History of the Motorcycle Helmet The history of the motorcycle helmet is one directly related to the increasing abilities of motorcycles themselves. In the era of Gottlieb Daimler's first motorcycle in 1885, helmets were not necessary. This is because the original motorcycle was not built for particularly speedy travel; propulsion alone was enough of a feat for the late nineteenth century. By the mid twentieth century, however, the desire to create faster and more agile machines was well established in the field of motorcycle production, and with this increase in mechanical ability came an increase in the number of fatalities associated with these small, unprotected vehicles. The first helmet, surprisingly, was not created with the motorcycle in mind, but instead was designed for the United States Air Force. Professor Charles Lombard was trying to protect aviators from the effects of for impacts associated with early flight, and thus produced an energy-absorbing helmet. The helmet had two layers of padding; one interior layer to provide comfort to the wearer, and another outer layer to absorb and disperse the energy of an impact. He applied for a patent for his invention in 1953, and his design was applied to automobile racing, hockey, and on to motorcyclists everywhere.

The first standard regulations for helmets were not instituted until 1957 with the Snell Memorial Foundation, an organization formed in memory of William Snell, a sports car driver killed in a racing accident. They even now set the standard for motorcycle helmet testing across the world. The government soon followed the Snell Foundation's lead in the search for improved safety and protection: California began requiring its Highway Patrol motorcycle officers to wear helmets in 1958. Australia was the first country to have a mandatory motorcycle helmet law in 1961, but the United States soon followed in with the Highway Safety Act of 1966. This law required states to enforce helmet laws in order to receive federal funding for highway construction and maintenance, and 47 of the 50 states complied by 1975. Helmet safety regulations increased over time, resulting in such laws as the 1974 Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 218 for Motorcycle Helmets. This law required all helmets manufactured to be approved by the United States Department of Transportation, and to display an official sticker of such status. As recently as 1997, lobbyists have campaigned to make these standards even more strict in an effort to reach the highest degree of safety possible for motorcyclists.

As the motorcycle develops in new ways, the motorcycle helmet has and will continue to develop with it. In order to make this technology as safe as it is powerful, as much attention must be paid to the helmet as to the motorcycle itself. Thank you for your time Discount Motorcycle Helmets Factory.