Motorcycle helmets are an important piece of gear when it comes to the safety of motorcyclists. However, the aesthetic side of things is also important for many riders.
Recently I got asked what is the best motorcycle helmet color for a black motorcycle a few times.
White is the best motorcycle helmet color for a black motorcycle in terms of safety. Black, silver, yellow, orange, red, green, and blue motorcycle helmets can also look really good and combine well with a black motorcycle as long as the colors are bright and vibrant.
From experience, I can tell that many riders will not worry too much when picking the color of their motorcycle helmet. However, not everybody is like that, and the color of your motorcycle helmet can be an important detail that is worth considering.
Below I go more in-depth about what studies and experts say and how the different motorcycle helmet colors stack to each other.
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Best motorcycle helmet color for a black motorcycle in terms of safety
Below I go into detail about what the best motorcycle helmet color is when it comes to general road safety.
Safest helmet color for a black motorcycle
The safest motorcycle helmet color for a black motorcycle is white because there is a better contrast between the helmet and its surroundings. Other light-colored motorcycle helmets like beige, yellow, and cream, are also considered among the safest.
One study showed that white is the safest color for motorcycle helmets. The study took into account the various habits of most riders that can skew the numbers and found that light-colored motorcycle helmets were associated with a 19% decreased risk of crash-related injuries compared to dark-colored motorcycle helmets.
For more information on how the different colors of motorcycle helmets affect the rider’s safety on the road, I recommend checking out my article on “The best color for a motorcycle helmet“.
Least safe helmet color for a black motorcycle
After comparing the data from 1223 riders and adjusting for confounding factors, experts have concluded that the most unsafe motorcycle helmet color was black, followed closely by blue motorcycle helmets.
White motorcycle helmets were associated with 24% reduced risk compared to black motorcycle helmets.
For more information, check out the article mentioned above.
Best motorcycle helmet color for a black motorcycle in terms of aesthetics
In terms of aesthetics, the best color for a helmet for a black motorcycle will depend on the personal preferences of the rider. Often white, black, red, and silver motorcycle helmets are considered the most aesthetic in combination with a black motorcycle.
- A matching black helmet can complete black motorcycles really well. Black is one of the most popular colors for both motorcycles and cars because it looks luxurious and has been associated with power, wealth, success, confidence, and ambition. If the ride is looking for more of a complete look, a black helmet on a black motorcycle can defiantly achieve that.
- A white helmet can make for a good contrast between the black motorcycle. White is often associated with elegance, purity, and perfection.
- Silver (or gray) is another very light color and can be seen as something fairly futuristic and elegant.
- Red is one of the colors that goes extremely well with black. Red is often associated with ambition, aggressiveness, impulsiveness. Red is a very dynamic and sensual color.
Silver, red, orange, yellow, green, or blue can also combine well with black motorcycles—especially if it already has elements in various colors. These colors work especially well if they are very vibrant and bright compared to dull colors.
Is helmet color important if you have a black motorcycle?
The motorcycle helmet color may be important if you are riding a black motorcycle. Not only are some motorcycle helmets associated with higher crash-related risk, but black motorcycles may potentially be harder to spot, further increasing the crash-related risk.
One study aimed to find out if car color affected safety and general crash risk. In the study, 17 different colors were investigated, and it was concluded that the white color is the safest color compared to other colors like blue, black, red, blue, and silver, and gray.
Although that study was aimed at cars, there is no reason to dismiss it completely.
Another study found no correlation between crash-related injuries and the frontal color of a motorcycle. This may be caused by the fact that a smaller portion of the motorcycle can be observed from the front, which often is in predominantly darker colors.
However, the study did not take a look at whether there was any correlation with the side color of the motorcycles, where more of their color can be observed.
For more in-depth information, I recommend checking out my article on “What the safest color for a motorcycle is“.
If were continue discussing the topic under the assumption that black motorcycles may be harder to spot in general and that black motorcycle helmets have associated with higher crash-related risk, this means that the combination of riding a black motorcycle with a black helmet can only increase the odds of crash-related risk.
Is it important what helmet color you get for a black motorcycle?
The most important thing is to wear a high-quality motorcycle helmet that has passed the relevant safety certifications. The color of the helmet also matters because white helmets and other brightly colored helmets are considered safer.
However, regardless of the color of your motorcycle helmet, the most important thing is that it should offer certain levels of protection, and compromises with its quality should never be made.
Investing in a high-quality motorcycle helmet is worth it, but not all expensive motorcycle helmets are created equal. For more information, check my article on “Are expensive motorcycle helmets worth it?”, where I go into more detail about the different things you should know about expensive motorcycle helmets.
Overall the color of your motorcycle helmet may matter more than previously expected, but the ultimate decision lies in you and your personal preferences.
Meet Simon, the 46-year-old aficionado behind YourMotoBro. With a lifelong passion ignited by motocross dreams and a Canadian Tire bicycle, Simon’s journey has been nothing short of extraordinary. From coaching underwater hockey to mastering muddy terrains, he’s an authority in thrill and adventure. Certified as an Off-Road Vehicle Excursion Guide and trained in Wilderness First Aid, Simon’s love for bikes is as diverse as his collection—from a robust BMW GSA R1200 to the memories of a Harley Davidson Night Train. By day a respected telephony consultant, by night a motorcycle maestro, Simon’s tales are a blend of expertise, resilience, and undying passion. ?️✨
