It’s unthinkable that a MotoGP rider would be seen on track
without the most essential of safety items – a good crash helmet. MotoGP
helmets, along with the riders’ boots, leathers, gloves and reinforced
chest and spinal protection pads, are developed to the highest safety
standards with the latest technology.
In a sport where the participants reach speeds of more than 340
km/h, and crashes are a regular occurrence, reliable protective headgear
is of paramount importance for all World Championship competitors.
BASIC STRUCTURE
Racing helmets have the same basic structure as retail helmets
and the specific differences depend on the needs of the rider concerned
in terms of comfort, shape and size. Also, the internal accessories
required may differ, often depending on weather conditions.
For the helmet manufacturers, the MotoGP World Championship -
with its global media exposure to millions of fans - is a great way to
market their helmets, whilst the data they gather from the riders helps
them to improve the products they make available to the public.
Most riders have at least four helmets with them at each event,
with one being rain specific and modified to prevent ‘fogging’ or
‘misting’ and replacements always being required should the main helmet
become damaged.
COLOURFUL DESIGNS
In addition to protecting the lives of the riders, the helmets
they use have become the key element of the riders’ outfits through
which they can express themselves creatively. Many riders have
flamboyant helmet designs reflecting their personalities and tastes.
The distinctive colours and the clarity of the respective race
number or name of the rider on his helmet are essential for
identification by everyone from the race officials and teams to the
commentators and fans – the view otherwise blurred by the intensity and
speed of MotoGP’s busy race circuits.
The drawings and designs with which the riders personalise their
helmets can reflect their character, display their favourite mascots and
national colours or send messages to fans, loved ones and rivals.
Valentino Rossi’s famous Aldo Drudi designed AGV helmets are the stuff
of racing folklore with a new design seemingly every other week, while
his rivals prefer mascots in the shape of kangaroos (Casey Stoner),
hedgehogs (Marco Melandri) and a light-sabre wielding baby (Dani
Pedrosa). Helmets also carry the name of their manufacturer and
occasionally sponsor names, making them true explosions of colour.
KEY ELEMENTS
Of course the most fundamental purpose of a helmet is to protect
the face and head of the riders should they crash. With regard to
technical specifications the key elements affecting a helmet’s design
are aerodynamics, comfort, security, visibility and weight.
The materials used to produce helmets must be light weight yet
ultra resistant to impact. The lighter and more comfortably fitting
around the face a helmet is the better the rider will feel. The shape
and aerodynamic design should permit penetration of the air efficiently
while a good ventilation system and well constructed interior will allow
the rider to breathe, hear and see correctly.
Helmets are composed of four parts: outer shell, interior padding, visor and fastening mechanism.
For the exterior, materials such as glass fibre, carbon, Kevlar
and polyurethane are combined to produce a casing which dissipates
energy after a collision, avoiding the transfer of the impact to the
head. Manufacturers undertake rigorous collision tests, including the
use of hammers, to assess the strength of the outer layers.
The interior padding and covering is of course just as crucial to
the protection of the skull and the cushioning material must be adhered
to the outer framework securely whilst also measured up perfectly for
the shape of the respective rider’s head and facial features, such as
the temple, brow, nose and jaw. Acoustics are also important for the
rider in order to hear his bike and those of any nearby competitors so
the helmets have special features to allow in the right depth and level
of sound.
VISORS
The visors on the front of the helmets are constructed of
specially treated plastic, which serves two purposes. The first is to
protect the rider from any airborne objects such as insects, raindrops,
debris from the track or other bikes and occasionally even birds. The
second function is to avoid misting or fogging especially in humid or
rainy conditions, something which is aided by the high-tech ventilation
systems the manufacturers build into the helmets.
Even with the best ventilation technology riders will always
perspire so many use helmet dryers to reduce moisture from the interior
of their headwear during breaks or after sessions.
Finally, the fastening mechanisms have to be absolutely failsafe –
keeping the helmet in exactly the required position, without being
uncomfortable.
The following helmet manufacturers have a regular presence in the
MotoGP World Championship: AGV, Airoh, Arai, Nolan, Shark, Shoei,
Suomy, Vemar and X-Lite.
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