If you are interested in bike riding, you must also know the extraordinary significance of helmets. These are an essential component of riding. The helmet keeps you safe from any fatal injury in case of any untoward incident on the road. Most of the riders now love to wear helmets because it shows their fashion sense and statement of personality.
Despite having a lot of advantages, people face many issues while wearing or buying a helmet. Most of the time, it doesn’t fit your head well and irritates you while bike riding. In this way, it could become a cause of accident rather than a tool of safety.
In this regard, some measures have been taken related to a modification in the helmet. Now, the helmets are being designed so that you can easily stretch them whenever and wherever you want. We have written this comprehensive article to guide you thoroughly about how to stretch a motorcycle helmet.
Are the helmets stretchable?
Yes, the helmets are stretchable in different ways. Most of the helmets have two layers. The outer shell or thin layer is made of fibreglass, polycarbonate, Kevlar, and a polypropylene foam liner. Indeed, the outer layer is rigid, but still, it is stretchable. As far as the inside foam is concerned, you can also easily modify it according to the size of your head. Let’s have a look at the methods of how to stretch a motorcycle helmet.
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How to stretch a motorcycle helmet?
There are numerous ways of stretching your helmet to make it comfortably fit on your head. Let’s have a look at the simple ways of stretching a motorcycle helmet.
1. Organic stretching of the helmet
Initially, the helmet will let you feel like you wear newly bought shoes. After wearing it for some time, you will start feeling comfortable or get used to it. The first fifteen to twenty hours of usage would be a little bit irritating for you. After that, your helmet will organically stretch and adjust according to your head. In the beginning, the foam lining might press you too hard, but frequent usage will make you ease after a specific time.
Like the memory foam, the foam in the helmet would also take the shape of your head and automatically adjust its contours. To speed up this process of adjustment, wear your helmet whenever you can.
2. Wear the helmet as long as you can
The easiest way to stretch a motorcycle helmet is to wear it as long as you can. In this way, it will expand or stretch the pad of your helmet. The helmet set at the extension of the pad. At this extension, you can quickly wear or pull out your helmet.
3. Insert a ball to stretch the helmet
Inserting a ball of at least 8-inches diameter can also stretch your helmet as long as you can. In this method, after pushing the ball in the helmet, wait for the extension of the helmet. When you see the helmet is stretched enough, then you can pull out the ball and wear it comfortably.
4. Expanding the straps of the helmet
Expanding the straps is also an excellent strategy to make your helmet according to the size of your head. It would help if you stretched the helmet straps whenever you are going to wear them. It will also loosen the helmet and make it adjust well on your head.
How to make your motorcycle helmet fit great?
To get the right size motorcycle helmet, there are certain things you need to take care of. Let’s have a brief look at these things and get the exact size helmet for your head.
Head size measurement
The measurement of the right size of your head is the most important thing to consider while getting the right size helmet. You can also use the size of your hat or take the largest circumference of your head as your size. If you will measure the exact size, then start from the eyebrows to ears and end at the back of your head. Repeat the measurement for exact accuracy. Follow the head size chart mentioned below for getting a perfect fit helmet.
To get to know more about head measurement and its different shapes you can visit this article.
Helmet size | Hat size | Head circumference |
XS | 6-5/8 – 6-3/4 | 20-7/8 – 21-1/4 |
S | 6-7/8 – 7 | 21-5/8 – 22 |
M | 7-1/8 – 7-1/4 | 22-3/8 – 22-3/4 |
L | 7-3/8 – 7-1/2 | 23-1/4 – 23-5/8 |
Try the helmet
It’s time to try your helmet on your head. In this regard, the helmet bottom should be at the front side of your face and the front side of the helmet pointing towards down. Now keep aside the straps inside the helmet with the help of your thumb and put on your helmet. The helmet must fit perfectly on your head without any movement.
Fasten the straps
Now the helmet should fit exactly on your head with the help of straps. You must fasten the straps in such a way that there is no unbalancing or too much tightness. Avoid any gap between your temples and brow pads. If the neck roll is available with the helmet, then you must not push it away from the back of the neck.
Full coverage of helmet
There must be full-face coverage of the helmet. For this purpose, press the chin piece of the helmet. But the shield of the helmet must not touch your nose or chin. If this happens, then the wind pressure from the side could cause discomfort for you and jeopardize your safety.
Check the fitness
To check fitness, move your helmet up and down by the side with the help of your hands. There must be uniform pressure all over your head, and you must feel good while doing it. Another way to check the helmet’s fitness is to move it forward while keeping the head straight and properly fasten the strap. If the helmet can move quickly, then it is too big for your head.
Check for pressure points
Finally, take it off from your head and check any sore points on your head. These are pressure point indicators and could make riding highly uncomfortable. If this happens with you, then try another size or another brand’s helmet.
Wear it for a while
If choosing your helmet, wear it for a while in a store to check if it properly fits your head over time. It is a significant investment for your safety, and every helmet store allows this kind of checking.
Some problems and their quick fixes by the stretch of helmet
If you have already bought a helmet that doesn’t properly fit your head, you can also analyze the fitness problem and make some quick fixes. Let’s have a look at these problems and their quick fixes.
Pain in the forehead
If you have an oval-shaped head, but your helmet is round-shaped, then it could cause pain in your forehead. You can resolve this problem by inserting a deflated soccer ball inside your helmet and press the foam. Keep it inside for few days and then check it. In this modification, the EPS lining and the shell of the helmet must not be deformed.
Too tight helmet around the chin or cheek
If the helmet is too tight around your chin or cheek, then you can alternate its foam lining. If it is not possible, then you can also reduce the size of the foam. DIY replacement may impair the helmet permanently, and it is only a temporary solution.
The helmet shown in the picture is pressing the cheeks and it is very close to the chin so it is a tight helmet.
Tightness around the ear while wearing the helmet
In normal practice, while wearing the helmet, you will feel pressure around your head. When the helmet fit at its place, then there will be no pressure around your ears. You can get rid of this problem by folding your ears before wearing the helmet.
Indicators of good fitness
- There must be a little bit of toughness while wearing it for the first time.
- The shield must not touch the nose as it could cause discomfort while riding.
- Check the helmet by moving it on your head. It must not show movement very much.
- After securely fastening the strap, the helmet must be tight enough to not roll forward or backward.
- There must be the same gentle or uniform pressure from every side. If it doesn’t happen, then it might leave red or hot spots on your head.
- The cheek pads must also be stretchable so that you can easily open and close your mouth without any difficulty.
- Always buy the helmet which has only necessary tight spots. Unnecessary tight spots might let you feel highly uncomfortable.
Some recent advancements in the motorcycle helmets
To satisfy the customers and make the helmets perfectly fit, the manufacturers have added some advanced features in the helmets, greatly helping the buyers select the best helmet for them. They have categorized the helmets into three big categories. Let’s have a look at these most crucial head shape categories.
- Round oval-shaped helmet.
- Intermediate oval-shaped helmet.
- Long oval-shaped helmet.
It would be beneficial in selecting the helmet as you can easily choose the helmet according to the shape of your head. People are taking it seriously and reviewing it highly positively.
Frequently Asked Questions
Final Words
The helmet protects the most sensitive or critical part of your body. So, you must be careful in making some extra modifications as it could alter the overall structure of the helmet and not give you protection when it is highly required. As far as the little bit of stretching and tightness of the helmet is concerned, you can follow the above-mentioned techniques for how to stretch a motorcycle helmet. These have been provided after doing thorough research about helmet safety and endurance.