If you’re planning to drive a motorcycle or regularly back ride as a passenger, the most basic piece of safety equipment you need is a proper helmet. Since motorcycles don’t provide the structural protection that a car does to keep drivers safe in the event of accidents, riders need to take extra precautions to protect their body, especially their head – and that’s where helmets come in.

A lot of shops in the Philippines sell motorcycle helmets designed for guys. As a female rider, I’ve personally had a hard time finding a helmet that fits me. While I’ve used a few different helmets over the years, the best-fitting ones for me so far have been the ones from LS2 Helmets Philippines.

All LS2 helmets are made of quality polycarbonates, fibreglass and carbon fibres, designed for comfort, and reasonably priced so that motorcyclists can enjoy and feel safe every time they go out.

Regular commuters who don’t own motorcycles may need to buy their own helmets soon. In the past, motorcycle taxis usually provide helmets for passengers. But with the ongoing threat of COVID, it looks like passengers who want to backride may be required to bring their own helmets. Hopefully, this gear guide will provide some basics to help commuters (especially women) figure out what kind of helmet to buy.

UPDATE: “New Normal” Helmet Guidelines for Motorcycle Taxi Passengers

Motorcycle passengers are now advised to have their own helmets if they want to avail themselves of motorcycle taxi services like Angkas and Joyride. Here are the latest IATF guidelines as of October 2020. Take note that open face helmets with no visors are no longer allowed for passengers.

Common types of Helmets

There are six different types of motorcycle helmets: full face, modular, open face, half face, off-road, and dual-sport. The most common type of helmet for city commuters and pillion passengers are open face helmets. These are the types of helmet typically used by motorcycle taxis like Angkas and Joyride for passengers.

If you drive a motorcycle and plan to go on longer rides and leisure touring in the future, you’ll want to invest in either a modular or full-face helmet, which provides more protection. Other types of helmets like off-road and dual-sport helmets are mainly for adventure riding and dirt bike racing, and not really for city use, so they’re not what you need.

Full Face Helmets

The full-face helmet offers the most coverage around your head and neck and is considered the safest type of motorcycle helmet to protect you from potential impact. A distinguishing feature of the full-face helmet is the chin bar, which is a key safety feature that many helmets lack. Most full-face helmets have ventilation through the helmet to evaporate sweat, reduce visor fogging, and keep you cool while riding. The face shield fully protects you from the elements and road debris.

Modular (Flip-up) Helmet

Modular helmets, also known as flip-up helmets, are a mix between a ¾ helmet and a full-face helmet. The main feature is that the chin bar and visor can flip up to open the front of the helmet. Materials and fitment are similar to the full-face helmet. They include a visor for eye protection, and occasionally include a secondary internal visor for additional eye protection from the sunlight.

Open Face (3/4 Helmet)

Open face helmets, also known as ¾ helmets, cover the top back and sides of your head but leaves your face exposed. This is the most popular type of helmet for those who ride scooters, cafe racers, tourers, and cruisers, as the face area is kept open and you can really feel the wind on your skin for better airflow. Open face helmets do not have chin bars, which significantly reduces the safety of the motorcycle helmet, as it leaves your face exposed. Open face helmets can come equipped with partial or full-face visors used to protect the eyes and face from sunlight, or may require buyers to buy parts separately. Unfortunately, this type of helmet does not protect you against weather conditions and road debris.

Half Helmet

Half helmets only cover the top of your head and the area from your forehead to your brows and provide minimal protection. Some may offer a bit more coverage on the back of your neck and ears but leaves the rest of your face exposed. Although the helmet provides great airflow, this offers significantly less protection than a full face or ¾ helmet. These don’t come with visors or face shields, so you may need to get separate eye protection like goggles or riding glasses.

Off-Road (Dirt Bike, Motocross, or MX) Helmet

Off-road helmets are designed for rides away from the streets and on dirt roads. These aren’t the best option for city and highway use but can be very useful when riding in dirt trails and offroad tracks. Off-road helmets have different designs compared to full and ¾ helmets and come equipped with a larger visor and more accentuated chin bar for better airflow. These typically are designed for maximum protection, minimum weight, and flowing ventilation.

ADV Dual Sport (Crossover, ADV, Hybrid, Enduro) Helmet

Dual sport helmets are a mix between an off-road helmet and a full-face helmet. It has an exterior styling similar to an off-road helmet with a large visor and lower chin bar, but offers more interior padding and comfort similar to a full-face helmet. These are meant to be a halfway point between each style, as they can be used both on the road and off-road.

Dual-sport helmets offer a larger eye protection visor that a full face, but it can also snap into an up position for use of goggles. The visor is aerodynamic, therefore, it does not lift in the wind like a true off-road helmet. The chin bar is not a protrusive as an off-road helmet, so you get better soundproofing and not as much airflow.

Motorcycle Helmet Safety Standards

There are common helmet safety certifications used around the world including DOT (Department of Transportation), ECE (Economic Commission for Europe) and Snell. For a more detailed explanation of those motorcycle helmet safety standards, check out this article in MotoPinas.

The Philippines has a mandatory helmet safety law for motorcycle riders. Republic Act No. 10054 states that: “All motorcycle riders, including drivers and back riders, shall at all times wear standard protective motorcycle helmets while driving, whether long or short drives, in any type of road and highway.” 

Standard protective motorcycle helmets refer to products that bear legitimate PS and ICC marks, which refer to Philippine Standard (PS) and Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) stickers.

Whether locally manufactured or imported, helmets are required to bear the PS mark or ICC sticker before being distributed in the Philippine Market. These are usually provided by the Bureau of Product Standards (BPS) under the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). If you’re buying a new helmet, you need to look out for these because you can get apprehended for using a helmet without proper stickers.

Proper motorcycle fit

When shopping for a helmet, you should take measurements completely around your head just above your eyebrows. That will give you an idea of what size of the helmet you need, from an extra small to an extra-large. Each manufacturer’s helmet fits differently, so a small in one brand may fit like a medium in another. Asian fit sizes are generally smaller than US and European brands.

You should always try a helmet prior to purchase and check for proper fit. When trying it on, the chin strap should be tight enough that only two fingers will fit between the strap and the bottom of your chin. You should not feel any gaps around your head, and the helmet should not be so tight that it’s uncomfortable.

While wearing it, attempt to move it around with your hands. Your cheeks should move as you move the helmet, but the helmet shouldn’t rotate or move in any direction without moving your head. Testing the fit on the chin strap means you should look down toward your chest, and try to push the back of the helmet upward. If you can push it up a lot, the helmet isn’t the best fit for you.

When should you replace a helmet?

For safety reasons, experts advise replacing a motorcycle helmet after five years or if the helmet gets damaged in a crash. This is the average shelf life, as the glues, resins, and other materials used in fabricating the helmet can lose their effectiveness and deteriorate the lining especially if you use it regularly.

While some manufacturers advice replacing a helmet every time you drop it, this is just not practical. Most helmets will easily withstand the general knocking they get in daily life and occasional drops. You can prolong the life of your helmet if you store it properly when you’re not using it. Keep it in a cool, dry place and store it inside the helmet bag in which it came.

Price range

The price of a motorcycle helmet is often reflected in the materials used and the number of features. A more expensive helmet usually offers better protection, comfort, and technology, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find a quality helmet for a reasonable price.

In the Philippines, LS2 open face helmets start at about P1,800 up while basic full-face helmets range from P2,800 – P4,000 or more. Because of their construction, modular helmets are more expensive and range from P4k – 10k plus.

Where to buy helmets & riding gear

Most popular helmet brands carry sizes Medium to XL, which usually don’t fit women properly. It’s good to know that LS2 carries smaller sizes like XS and S and has designs that will probably appeal more to women. You can check out LS2’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/LS2PH/ for different models and where they’re available.

MotoWorld carries a line different motorcycle gear for women in Asian-Fit sizes including helmets, gloves, motorcycle jackets, and riding shoes from different brands. They have branches all over the Philippines, but if you want don’t want to physically head to stores, you can easily shop online safely from Motoworld‘s website.