ECE 22.06 Explained: What Helmet Certification Actually Means

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.

Neither format is a universal answer. Weather, speed, journey length and personal comfort all play a part, and many riders end up owning one of each for different trips.

A helmet that is the right size should feel snug all the way round with no single pressure point, and it should not shift when you turn your head firmly from side to side. A helmet that moves independently of your head on a shake test is not the right fit, regardless of what the size label says.

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.

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.

The result takes longer to arrive than an off the shelf helmet, and that is by design. A made to order helmet maker to order piece is fitted, finished and checked individually before it ships.