Do all motorcycle helmets provide you with the best protection... the best comfort... and the best fit?

DOT motorbike helmets have proven to be one of the safest and most popular kind of motorbike helmet on the market. Before you go out and make a buying decision for a motorcycle helmet, you must know why, more than any other helmet, these are the safest and can do more to protect you.

The United States and the Department of Transportation have set form many requirements for motorcycle safety. However, not all motorcycle helmets are DOT certified. These helmets are put through a thorough testing phase that measures different levels of impact and measures the shock waves these impacts create.

To make sure the helmet you might be interested in is certified, look for the DOT sticker on the back of the helmet. This means that the company responsible for creating that helmet has submitted their designs for proper testing.

There are scientific standards which DOT motorcycle helmets have met, and it takes reliable and consistent methods of laboratory testing to prove their roadworthiness. Among these are:

*tests on impact

*protection

*the proper flex of the motorcycle material

Even at great speeds or accelerations, impact on a motorcycle helmet should not cause it to be penetrated or its parts to be separated. Its protective surface should have a contour which conforms to the shape and dimensions of the human head for better comfort and fit. It should provide clear peripheral vision and good air circulation when driving, which is why it is also tested as to head positioning and its resistance to factors like temperature and water, for instance.

The materials in the helmet, to help with the circulation, need to be cool and absorbent. Beyond that they need to have no levels of toxic or allergenic properties to them. What's more... any sharp edges... fragile accessories... or projections from the helmet. Think of the damage things like that can cause to the rider and to others in an accident.

Besides all of these testing factors, a DOT motorbike helmet needs to come equipped with all the proper information. Things like manufacturers ID number, the model of the helmet, the size, and the date of manufacture. There also needs to be clear instructions on how to use the helmet... clean the helmet and protect the materials of the helmet. This ensures that the helmet does what it is supposed to do... protect you!

Because safety always comes first.

From thereon, wearing a DOT certified motorcycle helmet gives you greater confidence and pleasure on the road. You can give in to your adrenaline rush knowing that youre rushing towards something more open and certain. It eliminates unnecessary risks which arent worth taking especially where your life is concerned.

DOT certified motorcycle helmets are, indeed, a cut above the rest. As you slash through the horizon at breathtaking speeds and head through life full throttle, you know youre not leading an ordinary life. You have so much going for you. The price of thrill and excitement should never underscore the value of a life well lived and a motorcycle helmet well worn.

Curtiss is an expert motorcycle rider having ridden for over 14 years. He owns Shop Motorbike Helmets a motorcycle helmet store devoted to selling the most affordable full face helmets on the market. Almost all of his helmets are DOT certified so you know they are top quality.

You've *never* seen a bike like this unless you've seen a bike like this. Exactly like this in fact. Meeting a Honda Valkyrie Rune face to face for the first time is rather like walking into your favourite sci-fi and interacting with the characters. The lines between fantasy and reality just blur around the edges enough to make you wonder what was in that cup of coffee you had 5 minutes ago.

This bike doesn't try and steal your admiration. It forces you to pay attention. The chrome leaps off almost 50% of the surface of the machine and most of that is engine! Even Harley's don't have this much chrome. Nor do they have so much elegance either.

Honda's other huge Cruiser offerings don't exactly fire the imagination it has to be said. But they've never built one like this before either. 6 cylinders and 1.8 litres of solid thumping motor in a beautifully styled retro chassis. Then they've built all the weighty bits into the base keeping the centre of gravity low and well placed. When you sit on her she doesn't really feel heavy at all.

Take a ride out on a bendy road and she comes into her own. Which I have to admit is surprising for a bike designed for use on the straight roads of the USA. But point a Rune into a bend and she catapults you out the other side with ease. The smooth engine takes everything in its stride and the comfy seat is simply perfect even after hours upon hours of riding.

So why doesn't everyone have one then? Because Honda designed and built them for Americans, who as we know only ride Harleys (or mopeds), and didn't think there was market for them in the UK or Europe. So we have to either import one by ourselves - if we can find one - or hope that they come up for sale and then catch them before they are gone again.

However, a bit like waiting for 'Nessie' on the shores of Loch Ness they do from time to time show their faces and at the time of writing there's one up for sale in the Midlands based showroom of Fasttrack Motorcycles. She's patiently sitting in the window waiting to be bought. Or maybe she's waiting for her next victim.

Seeing a one in the flesh, or chrome, was what prompted me to write this piece in fact. It's not often that a bike stops me in my tracks these days and when they do I can almost guarantee they are hand-crafted custom builds. But the Valkyrie Rune is like nothing else on earth. What an aptly named machine. After all Valkyrie's fly don't they? And so does Joe Dredd's Lawbringer in 2000AD.

But for now she sits there alone with a 13,000 price tag and demands your attention. Not just *your* attention either but in fact the looks and admiration (or consternation) of absolutely *everyone* who walks by. Go take a look for yourself if she's still there and hasn't already been sold. It'll be worth the trip and something you will most probably never see again or ever forget.

What exactly is a pocket bike? The easiest and quickest answer would be to say it is a miniature motorcycle. This is why another name for pocket bikes is mini bikes. Since a mini bike is a copy of a full size motorcycle, it has all the important parts and design choices that a full size bike has. Pocket bikes are most often equipped with a four stroke gas engine, but can also be powered by two stroke engines or electric engines. Since a pocket bike is only 2 to 3 feet tall it is a popular first step into racing for kids, but powerful pocket bikes are also being raced by professional motorcycle racers.

Pocket bikes can be designed in many ways, from older models resembling something that rolled straight out from a 1970 kids magazine to brand new models that copy a full size GP motorcycle perfectly. Other popular designs include chopper mini bikes which obviously look like miniature choppers, or pit bikes which looks like miniature motorcross bikes with more or less the same off road capabilities. You can get a good pocket bike for as little as $350. You can find cheaper models, but they will be of lower quality materials, making the frame heavier and more brittle. At the same time, a more expensive model will have practical features like hydraulic disc brakes or an air cooled 110 cc engine. In addition to all this you can easily customize your pocket bike in a lot of ways,for instance by changing the color scheme or adding decals and decorations.

You will probably have to ride the pocket bike on private property only as they are usually banned from road use. Check you neighborhood for places to ride before buying one.

As many riders unfortunately have experienced on their own skin, a pocket bike is not a toy and a fall from one without the proper safety gear can be very painful. Wear at least a helmet and preferably a full riding kit including pants, jacket, gloves, knee pads and shoes. While being safer than a real motorcycle a mini moto can still reach very high speeds. And being very maneuverable it can be easy to lose control of one.

Hopefully you will keep some of these things in mind while riding. I hope you have loads and loads of fun on your minibike!