#6d

Congratulations. You’ve made the decision to go to a trackday (or even a race). We think that’s one of the best decisions you can make with your motorcycle. Not only is track riding fun and addictive, but it’s also a great environment to improve your skills. But there’s a lot to do to get ready, like getting all your gear in order. Most important, of course, is your helmet.

Just like anything else, motorcycles are continually evolving and getting lighter, faster and more powerful with each passing year. Despite improvements to how well bikes handle and perform, having an accident and crashing is always a looming threat that can never be eliminated, only mitigated – especially off-road. Fortunately for us riders, there are engineers working hard to keep our heads and bodies as safe as possible so we can continue to enjoy riding motorcycles – both on- and off-road – with confidence in knowing that we have the best chance in decreasing the amount of damage a potential crash can cause.

My experience with the 6D ATS-1R started at WSBK weekend at Laguna Seca where I bumped into Bob Weber, who I worked with 20 years ago at Petersen Publishing. Since then he’s gone on to become one of the cofounders and the CEO of 6D Helmets. Bob asked me if I’d seen the latest version to the ATS-1, and I sheepishly admitted that I didn’t know it had been updated. I knew that Tom Roderick had really liked the original 6D ATS-1 back in 2016 when he tested it, but that was all I knew. 

6D, the helmet manufacturer who made a name for itself by re-writing the rules when it comes to helmet design and rider safety, has introduced arguably the most advanced youth helmet on the market today – the ATR-2Y.

It’s not Thanksgiving yet but Revzilla’s Black Friday deal is already live, with savings from 20-50% on a variety of products. We’ve highlighted some of the deals that caught our eyes below, including a selection of Dainese gear, but you can see the  full list of Black Friday sales on Revzilla.

Innovation, whether it be the motorcycle I’m riding or the gear I’m wearing, always piques my interest. I remember the introduction of 6D’s Omni-Directional Suspension (ODS) technology in MX helmets at the now defunct Dealer Expo show in 2013, and to now see it realized in a street-legal helmet a few years later satisfies my progressive inclinations.  

If the technologies driving motorcycle components progressed at the same rate as motorcycle helmet technology we’d still be riding around on drum brakes. Where’s the motorcycle helmet equivalent of cutting-edge technologies such TC, C-ABS or semi-active suspension? The general construction of motorcycle helmets hasn’t changed much since leather lids became passé: a hard outer shell, impact-absorbing EPS (expanded polystyrene) liner, comfort padding. Helmets are certainly lighter, quieter, more comfortable and safer than their bygone counterparts, but I would have argued 20 years ago that the features touted by failed helmet company start-up, Skully, would have been commonplace by now.