2020-03-30_Bloomberg_Businessweek

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THEONE BloombergPursuits March 30, 2020

Hedon helmets are a stylish way to stay safe

on the road. Photograph by Janelle Jones

A Happy Place

It’s fitting that
motorcycle helmet
maker Hedon
takes its name
from the ancient
Greek hedonists,
who believed they
gained knowledge
by experiencing
pleasure through
the senses. This
sentiment—
the visceral
understanding of
speed, freedom, and
individuality—is
gospel to bikers.
Hedon makes all of
its shells by hand
from resin-saturated
carbon fibers and
fiberglass. The
open- or full-
faced options
(where the chin
is covered, as
in this $759
Heroine Racer)
are molded
piecemeal
and baked in
a proprietary
“autoclave machine,”
which cements their
signature form.

THE COMPETITION

• The Illinois-made
  Bell Bullitt ($420) is
  inspired by the Bell
  Star helmets that
  dominated off-road
  riding—and parking
  spots in front of
  street cafes—in the
  1960s and ’70s. It’s
  the go-to choice for
  low-profile style, with
  a leather interior
  and reliable, safe
  construction.
  
  
  • The Japanese
    company Arai
    has been making
    helmets since the
    1950s, earning
    respect for their
    edgy looks and
    technological
    functionality. In
    the Signet-X (from
    $680), massive air
    vents are so user-
    friendly they can be
    opened with gloved
    fingers.
    
    
    • For Harley-
      Davidson’s $425
      Vanocker J08
      modular helmet,
      ample venting at
      the top, mouth, and
      rear of the headgear
      combine with a
      moisture-wicking
      and washable liner.
      It’s slightly tinted for
      both day and night
      riding, with a bubble
      shield to increase
      visibility.
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  

THE CASE

Getting a handmade

motorcyclehelmet

offtherackis

almostunheard-of.

But that level of

customization

allows Hedon to

accurately match

its brain bucket to

your preferences.

On the outside,

the hand-painted

Heroine Racer, with

a glossy or matte

varnish, is trimmed

with metal hardware

and Spanish calfskin.

There are five colors

and tinted visors

available—this

option, metallic ash

and coffee haze,

looks smart for

either a man or a

woman. Ventilation

comes via three

channels across the

chin and three on the

forehead to prevent

fogging. And the

helmet possesses an

almost supernatural

lightness: A medium

size weighs

1,080 grams, or less

than 2.5 pounds.

(Sizing is determined

by measuring

your head in

inches, regardless

of gender.) The

helmet’s advanced

technology,

combined with its

classicmaterials,is

a pleasureindeed.

$759;hedon.com