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Does anyone know why motorcycle and car helmets are different?

Motorcycle helmets have a much larger opening/visor than car helmets..

I just saw this question, sorry.

The differences between a motorcycle helmet and a car helmet isn't so much about the distinction between car and motorcycle, it's more about arrow dynamics and wind buffeting. So, with vehicles where the operator is outside and directly exposed to the exterior the helmet needs to be designed to remain stable in high wind velocities, such as formula one, CART, and etc. etc. If you look at those helmets, they are actually designed to match the body flow and the seat back all come together to ensure proper support and safety in a crash. Helmets used in cars with windshields don't really need the additional design considerations. Hence you shouldn't use them for motorcycles and exposed velocity situations. In some cases, as you begin to speed up, the wind force will start to suck the helmet right off your head. If your on a motorcyle and tilt your head down more to prevent that, then the helmet starts to waggle left and right uncontrollably. They do make the visors wider for more side vision cleareance also so you don't have to turn your head in the direction your looking as much, as the stability of the helmet is more designed for front to back and not side to side. Another difference is the internal air flow and cooling designs. Most motorcycle helmets use the force of the wind to aid in cooling and visor anti fogging. Where as most auto helmets use a forced air flow attachment as there isn't enouph ambient air force to push affective amount of air though the helmet.

Posted
Does anyone know why motorcycle and car helmets are different?

Motorcycle helmets have a much larger opening/visor than car helmets..

I just saw this question, sorry.

The differences between a motorcycle helmet and a car helmet isn't so much about the distinction between car and motorcycle, it's more about arrow dynamics and wind buffeting. So, with vehicles where the operator is outside and directly exposed to the exterior the helmet needs to be designed to remain stable in high wind velocities, such as formula one, CART, and etc. etc. If you look at those helmets, they are actually designed to match the body flow and the seat back all come together to ensure proper support and safety in a crash. Helmets used in cars with windshields don't really need the additional design considerations. Hence you shouldn't use them for motorcycles and exposed velocity situations. In some cases, as you begin to speed up, the wind force will start to suck the helmet right off your head. If your on a motorcyle and tilt your head down more to prevent that, then the helmet starts to waggle left and right uncontrollably. They do make the visors wider for more side vision cleareance also so you don't have to turn your head in the direction your looking as much, as the stability of the helmet is more designed for front to back and not side to side. Another difference is the internal air flow and cooling designs. Most motorcycle helmets use the force of the wind to aid in cooling and visor anti fogging. Where as most auto helmets use a forced air flow attachment as there isn't enouph ambient air force to push affective amount of air though the helmet.

Ah that makes a lot of sense! My main confusion was why car helmets have such a narrow opening. Wouldn't they also benefit from a larger field of vision?

Posted
Does anyone know why motorcycle and car helmets are different?

Motorcycle helmets have a much larger opening/visor than car helmets..

I just saw this question, sorry.

The differences between a motorcycle helmet and a car helmet isn't so much about the distinction between car and motorcycle, it's more about arrow dynamics and wind buffeting. So, with vehicles where the operator is outside and directly exposed to the exterior the helmet needs to be designed to remain stable in high wind velocities, such as formula one, CART, and etc. etc. If you look at those helmets, they are actually designed to match the body flow and the seat back all come together to ensure proper support and safety in a crash. Helmets used in cars with windshields don't really need the additional design considerations. Hence you shouldn't use them for motorcycles and exposed velocity situations. In some cases, as you begin to speed up, the wind force will start to suck the helmet right off your head. If your on a motorcyle and tilt your head down more to prevent that, then the helmet starts to waggle left and right uncontrollably. They do make the visors wider for more side vision cleareance also so you don't have to turn your head in the direction your looking as much, as the stability of the helmet is more designed for front to back and not side to side. Another difference is the internal air flow and cooling designs. Most motorcycle helmets use the force of the wind to aid in cooling and visor anti fogging. Where as most auto helmets use a forced air flow attachment as there isn't enouph ambient air force to push affective amount of air though the helmet.

Ah that makes a lot of sense! My main confusion was why car helmets have such a narrow opening. Wouldn't they also benefit from a larger field of vision?

Yeah, somewhat, but at the sacrifice of shell integrity. In a car you can turn your head left and right much easier than you can on say a motorcycle doing 100+ mph because your not having to fight the wind drag. In some cases, as I have experienced in the past, once you get up over say 180 mph on a motorcycle, you can't turn your head to the left or right, as you probably won't be able to turn your head back forward using your neck muscles. You have to duck under the windscreen. And if you pop your head up over the windscreen to much to fast, it can jerk your head back pretty hard. So you need a well designed helmet for those applications. That's why they make the vision feild a bit larger for high wind velocity helmets so you can, (as your trained to do in racing) keep your head forward and use your eyes to look left and right more with your periphreal vision. In motorcyle racing, we are taught to look through the corner, apex and exit. So your head is always in the direction your moving, and to stay level, even at full knee dragging lean angles. When I race on the track, the only time I need the wider vision opening is to make sure the passing line is open........LOL!!

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