Motocross Helmet Graphics: Designing for MX

A motocross helmet is a very different canvas from a road or car racing helmet. It has a peak, a long chin bar, a big goggle port and vents everywhere, and it spends its life covered in mud and roost. Graphics that work on MX helmets are designed around that shape and that abuse. This guide covers how to lay out MX graphics, whether to use a graphics kit or paint, and where to put your number.

Design for the MX shape

Start by thinking of an MX helmet as several separate surfaces rather than one smooth shell.

The peak

The peak is the most visible part of the helmet from the front and from above, and in photos of a rider on the bike it's often the biggest single area in shot. It's also a separate part that gets scuffed and replaced after crashes. Design it so it works on its own: a bold graphic, your number or a sponsor, with colours that tie into the shell. Avoid lines that have to match up exactly with the shell behind it, because a replacement peak or a slightly different mounting position will show the mismatch.

The chin bar

The long, angular chin bar is the second big front-facing surface. It's a natural place for a number, initials or a strong graphic shape that points forwards. Mouthpiece vents break it up, so keep text and fine detail off the vents.

The goggle port and brow

The goggle port takes a large bite out of the front of the helmet, and the goggle strap covers a band around the back. Don't put anything important where the strap sits: a name across the back of the shell at strap height will be hidden every time you ride.

The sides and back

The sides are long and fairly flat on most MX shells, which suits angular graphics, big blocks of colour and sponsor logos. The back is visible to riders behind you and to anyone watching from the side of the track; a number or name here is common.

What MX graphics usually look like

MX graphics have their own visual language, quite different from the stripes and swooshes of car racing helmets:

• Angular shapes. Sharp-edged panels, shards and blades that follow the helmet's angular lines.
• Bright, loud colours. Fluorescent yellow, orange, red and blue on white or black, often matched to the bike's plastics and the rider's kit.
• Layered detail. Textures, halftones, splatter and fine pattern fills behind the main shapes. These look good up close and still read as colour blocks from a distance.
• Sponsor placements. Logos on the peak, chin bar and sides, even on amateur helmets.

Matching your helmet to your bike, jersey and pants is common. If your kit is already colourful, pick its two main colours and use them on the helmet rather than adding new ones.

Mud is part of the design brief. A white helmet looks sharp in the pits and brown after the first moto. Darker bases and busy patterns hide dirt better; big flat areas of white or pale colour show it most.

Graphics kits versus paint

Most MX helmets get their look from vinyl graphics rather than paint. There are three common routes:

Kits are popular because MX helmets take a beating. Roost, crashes and pressure washing wear graphics quickly, and a vinyl kit can be peeled off and replaced. Kits are cut for specific helmet models, so make sure you order the right one, and expect some fiddly work around vents and tight curves.

Custom paint gives you complete freedom and a smoother finish, but it costs more and needs the same care as any helmet paint job. The shell and liner must be protected from solvents, labels must stay visible, and the manufacturer's guidance on painting should be followed. Read the guide to painting a real helmet before going down that route.

Either way, check that graphics don't cover the certification labels, block vents or interfere with the peak screws and any emergency release systems.

Where to put your number

Your bike's number plates are what officials use for scoring. A number on the helmet is about identification by friends, photographers and spectators, and about looking the part. The usual places are:

• The peak, either on top or on the front edge. Very visible from the front and in photos.
• The chin bar, on the sides or front. Visible head-on and from the side.
• The back of the shell, above the goggle strap. Visible to the riders behind you.
• The sides, often smaller, alongside your name.

Use the same font and colours as your number plates if you can, so the helmet and bike read as a set. A heavy, squared typeface with a contrasting outline survives mud and distance better than a thin or stylised one.

Planning MX graphics in 3D

The angular shape of an MX helmet makes it especially hard to judge from flat drawings. A shape that looks right on paper can be cut in half by the goggle port, hidden under the peak or broken up by vents. Working on a 3D model shows those problems before you order a kit or brief a painter.

In Helmet Designer, the off-road shell has the peak, long chin bar and goggle port modelled. You design on flat side, top, front and back views, and see each change on the 3D helmet as you make it. The motocross shell is free to design on and save. Share the link with whoever's producing your graphics, or use it as a reference when you choose a kit.

Design on the motocross shellPeak, chin bar and goggle port modelled, with a live 3D view.Open in the editor →

For colour choices that work on dirt, see choosing helmet colours. For more starting points, the helmet design ideas guide has 24 liveries to adapt, and the motocross helmet designer page has more on the MX shell.

Common questions