An experimental method for measuring the under-helmet force distribution on the headform in a helmeted drop test has been developed. This work supports the research in developing a skull fracture criterion for motorcycle helmets. The current Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) 218 for motorcycle helmets is a generalized safety standard based on acceleration peaks and dwell times. FMVSS 218 uses a rigid headform mounted with a unidirectional accelerometer for conducting helmeted drop tests at a specified height. However, the biomechanical basis of FMVSS 218 is not known. Recent work has validated a linear skull fracture criterion (SFC) based on skull strain correlation with fracture data, with the skull strain computed using an anthropomorphic finite element model simulating the head impact process (Vander Vorst, et al. 2003, 2004 AAAM). A direct application of the strain-based SFC to motorcycle helmets will require the simulation of the helmeted head impact, which will be impractical since it requires the modeling of the helmet. However, if the under-helmet load distribution on the headform can be measured during the FMVSS 218 test and used as inputs to the finite element model, skull strain can be computed. This approach preserves the FMVSS 218 test procedure without the need to model the helmet. A method has been developed to measure the force distribution on the headform using an array of Tekscan’s FlexiForce pressure sensors attached to the FMVSS 218 headform. FlexiForce sensors have high accuracy for measuring the normal load;​ however, they are subjected to shear-induced errors. A technique has been developed to minimize the shear error seen by FlexiForce sensors, giving an accurate force-history profile over the entire headform. Data validating the FlexiForce sensor performance on the headform are presented. An algorithm for mapping the FlexiForce data as pressure contours on the headform for finite element model simulations was developed and preliminary finite element model simulations using helmeted headform drop test data as inputs were conducted.