A motorcycle helmet is the most important piece of safety gear your child should have. If your child rides a motorcycle, then you need to find the best motorcycle helmet available.
There’s nothing scarier than seeing your child injuring themselves, and motorcycles can be dangerous, especially when you’re just beginning to learn to ride. Thankfully, many gear companies offer child-sized protective gear such as helmets.
Children's helmets are made the same way as adult ones. The design and colour might be slightly different, but they both offer the same safety and security.
It can be difficult knowing which helmet to choose as there are many different options available. If you’re looking for a high-quality motorcycle helmet for your child, then look no further.
In this article, we will show you some of the best quality motorcycle helmets for kids, made by trustworthy brands and ensure the safety of your child while riding a motorcycle.
What This Article Covers:
- The Best Kids Motorcycle Helmets
- Considerations When Buying A Child’s Helmet
- Additional Considerations
- Frequently Asked Questions
The Best Kids Motorcycle Helmets
There are many different types and brands of motorcycle helmets for kids. The suggestions below may help you to narrow down your search and decide on which is best for your child. Moto1 has these fantastic kids' motorcycle helmets available to purchase.
O’Neal 2022 2 Series Helmet - Villain
The lightweight poly-injected shell of the O'Neal 2 Series Helmet provides complete venting for increased aerodynamics and overall cooling. It goes for around $180, which is a great price for what you are getting. It’s an excellent helmet available for under $300.
Face Shield
The face shield offers comfort and practicality due to its adjustable visor design. This also ensures maximum protection of your child's eyes while riding.
Safety
This helmet ensures the safety of your child as it’s made from a polycarbonate/ABS shell construction. It also meets the DOT & ECE 22-05 safety standards.
Comfort
The O’Neal Series 2 offers ultimate comfort as the interior features an ultra-plush removable & washable padded liner as well as a double-D release chin strap for safety and comfort.
Ventilation
This O’Neal helmet has excellent ventilation as it includes multiple air vents to help keep you cool and dry. Your child will not feel sweaty or too hot as the air vents allow for maximum airflow.
Takeaway
The O’Neal 2022 2 Series is a great standard option for your child as it includes ventilation, meets the safety standards, and offers comfort. It’s available at a decent price and even comes in a striking yellow colour.
FLY Racing Youth Kinetic Helmet
On our selection of the best motocross helmets for kids, the Kinetic Youth helmet from Fly Racing comes in second. It can be classified as a budget helmet because it costs less than $100, despite its bold appearance. The helmet comes in a variety of graphic styles and colour combinations, some of which are simply stunning.
Face Shield
The Kinetic Youth helmet, like all other motocross helmets, has a large peak visor on the top of the shell that provides sun and mud protection. It can be simply paired with most types of motorcycle goggles that will fit comfortably in the helmet's eye-port.
Comfort
The interior features replaceable cheek pads and a comfort liner that can be washed whenever necessary. Considering the inexpensive price of the Kinetic Youth helmet, the comfort level is surprisingly great. The helmet has plenty of padding and is true to size. It doesn't run as small as some other children's helmets.
Safety
The Kinetic Youth helmet is DOT-approved and comes in three sizes with a lightweight poly-alloy shell (SM, MD, LG). It’s best suited for youngsters aged 5 to 10. The helmet has a dual-density EPS liner within the shell that provides adequate impact protection for your child's head.
Ventilation
The ventilation is adequate, though not as good as that found on some of the more expensive helmets. Its TFV (True Functional Ventilation) system, which has several intake and exhaust vents, keeps your child's head cool and dry during off-road rides.
Takeaway
The Fly Racing Kinetic Youth, in my opinion, is the ideal helmet for kids searching for an economical yet high-quality dirt bike helmet. It's light, comfortable, and comes in a variety of graphic styles. Plus, the finish is fantastic.
It’s a fantastic helmet for track day.
Youth V1 Prix Helmet ECE
Face Shield
The V1 TM Prix helmet delivers exceptional performance for the budget. It offers a sleek, forward-looking logo in six stunning colours and is easily one of the most competitive helmets on the market ounce for ounce. The proprietary Magnetic Visor Release SystemTM (MVRS), which helps regulate rotating forces, is one of the many performance benefits.
The three visor screws are replaced with magnets in this pro-level, patent-pending technology, allowing the visor to disengage from the helmet in the case of an accident while remaining securely in place when needed.
Comfort
With four distinct shell and EPS sizes for a more true-to-size fit and feel, the V1 is unrivalled in terms of fit. For added comfort, the V1 comes with a removable and washable liner as well as cheek padding.
Safety
The Youth V1 is one of the safest helmets because, in the case of a collision, the Magnetic Visor Release SystemTM (MVRS) releases and the lightweight injection-moulded polycarbonate and ABS exterior disperse energy.
Ventilation
In hot riding situations, the design provides best-in-class ventilation for increased comfort and moisture management. It has 9 intake and 4 exhaust vents for optimum airflow.
Takeaway
These helmets market for around $260 but the price is worth it when you look at the safety and features you are getting. Not only is this helmet comfortable and safe, but it also comes in a variety of fun colours.
Fox Youth V1 ECE Helmet
The Youth V1 Motocross Helmet from Fox is a version designed for kids. It is a descendant of one of the best motocross helmets, the Fox Racing V1 helmet for adults.
The Youth V1 helmet costs approximately $290 but has a high-quality, luxurious feel. The price may be slightly high, but you can ensure your child will be highly protected and comfortable.
Face Shield
The V1 is equipped with MIPSTM (Multi-directional Impact Protection System) technology, which has been scientifically proved to lessen rotational forces on impact, as well as a visor engineered to release in the case of a crash.
Comfort
The Youth V1 helmet offers maximum comfort and large amounts of airflow. It has a soft and comfortable removable and washable interior liner, yet it’s also durable. The helmet has a precise fit and feel.
Safety
In terms of safety, the helmet meets ECE 22.05 and/or DOT certifications. The shell is created from lightweight, injection-moulded polycarbonate and ABS to disperse energy in the event of a crash.
There are four different shell size options and a wide variety of colours and graphic designs to choose from. It’s a lightweight helmet, weighing only around 1 kg. This helmet was designed for small kids and it fits four to eight-year-olds best.
Ventilation
As previously mentioned, the Fox V1 helmet offers very high amounts of airflow. The V1 puts comfort first and is designed with best-in-class airflow for extreme comfort and moisture management.
The airflow comes from the nine intake vents and four exhaust vents, this ensures that your child will never be facing any problems with sweating or overheating while wearing this helmet. In terms of ventilation, the V1 Youth helmet is the best-ventilated motorcycle helmet.
Takeaway
It’s clear that Fox’s V1 motocross helmet for kids is a high-quality piece of gear. The comfort and ventilation are excellent. Although there may be other good helmets that are cheaper, the price is justified for the quality that you get.
HJC CL-Y Youth Helmet
One of the best full-face helmets for youngsters is undoubtedly the HJC CL-Y helmet. This motorbike helmet costs slightly under $190, which is about normal for the helmets reviewed here.
As a full-face helmet, it provides your youngster with the highest level of protection that a motorcycle helmet can provide.
Face Shield
The face shield of the helmet is optically accurate, meaning there’s minimal distortion. The helmet has an anti-scratch coating on the outside of the shield that not only prevents scratches but also provides UV protection.
The eye port is quite large, and there is no obstruction to the vision. A 4-position ratchet system makes it easy to open and close the face shield. The helmet's vision is exceptional thanks to all of these capabilities, and it is certainly one of its main advantages.
Unfortunately, the HJC CL-Y Youth helmet lacks anti-fogging technology in the shield and cannot be used with a Pinlock insert. However, given that this is an entry-level helmet, it’s a perfectly acceptable price.
Comfort
The interior of the HJC CL-Y Youth motorcycle helmet can be fully removed and washed. Plush and Nylex are the materials used in the interior comfort liner. The helmet fits well and is comfortable.
Safety
For children over the age of ten and young teenagers, this helmet provides excellent crash protection. The HJC CL-Y Youth full-face helmet is built of lightweight and durable advanced polycarbonate and is DOT certified.
It's available in a range of different shell sizes and colors. This helmet is also available in a pink and purple version for females.
Ventilation
A single air vent in the front of the chin bar and two smaller intake vents on the top of the helmet provide ventilation. Aside from it, there are a handful of exhaust vents in the back.
There are just two positions for the intake vents: open and closed. The airflow is adequate for a budget helmet, but don't expect it to match that of more expensive adult motorcycle helmets.
Takeaway
Overall, there are no real bad qualities in the HJC CL-Y Youth helmet.
It's a safe full-face helmet that's also extremely pleasant to wear and it competes with some of the more expensive motorcycle helmets. The only minor concern that your child may encounter is the lack of an anti-fogging system. The face shield can be partially opened in this instance.
Considerations When Buying A Child’s Helmet
Safety
Make sure you pick the proper size for your youngster for safety. Look for a helmet with padding to help it fit snugly around your kid’s head. If the helmet is slack and there’s space between the inner shell and your child's head, don't use it.
Chin restraints are another important safety element. These help to keep the shell in place and protect the chin. Another factor to consider is the style of the helmet, as full-face models provide the most comprehensive protection for the face and head.
As previously stated, there are numerous certifications for helmet safety. The most frequent certification is DOT, which makes the helmet acceptable to wear on the streets in the United States. In Europe, the ECE rating is utilized, and it’s slightly more stringent than the DOT rating.
Finally, the SNELL rating determines if the helmet is suitable for professional racing. In most instances, if your child's helmet is at least DOT certified, you're set to go.
Sizing
Parents frequently make the mistake of purchasing a larger helmet for their children. Because children grow so quickly, you'll have to replace them frequently.
Purchasing one that is larger than required, on the other hand, is extremely dangerous because it doesn’t support the head and may even fall off after a crash. It must fit snugly regardless of the model you choose.
Choosing a helmet with additional protection is an excellent alternative. These allow you to slightly modify the sizing so that the fit isn't too tight or too loose.
Also, remember that there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all solution. Even if the label specifies the age group, you should still measure your child's head to ensure that it fits properly.
Material Type
We already discussed how a helmet's overall fit is critical to its safety. Still, another aspect that influences safety is the material used to construct it.
In terms of materials, children's models are similar to adult models. In most circumstances, injected moulded plastics are a popular option that offers sufficient comfort and safety.
Another popular option is fibreglass, which is both durable and scratch resistant. This one can take a beating and safeguard your youngster in the event of an accident. Other prominent materials include composite, fiber, and Kevlar.
Polycarbonate and poly-alloy are both lightweight materials with excellent shock resistance. This keeps the helmet light while still providing adequate protection.
Most manufacturers use soft foam as a cushioning material. Look for one that is antimicrobial and simple to clean. While removing foam padding may not appear to be a significant factor, it is. You'll have to remove the pads now and then for sanitary reasons.
Helmet Type
Helmets for children are comparable to adult helmets. When it comes to motorcycle helmets, though, you're unlikely to find an open-face model for youngsters that you can get for adults. The majority of models for little children are full-face, half-face, or modular.
The full-face models are the most snug. They cover every inch of the face and are extremely protective and secure.
Leave some room around the eyes for goggles when wearing a half-face. The area is still exposed if the child does not wear goggles.
Modular helmets are a cross between the two. These helmets perform as well as full-face or half-face helmets.
Some of the most advanced motorbike helmets are modular ones. They need to be well-constructed in order to keep all the separate components strong enough while keeping them removable.
Comfort
A motorcycle helmet's comfort is quite crucial. If your child plans to ride often, the helmet should be comfortable to wear for extended periods of time.
It should also be light enough to prevent neck aches in your child. Any of the above-mentioned helmets are a good option if you’re looking for the best lightweight motorcycle helmet.
The inner liner should be smooth to the touch and not irritate the skin. It's also a good idea to have a moisture-wicking inner that can be removed for washing.
Additional Considerations
Other factors, such as the price, the brand, and, of course, the colour, are also significant.
The ideal form of a kids' motorbike helmet incorporates all of these factors.
Colour
Because every child is unique, it's better to look for a model that comes in a variety of colours.
Some children prefer bright and appealing designs, while others want a helmet that resembles an adult model with a solid color and simple design.
Cost
Although children's helmets are less expensive than adult helmets, they nevertheless vary in price depending on the material, type, design, and other considerations. Keep in mind that, while cost is crucial, it should not compromise safety.
When To Replace
If the helmet breaks or shows severe symptoms of damage and wear, you must replace it right once. When it becomes too small and tight, you should replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How To Size A Helmet For Kids
Choose a string that is long enough to go around your child's head. Pass it around the widest part of your face, right above your brows.
Take a pen and paper and jot down the measurement, which you may compare to the sizing tables later.
Adjustable cheek pads are common in most models. They are constructed of soft foam and adaptable to your face, so don't worry if they seem snug at first. After a while, the pads grow comfier.
Write down the measurements of your child's forehead and crown of the head. This, along with other measures, can be used to compare the size to the size chart provided by the manufacturer.
Are Helmets For Kids Safe?
Whether your child is riding a bike, scooter, skateboard, or skating, helmets give the best protection against head and brain harm. A helmet, on the other hand, will only protect you if it fits properly.
Helmets for children are constructed in the same manner as adult helmets are, and while some materials are more durable than others, they can break.
High-end models comprised of very resistant and durable materials like Kevlar, on the other hand, provide incredible shock resistance.
Can I Re-Use A Helmet After A Crash?
It’s only safe if it’s not damaged in any way and it fits your child well. If it shows even the slightest cracks or signs of wear, you should opt for a new one.
Even low-impact collisions can cause the motorcycle helmet's inner liner to deflate, reducing the helmet's ability to protect you in the event of another collision.
Conclusion
After reading this post, I am confident that you will have a general understanding of the best motorcycle helmets for kids and how to choose one that your child will enjoy.
Motorcycle helmets for children are already widely available. It's because biking is more popular now than it was previously, as well as new legislation requiring both adults and children to wear protective gear.
If your children show an interest in motorbikes, you should not deny them the opportunity to ride because of the danger. Although there is a risk, it is minimized to a bare minimum if the child simply wears a helmet.
Finding the ideal helmet for your children in 2022 may appear difficult, especially for novices.
That is why these reviews and purchase guidelines will make the process an easy one so that you can find the best value motorcycle helmets.
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