You may already know that by law every biker needs to wear a safety helmet that meets British safety standards when riding a motorcycle or moped on the road.

It’s possibly the single most important piece of protective kit you can buy and getting the correct helmet could save your life.

CHOOSING A HELMET
Did you buy the first bike you saw? Well, the same applies with your helmet. When restrictions allow, try as many on as you can and once you’ve narrowed it down to a few that fit correctly and are comfortable, select one with a high SHARP safety rating.

SHARP
The Safety Helmet Assessment and Rating Programme (SHARP) shows you approved helmets and how much protection they offer. Each model of motorcycle helmet undergoes 32 impact tests in order to achieve a SHARP rating. To complete these tests, a minimum of 7 individual helmet samples, in a range of sizes, are subjected impacts at three different speeds. You can find out more about the testing process here.

CLEANING
Daily: Even though it's a pain, clean your helmet each day - especially your visor. If flies or dirt get on it, your vision will be seriously reduced next time you ride. Remember: if your visor becomes scratched, replace it immediately.

Weekly: Each week clean the vents and intakes - if these clog up with dirt, they won't be anywhere near as effective.

Monthly: If your helmet has removable linings or cheek pads it's worth cleaning these each month, but check the manufacturers guidelines first as some may have certain washing instructions.