The liner deserves the same care. A removable, washable liner keeps the inside fresh, and following the maker’s washing instructions protects both the padding and the stitching around it.

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.

Daily wear also plays a part. Sweat, sunscreen and HedonHelmets regular use all shorten a helmet’s working life, so riders who use a helmet every day should expect to replace it sooner than someone who rides occasionally.

To see the certification behind our own range, visit open face helmet.

To see the handcrafted shells behind our range, visit luxury motorcycle helmets.

The trade off is scale. A workshop like this will never produce helmets as fast as a large factory, and that is treated as acceptable, since the aim is a considered, well finished helmet rather than the fastest one to market.