I see this all the time at gas stations: Motorcyclists ripping off their helmet and scratching their head like a damn flea ridden monkey. And I do it too! When I wear a helmet, sweat eventually builds up between my head and the helmet liner, causing that annoying itch! Helmet itch is the #1 reason why I’m not in the habit of wearing my helmet all the time (it’s not the law here). This year, I’m determined to get into the habit. Does anyone know of any way to stop helmet itch? I already know about bandanas, but I don’t wear them. They don’t feel “right” with a helmet. What if I sprayed anti-perspirant into the liner?
When it gets really hot out, the problem get’s worse.
Any solutions?
Um, what kind of helmet?
I wear an Arai Quantum/F…it is expensive, but has vents at the chin, the eyebrows, and one on each side on top…I never sweat in this thing…even in 90 degree heat(well, at stops, I do pop the faceshield up).
If it’s just a brain bucket, you might as well not wear it. Why anyone wouldnt want their chin and face protected is beyond me.
Get a helmet with roof vents. I ride generally short distances but even on a longer trip (1-3 hours) I’ve never had a problem.
I have 2 helmets, one is a bel, the other is…? Man, I don’t remember. (I use it as a passenger helmet.) The good one is full face, the cheap one covers the entire head, but only has a plastic tint shield for the face. They both have vents.
I have to disagree with you about the “brain bucket” thing. Wearing one is much better than wearing nothing. They are DOT approved. And I think it’s dumb not to wear a helmet, which is why I’m trying like crazy to get into the habit of wearing one.
I just see alot of crash videos where people hit face first…having anything other than a full face is gonna make for an ugly mess.
If you do a low speed lowside…then yeah the half helmet would be fine…but what if someone pulls in front of you and you fly over their hood?
try www.helmetshop.com they have the best prices on quality helmets…local shops wanted 570 for my helmet…they have it here for under 400.
For the record–you really should have a Snell approved helmet (exceeds DOT)…the DOT standards are a little outdated.
The only time I don’t wear my helmet is if I’m just cruising 1st street here at the beach…I know I won’t be going over 30…and it’s mostly stop and go traffic.
I love it once I get over 80mph…it has a spoiler that locks my head in place, its 20x as quiet as riding without one…there is no noise, no distractions…no bugs hitting me…just me and the bike.
What’s the liner made of? I always wore Bells which had a terrycloth liner, and no vents, and I haven’t had that problem. It makes sense to me that terrycloth would be better than foam or tightly woven cloth.
Also, a properly fitting helmet should be tight enough that the weight rests all around the sides of your head rather than just on the the crown, and that it can’t move around at all. I don’t know if that has anything to do with it, though.
I’ll take my ugly mess over the restrictions of an enclosed helmet any day. I took a face full a while back, and the scars and broken teeth remind me daily not to drive like a f*cking idiot anymore.
Anyhoo, I used to get itchy head all the time, up until last year, when I shaved my head down to about a #2. I’ve not been bothered since.
I always wear a head wrap. I’ve had the same one for 4 years or so now and I just wash it every so often. I have long hair so I use it mainly to keep the hair out of my eyes.
You can also try washing it out every so often with warm water and soap. It does take some time, a day or so, to dry out, but I’ve never had a problem except my helmet stinks now so it’s time to wash it again. I’ve also heard, but never tried, putting your helmet into the dish washer. I’ve also hear using Febreeze works well too.
The other thing might be to find a helmet that has a removable liner. Me though I just wear the wrap and wash the helmet when I can’t take the smell anymore.
I do not think it is sweat or air circulation but I cannot explain it. In winter I will often wear a tight, knitted, woolen hat and it makes my scapl itch the worst even though it has plenty of ventilation. I think it is just having something tight over your scalp but I do not know the direct cause.