Maintenance for Your Powersports Helmet

Your powersports helmet goes through plenty out on the open road. Bugs splatter across the shield, rain leaves water spots, and so on. Taking care of your gear not only helps it look nicer, but it can also help extend its life. Here at Big St. Charles Motorsports, we strive to make your life easier. That's why we created the following guide on maintaining your helmet below. For all your motorcycle needs, visit our dealership. We proudly serve those in St. Louis, St. Peters, St. Charles, and Columbia, Missouri.

Cleaning Your Helmet

Your riding gear needs to be regularly cleaned. The frequency will depend on how often you ride of course. The more often you hit the road, the more often you'll need to wash the road gunk off. Keep reading to learn the steps of keeping it clean.

Prepare

Start by taking off anything on your helmet that should not get wet. This includes any accessories, such as a Bluetooth communicator unit. Then disassemble your helmet so you can easily clean all the various parts.

Liners and Cheek Pads

Sweat, hair products, makeup, and other substances can get these parts grimy. Handwashing is the ideal approach here because it is easier on the fabric. Here you make a solution of water and mild cleaner, such as baby shampoo. Using a damp microfiber towel, you'll gently wash the fabric. If you must use a washing machine, put the pads and liner in a washing bag and use the gentle cycle.

Whatever approach you use, you'll want to let the fabric air dry. If you put them in the dryer, they could lose their ability to absorb impact and not be able to protect you as well in a crash. To speed up the drying process, pat them with a towel to remove the excess moisture. Once everything is dry, you can reassemble your helmet.

The Outer Shell

The biggest problem you'll face with the outer shell is caked-on grime. This stuff won't come off with a quick rinse, but a hose is too powerful and can damage the surface. You'll want to soak a microfiber rag and let it sit on the helmet for a few minutes. This should be enough to loosen up the grime so you can then wash it away. To get debris out of the vent, a toothbrush or cotton swab works well.

The Visor

Check your owner's manual to see if there are any specific instructions for cleaning this unique material. If not, you'll be fine using a microfiber towel and a cleaning product made for the visor material.

Other Helmet Maintenance

Cleaning your gear is an important first step. You can also take a few other steps to extend the life of your helmet. Put on a bandana before you put on your helmet to reduce the frequency of cleaning the liner. Air out your helmet before storing it. Wipe away any gunk after a ride to clear it away before it can harden - and be harder to clean later. Store it in a protected case to add an extra layer of security from bugs, dust, and the elements. These little steps can go a long way in protecting your gear!

We hope you found this article helpful. For all your powersports needs, visit Big St. Charles Motorsports. We proudly serve those in St. Louis, St. Peters, St. Charles, and Columbia, Missouri. Our friendly staff can help you with whatever you need, from giving more gear tips to helping you find your next dream vehicle. Stop by today!