How SMK Became The World’s Largest Motorcycle Helmet Manufacturer

Great things can come from humble beginnings. As the proverb goes, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, and for SMK Helmets, that step took place back in 1972 in the family garage in India. Over the next 50 years, the company relied on passion and experience to become the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycle helmets, and today offers a premium line of helmets that ranges from sport to off-road and is sold worldwide.

“Our goal at SMK is to provide is to provide our riders with helmets that have the highest safety ratings and are built using the most advanced technology and materials currently available,” says Mr. Madhu Bhushan Khurana, Chairman at SMK. “We are passionate about creating the safest, most stylish, and best-fitting helmets in the market.”

STUDDS Accessories Ltd., is the parent company of SMK Helmets and the company’s journey began when two motorcycle-loving brothers encountered a lack of helmets at a motorcycle rally in India. They hand-produced their first helmet in their family garage, and dried the paint on the helmets using the family oven which Madhu, who had recently married, had received as a wedding gift, and his new wife, Chand, shaped and hand stitched the helmet liner. From that very first helmet, the company grew steadily, but their journey was not without setbacks. A fire destroyed their factory in 1979, just as the company was seeing considerable growth. However, instead of giving up, they persevered and rebuilt.

As luck would have it, the company received a boost in 1983, when helmet use was mandated in their home country of India. Subsequently in 1999, Sidharth, the next generation of the Khurana family entered the business with plans to take the company global incorporating new ideas and upgrading the manufacturing facilities. Since then the company has continued to grow, modernise and become a world leader in manufacturing and testing.

In 2015, STUDDS launched a new line of premium helmets for the global market, and SMK was born using the initials of the son and father – Sidharth and Madhu Khurana. SMK Helmets are designed to meet the demands of international customers while passing and surpassing safety standards for each region. The utilization of Italian design for the aesthetics, employing cutting edge engineering, processes and materials makes SMK helmets feature packed while looking stylish. With half a century of experience and a capacity of over 14 million helmets produced each year, STUDDS and SMK Helmets offer a premium product with class leading quality and safety, while at a price that surprises anyone who is not already familiar with the brand.

“When you choose SMK, you are choosing not just a helmet, but a legacy, a community, and a promise, says Sidhartha Khurana, SMK’s managing director.

One example of the value SMK offers is the SMK Titan Carbon is a full-face helmet featuring an outer shell made of Premium Carbon Composites Fiber Technology (PCFT) in a 12K weave , a wind slicing aerodynamic shape, multiple vents, and a dual visor system. The outer visor comes Pinlock© 70 ready and a Pinlock© 70 clear insert comes standard in the box in the US. A multi-density EPS with an energy absorption layer provides maximum impact protection while a removable, washable, hypoallergenic comfort liner that wicks moisture and is antistatic provides comfort for all day rides. When asked, most dealers and consumers guess the retail price of the Titan Carbon to be over $500.00; in reality, it retails for just under $300.00. With multiple graphics options available as well as a striking solid option that really showcases the 12K carbon fiber weave, this helmet is an eye-catching companion and is available from XS to 2XL sizes.

For the off-road enthusiasts the SMK Allterra was designed by the world’s most famous MX experts for off-road thrill-seekers and has a double shell constructed of EIRT (Energy Impact Resistant Thermoplastic) and is dual homologated DOT and ECE certification. The extra wide eye opening fits MX goggles well and provides an expansive field of view while a washable and removable hypoallergenic liner combined with multiple vents provide all day comfort. The Allterra is available in several graphics or solid colors and is available in sizes XS to 2XL.

There are a host of other helmet offerings from their SMK Retro Jet open face, to the SMK full face, dual homologated (DOT/ECE) Stellar that fits the sports category, with multiple graphics options available, a quick-release, Pinlock 70 visor, and multiple vents, and many other design and style options that offer a full range of looks, graphics, and styling, in exceptionally engineered helmets.

By utilizing their decades of experience and in-house manufacturing, SMK Helmets is able to provide these beautifully designed, premium quality helmets with safety as their first priority while at prices that won’t break the bank. Riders from beginner to advanced can appreciate the features, style, and variety that SMK Helmets provide. For those riders who may be getting back into the sport after a hiatus then safety, comfort, and value will always be high on the list of priorities.

After 50 years, the business is still run by the same family with high-tech factories and design facilities having replaced the garage and family stove. Three thousand skilled and passionate employees have joined the family and the company has broken out of their home market in India to serve over 55 countries around the world. From humble beginnings, indeed.

NOTE: This is sponsored content produced in partnership with SMK