The journey of motorcycle helmets through history

The first thing you do when you get on a bicycle or a bike is put on your helmet, right? This is a good practice indeed because helmets protect your head from injury in the event of an accident. But you will be surprised to know that the first helmet was not invented to be worn while riding. It was rather intended for use in battles! Helmets were created to protect a soldier’s head from arrows and sword blows. With time, its design was modified to protect people’s heads from road and mining accidents. Until now, the helmet has been redesigned several times. It will be interesting to learn about how it has evolved for use in different activities. So, strap on your curiosity helmets while we take you on a trip to history!  

Helmets were invented way back in 3000 BC 
Helmets were first invented in 3000 BC by Mesopotamian artists to protect soldiers, using copper and arsenic bronze with a thick leather inner padding. By 2500 BC Sumerians were making bronze helmets. However, only a few soldiers wore them because they were not mass-produced. Around 900 BC, mass production of bronze helmets began for the use of Assyrian soldiers. This metal effectively shielded a soldier’s head from swords and arrows.  

The idea of using helmets for protection resurfaced in 1882 when miners were losing lives in mining incidents. But these mining helmets were made from pulp! A company named Centurion Safety Products manufactured these helmets by combining pulp with lime. After drying, a steel plate was riveted inside the helmet. However, the steel plate was uncomfortable to wear. So, researchers kept working on ways to improve helmets.  

The first motorcycle helmet  
The British physicist Eric Gardner was frustrated. Why? Because many of his patients were involved in motorcycle accidents. After much concern, creativity and devotion, in 1914, he designed a leather helmet to protect people’s heads. The use of leather also kept riders warm in the winter. In 1914, his helmet was worn by riders in the Isle of Man TT races. Although Gardner’s contribution to the idea of wearing helmets was significant, someone else’s design became famous.  

In 1935, Britain’s national hero T.E. Lawrence died in a motorcycle accident. This incident highlighted the dangers of riding a motorcycle without adequate protection. After Mr. Lawrence’s death, his doctor conducted a study and found that brain lesions were a common outcome of accidents where no protective helmet was worn. Thanks to his successful research, in 1941, the British army made helmets mandatory for army motorcycle riders. What do you think this first riding helmet was made of? It was rubber and cork: Very different from the materials used to make helmets nowadays! 

Motorcycle helmets: Major landmarks  
Following the first helmet design for the British army, several companies created designs for ordinary people and racers. In 1947, the Italian company AGV began manufacturing motorcycle seats and helmets. In 1954, AGV introduced its first motorcycle helmet made of a material that we still use today. Can you guess what? Fibre!  

Although companies created designs, a proper organisation was needed to test the effectiveness of these helmets and establish a safety standard. In line with this, the Snell Memorial Foundation was founded in 1957 in California, named after sports car racer Pete Snell who died due to head injuries despite wearing a helmet that did not adequately protect his head.  

Moving forward, in 1961, helmets were made mandatory in Australia. In 1967, Giacomo Agostini competed in the Grand Prix with a full-face helmet! And you know what happens after a celebrity steps into the scenario, right? The use of helmets became widely popular after this!  

Thanks to the efforts of all these people, people ride safely today, if they do wear their helmets.