mixed with a strong plastic compound.

This makes Kevlar stronger and lighter than Fiberglass. Motorcycle helmets made of Kevlar are also quite expensive and provide better strength as compared to fiberglass.

Because of its lightweight and strong nature, Kevlar is also used to make bulletproof vests.

Carbon Fiber

You must have heard of carbon fiber already, right?

Yes, you guessed it right! It is the same carbon fiber that is also used in some of the costliest bikes on the planet.

If you don’t know then let me tell you, carbon fiber is extremely lightweight and offers extremely high strength. It also offers amazing impact resistance, shock absorption, and shock deflection. Helmets made up of carbon fiber are also crack and scratch resistant.

Carbon fiber is the best and safest motorcycle helmet material available in the market.

Therefore if you want the safest helmet for yourself then go right ahead and purchase the one that is made up of carbon fiber.

All the racers around the world use helmets made up of carbon fiber.

Composite Fiber

Composite fiber as the name suggests is a composite of different fibers. Most helmet manufacturers around the world use composite fiber to give their helmets high strength and low cost.

For eg. If you make a helmet out of pure carbon fiber then it is going to cost a lot and many people won’t be able to afford it. But if you make a helmet completely of fiberglass then there is a little bit of compromise to the rider’s safety. Because as we discussed earlier fiberglass is brittle by nature. However, if you mix fiberglass with carbon fiber then you can have a helmet that is stronger as compared to fiberglass. And it does not costs as much as a carbon fiber helmet.

Motorcycle Helmet Visor Material

Now let us look at the types of motorcycle helmet visor materials.

There are many motorcycle helmet visor types available in the market. However, the visors of the helmet are generally made up of two materials:

• Glass
• Polycarbonate

You will find glass visors on affordable helmets. These are not so strong and will shatter into pieces even if you drop your helmet from the waist height. Glass visors also get scratched easily and need frequent replacements.

Helmet visors made of polycarbonate on the other hand offer great strength and flexibility. They can even survive small crashes. Polycarbonate visors are also scratch resistant and they don’t get scratched easily. As a result, they don’t need to be replaced as frequently as glass visors.

If you want to change the visor of your motorcycle helmet then make sure to opt for the one made up of polycarbonate.

Motorcycle Helmet Padding Material

The inner padding of the motorcycle helmet is generally comprised of two materials. The base layer is made up of foam to provide cushioning and the upper layer consists of the fabric liner.

These two basically provide comfort to the rider while wearing the helmet and also keep the helmet fit snugly around the head.

The material used for inner padding is the same for all the helmets. Only the quality of the foam and fabric changes according to the manufacturer and the price of the helmet.

The inner paddings of almost all helmets are removable these days. And you can change it to a better one to your liking. Just make sure that it is made for your helmet before purchasing.

Motorcycle Helmet Inner Shell Material

The inner shell of a motorcycle helmet is made up of multi-density EPS (Expanded Polystyrene).

It is the same thing that was used to make thermocol. Which I am sure you must have used in your childhood to make projects.

EPS is an advanced version of the thermocol. Its main job is to absorb the impact of the crash and not let it get transferred to your head. So that in case of an accident, your head stays safe.

Are Carbon Fiber Helmets Worth It?

Yes, Carbon fiber helmets are totally worth it if you are a professional racer and participate in motorcycle racing events. Carbon fiber helmets are the safest helmets available in the market.

As discussed, motorcycle helmets made up of carbon fiber are the best and safest helmets available. However, they also are the most expensive ones.

So the question that arises is should you buy a carbon fiber helmet? Are they worth it?

Well, the answer to this question is a definite yes!

Riding a motorcycle is a risky business. You can meet with an accident even if you are riding in the city and are not actually racing.

As they say, the road is full of idiots. Therefore even if you are following all the rules then also you can meet with an accident. And when it comes to safety, you should definitely have the best gear out there to protect yourself. Because nothing is more precious than your life, right?

Having said that, carbon fiber helmets really cost a lot and not everyone can afford them. So you can also look for the helmets in your budget. Just make sure they come with appropriate motorcycle helmet safety ratings.

FAQs

What Is My Helmet Made Of?

Your helmet is made up of different materials. Its outer shell can be made of plastic or fiber material and its visor can be made of polycarbonate or glass.

What Is ABS Material Shell Helmet?

ABS is a kind of plastic material that is used to make the outer shell of the motorcycle helmet. It is the most affordable kind of motorcycle helmet material and is generally used in affordable helmets.

Which Is The Safest Motorcycle Helmet Material?

Carbon fiber is used to make the safest motorcycle helmets.

What Material Is A Bulletproof Helmet?

Kevlar is used to make bulletproof helmets. It is a kind of fiber material that is manufactured by DuPont.