A Custom Bike Needs A Custom Helmet

Some people make us shake our heads. They've lavished thousands of dollars worth of chrome, billet, paint and performance modifications on their bikes, and when they ride to their favorite watering hole, what do they do? They park their bike and leave their beat-up stock helmet hanging from the handlebar—a wart on the face of a work of art.

Helmet painting is a great way to make yourself stand out or to call even more attention to your bike's paint. Whatever the reasons for painting a helmet, the rules for painting bodywork are still in effect but with some new wrinkles. First, if the helmet is scuffed, scraped or has sustained an impact from verifying the laws of physics, consider a new helmet.

Discuss the paint scheme with your painter since background colors may effect whether you want white or black helmet hardware and vents. Some of these parts are made from materials that paint won’t stick to well, and others get so much of a work-out that they scuff quickly. Either way, it’s better to plan the design to accommodate a solid stock color on these pieces.

Solid-color helmets require considerably less preparation prior to painting. If you want stickers placed on the helmet, talk to your painter beforehand to find out if you can have clearcoat put over them. Finally, painters will often paint helmets in batches. Ask if a batch is about to be produced or if there will be a long wait before the next set.