Want a German Motorcycle Helmet?
Click to see German Helmets For Sale
The words 'German motorcycle helmet' typically do not mean a helmet manufactured in Germany. Rather, they communicate a given style of motorcycle helmet with a distinctive look and design.
Specifically, German motorcycle helmets present the well-known, distinctive design of the Stahlhelm combat helmets worn by World War II German soldiers, as seen in movies, television shows, and old photographs.
Origins of the modern-day German motorcycle helmet can be traced back to the 1920s and 1930s, when the German government began re-designing the World War I steel helmet worn by military personnel.
In 1935, the German military approved the new "Stahlhelm," known as the M1935. This helmet, and the ones that followed, became the basis for German motorcycle helmets as they are known today.
There are actually two types of German motorcycle helmet that American bikers need to be aware of: the novelty German motorcycle helmet and the Department of Transportation (DOT) approved German motorcycle helmet.
In order to be DOT approved, German style motorcycle helmets need to meet specific impact-absorption, retention, and penetration-resistance standards as outlined by the US DOT and found at www.DOT.gov. Helmets that don’t live up to the guidelines are referred to as “novelty” helmets.
Although the novelty German motorcycle helmet variety is extremely well-liked by some individual bikers, such helmets are not legal and will likely provoke a citation from police. More importantly, they will provide essentially no protection at all during an asphalt incursion.
So obviously, if you intend to ride with a German motorcycle helmet, DOT-approved is the way to go.
A German style motorcycle helmet is the perfect choice for hardcore bikers who want to look a bit different, maybe even intimidating. Plus, German style helmets are great looking and always a favorite because they help prevent that "closed-in" feeling.
Click to see German Helmets For Sale

