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The Difference Between Motorcycle Helmet Brands

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However, it’s important to know the difference between all the motorcycle helmets out there. Obviously, you won’t be able to go through the differences between all the brands, and nor do you need to know them. But, in order to choose the best brand for your needs, it helps to get an idea of the market.
In this article we’re going to look at just a selection of brands and compare some of their differences. Since it’s not possible to list all the popular brands in just one article we’ll stick to 3. This article can be used as a guide if you’re thinking of buying a new motorcycle helmet.

Arai Helmets

If you’re looking for a suitable motorcycle helmet for racing then Arai might have the solution. Their speciality is in racing helmets and they offer innovative technology with their product range. When you’re racing you need a different type helmet than to road biking.

Arai crash helmets offer high quality protection throughout their entire helmet range. Their innovation also offers great benefits to buyers. They offer the largest fog-free field if vision using their MaxVision technology. Using pinlock lenses riders can also quickly alter the tint of their visors to suit the weather conditions and improve riding enjoyment and safety.

Shoei Helmets

Shoei offer a great range of off-road and road helmets. They’re Ideal for racing and touring. With a high quality range of sports touring road helmets they add style, comfort and safety.

Shoei crash helmets offer premium range helmets which mean you may need to pay a little bit more, but you’ll get more than your money’s worth. Their helmets are also stylish and sleek, making you stand out on the roads and looking good.

Schuberth Helmets

Schuberth has always worked very closely with Ferrari, Porsche and BMW to offer constantly improved high-tech head protection. The manufacturer has worked in the Formula 1 environment for 10 years so they’re very experienced when it comes to offering racing-performance protection.

Schuberth helmets include carbon fibre, which offer the greatest amount of head protection whilst also being light-weight. This makes it a perfect solution where comfort is a priority without compromising safety.

So, depending on how you use your motorbike; whether it’s for racing, communising, business or even for pleasure, there are many different brands to go for. Once you know which brand and make you want to buy, the next step is finding a good supplier.

Always look out for customer feedback and reliability when buying your motorcycle helmet. It doesn’t take much effort to browse around and find a good place to buy that has a good reputation.

The Best Motorcycle Roads In The South Of France

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Situated between the Mediterranean and the Alps, the South of France is an all-year-round holiday destination. The summer brings to light the vivid colours of fragrant lavender fields in the Provence, whereas the glamorous Cote Azur lures you with palm tree lined promenades and beautiful beaches under endless blue skies.

But thats not all – thanks to an excellent road infrastructure, the South of France is blessed with some of the best motorcycle routes in the world. There is a large variety of mountain, coastal and inland routes. In terms of mountain roads, you have the famous Route Napoleon between Grasse and Grenoble. This historic stretch of road is blessed with a perfect road surface and sweeping bends. The fact that Aprilia, BMW and Ducati have chosen the Route Napoleon for several motorcycle launches speaks volumes for this road. Apart from 2nd and 3rd gear turns, you have altitude changes which provide spectacular views. On route, you will pass through the Gorges de Verdon, which is the Grand Canyon of France. This together with the turquoise Lake Sainte Croix is a nature sight not to be missed.

Two other mountain roads not to be missed are the Col de Turini and the Col de la Bonette. The Col de Turini is part of the special stage of the Rally Monte Carlo. If youre after hairpins, this is the way to go. Once you get up on top of the Col de Turini, you can stop for a coffee and enjoy the view of the mountains and the rivers running in the valleys. But make sure you fuelled up your motorbike on the way, as petrol stops have to be planned carefully on this road.

The Col de la Bonette is the highest road in Europe. At 2715m you will enjoy spectacular views across the South of France and Italy. But dont forget to bring a warm motorcycle jacket, as temperatures tend to drop when reaching the summit. On the other side of the Col de la Bonette, you have a village called Barcelonette. A good place to stop and take a rest after riding these sky high mountain roads.

The coastal roads between Monaco and Saint Tropez can be compared to the Pacific Highway Number One in California. Just outside of Cannes you have the bright red Esterel rocks which sit in contrast to the deep blue Mediterranean Sea. Continuing on to Saint Tropez you pass through the villages Frejus and Saint Raphael. Riding in and out of Saint Tropez on a motorbike is pure bliss. As there is only one road going in and out of Saint Tropez, you will be able to filter through traffic in no time. Beats being stuck in a car for 2h each way. On the other side of Cannes, you have three different roads going along the coast. The Basse Corniche (lowest and closest to the water), the Moyenne Corniche (in the middle of the two routes) and the Haute Corniche (highest coastal road). All of the Corniches offer spectacular views of the Mediterranean Sea. Something not to be missed is Sainte Agnes; Frances highest coastal village at 750m. One word of warning is to avoid these roads in the holiday month of August. Due to school holidays, the traffic on these roads can get heavy. Best times are between March and May and September to end of October.

The Provence is a bikers dreams come true. No matter, which route you choose your ride past lavender, sunflower fields and various vineyards is something to write home about. And if you feel like taking a break, just stop in the next picturesque village and enjoy a Provencal cuisine meal. Our favourite villages are Lourmarin, Menerbes and Roussillion. If youre riding across the Provence you should not miss the Mont Ventoux also known as the windy mountain. This gruelling ascent is part of the Tour de France. The lunar like rocks on the summit give way to magnificent views across the Provence. You should also ride across the Alpilles, the Gorge d’Eygues and the Col de Cabre. You will not be disappointed.

Last but not least, the South of France offers sunny weather throughout the year. According to several weather websites, the South of France benefits of over 300 days of sunshine per year. Therefore, the riding season stretches from early March to late October. So no matter, where and when you ride, smiles per miles are guaranteed.

This begs the questions of how to get to the South of France. Nice Airport is the second largest passenger airport in France. Most international airlines serve this airport with several flights per day. As an alternative you can also fly to Marseille Airport. This airport is further to the West and offers the advantage of allowing you to explore the Pyrenees and Spain.

If youre coming from far away, it will difficult to bring your own motorcycle. In Cannes, you have a large choice of rental motorcycles in South of France including BMW, Ducati, Harley Davidson and others. But only one of these motorcycle rental companies offers you one way rentals, motorcycle delivery and pick-up from the airport and can provide TomTom navigations systems to ensure you get the most out of your motorcycle trip.

In conclusion it can be said, that the South of France ranks among some of the worlds best motorcycle regions. Giving yourself one week to explore the Provence, Alpes and French Riviera will allow you to discover some of the mentioned highlights. If thats not enough, you can always come back for more. Thanks to the sunny weather, motorcycle smiles per miles are to be had all year long.

Motorcycles In The Military

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The other day, I took the chance to watch again that fantastic movie ‘The Great Escape’. As I watched Bud Ekins take the place of Steve McQueen, to jump the wire fence on his Triumph, I began to wonder about the role of the motorcycle during wartime, so I did a little reading and was surprised to find that motorcycles have played a huge part in military history. Being able to go where other vehicles couldn’t, they became the modern day horses, with one great advantage; some bikes, such as the Enfield ‘Flying Flea’ or ‘Airborne’ as it was also known, could be parachuted from an aeroplane along with troops.

Royal Enfield also supplied motorbikes to the British Armed Forces in World War 1, with machine gun-carrying combinations and stretcher-bearing motorcycles being made on demand. The company even won a contract to supply motorbikes to the Russians, and when most able bodied men were at war in Europe, a police force made up of women was issued with 600cc motorcycles.

The Germans weren’t slow in seeing the practicality of using two wheeled transport. BMW motorcycles were to prove invaluable in North Africa during World War 2. Not having a chain that could clog with sand, they were so successful that Harley-Davidson were requested by the US military to copy the machine, which they duly did and produced the Harley-Davidson XA. With the German war machine insatiable for motorcycles, BMW flourished during the war years.

The American Army have been using motorcycles since 1913, with a third of all Harley-Davidson machines being produced for the military in 1917. In the Second World War the company produced 30,000 bikes for the Russians and also built machines for the Canadians. A total of 90,000 motorcycles were produced during the conflict. The Indian Motorcycle Company also produced machines such as the ‘Scout’ and ‘Chief’ during the war years, but weren’t able to replace Harley Davidson as the motorcycle of choice.

In Britain, the First World War provided work for the Triumph factory as production was concentrated on the war effort. More than 30,000 motorcycles, including the ‘Model H Roadster’ were turned over to the military. In World War 2, the Triumph factory was laid to waste by German bombs, along with most of Coventry, so production moved to a site near Meriden, also in the West Midlands area of England. Apart from building some 50,000 motorbikes during the war, Triumph also produced aircraft components.

In 1950, the North Koreans, backed by China, were able to deploy a ‘Motorcycle Reconnaissance’ unit equipped with home produced bikes. Vietnam also saw the use of the military motorcycle, with ‘Special Forces’ employing motorbikes during that ill-fated conflict. In 1988, Vietnam Veterans took to the streets of Washington D.C. to create a two-wheeled convoy known as ‘Rolling Thunder’, in order to raise awareness of the suffering of the soldiers who did not return from the war. This has developed into an annual pilgrimage to the ‘Vietnam Veterans Memorial’.

‘Operation Desert Storm’ in 1991 again saw the deployment of motorcycles, and more recently, the manoeuvrability of two-wheeled transport proved invaluable in Afghanistan and Iraq. When the road ends, the motorcycle keeps on going. When the road doesn’t end, the speed of a motorcycle is unchallenged. Accessibility and versatility have been key words associated with the role of military motorcycles since the outset.

Now back to Steve McQueen, who was frowned upon by his bosses at the studio for spilling the beans about his stunt double, during ‘The Johnny Carson Show’. When Johnny congratulated Steve on the motorcycle jump, Steve didn’t hesitate in putting the record straight. It wasn’t that Steve McQueen couldn’t ride a bike, quite the contrary. In the scenes before the jump, he rode his own bike as Virgil Hilts, but the German riders couldn’t keep pace with him, so wearing a German uniform, he took the role of a pursuing German, and through the magic of film editing, chased himself. So the next time you get the chance to see ‘The Great Escape’, look out for Steve McQueen chasing Steve McQueen. The motorcycle chase was actually McQueen’s idea. The original script had Virgil Hilts attempting to escape by train, but when McQueen said to his director ‘Hey John, I’ve got an idea that will put more juice into this’, a small piece of movie and motorcycle history was born.