Helmets, as we all know are a standard accessory when it comes to bike riding. Ask any biker and he will tell you riding without a helmet is just improper and dangerous. Full face helmets are the type of helmets which completely cover your face. You own this kind of helmet? Great, because I am now going to show you how to take care of it and make them last longer. Most bikers have problems with the maintenance of these helmets. There are many things to take care of-visor, padding, cleaning the helmet etc etc. That doesn’t mean every time you need to run to the nearby shop for a replacement. I bet most of the bikers would love to fix their helmets themselves so as to save the bucks and also the attachment one has with his belongings. In the next few paragraphs I would explain how to maintain your helmets in quick and easy ways.
Changing the visors on a helmet
Visors are the glass or fiber screen which protects you from the dust, smoke and the sun. A visor is the most important part of helmets full face type. ‘Hey, my visor is gone, what can I do about it? All riders face this question. A visor can develop a crack or break if something bangs into it. A damaged visor is of no use and can be dangerous if used without getting it fixed. That does not mean you will need a replacement. You can always change the visor by yourself without any expert help. The first thing to do when the visor breaks is to get a new visor of the exact size. Now you must replace your old visor with the one you bought. Difficult, you say? It is not. First you need to check if your visor has a sun guard. If yes, then get the tabs on the each side of the helmet and pull them in front to remove the sun guard. Visors come with a pivoting mechanism which allows the movement of the visor. Remove the cover on them and pull out the spring clip. Then remove the old visor by pulling it out. Set the new visor in place and then reverse the whole mechanism. After fixing the new visor take the protective cover out. Then replace the sun shield and clean the new visor with a cloth. You are now good to go for a ride!
Cleaning the helmet
Oh... how thrilling is to ride a bike. But biking has its own disadvantages. In motorcycle full face helmets save you from the dust and stain but gets dirty in the process. Now, you won’t like wearing a dirty helmet, would you? Cleaning the helmet is very important as it helps in increasing its life span. Cleaning a helmet is a very simple process and only takes household items to do it. First of all let us start with the visor as it is the place where most of the impurities are accumulated. For the outermost part use a wet towel over it. After some time it will soak the impurities. Then clean it up with a dry paper towel. For the inside rub it with a paper towel but be careful to do it gently because you would not want to scratch the protective layers. For the inside of the helmet, two things can be done. If your helmet linings are removable, then remove the linings and wash them separately, otherwise soak the helmet and scrub the insides until it is clean for you. For the outermost parts, use some mild detergent and scrub away the stains. Wash it in hot water. Dry the helmet using the paper towels and use some polish to give shine to the outer body. Your helmet is now as good as new and is ready again for the challenges outside.
Relining and re-padding the helmet
So your helmet linings are damaged? You feel it is finally time to buy a new helmet and say goodbye to the old one? Sit back, rider. If you think you cannot replace the padding then think again. It is possible for you to replace the padding in your full face motorcycle helmets. The first thing you need to do is to get rid of the old padding. Adhesive remover can be used for this purpose. With the help of an old cloth remove the lining and the padding by applying adhesive remover. You should be careful as you would not want to damage your beloved helmet. Then you need to see that the padding fits the helmet perfectly or not. If not make it fit by cutting it. You would also want to have the fabric be of the same size and fit. After this, apply the adhesive and gently place the new padding so as it fits perfectly. After that, apply the fabric over the padding to fit the helmet. Let the adhesive dry. There you are with your old loved helmet which is now padded and relined.
Chris Jones has been writing much on motorcycle related
subjects, this particular piece of information is about how important are full
face helmets for safe road ride.
