Every once in a while I will take a friend out riding with me on the motorcycle, however, my friend, whomever it may be, doesn’t always have a helmet. So, I have to sometimes carry the helmet with me. My motorcycle has a top case which makes it easy to store a spare helmet. But, I started thinking about all the other ways you can carry a spare helmet and I came up with 12 of them.
Cargo Net
A cargo net is a woven net made of elastic cords with multiple hooks around the edges. They come in a variety of sizes with different style hooks, either plastic or metal with plastic coating; like a bungee cord. They are easy to use. You simply set the helmet on the pillion seat, throw the cargo net over it, and secure it to the motorcycle using the hooks. For a helmet, it’s best to get a smaller size net with smaller weave so it holds the helmet nice and tight. Make sure the strings of the net are placed evenly over the helmet so it doesn’t slip out. I’ve been pretty happy with this one from Amazon.
Modified Cargo Net
Some riders are not too crazy about placing hooks on their motorcycles and risking their paint or chrome getting scratched. One solution for this is to take the hooks off the cargo net. Remove the seat and hook one side of the cargo net under the rear seat and secure the seat back on the bike. Next, place helmet on seat and stretch the net over the helmet. Hook the other sides of the net at various points on the bike such as, around the rear foot peg, or under tail subframes spools. Potential problems with this method would be finding something to secure each point and will depend on what your motorcycle is equipped with.
Hook Under Passenger Seat
A lot of motorcycles come with helmet hooks under the passenger seat. There are a couple of ways to use this hook, but the best way is to hook the D-ring on your helmet strap over the hook, rest your helmet on the side of your bike, then secure the seat. A couple pro tips: the pull tab on one of the D rings will make it easier to get the ring on the hook. Also, be aware of where the helmet rests. If you’re riding, the helmet will likely move around and scratch your paint, so, consider placing a cloth underneath if necessary.
Strap it to a Back Rest
If you’re motorcycle has a back rest or sissy bar then you have a great place to secure an extra helmet. The easiest way is to simply secure the strap around a back rest post, however, the helmet is likely to move around alot while riding if you can’t get it tight enough. So, consider the additional security of a bungee cord or two.
Strap to Grab Bar
If your motorcycle has rear grab bars or hand holds, you could attach the helmet strap around it. Try and get it as tight as possible to reduce movement while the bike is motion. Also be aware that it could be resting on your bikes body work and you run the risk of scratching your paint. Of course, this all depends on how your motorcycle is designed. One last thing, make sure it’s not hanging so low that it touches your exhaust pipe.
Helmet Carrier Strap
Caddystrap, available on Amazon, is a nylon strap with two D-rings at one end. To use it, remove your rear seat, lay the strap across the bike, and secure your seat on top of it. Now, place the helmet on top of the rear seat with the chin strap together and tight. You can run the Caddystrap around the helmet’s chin strap, then pull it tight using the two D-rings.
Elastic Helmet Strap
This strap is similar to a cargo net, but it only has two hooks. Four strong elastic straps are gathered together and attached to a hook at each end. Secure the hooks to whatever is available on your motorcycle, such as grab handles or rear foot pegs. The four individual straps can be arranged to secure the helmet. The position of the straps is adjustable so you can arrange the straps to secure different helmet styles. You can pick them up on Amazon here.
Carry it on Your Arm
If you have absolutely no other place to carry a spare helmet while you ride, you could always slide it up on your arm. Hook the chin strap together, and slide the hemet up to about your elbow, like a giant elbow pad. This method would be ok for short distances, but I can’t imagine it’s the safest option. While it probably won’t impede your ability to control the bike, if you were to crash and land on that arm, I’d hate to imagine the bruises you’d have, if not worse. So, use this method at your own risk.
Backpack
Some motorcycle backpacks come equipped with a special pocket to carry a helmet. It’s a good thing that today’s helmets only way a few pounds so weight would not be an issue, however, the bulky size of a full face helmet seems a little awkward. But, I’ve never carried a helmet in a backpack while riding so I really can’t say. But, it’s definitely a viable method for transporting a spare helmet.
Oxford Lidlash Helmet Bag
The Lidlash helmet bag is made by Oxford Products, a UK company that sells a huge variety of outdoor gadgets including cool motorcycle stuff. Basically, the product is a bag with straps. You place your helmet in the bag and the straps fit under the rear seat, securing the helmet to the top of the seat. They can be found in the US at lockitt.com, or, if you live in the UK, go straight to the Oxford products website.
Saddle Bags
This one’s easy. If you have saddle bags large enough to fit a helmet, you’re problem is solved. Whether your bags are hard panniers, leather, or canvas saddle bags, as long as it’s a big enough space, you’re good to go. However, if you have smaller saddle bags and you are carrying a full-face helmet, this might not be the best solution. I use the SWMotech Blaze saddlebag system and, unfortunately, the opening on the top is not nearly enough to fit a full-face helmet.
Tail Bag
When I bought my Honda CB500X used it came with a Givi hard tail case. I’m not too crazy about the way it looks so I leave it home if I don’t need it. But, I have to admit, it’s the perfect place to stow away a full face helmet. Plus, if I’m carrying a passenger, it serves as a nice back rest. So, a tail bag or hard shell top case is a great way to carry an extra helmet. The added benefit of a hard shell case is security, as it can be locked.
So, there you have it. There are plenty of ways you can carry a spare helmet if you need to. So, unfortunately, if you don’t want to ride with a passenger, you can’t use the helmet excuse.
