Motorcycle Gear & Information

President’s Weekend brought tragedy to an Arizona family who chose to allow children without helmets to ride an ATV with a grown-up.  Unfortunately, and very sadly, their 4-year-old son was run over when the grown-up lost control of the ATV, sustaining fatal head injuries.  Motocross, ATVs, motorcycles – they’re all high-risk machines, high-risk sports, and to ride unprotected, or to let those you love ride unprotected, is simply foolish.

ATV helmets should be purchased new, not at a yard sale, not in a second-hand sports store, and they should fit the rider perfectly to provide the best protection.  You can purchase an off-road helmet, like is used in Motocross, or you can use a cruising helmet, as long as it has a face shield, full head and ear coverage and a good chin strap.

There are several good reasons to wear a helmet when off-roading. For starters, many states require you to wear a helmet when riding an ATV. It’s also a good safety precaution to take in case of an accident; however, safety isn’t the only reason why wearing ATV helmets is a bright idea.

ATV helmets protect your face from flying debris hitting you at high speeds. Your eyes will be grateful that you protected them from dirt, bugs, and drying out from the wind. You’ll also find it easier to breathe with your nose and mouth protected from dirt and dust. ATV helmets also shield you from the elements which makes riding in the cold a lot more bearable.

The American College of Surgeons has completed a new study which reports that ATV riders are far more likely to need ER and trauma care after an accident than a motorcyclist is.  The same is also true about dying from an ATV accident.  This study was done by the Johns Hopkins Center for Surgery Trials and Outcomes,  and concludes that even when the initial injuries are similar in severity, ATV riders are 50% more likely to die than a motorcyclist.  Some of the obvious factors include less ATV riders wearing ATV helmets, more motorcyclists do wear helmets; the weight and energy involved when an ATV rolls or crashes, and possibly that parents feel more confident in children riding ATVs because they have 4 or more wheels, and so parents are less likely to require helmets and safety gear.

Parents, take note.  These ATVs are not, as a general rule, a safer vehicle for your children, and when you compare these statistics and findings from Johns Hopkins, they may not be a safer “toy” for you or me.  They are useful vehicles, but they must be treated with respect.  Riders must be aware of the potential for roll-over and flipping.  Riders must always wear the necessary safety gear, starting with an ATV helmet.

I don’t know if it’s the economy in general, that people are out of work and are hungry, but it seems like the theft of anything valuable is on the rise.  And if you own an ATV, you know the expense that would be involved if you had to replace the ATV or any of your ATV accessories.  One of the best investments ATV riders can make is in a good helmet, and if you have one, you need to protect it from theft.

Biker’s Choice and Motion Pro both make helmet locks that will secure your ATV helmet to your ATV.  This investment is too valuable to lose, and it’s too expensive to replace.  To spend 25 or $30 on a helmet lock is a wise choice.

After a rash of ATV accidents during the first 10 days of September across the nation, experts are again urging ATV riders to wear proper safety gear, including ATV helmets.  Each rider must decide for themselves, do I wear a helmet or not.  Let’s look at the pros and cons of wearing an ATV helmet.

PROS                                                                                   CONS

Head protected in case of accident                       Head too hot in summertime riding

Wind protection                                                          Feeling constricted

Protection from bugs                                                Peripheral view somewhat compromised

Life-saving technology                                             Doesn’t look “cool”

Noise reduction to better hear                                Too costly to buy

Eyes protected from drying out

Sinuses protected from drying due to wind

You can see, by listing the pros and cons, the cons relate to comfort, style and feelings.  The pros relate to safety, protection and comfort.  In fact, the cons seem somewhat silly in light of the pros.  In the majority of ATV accidents with serious injury, if the riders had been wearing ATV helmets, the injuries sustained would have been lessened or avoided altogether.