How I Test and Score Motorcycles and Helmets

Every review on this site comes from a video on my channel. This page explains what I actually do on those rides, what the Chase Score means, and what I don't test. Written by Chase Bueker.

First Rides (motorcycles)

A First Ride is one day on a bike I don't own. I ride the same kind of route every time so the bikes are comparable: city streets and stop-and-go, highway, and a timed 40 to 80 mph pull in the gear listed on the review. Each review notes the rider aids or power mode for the pull when they matter.

That pull is a single run on public roads. Traffic, wind, gearing and rider aids all change it, so treat it as a feel for the bike, not a lab number. When a run gets ruined, the review says so.

First Ride bikes are usually fresh off the dealer floor with very few miles, so things like brakes that haven't bedded in get called out as a limitation rather than counted as a flaw. A First Ride can't tell you about long-term reliability, maintenance costs or real fuel economy. If a review doesn't list those, I didn't measure them.

I'm 5 foot 10 with a 32-inch inseam. Comments about reach, seat height and flat-footing are from that body.

Bikes I own

When I review my own bike (like my 2019 Yamaha MT-10) or compare a new bike against one I own (like my 2024 Ténéré 700), the page lists the mods and the approximate mileage so you know what you're comparing against.

Helmet reviews

Size. I ask for a Medium, which is my standard review size, so helmets are compared on the same head.
Riding. Each helmet gets real street riding at city and highway speeds. The review lists the bike when I've recorded it. Most of my helmet riding is on a naked bike, which puts more wind on the helmet than a bike with a fairing would.
Noise. I'm not a scientist and I don't publish decibel readings. I put one microphone near my ear and one near my mouth, ride at city and highway speeds, and put that raw audio in the video so you can hear it yourself. The noise score is my judgment from riding, compared against every other helmet I've worn.
Glasses. I try helmets with sunglasses and say how the arms fit. Your frames may fit differently than mine, so treat it as a guide.
Comms and motovlogging. I install my Cardo and my camera mount and mic setup, and score how well that goes.
Weight. Unless a review says "Weighed by me," the helmet weight is the manufacturer's listed figure, usually for a Medium.

What I don't test: crash protection

I ride helmets. I don't crash-test them, and nothing about comfort, noise or fit tells you how a helmet protects your head in a crash. For that, look at the certifications the helmet carries in your market and at independent programs that test impact performance.

When a review lists a certification, I check it against an appropriate source where I can, like Snell's active certified-helmet list, and say when I checked it. Certifications can differ by market and by version of the same helmet, so always confirm the label on the helmet you actually buy.

The Chase Score

Every First Ride and helmet review ends with a Chase Score out of 100. It's ten categories, each scored 0 to 10, added together.

Motorcycles. The Ride: throttle response, agility, brakes, acceleration, suspension. Usability: comfort, tech, ease of use, versatility, fun for the money.
Helmets. Comfort and fit, ventilation, noise, visibility, weight, comms setup, motovlog setup, features, value for money, durability and build.

Tiers: 90 and up is Elite, 75 and up is Great, 60 and up is Good, 45 and up is Meh, and under 45 is Skip. The score on a review page is the score I give on camera. If I ever change a score after the video, the page says so. It's one rider's score, built for comparing bikes and helmets I've ridden against each other.

Specs

Spec tables use researched manufacturer figures, not the numbers I say on camera while riding. When I quote a manufacturer claim in the review, I say it's their claim.

What the evidence labels mean

The "How I Tested It" box on each review tags every line with one of these:

Our measurement: Something I timed, weighed or recorded myself on this test.
Rider impression: My opinion from riding it. Subjective, and it reflects my body, my head and my bike.
Test record: Plain facts about the test: which version, which size, who supplied it, odometer, route.
Ownership record: From my own long-term ownership of the bike or gear: miles, mods, what has held up.
Manufacturer spec: The maker's or importer's number or claim. I did not check it myself.
Third-party listing: A third-party source, like the Snell certified-helmet list, with the date I checked it.
Not measured: Something buyers ask about that I did not measure on this test. Shown so you know it's missing.

Disclosures

Loaned bikes. Most First Ride bikes are loaned to me by a dealer for the day. The dealer is named on the review.
Gear sent to me. Most helmets and gear I review are sent to me free, usually by the manufacturer. The review says who supplied it when I have that on record.
Video sponsors. Many of my videos have a sponsor segment. The sponsor is a separate company from the product being reviewed unless the video says otherwise.
Paid videos are tests, not reviews. When a brand pays for a dedicated video, I call it a test, never a review, and it doesn't get a Chase Score.
Affiliate links. Buy links on this site, like RevZilla links, are often affiliate links. If you buy through one I may earn a commission. It doesn't change your price.

Dates and updates

Each review shows when I tested the product. If I substantially change a written review later, like adding buyer questions, test details or corrections, the page shows an "Updated" date. Typo fixes don't count.