When you spend all your time driving new cars, you get kind of spoiled with features and amenities. From backup cameras and GPS->ke2857 to voice-controlled radio and more, driving a new car is pretty great. All that technology->ke2857 can make driving easier, but it can also be very distracting. A new company called Skully has created an advanced motorcycle helmet->ke3361 that adds all those features into your head protection, but is that setup going to make riders safer, or will it be more distracting and dangerous, especially for new riders?

As a new rider who just bought my first motorcycle, I am excited by the idea of having all my favorite amenities available to me when I’m only using two wheels instead of four, but will having so much visual and aural stimulation cause me to pay less attention than I should?

I am obviously not an expert on the subject, but I have a few thoughts. I was hoping that you, the wonderful readers of TopSpeed could help me out. Is this helmet a good idea or not?

Read on to find out what I like and what worries me about the Skully AR-1

If you are unfamiliar with Skully or the AR-1 this video should help clear things up. Basically, this company has combined a display and Bluetooth voice controls into a helmet. That screen is fed data via a an internet connected cellular phone. You can get GPS data, control your favorite audio programs and even make calls without ever letting go of the handles. It sounds amazing. Skully has also fitted a rearview camera into the helmet display so you can always see what’s behind you without turning your head.

It sounds like the most brilliant invention of all time.

As I stated earlier I am a completely new and inexperienced rider. Seeing that I can have all my usual niceties that I enjoy in my four-wheeled modes of transportation makes me pay attention. But then I think about the one thing that every rider tells me, “it’s not if you will lay the bike down, it’s when.”

When those words drift into my brain, I start to think that having a heads-up display and music controls and all the other gizmos are a terrible idea. I think they may distract me from the task of keeping the shiny side up on my new motorcycle. There is, of course, the simple truth that your bike will go where your eyes go, so having a rearview camera that eliminated me having to turn my head to see what is around me sounds good.

There are so many pros, but thanks to my inexperience there are what seem to be lots of potential cons as well. I am reaching out to you guys. What do you think about my predicament? Aside from the surely outrageous cost of the AR-1, would these types of features and additions make it easier for a new rider? Will the extra stimulation and distraction make it harder to learn to ride well? I am looking for all the info I can get.

Sound off in those comments, and help out a newbie. I know we are supposed to be the experts, but this time I need your help.