Looking Back in the History of Motorcycle Helmets
History of Motorcycle Helmets – Long ago, helmets were not essential when you ride a motorcycle. There is not even a law about wearing one. But after discovering that most riders who drive motorcycles encounter accidents, they also saw that head injuries usually occur. Therefore, helmets were invented.
Significantly, the development in the safety of riding a motorbike has been raised with the help of helmets. Let’s look back into the history and evolution of helmets in the previous years up to the millennial generation.
History of Motorcycle Helmets
Way back in the 1900s in England, motorcycles were invented by Gottlieb Daimler for fun and not for racing. That’s why motorcycle helmets were not necessary and they did not think of creating one either. Though some people created a single leather cap with fur lining during that time, it has less protection and doesn’t seem a protective gear at all.
Way back then, it has been a struggle for people to wear a helmet because many of the riders had been objecting to it. As a result, developing and innovating helmets became slow-paced.
Motorcycles were also called ‘motorized bicycles’ before. And after that, people had this idea of using it for racing because of the speed it can bring to its riders.
The Invention of the First Motorcycle Helmets
As time passed, numerous injuries and accidents occurred when racing started as people drove too fast. One British doctor named Dr. Eric Gardner had the idea of creating head protection for motorbike racers. It was introduced over 100 years ago, in the year of 1914. Dr. Gardner had attended to many patients who had motorcycle accidents during that time.
He saw constant head trauma and injuries from motorcyclists at a race track in Brookland where his workplace is near. Dr. Gardner was worried because people who ride motorbikes became more prone to accidents. With that, he asked Mr. Moss of Bethnal Green to make a canvass shell to protect the top of the head.
These canvas and shellac helmets were presented to Auto-Cycle Union or ACU, but it was initially declined. But despite the rejection they received, their idea was pleasantly liked by the people and became mandatory for motorcyclists in the year of 1914.
Helmets Introduced in a Racing Event
Isle of Man TT (TT for Tourist Trophy) is a racing event that started in the year of 1907. It is an annual event for motorcycle sport on the Isle of Man in May to June.
It is still considered the most deadly motor racing event in the world in popular culture, with the New York Times stating that the number of deaths has risen to 146 since it was first conducted in 1907.
In 1941, motorcycle helmets were introduced to racers by Dr. Gardner. At first, riders who were part of the race didn’t like wearing helmets because they didn’t realize the importance of it but later on, they had to comply with it due to the organizers of the event.
Dr. Gardner created 94 helmets and brought in the race with him. During the event, one rider wore a helmet and suddenly hit a gate with high speed but fortunately, his life was saved because of a helmet. That’s one of the successful examples that helmets were truly a gear of protection.
The results of accidents or injuries during that year of Isle of Man was truly amazing because no riders reported injuries with their new helmets. That’s why they embraced the idea of using helmets later on.
But some motorists still didn’t like the idea of helmets because of its design. It looked like odd-looking shells while riding, so some riders were not using helmets to protect their head at all. Others use padded leather caps identical to football helmets but it has less protection and they just wanted to look cool while riding.
The Passing of T.E. Lawrence
Years later, famous T.E Lawrence, also called Lawrence of Arabia, died in a motorcycle tragic accident. He was riding his Brough Superior SS100.
They found out that he was wearing goggles with no helmet during that time. Sadly, he smashed his motorcycle near his house.
This is due to his attempt to avoid two cyclists who blocked the road, which resulted in him losing his control. Because he wasn’t wearing a helmet at that time, he experienced major head trauma. Unfortunately, he passed away after a few days in the hospital.
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Evolution made by Cairns
Lawrence’ neurosurgeon, Dr. Hugh Cairns, started a research to use crash helmets for motorcyclists and military. He was influenced by the event and began his research on what is the correlation between motorcycle accidents and head traumas. After 6 years of Lawrence’s death, his work was reported in a British medical journal titled ‘Head Injuries in Motorcyclists – The Importance of the Crash Helmet’.
In 1941, riders still didn’t want to wear helmets voluntarily that’s why Dr. Cairns dealt with a lot of hurdles in his research to prove that there is a big difference when you wear them. However, one time, he got his first accomplished example when a British Army had lost two riders within a week because of accidents.
Cairns became driven to improve helmets to give protection to the army and later on, they approved his proposal. All soldiers wore helmets as they dispatched riders during the war. This helmet was made of rubber and cork. Through his long study of the unnecessary loss of life of motorcycle accidents, his research became a big contribution to a lot of people.
More Innovation in the Next Decades
Over the next decade, motorcycle manufacturers Harley Davidson and Indian Motorcycles began to start assembling high-speed motorcycles. As the competition began to clash, so as the fatalities and lives of people who were critically injured.
Even though manufacturers make a lot of high-speed motorcycles, the innovation for helmets was slow-paced. Still, some riders were not comfortable using a helmet. Some just wear a pudding bowl type of helmet. This helmet had a half shell built with a leather strap with less protection.
The Birth of Shock-absorbing Helmet
In 1953, Professor C.F. Lombard of the University of South Carolina created and designed a shock-absorbing helmet. He made this helmet because of the increasing accidents and deaths he saw in the reports.
His creativity paid off and made a breakthrough in the history of helmets. His invention was incredibly designed for high-speed driving or racing. The helmet has a tougher outer shell with two layers of cushion inside, one is to spread the energy generated at impact and the other is for comfort in the head.
USAF fighter pilot helmets were also one of the inspirations in choosing a design for creating more helmets with higher safety measures for motorsports.
After Lombard’s invention, many motorcycle companies appeared and started to fabricate motorcycle helmets. It was also taken up by Bell, a motorcycle manufacturer, and created a model called 500. This helmet had safety principles with designs from aeronautics.
Bell 500 became an instant trend and that’s the starting point of the modern motorcycle helmet era. This helmet embraced the latest technology from military sources and was refined by Roy Ritcher in 1954.
Ritcher is a LA Hot-Rodder who owns Bell Auto Parts. He saw the damage and the impact it brings when riders did not use and wear helmets. That’s why he began the revolution in innovating more helmets in the industry of sports.
The Birth of Modern Motorcycle Helmets
In 1957, there was a well-known independent company that tests helmet quality without being unfair to the government or the manufacturer. That is called the Snell Memorial Foundation. This company was set up in the memory of William ‘Pete’ Snell who died during a sports car tragedy.
In our modern times, all high-quality helmets have a Snell approved sticker for assuring that what you purchased is a high-end material.
Helmets like Bell 500 turned into a common protective gear in racing, but some street riders still didn’t like the idea. Bell made several models and refined Bell 500 to be Bell 500-TX.
This helmet became famous for the ‘jet-style’ design. Bell 500-TX worn with such famous personalities as Bud Ekins and Steve McQueen.
But somehow in the 1960s, more motorcyclists began to love the idea of wearing helmets. So in 1963, Bell manufactured a revolutionary full-face helmet and that is called The Bell Star.
This Bell Star was expensive and the materials were high-end, but it gives more protection to its riders. It boomed the market at the right time for helmet manufacturers. They said that the materials used in this helmet were found in NASA’s astronaut helmets and U.S. military helmets.
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History of Motorcycle Helmet Laws
In 1961, because of the lack of the law, many riders still didn’t want to wear helmets because of not looking cool. This is though there were clear results that the helmet saved a lot of riders’ lives. As a result, the first-ever compulsory motorcycle helmet law was established in Australia.
In 1964, USDOT established safety standards for motorcycle helmet manufacturers to comply with wearing helmets while riding even in streets. And by 1966, the United States Highway Safety Act was announced to the public that all states in the US must comply with helmet laws.
The law formed it loud and clear that unless the riders comply with the law, they will be receiving funding for highway preservation and construction. Afterward, motorcyclists had no choice but to comply.
Most states abide by the said laws for over 47 helmet laws in the following years. Strict codes began for these mandatory helmet laws.
Reception of the New Motorcycle Helmet Laws
Unfortunately, these laws were too much to handle and overreaching human rights. And by 1968, Michigan started abolishing some helmet laws even though the US has its federal government.
Also in the UK, in 1973, Motorcycles regulation 1973 was passed into law on February 7 and put into operation by June 1st. However, many riders considered this law a ‘gross infringement of personal liberty even though almost all motorists were crash helmets during that time.
It was debated but the bill still passed and became mandatory for all riders to wear helmets.
A new US Congress voided the law in 1975 about helmet laws and afterward, some states participated also in removing other laws. Besides, during that year, helmets expanded their growth and popularity in common places and even helmet technology began to arise.
Besides, the manufacturer Bell also refined the first full-face motorcycle helmet and off-road helmet.
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Innovation and Creativity Rise Up
By the same decade from 1970 to 1980s, improving the designs of each type of helmet was increasing. In addition, modular helmets were invented this year. It combines the ¾ helmet designs with safety that a full-face helmet gives.
Metal flake helmets were one of the great designs during the 70s but after that decade, it changed the fashion cues from race track heroes.
A lot of motorcycle manufacturers had this war about each design and style. Every year, they are making modernized helmets you could ever imagine. They move each design with the trends they follow every year.
Millenial Riders
In the 2000s to 2010s, vintage helmets rose again and some of the riders had this interest in igniting the designs. Motorcyclists joined into groups and rode their motorbikes with one another.
Some riders rode their motorcycles in a weekend hobby. For many, it’s a ride to go to work and for their convenience, highlighting big cities like London where traffic is worse due to congestion.
The trend in motorcycling became a practical way to commute so a lot of people choose this kind of option. More motorcycle and motorcycle helmets sales rise too. Manufacturers never get tired of altering the designs of helmets now and then.
As the year goes by, the death rate due to motorcycling did not lessen. It goes high every day. Adding technology to the helmets, GPS was one of the accessories that help riders for safe travel.
Others have even put a camera like a GoPro to put in the top of their helmet. They use this kind of accessory to give awareness and assurance when they ride a motorcycle and encounter accidents.
Final Thoughts
We can see that creating motorcycle helmets before debated with a lot of people. They even made a research to prove that helmets are one of the best essentials when you ride a motorbike because of the safety it brings.
Always remember the best reason a motorcycle helmet was made. And that is to save lives and enjoy the ride. You can wear the best helmet as you search through our website.