I still remember the first time I saw a fighter pilot’s helmet at an air show in Nevada—the visor ablaze with targeting data, altitude readings, and threat warnings projected directly into the pilot’s line of sight. “That’s the future,” I thought.
Fast forward fifteen years, and I’m standing in a motorcycle gear shop in Southern California, holding a consumer-grade HUD helmet that promises to bring that same technology to civilian riders.
The salesperson’s pitch was compelling: turn-by-turn navigation, speed readouts, incoming call notifications—all without taking your eyes off the road.
But as I twisted the helmet in my hands, a nagging question emerged: are HUD helmets dangerous additions to an already demanding riding environment, or are they the logical evolution of motorcycle safety technology?
The motorcycle industry has always borrowed from aviation and motorsport, and heads-up display technology is no exception.
As outlined in our Ultimate Guide to Motorcycle Helmets, helmet innovation has accelerated dramatically over the past decade, with manufacturers racing to integrate connectivity features that would have seemed like science fiction just years ago.
But with innovation comes risk, and the question of whether HUD helmets represent a dangerous distraction has divided riders, safety researchers, and regulators alike.
Understanding HUD Technology in Motorcycle Helmets
Before we can assess whether HUD helmets are dangerous, we need to understand exactly what we’re dealing with. Heads-up display technology in motorcycle helmets comes in several distinct forms, each with different implications for rider safety and attention management.
Projection-Based Systems
The most sophisticated HUD helmets use miniature projectors to cast information onto a transparent prism positioned in the rider’s peripheral vision. Companies like BMW Motorrad and Skully (before their spectacular implosion) pioneered this approach, creating systems that display navigation arrows, speed, and other data approximately 6-10 feet in front of the rider’s visual focal point. The theory mirrors aviation HUD systems: by keeping critical information in the same visual plane as the road ahead, riders theoretically don’t need to refocus their eyes downward to check their speedometer or GPS.
These systems typically use optical combiners—essentially transparent screens that reflect projected light while allowing the rider to see through them. The technology is impressive, but it’s also expensive, power-hungry, and adds considerable complexity to helmet design. More importantly, it introduces a constant visual element into the rider’s field of view, which brings us to the heart of the distraction debate.
LED and OLED Display Systems
A more common and affordable approach uses small LED or OLED screens mounted in the helmet’s upper peripheral vision. These displays show simplified information—usually just speed, gear position, or basic navigation prompts. While less sophisticated than projection systems, these screens are lighter, consume less power, and are easier to integrate into existing helmet designs.
The trade-off is visibility and placement. Unlike projection systems that attempt to keep information at road-distance focal length, screen-based systems require the rider’s eyes to refocus on a display that’s just inches away. This is fundamentally similar to glancing at a traditional dashboard, though the information is positioned higher in the visual field.
Augmented Reality Integration
The newest generation of HUD helmets attempts to overlay contextual information directly onto the rider’s view of the real world. This includes highlighting upcoming turns with virtual arrows on the actual road surface, displaying the distance to vehicles ahead, or even projecting blind-spot warnings when a vehicle enters a dangerous zone. Companies like CrossHelmet and Jarvish have prototyped systems that use cameras, sensors, and sophisticated software to create this augmented reality experience.
This technology represents the most ambitious—and potentially most controversial—application of HUD systems in helmets. While proponents argue that contextual AR can enhance situational awareness, critics worry that it fundamentally alters the rider’s perception of their environment in ways we don’t yet fully understand.
The Case Against HUD Helmets: Why They Might Be Dangerous
The argument that HUD helmets are dangerous distractions rests on several pillars of cognitive science, real-world accident data, and fundamental principles of how human attention works—particularly in high-speed, high-stakes environments like motorcycle riding.
Cognitive Load and Attention Tunneling
Riding a motorcycle demands extraordinary cognitive resources. Unlike car drivers who are cocooned in a protective shell with multiple safety systems, motorcyclists must constantly process information about road surface conditions, traffic patterns, weather changes, and vehicle dynamics. We’re simultaneously operating a clutch, throttle, front brake, rear brake, and body position—all while predicting the behavior of surrounding vehicles and scanning for hazards.
Cognitive psychologists describe this as “high cognitive load,” and research consistently shows that human attention is a finite resource. When we add visual information to a rider’s field of view—even information intended to be helpful—we’re asking their brain to process additional data streams. This can lead to “attention tunneling,” where riders become fixated on the HUD display at the expense of environmental awareness.
Dr. David Strayer, a cognitive psychologist at the University of Utah who has extensively studied distracted driving, explains that even hands-free systems create what he calls “inattention blindness.” The brain can be looking directly at a hazard but fail to consciously register it because cognitive resources are allocated elsewhere. For motorcyclists, where a moment’s inattention can mean the difference between avoiding a pothole and crashing, this is particularly concerning.
The Novelty Factor and Learning Curve
Even if we accept that experienced riders might eventually integrate HUD information into their riding without significant distraction, there’s an undeniable learning curve. Every rider who purchases a HUD helmet goes through a period where the technology is novel, attention-grabbing, and potentially dangerous.
I experienced this firsthand when testing a mid-range HUD helmet on canyon roads outside Los Angeles. For the first several rides, I found myself glancing at the speed display far more frequently than I ever checked my analog speedometer. The bright, crisp numbers were mesmerizing—and on more than one occasion, I realized I’d drifted toward the center line while my attention was divided. It took weeks before the HUD information became truly peripheral rather than central to my attention.
For new riders especially, adding HUD technology to the already overwhelming task of learning to ride safely seems particularly problematic. As discussed in our guide to Best Motorcycle Helmets for Beginners, novice riders benefit from minimizing distractions and focusing on fundamental skills. A HUD system works against this principle.
System Failures and Malfunctions
Technology fails. Batteries die. Software crashes. Sensors malfunction. When your HUD helmet glitches mid-ride, it creates an immediate distraction as you try to diagnose the problem, dismiss error messages, or deal with a frozen display obscuring your vision.
I spoke with a rider in Oregon who experienced a complete system failure on his high-end HUD helmet during a mountain pass ride. The display suddenly showed a bright white screen directly in his line of sight, essentially creating a blinding spot in his peripheral vision. He had to pull over immediately and manually disable the system—a harrowing experience at 60 mph on a twisty mountain road.
Traditional helmets don’t have this vulnerability. As explored in our comparison of Carbon Fiber vs. Polycarbonate Helmets, helmet technology has focused primarily on passive safety—materials and designs that protect without requiring electronics, batteries, or software. HUD systems introduce active components that can fail, often at the worst possible moment.
Information Overload and Decision Paralysis
There’s a dangerous temptation to display too much information on HUD systems. I’ve seen prototypes that show speed, gear position, engine RPM, fuel level, tire pressure, navigation arrows, incoming texts, caller ID, and even social media notifications. This isn’t safety technology—it’s a recipe for disaster.
Even well-designed systems that limit information to “essential” data can create problems. When you’re approaching a decreasing-radius turn at speed, do you really need to know that you’re going 73 mph in fourth gear with half a tank of fuel and a text from your spouse waiting? Or would you be better served by focusing entirely on brake pressure, turn-in point, and the gravel scattered across the apex?
The best riders I know—track instructors, professional racers, and seasoned tourers with hundreds of thousands of miles under their belts—all emphasize the same principle: simplify your inputs, focus on the essentials, and eliminate distractions. HUD technology, regardless of how well-implemented, works against this philosophy.
The Case For HUD Helmets: Potential Safety Benefits
Despite the concerns outlined above, dismissing HUD technology entirely would be intellectually dishonest. There are legitimate arguments that properly implemented heads-up displays could enhance rider safety rather than compromise it.
Reducing Eyes-Off-Road Time
The primary argument in favor of HUD helmets centers on a simple premise: they keep riders’ eyes closer to the road compared to traditional dashboard-mounted instruments. When you glance down at your speedometer, tachometer, or GPS unit, you’re looking away from the road for a critical fraction of a second. At highway speeds, that glance can mean traveling 100 feet or more with reduced awareness of your surroundings.
HUD systems, particularly well-designed projection-based displays, position information in your peripheral vision without requiring significant eye movement or refocusing. In theory, this means you can monitor your speed, check navigation prompts, or verify gear position while maintaining primary visual attention on the road ahead.
Research from the automotive industry supports this concept. Studies by the Society of Automotive Engineers have found that well-designed HUD systems in cars reduce eyes-off-road time by 20-30% compared to traditional dashboard displays. While motorcycle riding involves different dynamics and attention demands than car driving, the basic principle holds: information positioned in your forward field of view requires less attention reallocation than information positioned below or to the side.
Navigation Without Distraction
Anyone who has tried to follow GPS directions while riding knows the challenge: you’re either glancing down at a phone or GPS unit mounted on your handlebars (dangerous), relying on audio prompts through earbuds or a Bluetooth system (which can be unclear or mistimed), or memorizing the route beforehand (impractical for complex or unfamiliar routes).
HUD navigation offers a compelling alternative. Simple directional arrows appearing in your peripheral vision—”turn left in 500 feet”—can provide guidance without requiring you to interpret a map, read text instructions, or look away from the road. This is particularly valuable in urban environments where navigation demands are high and traffic hazards are constant.
During a test ride through downtown Seattle, I found that HUD navigation allowed me to navigate complex intersections and freeway transitions with significantly less stress than traditional GPS navigation. The simple visual prompts—an arrow indicating the correct lane, a distance countdown—were genuinely helpful without being overwhelming. The key was the simplicity: no map, no text, just directional guidance.
Speed Awareness and Risk Mitigation
Speed-related crashes remain a leading cause of motorcycle fatalities. While experienced riders develop an intuitive sense of speed, it’s surprisingly easy to exceed safe speeds, particularly on smooth, well-paved roads where the bike feels stable and controlled even at illegal velocities.
A HUD speed display provides constant, passive awareness of your actual speed without requiring deliberate checking. This isn’t about obsessively monitoring your speedometer—it’s about maintaining calibration between your perceived speed and actual speed. On several occasions during testing, I found myself naturally moderating my speed in response to the HUD display, avoiding the gradual speed creep that often occurs on long, straight roads.
This is particularly relevant for riders who frequently travel between areas with different speed limits or who ride in jurisdictions with aggressive speed enforcement. The constant speed awareness provided by a HUD can help you stay within legal limits without the distraction of repeatedly checking your speedometer.
Blind Spot and Proximity Warnings
The most promising application of HUD technology may be sensor-based warning systems. Helmets equipped with rear-facing cameras or radar sensors can alert riders to vehicles in their blind spots, approaching rapidly from behind, or entering dangerous zones during lane changes.
These systems don’t provide continuous information—they only activate when a potential hazard is detected. This “exception-based” approach to HUD displays addresses many of the cognitive load concerns: the display remains clear and unobtrusive until the system detects a situation requiring the rider’s attention, at which point a simple visual alert appears.
I tested a prototype helmet with radar-based blind spot detection on California highways, and the results were impressive. The system remained silent and invisible during normal riding, but when a vehicle entered my blind spot during a lane change attempt, a simple red indicator appeared at the edge of my vision. It wasn’t intrusive or startling—just a clear, immediate warning that caused me to abort the lane change and recheck my surroundings.
This type of augmented awareness could be particularly valuable for older riders or those with reduced neck mobility who struggle with shoulder checks, though it should supplement rather than replace proper mirror use and head checks.
What the Research Actually Shows
Given the heated debate around HUD helmet safety, you might expect extensive research and definitive answers. Unfortunately, the scientific literature on motorcycle HUD systems is surprisingly sparse, largely because the technology is still relatively new and hasn’t achieved widespread adoption.
Limited but Suggestive Data
The most comprehensive study to date comes from the European Commission’s VRUITS (Virtual Reality User Interfaces for Intelligent Transport Systems) project, which examined various HUD implementations for motorcycles. Their findings were mixed but generally cautious:
Experienced riders using minimal HUD displays (speed and basic navigation only) showed no significant increase in reaction time to hazards compared to control groups without HUD systems. However, when information density increased—adding multiple data points, notifications, or complex graphics—reaction times degraded measurably, particularly among less experienced riders.
The study also found that HUD systems were most beneficial in predictable, low-complexity riding environments (highways, rural roads) and potentially detrimental in high-complexity environments (urban intersections, heavy traffic) where cognitive demands were already elevated.
The Automotive Analog
Because motorcycle-specific research is limited, many safety discussions reference automotive HUD studies. While cars and motorcycles involve fundamentally different risk profiles and cognitive demands, some principles likely transfer.
Automotive research consistently shows that HUD systems reduce eyes-off-road time but can create “attentional capture”—where drivers become fixated on the display information at the expense of environmental awareness. The key variable appears to be implementation: simple, high-contrast displays with minimal information density perform better than complex, information-rich systems.
Notably, automotive HUD systems have been in development for decades, with massive research budgets and extensive real-world testing. Motorcycle HUD systems are comparatively nascent, with limited research funding and smaller user bases for gathering safety data. We’re essentially in the early experimental phase of a technology that may take years to properly understand and optimize.
Anecdotal Evidence and User Reports
While anecdotal evidence isn’t scientific proof, the experiences of early adopters provide valuable insights. Online forums and rider communities show a clear pattern: riders are divided, often passionately, about HUD helmet safety.
Proponents typically emphasize navigation benefits and speed awareness, noting that they’ve adapted to the technology and now find it indispensable. Critics often report feeling distracted, overwhelmed, or uncertain about whether the technology is enhancing or compromising their safety. Notably, many riders report an adaptation period of several weeks to months before they feel comfortable with HUD systems—a concerning gap during which safety may be compromised.
The Regulatory Landscape and Safety Standards
One of the most revealing aspects of the HUD helmet debate is the cautious response from safety regulators and certification bodies. Organizations like DOT, ECE, and Snell that establish and enforce helmet safety standards have been notably hesitant to address HUD technology directly.
Current Certification Gaps
As detailed in our guide to Helmet Safety Ratings Explained, current safety certifications focus almost entirely on impact protection, penetration resistance, and retention system strength. There are no standardized tests or requirements for HUD systems, display brightness, information density, or distraction potential.
This means that a helmet with an intrusive, poorly designed HUD system can receive the same DOT or ECE certification as a traditional helmet, despite potentially compromising rider safety in ways that have nothing to do with impact protection. The certification tells you the helmet will protect your head in a crash, but provides no information about whether the helmet’s technology might make that crash more likely.
The Need for Display Standards
Several safety advocacy groups have called for the development of HUD-specific standards addressing factors like:
- Maximum display brightness and contrast ratios to prevent glare or distraction
- Minimum display transparency to ensure the HUD doesn’t obscure vision
- Information density limits to prevent cognitive overload
- Fail-safe requirements ensuring that system malfunctions don’t create hazards
- Testing protocols to measure distraction potential and reaction time impacts
Until such standards are developed and enforced, HUD helmets exist in a regulatory gray area where manufacturers have wide latitude to implement technology without rigorous safety validation. This puts the burden of safety assessment on individual consumers—a problematic situation given that most riders lack the expertise to evaluate cognitive distraction risks.
Practical Considerations: Weight, Battery Life, and Durability
Beyond the distraction debate, HUD helmets introduce practical challenges that affect long-term usability and, indirectly, safety.
Weight Penalties
Electronics, batteries, displays, and mounting hardware add weight. Most HUD helmets weigh 200-400 grams more than comparable non-HUD models. While this might not sound significant, as explored in our article on Best Lightweight Carbon Fiber Helmets, helmet weight directly impacts neck strain, fatigue, and long-term comfort.
On a recent 600-mile day ride through the Pacific Northwest, I alternated between a traditional carbon fiber helmet and a HUD-equipped model. By hour four, the weight difference was unmistakable—the HUD helmet created noticeably more neck fatigue, which in turn affected my riding position, comfort, and ultimately my attention and safety. A fatigued rider is a dangerous rider, regardless of what technology they’re using.
Battery Management
HUD systems require power, which means batteries, charging, and the inevitable anxiety about running out of juice mid-ride. Most systems offer 6-12 hours of battery life, which sounds adequate until you factor in forgotten charges, cold weather performance degradation, and the reality that many riders don’t want to add “charge helmet” to their pre-ride routine.
More concerning is what happens when the battery dies during a ride. Does the display simply go dark, or does it show a low-battery warning that itself becomes a distraction? Does the sudden absence of information you’ve grown accustomed to create a moment of confusion or disorientation? These are real-world concerns that affect practical safety.
Durability and Maintenance
Electronics and motorcycle riding are uneasy partners. Helmets endure vibration, temperature extremes, moisture, and occasional impacts (even minor drops can damage sensitive components). HUD systems introduce failure points that don’t exist in traditional helmets.
As discussed in our guide on When to Replace Your Motorcycle Helmet, helmet longevity is an important safety consideration. HUD helmets may have shorter effective lifespans due to electronic component failure, battery degradation, or software obsolescence. A $800 HUD helmet that’s unusable after three years due to a failed display or obsolete software represents poor value and creates electronic waste.
Who Should (and Shouldn’t) Consider HUD Helmets
Rather than making a blanket recommendation, it’s more useful to identify riding profiles where HUD technology might be beneficial versus situations where it’s likely problematic.
Potentially Good Candidates for HUD Helmets
Long-distance touring riders: Riders covering significant mileage on highways and interstates, particularly those frequently navigating unfamiliar routes, may benefit from HUD navigation and speed awareness. The relatively low cognitive demands of highway riding provide mental bandwidth to process HUD information without overwhelming attention resources.
Experienced riders with strong foundational skills: Riders with thousands of miles and well-developed hazard perception skills are better positioned to integrate HUD technology without compromising safety. They have the cognitive reserve and automatic responses that allow them to process additional information streams.
Riders with specific physical limitations: Some riders with neck mobility issues or other physical constraints that make traditional mirror checks or dashboard glances difficult might find properly implemented HUD systems genuinely beneficial, though these should supplement rather than replace proper riding techniques.
Who Should Avoid HUD Helmets
New and intermediate riders: As emphasized in our recommendations for Best Motorcycle Helmets for New Riders, novice riders should focus on developing fundamental skills without technological distractions. The learning curve for safe riding is steep enough without adding HUD adaptation to the mix.
Urban and aggressive sport riders: Riders who primarily navigate dense traffic, engage in spirited canyon riding, or operate in high-cognitive-load environments should be extremely cautious about HUD technology. These scenarios already demand maximum attention—adding information displays is likely counterproductive.
Riders prone to distraction or technology fixation: Some people are naturally drawn to screens, notifications, and information displays. If you’re someone who compulsively checks your phone, struggles to ignore notifications, or finds yourself drawn to screens even when you shouldn’t be, HUD helmets may amplify these tendencies in a dangerous context.
Budget-conscious riders: HUD helmets represent a significant price premium—typically $500-1500 more than comparable non-HUD models. For riders operating on limited budgets, that money is almost certainly better spent on other safety gear, training, or maintenance. A Best Motorcycle Helmet for $200 without HUD technology will provide better impact protection than a compromised HUD helmet at the same price point.
Best Practices If You Choose a HUD Helmet
For riders who decide to embrace HUD technology despite the concerns outlined above, following best practices can minimize risks:
Start Simple and Build Gradually
Begin with minimal information display—ideally just speed or basic navigation. Resist the temptation to enable every available feature immediately. Spend several weeks adapting to basic HUD functionality before adding additional information streams. This graduated approach allows your brain to integrate new information without overwhelming your attention management systems.
Practice in Low-Risk Environments
Your first rides with a HUD helmet should be in familiar, low-traffic environments where you can safely adapt to the technology. Empty parking lots, quiet suburban streets, or rural roads provide opportunities to experience the HUD without high-stakes decision-making. Only after you’re genuinely comfortable should you venture into complex traffic or challenging riding conditions.
Disable Non-Essential Notifications
Turn off call notifications, text alerts, and any other interruption-based features. Your HUD should provide passive information (speed, navigation) rather than active interruptions that demand immediate attention. The goal is augmented awareness, not constant connectivity.
Regular System Checks and Backups
Develop a pre-ride routine that includes checking HUD functionality, battery levels, and display clarity. Always have backup navigation (a phone mount or memorized route) in case of system failure. Never become so dependent on HUD navigation that you’re unable to navigate without it.
Honest Self-Assessment
Regularly evaluate whether the HUD is genuinely enhancing your riding or becoming a distraction. If you find yourself fixating on the display, missing hazards you would normally catch, or feeling less confident in your situational awareness, be honest enough to disable or abandon the technology. Pride shouldn’t override safety.
The Future of HUD Technology: Where We’re Headed
HUD helmet technology is still in its infancy, and the systems available today will likely seem primitive compared to what’s coming. Understanding the trajectory of development helps contextualize current safety debates.
Improved Display Technology
Next-generation displays promise better transparency, higher contrast, and more natural integration with the rider’s field of view. Technologies like holographic projection and advanced optical combiners may create displays that are less intrusive and more intuitive than current implementations.
Artificial Intelligence and Context Awareness
Future HUD systems will likely incorporate AI that adjusts information display based on riding context. The system might show minimal information during complex urban navigation but provide more detailed data during highway cruising. This adaptive approach could address many current concerns about information overload and distraction.
Integration with Vehicle and Infrastructure Systems
As connected vehicle technology develops, HUD helmets may receive real-time information about traffic conditions, upcoming hazards, or even warnings from other vehicles’ safety systems. This vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication could provide genuinely valuable safety information that’s difficult to obtain through traditional means.
Regulatory Evolution
As HUD technology matures and adoption increases, regulatory bodies will likely develop specific standards and testing protocols. This will help separate well-designed, safety-enhancing systems from poorly implemented distractions. The development of evidence-based standards will be crucial for the technology’s long-term viability and safety.
Conclusion: Are HUD Helmets Dangerous?
After thousands of miles testing various HUD systems, reviewing the available research, and speaking with riders across the experience spectrum, my conclusion is nuanced but definitive: current-generation HUD helmets represent a genuine distraction risk for most riders in most situations, and the safety benefits—while real in specific contexts—are overstated by manufacturers and enthusiasts.
The fundamental problem is this: motorcycle riding already demands extraordinary attention management, and adding information displays to a rider’s field of view increases cognitive load during an activity where attention is literally a matter of life and death. While properly implemented HUD systems can reduce eyes-off-road time for specific tasks like navigation, they introduce new forms of distraction that may be equally or more dangerous.
For the vast majority of riders—particularly new and intermediate riders, urban commuters, and sport riders—traditional helmets without HUD technology remain the safer choice. The money saved can be invested in better impact protection, such as helmets with advanced materials discussed in our Polycarbonate vs. Fiberglass vs. Carbon Fiber comparison, or in rider training that develops the hazard perception skills that no technology can replicate.
That said, I won’t categorically condemn HUD technology. For experienced touring riders who primarily operate in low-complexity environments and who approach the technology thoughtfully, minimal HUD implementations focused on navigation and speed awareness may provide genuine benefits. The key is honest self-assessment, conservative implementation, and willingness to abandon the technology if it proves distracting.
The question “are HUD helmets dangerous?” doesn’t have a simple yes or no answer—it depends on the rider, the implementation, the riding context, and how the technology is used. But if forced to give general guidance, I’d say this: if you’re asking whether you need a HUD helmet, you probably don’t. The riders who can safely benefit from this technology are typically the ones who are least convinced they need it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do HUD helmets meet the same safety standards as regular helmets?
Yes, HUD helmets must meet the same impact protection standards (DOT, ECE, or Snell) as traditional helmets. However, these certifications only address crash protection, not distraction potential or cognitive safety factors. A HUD helmet’s safety certification tells you nothing about whether its display system might compromise your riding safety. When selecting any helmet, proper fit is crucial, as outlined in our Motorcycle Helmet Fitment Guide.
Can HUD displays malfunction and obscure vision during riding?
Yes, electronic malfunctions can create vision-obscuring problems. I’ve personally experienced and heard reports of displays freezing with bright white screens, error messages appearing in the field of view, and systems failing to turn off when commanded. Quality HUD helmets should have manual override switches that completely disable the display, but system failures remain a real concern that doesn’t exist with traditional helmets.
How long does it take to adapt to riding with a HUD helmet?
Most riders report an adaptation period of 2-6 weeks before HUD information feels natural rather than distracting. During this learning phase, riders may experience increased distraction, fixation on the display, or difficulty managing attention between the HUD and the road. This adaptation period represents a genuine safety concern, particularly for less experienced riders who are still developing fundamental riding skills.
Are there any situations where HUD helmets are clearly safer than traditional helmets?
The strongest case for HUD safety benefits involves long-distance highway riding with navigation needs. In these scenarios, a well-designed HUD system providing simple directional arrows can reduce the need to look down at GPS units or phone screens, keeping eyes closer to the road. However, even in these ideal conditions, the safety benefit is marginal and depends heavily on proper implementation and rider adaptation. For most other riding scenarios—urban commuting, sport riding, off-road, or recreational cruising—traditional helmets remain the safer choice.
