The Great Anonymity Of The Motorcycle Helmet

One of these riders is famous: acclaimed for their talents, mobbed by fans. But not today. Today they're standing next to an average citizen in broad daylight and no one can tell the difference. Motorcycling isn't like other hobbies. The gear we wear does more than shield our skin from abrasions. It cloaks us in anonymity. Lower the visor of your helmet and you're everyone and no one at the same time.

It's a privileged sanctuary, taken advantage of by actors and athletes, playboys and politicians. Even Valentino Rossi got in on the act, swapping his signature lid for a plain AGV as he rode around London, slicing past long lines of unsuspecting commuters.

Photos of celebrities with a motorcycle usually show them posing or riding with no helmet. But off the screen and away from cameras, many are passionate riders for the same reason you are. Because for that perfect slice of the day, they aren’t thinking about publicists, projects, or emails. Their minds aren’t wrapped up in mortgage payments or the noise in Washington. Just like you, they ride not for the sake of hiding but for the love of the feeling of controlling a machine, carving through corners, or otherwise enjoying the Zen moments that only come in the saddle of a motorcycle.

The anonymity that comes with it? That’s just a bonus.