These days, motorcycle helmets aren’t just prominent safety features, they’re stylish bike accessories that can be customized just as much as the bikes themselves. Many states and countries now have laws requiring motorcyclists to wear a helmet at all times when driving a bike, and many people in those places that don’t require laws still put on a helmet for safety reasons or otherwise. There’s certainly no specific type of helmet you have to buy, so below we’ll provide an informative breakdown of various motorcycle helmet options, allowing you to make an informed decision on what helmet will best suit your needs.

Various bike helmets are structured differently, so understanding these differences will help a rider make the right choice for him. Full face motorcycle helmets are the kind that cover the entire head, and often come with a tinted face shield over the main portion of the rider’s face. These helmets are particularly popular for users who do a lot of fast highway driving, as the face panel will block out bugs and other debris that may smack you in the face (and at 70mph, anything smacking you in the face, no matter how small, will hurt). Standard helmets remain popular as well, and certainly have old-school appeal to them, leaving the face free and open. Unless laws require you to go with one or the other, this choice really comes down to personal preference.

This may be the part that’s the most fun: picking out the look of the helmet. Many motorcycle enthusiasts like to alter their bike’s appearance, and their helmets are no different. You can go with a wide range of bold colors and even choose to use heavy detailing. Or you can go with a solid black or other toned down color, so that it’s your bike itself that grabs all of the attention from passersby.

Many helmets these days are also paired with extra accessories, of which the old-school types may be more averse. That’s fine for those who like the classic approach, but if you’re a new-school rider, you can find a plethora of accessory options available to you. LED light strips are great additional safety features, as they light up the back of a motorcycle helmet, making it clear in the dark that someone’s riding down the road on a bike (and that it’s not just a car with one dead headlight or tail light). Goggles are also popular accessories, and are often used by riders with open-faced helmets, to keep the eyes protected, as they’re your most important driving assets. Whether you go plain or add a bunch of accessories, make sure the add-ons best fit your needs and the appearance that you want to maintain on your bike.