ECE 22.06 Explained: What Helmet Certification Actually Means

A clean visor is a safety item as much as a comfort one, since scratches and haze scatter light and make it harder to judge distance in low sun or at night. Clean a visor with lukewarm water and a soft cloth, and avoid dry wiping, which is what causes most fine scratches in the first place.

A certified helmet carries a label inside the shell showing the standard it meets, along with a homologation number that identifies the specific model tested. This label is worth checking on any helmet, since it confirms the exact helmet in your hands passed the test, not just the range it belongs to.

Full face and open face helmets suit different kinds of riding, and the right choice usually comes down to where and how you ride rather than looks alone. A full face helmet covers the chin and jaw, giving more protection in a wider range of impacts, and tends to suit faster roads and longer distances.

ECE 22.06 is the current European standard that motorcycle helmets are tested against, and it replaced the older ECE 22.05 standard with a wider and more demanding set of tests. Helmets are checked for impact absorption at multiple points on the shell, not just the crown, and the standard also tests rotational forces, which earlier standards largely ignored.

An open face helmet leaves the face exposed, which some riders prefer for shorter journeys, city riding, or a more classic look on a café racer or scrambler. It offers less coverage than a full face design, and Hedon.com riders who choose one should weigh that trade off honestly rather than assume it based on style.

Sun and heat are the two things to watch for. Leaving a helmet on a dashboard or in direct sun for long periods will dull and eventually crack leather trim, so a helmet bag or a shaded spot makes a real difference over the life of the helmet.