When you ride a machine on two wheels, safety comes first. ‘Prevention is always better than cure’. So it’s always better to wear a helmet while you ride a motorcycle to protect your head from injuries. ‘If you are brain dead, you are dead’. Always protect your head by wearing a helmet while riding. Accidents occur without a warning. Do ride cautiously wearing proper safety gears because there is someone waiting for you at your home…!!

We, the ASSAM BIKERS went for a challenging winter ride named “RIDE THE HEIGHTS – Powered by CASTROL POWER1, A ride to survive the extremes of nature on motorcycles”, which was from Guwahati, Assam to Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh in January, 2014, during the coldest month of the year, when temperature falls down upto -20⁰C in Tawang. We covered a total distance of 1042 kms approx and accelerated to an altitude of 13700ft above sea level . We rode in all types of roads – off roads, dashing highways, steep hilly roads and on snow and black ice.  We needed a suitable helmet for safety, for riding in these varying and extreme conditions.

VEGA was our official safety partner for ‘Ride the Heights’. We were provided with 8 VEGA AXOR helmets for the 8 riders who went for this challenging ride. Though a few of the riders used VEGA helmets before, but for some riders, it was the first time VEGA experience. Secondly, We were the 1st ones to use this Helmet in Assam as it is not yet launched here.

The VEGA AXOR helmet that we used was a very good one. It was a tough one that meets international standards including DOT and ISI. It had a stylish and sporty look. As we were using this helmet for the first time, we felt a bit uneasy but we got used to it. It always happens when you wear a new helmet. The helmet had high-capacity intake head vents with sliders and provided with front vents to reduce fogging. The interior was detachable and washable. The cushioning and the padding was awesome. It was very soft, giving us comfort all the time. We also didn’t feel coldness on our ears while we rode on snow. The helmet fitted perfectly without any loose fitting. It’s better to wear a tight fit helmet.

The visor of the helmet was so clear that we didn’t had to put stress on our eyes while riding. Visibility was better than naked eyes through the visor. It was a tinted one and protected us from the bright sun. The most important thing we noticed about the visor is that the formation of mist was very less and negligible and it’s quite amazing that we could use it after sunset too. The lights from the upcoming vehicles after sunset didn’t get scattered at all. It gave us a better feeling while night riding. We enjoyed viewing the nature and not to forget the beautiful snow covered hills while we rode in snow. The visor was easily detachable. We could detach it and fit quickly when required.

Speaking about the aerodynamics of the helmet, we experienced the best helmet with perfect aerodynamics. Wind was never an obstacle for us. We didn’t get any force of wind on our heads while riding at top speeds. Thanks to the great engineering work.

We would prefer the visor to be more advanced with scratch proof. We had to handle the helmet with care to avoid the visor from scratches. We also suggest a better padding for spectacles users, as spectacles didn’t fit properly after we put on the helmet.

After all, it was the best helmet we ever used. We were proud to have the Vega Axor as our official Helmet. We specially thank VEGA for sponsoring us with the VEGA AXOR helmets. Cheers VEGA…!!!

Written by: Nilotpal Kalita on behalf of Ride The Heights Team

Photographer- Mayur Mahanta