It has probably crossed the minds of most riders at some point, certainly did for me. So why the visor, is it just because it looks cool?
Dirt bike helmets have visors, also known as the peak, to offer sunlight protection for the rider, either by creating shade or blocking direct light from the riders eyes. It will also act as a defenense against ‘roost’ (flying mud and debris from the track) and tree branches which are found when trail riding.
They do contribute nicely to the overall look of the helmet and in my opinion look pretty dang cool.
Why Don’t They Have Face Sheilds?
By faceshield we mean what most people would normally call the visor on a full face motorbike helmet. The piece of curved plastic that acts like a window to protect against wind and flying mud, stones and other debris.
With a dirt bike helmet face sheilds simply wouldn’t work for the type of riding it is being used for. The screen would fog up very quickly because when riding motocross or trails the rider is generating alot of heat. The face sheild becomes unpractical and will soon be a danger to the riders vison.
For this reason you will see the dirtbike helmet being used with goggles instead. This allows the nessecary protection whilst at the same time allowing maximum air flow which helps keeps the rider cool and well ventilated.
What About The Pointed Chin Design?
The whole design of a motocross helmet is meant to take into account a few different factors on top of the main function of protecting the riders head. Things such as helmet weight, ventilation and visibilty are all priorities that will contribute towards someones overall ability and comfort.
The pointed chin design we see on dirtbike helmets are part of the ventilation aspect. They are usually designed with a vent on the end to allow air into the helmet so the rider can get enough air to breathe comfortably during racing as well as air to vent the heat that would otherwise build up.
Can You Wear A Dirt Bike Helmet On The Road?
You can but perhaps you should think about why it may not be the best idea before deciding if it is something you want to do.
Different helmets are designed for different purposes and that means they have been optimised for the situation they were designed for, which in turn can mean they are not suited to other types of riding.
The dirtbike helmet has design features specifcally for off road use. The pointed chin, the peak and larger opening to accomodate goggles can all be a disadvantage to being used on the road.
You maybe riding track or trails on a dirtbike and either one of these means your top speed is likely to be considerably lower than if you were riding on the road.
Road helmets usually come as a full face design and are more aerodynamic. If you wear a dirtbike helmet on the road you will have the peak (or visor) which will act as a wind capture.
When the wind catches the peak it can throw your head back and I can tell you from personal experience this can be very unnerving. I remember the first time it happened and I wasn’t expecting it. Riding along at about 60mph and lifting my head up enough for the wind to catch the peak caused my head to jerk suddenly and I nearly fell of the bike.
After that expereicne you learn that you need to consciously keep you chin down towards your chest (when riding a dirt bike on the road at least) so the air flows over the peak instead of catching underneath it. This is not a method to warrant wearing the helmet for road use in the first place mind!
In addition to having the peak you also have a wide open veiwing port on a dirtbike helmet which doesnt have its own wind visor because it is designed to be worn with goggles. So using goggles is required to keep wind and other nasties out of your eyes, but in doing this leaves plenty of exposure to the face for wind resistance and bug trapping.
The space around the goggles and inside the helmet can be a nightmare if you have an unwanted visitor whilst riding. Couple that with the increased speed when riding on the road, these bugs can hit with abit of force. You definitley dont want a bee or wasp to get trapped down the side of your helmet.
The other thing to mention is the pointed chin. Riding on the road with this element does look cool if your road riding a dirt bike but should you be unlucky enough the come off for any reason then it becomes a hazard.
The point if it catches the tarmac whilst sliding can force the head at unnatural angles and could cause neck injurys or even breaks.
So yeah the dirtbike helmets look cool but there are definitley down sides. One option would be to go for a dual sport motorbike helmet which is cross between on road and off road styles.
Which ever helmet you end up with just make sure it is approved for road use. Here in the UK we have the gold sticker which denotes a certain standard good for road use.
In the US you have what is called the DOT sticker. This is a federal standard which signifies it has passed the relevant safety tests.