10 Best Motorcycle Helmets
The best motorcycle helmet can be the difference between life and death, but some helmets are far more effective than others. Finding the best motorcycle helmet can be a daunting task. It is inherently the most intimate and most important piece of riding gear you can get.
Motorcycle helmets come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and styles, and have been developed specifically to satisfy even the most obscure riding requirements. Gone are the days when you simply had to choose which size and color you wanted. With technology, style, and safety pushing the boundaries of helmet technology it has never been a better time to upgrade your lid.
The best motorcycle helmet is the single most important piece of gear that you will buy for yourself and/or your loved ones. You will ride many miles, and you will smile many smiles on your motorcycle, but both will be amplified even further if they are done in a helmet that fits your budget, fits your needs, and most importantly, fits your head.
From high-end race helmets to basic old-school throwbacks, when it comes to wearing a helmet, the fit is the all-important factor. With a range of head shapes and styles, find what works for you.
What Are the Best Motorcycle Helmets?
Arai XD4 helmet
The Arai XD4 is renowned for being one of the best motorcycle helmets on the market. It achieves a Snell safety rating.
The XD4 incorporates all of the great qualities found in Arai’s other helmets including the comfort liner and cheek pads that feature 5mm peel-away pads allowing riders to tailor the fit.
The shell of this motorcycle helmet is aerodynamically tuned and, in concert with the removable floating peak, funnels air into the redesigned vents, improving overall ventilation and mitigating buffeting at speed.
The XD-4 is the motorcycle helmet of choice for many hardcore motorcycle enthusiasts and sets an industry standard for comfort, quality, and safety.
Dry-Cool technology keeps you dry and cool for greater comfort. Improved shell shape for better aerodynamic stability at higher street speeds.
Exhaust ports are added to the top diffuser vents and the chain vent has more intake ports. Larger sculpted side cowl vents improve ventilation. A great choice when it comes to the best motorcycle helmet.
Shoei Full Face Helmet
It is a lighter, more compact, streamlined helmet with advanced functionality. The SHOEI’s RF-1200 has evolved the pursuit of perfection to an all-new level. It comes with a compact, lightweight, and aerodynamic design. An important feature of the best motorcycle helmet.
SHOEI utilizes its broad wealth of knowledge, state-of-the-art wind tunnel facility, proprietary materials, and the industry’s most stringent quality assurance practices to develop this helmet.
Visor mechanism, ventilation, aerodynamics, and noise level – every aspect of a Shoei full-face helmet is intelligently designed down to the last detail and optimized for the demands of daily use on the road.
Shoei helmets are also regarded as unbeatable when it comes to protection in the event of an accident: an extremely strong shell and a multi-layer shock-absorbing core ensure optimal impact protection.
This helmet from Shoei is the product of the unyielding pursuit of perfection. A great choice when it comes to the best motorcycle helmet.
Bell Rougue Half Size helmet
The Bell rogue half-size helmet has a Lightweight composite shell comprising 3 shell and EPS sizes for a personalized fit.
It has a removable/washable interior with convenient speaker pockets for easy communication in the device’s set-up.
The shell is made of fiberglass composite. It has a durable and adjustable liner. Fid Lock magnetic connection allows for easy connection and removal. Stainless steel D-rings and metal badges
The Rogue has the look of a half-helmet yet gives you the added protection and comfort of a full helmet, and the adjustable and removable muzzle protects your face from road debris and weather while looking completely bad-ass.
The lightweight composite shell and speaker-compatible liner provide superior riding comfort and convenience. This motorcycle helmet gives riders all the features of similar touring helmets while retaining an edgy and stylish look.
This helmet boasts an Industry-leading Five-year warranty, a great plus when it comes to choosing the best motorcycle helmet.
Bell Street Motorcycle Helmet
Bell has never stopped innovating and has recently been among the first to implement technology to combat the rotational forces associated with impacts at speed in many of their helmets – features such as MIPS and the proprietary Flex technology used in the Moto-9 Flex series.
Bell was also one of the first to use photochromic face shields that react to light to darken the tint in bright sunlight.
Bell is unique in its ability to juxtapose its storied history seamlessly with modern design. The helmet possesses optimized aerodynamics using Bell’s state-of-the-art wind tunnel, the Bell Star’s aerodynamics have been fine-tuned with advanced riding simulations.
Bell also has a knack for keeping a finger on the pulse of their target customer, continually ahead of the curve in their helmet design and graphic styles. Working with some of the best artists in the biz such as Roland Sands.
6 EPS and 5 shell sizes allow a more proportional fit and improved performance, especially at high speeds.
Scorpion EXO Covert Unisex Helmet
It starts off strong with a tune-able ventilation system. It also has a no-frills drop-down sun visor system. One pull on a tab lowers the shades then pushing the same tab retracts them; it couldn’t be easier.
Snapping in a rear bottom sleeve transforms your lid into a 3/4 helmet and helps to muffle some of the cries from the exhaust. Notwithstanding the extra coverage, Scorpion’s Kwikwick liner channels heat and humidity up to the ventilation ducts to be piped out the back. You’ll be cool as a cucumber.
Attaching the front mask shields your pretty face from bugs and debris as you ride. It also has a SpeedView internal tinted sun visor with EverClear fog coating. It has an easily removable front mask with neodymium magnets included.
If you want to traverse the world on your motorcycle without risking your life, the ScorpionExo Covert Helmet provides the necessary protection. It has the right oomph to it and gives you the protection and strength that you are looking for.
Add to it the fact that it’s one of the better-looking helmets by ScorpionExo, and you have a winner when it comes to the best motorcycle helmet.
Bell Broozer Helmet
It has an aggressive styling in open-face or full-face configuration which is ready to go toe to toe with whatever preconceptions you have about motor helmets.
A lightweight polycarbonate/ABS shell helps dissipate energy in a crash. A drop-down shield seamlessly flips up and down to cover your eyes to protect against road debris and the sun.
Special spaces along the temples lets you wear your prescription eyeglasses or regular sunglasses comfortably. Slip into this helmet no matter what you ride.
It has Anti-fog, anti-scratch UV-protected integrated drop-down shield. The shell is Lightweight Polycarbonate/ABS.
Adjustable slider vents on the shell and chin bar ensure adequate aeration to curb high temperatures. A padded chin strap with quick-release ratchet buckle and a Padded chin strap with a quick-release ratchet buckle makes putting on and off a breeze.
LS2 Helmets Full Face
The unisex helmet can be worn by both sexes with equal comfort. The LS2 helmets have a lot of choices to offer for you–their full face coverage range in seven pioneering colors, namely grey, orange and black, etc.– are the definition of elegance.
The shell of the helmet comes in three sizes to make the riding experience as comfortable and secure as possible.
It also comes with a built-in sunscreen to protect your eyes from direct, harmful sun rays.
The LS2 company envisions to make bike rides secure by giving the helmets a dual-density safety liner which helps in effective energy absorption.
The helmet weighs barely 3.3 pounds. The helmet further comes with inner padding which is made of soft, breathable, hypoallergenic, and technical fabric. The inner lining can be easily removed and washed as many times as you wish so it will always give it a fresh feel.
LS2 comes with an innovative Quick System Technology which makes it easier to get out of your helmet or squeeze in it when the riding gets tough. Also, the emergency release system comes with cheek pads. The LS2 is another great choice for those considering the best motorcycle helmet.
Bell Qualifier DLX Blackout
It has a padded wind collar that drastically reduces wind and road noise. The interior is moisture-wicking and removable for washing purposes.
The helmet has an adjustable ventilation system for both cooling and comfort. It has contoured cheek pads which include the chin curtain and breath deflector
The Bell Qualifier DLX Blackout raises the performance or value quotient to exceptional new levels. From the aggressive and aerodynamic shell to the exclusive Click-Release shield system, the Qualifier comes packed with many features that come directly from Bell’s industry-leading Star.
Adjustable slider vents on the shell and chin bar ensure adequate aeration to curb high temperatures. A padded chin strap with a quick-release ratchet buckle and a Padded chin strap with a quick-release ratchet buckle.
GDM Full Face Helmet
The helmet sports a much-in-demand matte black look with a charcoal finish to protect the paint. With its 5-point ventilation system, you will feel comfortable and fresh, even when you head out on long journeys.
The helmet is available in different sizes, so finding the perfect size will never be a problem for you. It is a highly functional helmet with aesthetically pleasing tinted, drop-down visors that give you an enhanced vision like some of the other popular helmets in the market.
The removable and washable liner and pads are made up of anti-microbial nylon and the helmet comes with a carrying bag that is made of velvet to ensure that it remains well-protected when it is not busy taking care of you.
It weighs 4.9 pounds, making it a relatively lightweight helmet. The helmet is made up of advanced lightweight composite poly-alloy and the shell has a much more popular aerodynamic design. The helmet exceeds the DOT FMVSS-218 safety standard.
ILM Full Face Motorcycle Helmet
It comes loaded with some great features, the fact that it’s available at a lower price compared to other competing full-face helmets give buyers the impression that the helmet may not be on par with its competitors, but they couldn’t be more wrong. ILM is definitely a great choice of the best motorcycle helmet.
The helmet is great and looks excellent in matte black. It has two vents at the top, both vents open to increase airflow inside, which was a nice surprise.
This model features an advanced, durable, lightweight ABS shell, and a quick-release strap clasp that’s a much better alternative compared to models that use a basic D-ring strap system that can be difficult to adjust and tighten.
It comes equipped with vents located throughout the design, which keeps the rider cool, especially if you’re riding around during hot weather. Most full-face helmets have a reputation for causing the rider to sweat, especially when compared to half helmets, which allow you to enjoy the feel of the air on your face. But the full-face helmet provides top-of-the-line protection, so the hotter interior is often worth it when it comes to your safety.
While this helmet won’t keep you as cool as an open-face helmet, the vents definitely help. But the vents will also increase wind noise inside the helmet, which can make it difficult to hear music or GPS directions if you’re using a helmet communication system.
An added advantage is the wide range of colors available. The ability to choose from seven color options allows you to select a model that matches your bike and works for your style. You’ll have a total of eleven color options to choose from.
What Are the Safest Motorcycle Helmets?
To find out what are the safest motorcycle helmets, we need to ask ourselves a few questions? There are some criteria that the safest motorcycle helmet should fulfill to earn that title. These are:
Fit
When it comes to the best motorcycle helmet, the fit is vital.
Wrap a tape measure around the top of your head, about 1 inch above your eyebrows. This will give you an accurate estimate of the circumference of the largest part of your head.
Check your head measurement against a helmet sizing chart and select the size closest to your head’s circumference. Remember: a helmet will never precisely match the size of your head.
Features
There are two sides to consider here; aesthetic features-to do with appearance and performance features. Some companies incorporate additional features that work to improve the degree of protection and performance.
The best helmets that these features appear on most are the ones that provide more coverage. They have more features because they offer a different range of performance by design.
These features may include a ventilating system to help increase the air flow in the helmet and keep the rider dry or anti-microbial liners that keep out bacteria for an odor-free ride.
Aesthetic features can be found in basically every type and style of helmet. It may take the form of custom graphics, a Bluetooth speaker system, or a removal neck skirt.
Reliability
Motorcycle riders are 27 times more likely to die in collisions than other drivers. These accidents cost the United States billions of dollars each year due to productivity loss and medical expenses.
A proper helmet can reduce your risk of death by approximately 37% and reduce your risk of sustaining a brain injury by nearly 67%, which is why some states have enacted partial or universal helmet laws.
Style
There are five main styles when it comes to the best motorcycle helmet:
full-face helmet, off-road helmet, modular helmet, open face helmets, and half helmets. All of these perform their core function in a different way designed to fit the needs of the individual.
Full-faced helmets offer the most protection as they encompass the whole face and head region. The very best helmets offer complete protection from physical impact. Half helmets have the advantage of not impairing vision. Helmets fully isolate the rider from noises and distractions leaving them to solely focus on the task at hand.
The importance of getting the best motorcycle helmet for you cannot be overstated. We’ve got your back!