How to Carry a Passenger Helmet on a Motorcycle (10 Tips)
A helmet is necessary safety gear for both riders and passengers. It protects them from serious injuries in the event of an accident. Sometimes the motorcycle riders have to pick up the passenger, who might be his friend, and the rider has to carry the helmet for him/her.
My friend and I traveled together on my motorcycle while we were in university. He never carried a helmet with him. To keep our riding safe, I always carry a spare helmet on a motorcycle.
One of my friends recently went to pick up his girlfriend on a motorcycle for the first time and didn’t know how to carry a passenger helmet on a motorcycle. He was familiar with my experience of safely storing a spare helmet. After contacting me, I shared with him a few methods that I personally used during my university years.
I have decided to share the easy ways to carry a passenger helmet on your motorcycle. Read the complete article to find the best suitable solution.
Easy Ways to Carry a Passenger Helmet on a Motorcycle
There are several ways to perform this job safely, but not all methods are equally effective. Below are the 10 easy ways to carry an extra helmet.
1. Use a Cargo Net
Cargo nets are one of the easiest ways motorcycle riders use to transport their passenger helmets. A cargo net is an elastic net in square or rectangular shapes with hooks attached to its edges. It is used to secure different objects without causing any movement to prevent damage.
Install the helmet properly on the pillion seat and extend the cargo net over the helmet. The cargo net has various hooks that you can attach to your motorcycle. Make sure that the helmet is uniformly positioned to minimize the risk of movement.
I recommend that you choose the correct size cargo net if you plan to use this method. As a result, your helmet will remain tightly attached to your motorcycle.
Cargo net hooks may scratch or damage the paint of your motorcycle. You must customize the cargo net to overcome this problem.
Use a Customized Cargo Net
By removing the hooks around its edges, you can make the cargo net compatible with your motorcycle.
Take off the rear seat of your motorcycle and clasp one side of the cargo net under the seat. As your seat is pushed back, set your helmet beneath the cargo net. Attach the other side of the cargo net anywhere on your motorcycle that is suitable.
By doing so, you can securely carry a passenger helmet on a motorcycle without facing scratch problems. This method is effective only if your bike can fit with a cargo net.
2. Use an Elastic Helmet Strap
The use of an adjustable helmet strap is another way to carry a spare helmet on a motorcycle. It is very similar to a cargo net, but thankfully there are only two hooks.
A pair of hooks on the sides allows the four elastic straps to be fastened together. You can attack the hooks either to the grab rails or to the rear footpegs of your motorcycle. On the back seat, place the passenger helmet and tighten the elastic strap over it. With four straps, you can easily position them to keep the helmet from slipping.
3. Strap to Grab Rails
A motorcycle equipped with grab rails is a good candidate for this method. Attach the helmet straps to your bike using the grab bar. Be sure that the helmet straps are tight so that the helmet does not move during the ride and that the helmet does not touch the motorcycle exhaust.
Using this method, you can place a spare helmet at the side of your bike instead of on the rear seat. It might be possible to damage your motorcycle’s paint, so you can use an extra cloth below to prevent scratches.
4. Use Motorcycle Tail Bag
A motorcycle tail bag is another option for carrying a passenger helmet. You can use it to store either an open-face or a full-face helmet. An essential benefit of using a tail bag is that it acts as a comfortable backrest for the passenger.
Also Read: Skull Cap Motorcycle Helmet
The top box can be locked, ensuring the safety of the helmet. So, I think this is the safest method.
5. Hook it under Passenger Seat
During my university days, I used to hook my helmet under the passenger seat. Although this is the simplest and safest method, your motorcycle must have hooks under the rear seat for it to work.
Simply grapple the D-ring of your helmet with the hooks under the passenger seat. Your helmet should rest on the side of your motorcycle. Use an extra cloth under the helmet and keep the helmet firmly in place to protect your bike’s paint.
6. Carry it on Your Arm
Here comes the informal way to carry a passenger helmet on your arm. I don’t recommend this, but if you don’t have space for a passenger helmet on your motorbike, you can use this method.
Fasten the chin strap of the spare helmet to your elbow and slide the helmet on. You have completed the task; now go riding. I know this is a very obscure solution, but it can be helpful for short-distance rides.
Carrying an extra helmet on your arm may make it difficult for you to control your bike. Therefore, if your motorcycle has a place to mount a passenger helmet, never use this method.
7. Strap it to Passenger Seat Backrest
You don’t need to worry about carrying a passenger helmet when your motorcycle has a backrest. Strap the spare helmet around the backrest of the passenger seat. Keep the helmet tight so that it cannot move even at high speeds.
Even though this is one of the finest solutions, some riders still believe that the helmet strap alone does not keep the helmet in place. You may put a bungee cord around the helmet to secure it.
8. Backpack
We can also carry an extra helmet in a variety of backpacks available in the marketplace. Wear the backpack with the spare helmet on it.
A passenger helmet can be packed in a backpack with no serious problem because most motorcycle helmets are lightweight.
9. Try Motorcycle Helmet Carrier Strap
Here’s another easy way to carry a passenger helmet without scratching its paint. Use a helmet carrier strap (caddy strap) with two D-rings.
Remove the rear seat of your bike and put down the carrier strap. Now place the back seat on top of the belt. Then position the helmet on the rear seat and tighten it with the D-rings of the carrier strap across the chin strap.
10. Oxford Lidlash Helmet Bag
The last but not least method to carry a passenger helmet on a motorcycle is the Oxford Lidlash Helmet Bag. The bag comes with straps, so you can easily store the spare helmet in it.
Put your extra helmet inside this bag and place the straps of a bag under the rear seat of your motorbike.
Conclusion
Many riders often carry a passenger helmet on their motorcycles for their friends. They primarily focus on taking a helmet but ignore the safety of riding.
Now you have 10 methods of carrying a spare helmet on a motorcycle. You may also try different options and choose the method that works best for you. Hopefully, now you know the answer to how to carry a passenger helmet on a motorcycle safely.
