Motorcycle Helmets | Full & Open Face

When I started in motorcycles in the 1970s, Bell helmets were the big deal. My first street helmet was a Bell Star. You saw Bells on motocrossers, street racers, and all over the road. Sometime in the '80s and '90s, Bell helmets lost their luster ...

Cretin: (noun) a stupid, obtuse, or mentally defective person.

That may just say enough about the designer of the Icon Alliance SSR Speed Cretin Helmet. This helmet is (in my humble opinion) just plain ugly, gaudy, and obnoxious. I know I'm not the target market… not by about ...

Wow! Do they still make these? A traditional, no frills, no nonsense dirt helmet?

The HJC CL-X5N solid helmet is refreshing in its simplicity. This helmet doesn't pretend to be anything but a well-built off-road helmet. Rest assured, in the case of this helmet, simple does not mean low ...

I think I have seen more -- umm -- interesting helmet designs in the last year than in any year previous. The Nolan Trilogy N43 fits firmly into this "interesting" design category. Nolan claims that the N43 is a "6-in-1 crossover helmet". This basically ...

I recently reviewed the Arai Corsair V for SpotMotorcycles. As one would expect, I gave it high marks. Here is a helmet that I am even more excited about: the Arai RX-Q. Arai describes it as a "Corsair V for the street".

Simply put, Arai has ...

When you buy a new helmet, you typically get only the standard clear shield. Most riders like the look and shading features of tinted and mirrored shields, so both helmet-makers and the aftermarket offer a myriad of shield options.

The HJC HJ-09 face shields are offered in several ...

This is a strange-looking helmet. I am all for new technology, but the Vemar CKQI Bluetooth Helmet is a real departure. So what is it? Let me try to explain.

As the name suggests, this helmet incorporates a Bluetooth intercom and communications system. I will ...

I have owned an HJC "AC" series helmet, and was quite pleased with it. I only sold it because I changed motorcycle colors (lame reason, I know). According to HJC, the "FS" series is the replacement of that quality AC line.

The HJC FS-15 Carbon Helmet is ...

Many touring and cruiser riders prefer an open-face helmet over the full-face variety. The open-face design allows a less obstructed view of the road and motorcycle, and is much more convenient when off the motorcycle. The down-side is that an open-face helmet leaves the rider's face ...

Joe Rocket is a well-known and respected manufacturer of motorcycle jackets, pants, boots, and riding suits. Aside from a name that will inspire an occasional, good-natured verbal jab from riding buddies, I have found Joe Rocket gear to be well-made and functional.

On the other hand, when I think ...

For years, the Shoei Syncrotec Helmet has been a favorite of the touring and adventure-touring segments of the motorcycling world. It is a solid and functional flip-up (a.k.a. modular) helmet. There is little doubt that the helmet that has replaced the Syncrotec will become a favorite as ...

Today we're talking versatility. Dual sport motorcycles like the Kawasaki KLR 650 and adventure touring motorcycles like the BMW GS are versatile. They eat up chunks of pavement like a street bike yet have the ability to take on the dirt as well. The riders of ...

If you are looking for a cheap helmet, stop reading now. The Arai Corsair V is the most expensive helmet I've reviewed for SpotMotorcycles. However, if you are looking for an ultra-premium helmet that involves no performance or quality compromises, read on.

Let's first look at aerodynamics. The ...

Because they are such a hot item right now, I've been reviewing a lot of "new concept" helmets. I've looked at modulars, convertibles, and crossovers. Marketing lingo aside, the basic concept is to offer a helmet that adapts to different riding conditions and different riding styles. ...

Revolutionary. This new Shark Evoline Absolute Helmet is certainly that. It's hard to know where to start. I guess it makes sense to start with the helmet's most striking feature: the patented Tech-Move System Chinstrap. The chin bar unlocks, moves to a back ...

If it is good enough for Valentino Rossi, it's good enough for me. OK, so I don't know what model AGV helmet the MotoGP road race champion wears, but I do know he trusts his noggin to the Italian helmet manufacturer.

The Stealth Razor helmet is a premium helmet that ...

I am intrigued by flip-up helmets. I don't feel safe in anything but full face protection, but I'd love to be able to leave a helmet on and still talk to a cashier or another rider. However, there are some concerns -- maybe unfounded -- with the ...

As an avid dual sport rider, I have always felt the choice of helmet for this kind of riding is a bit of a conundrum. Should I wear a full-on dirt helmet and goggles? Sometimes this is the perfect set up -- especially in slower, dustier off-road ...

Let's start with the technical features of the Fox Racing V3 Latinese motocross helmet. Most importantly, it is Snell and DOT certified. The shell is constructed of carbon fiber, Kevlar, and fiberglass. These are the premium materials for modern helmet construction. Fox Racing knows dirt ...

I have always felt that there are two areas where a motorcyclist simply cannot cut financial corners. One is tires, and the other is helmets. My experience with helmets is relatively extensive. I buy a new helmet every three years. However, I always seem to ...

The KBC Ed Hardy "Death or Glory" Nomad brings me a weird kind of joy. The Ed Hardy tattoo designs, which don't shirk their responsibility of transmitting a certain disregard for an under-lived life, give this helmet an uncompromising look.

This particular model of the Nomad is in no way subtle, ...

Hawk helmets have been doing creative acrobatics with their helmet designs. The Advance green and white helmet takes the broad tapering stripes that have been the fashion in decals since, well, as long as I've seen full face helmets with decals. A little twist and they've added a strong, almost typographical art ...

Flames or no, as winter approaches, beanies look cold. I realize that not everyone riding through this broad expanse of land, traced with the veins of well traveled roads, is about to end their riding season. For those of you who enjoy ridable weather year-round, I understand if you want ...

Every class of machine comes with its own style that works its way into accessories or bits of ride-specific apparel. Although there is always crossover, you can see trends. Sport machines have lots of color, sharp angles, and are composed of numerous synthetic materials. Cruisers have leather, black, red, curves, chrome, ...

In the summer months, it isn't hard to find a parking lot populated with motorcycles. Most of them have helmets dangling from the handlebars like low hanging fruit. Some less scrupulous individuals can bring in quite a bit of cash by harvesting unsecured helmets. And, while many bikes come with integrated ...

I wish I'd found out about this helmet decal kit a couple months ago. I spent an hour cutting strips of reflective tape to put together a halfway decent pattern on my own helmet.

I realized that, in the dark of night, drivers could see the spot of my tail light and nothing ...

The Suomy Vandal Bayliss Limited is Suomy's new entry-level helmet designed for sport riders, sport tourers, and "urban riders", whatever that might mean. The Vandal features the same features found in Soumy's top-shelf premium helmets such as an ultra-luxurious liner with special "anti-nap" fabric the provides comfort, durability and hypoallergenic qualities. ...

The DOT half helmet seems like a wise-ass invention. It's like saying, "I'll protect my head, but only enough so I don't get pulled over." That's not the only way to look at it, but I find it to be the most amusing way to look at it.

Nolan's Cruise half helmet, ...

Full-face helmets are not for everyone. The claustrophobic, for instance, might find them restrictive. Heck, I find them restrictive and I'm one of their most avid defenders. I'm inclined toward the half helmets for their style and the wind-in-your-face experience. Scorpion's Spitfire is a nice compromise if you're ever feeling ...

Helmet technology is booming. And in every aspect from weight to functionality to features to the bottom line (or ‘head' of the list, maybe)-safety. The Akuma Phantom MFR is another of these on the leading edge of technical design.

Start with the carbon fiber shell, very light and very strong. ...

This is one ambitiously innovative helmet. Advertised as a modular, it'd also be easy to label as a convertible because it can be altered from a full-face helmet to a half helmet. The French company Shark is relatively new to the U.S. market, but they'll definitely draw attention to themselves with ...

Helmet branding is important. My natural inclination is to reject branding due to its relevance to status, which is a bunch of bull in my opinion. Branding, however, has function beyond that superficial stuff. It's a way to know that you're getting a good product without having to conduct crash tests in your ...

I don't tend to wear sunglasses. After breaking pair after pair and losing the ones I didn't break, I just gave up on it. So, I'm left in a bit of a pinch when the sun is near the horizon. Having a tinted shield for day riding frees you from even ...

The AGV Miglia (Italian for "miles") is a modular helmet that comes with some surprisingly good features. If you've been considering a modular but didn't want to pay the investment price of some of the upper-end models, the Miglia brings high quality to a very affordable range.

At a fairly light 3 ...

I'm going to get right into the AGV S4 specs, because it's an impressive list.

The shell is constructed with carbon Kevlar fiber stratification and high resistance and absorption thermoplastic resins. The composite fibers keep it light but strong. To ensure this brain cage fits, the rider has the selection of ...

It may be that I just look in all the right places, but Vox helmets seem to be on sale all the time. They are perpetually discounted, so even if you think you're buying a $300 helmet, you end up spending $100. This makes me wonder why they don't just lower ...

Where I grew up there were miles and miles of woodlands with ill-tended 2-tracks snaking throughout them. You could ride off into the forest and not see another human for hours. Most popular sports involved guns, and most popular clothing was camouflage.

Many of THH's helmets are designed with flaming skulls and ...

Old tech is cheap, so there are a few manufacturers of helmets who decided to take what works and sell, sell, sell. Like everything today, your cutting-edge helmet is going to be old news in a few weeks, so saving your pennies might be smart.

Cyber helmets are not at the cutting ...

HJC has been the best-selling helmet brand in the US for years. I don't know if they will hold that title for 2009, but I would guess it likely, considering the quality they deliver for prices that make you nod. The cost of their helmets is not ridiculously, quality-questioningly good, but ...

Nolan makes some of the most aerodynamic helmets, including the Outlaw full-face model, which is surprising as they still have a stabilizing spoiler. Spoilers often lead to greater wind resistance and noise, but Nolan's engineering has gotten around those pitfalls with their unique polycarbonate shell. Even though it's a modular, it's ...

My brother-in-law has a really big head. I'm not kidding around; he has trouble finding hats. My sister, on the other hand, has a small head. It seems wrong that, despite the extreme difference in cranium size, they end up with the same shell size when they buy helmets. ...

Helmets come in all sorts of styles and variations: full face, open face, half helmet, dirt, and street. Heck, you can even buy a suction cup Mohawk to attach to your lid if you so desire.

HJC's A-3 Carbon Fiber Open Face helmet is their cream-of-the-crop open face helmet. The ...

The Shoei Na Company has been making helmets for motorcyclists since 1958. Their newest off-road offering is the VFX-W, introduced in 2008 and bringing some new designs for 2009. While a top-quality helmet with unique features, you'll also pay for this uniqueness in the same ballpark as Arai or ...

My first riding helmet was a matte black shell without any kind of symbol or emblem aside from the DOT sticker. After a while, I cut a few designs out of reflective tape and decorated its plain exterior. One of my riding buddies told me later that the ...

This helmet is what I call a blank canvas. The matte black TZ-R by Shoei is as simple as they come in appearance and will happily take your stickers, reflectors, paint, or whatever else you want to use to personalize it.

While the exterior is plain-jane, the inside carries a long history of ...

Shoei's X-11 Kiyonari helmet graphics are aggressive and uncompromising, which might be just the attitude you want on the road. We do, after all, have to ride more defensively than any cager. Our reflexes must be sharp and our actions bold.

While I can deal with any differences of opinion on the graphics of ...

If inexpensive modulars make you nervous, this isn't the helmet for you. If, however, you don't have the cash for a top of the line helmet and you still want something to keep your skull intact, the VOX helmet will do the trick. Realistically, we only need a helmet for ...

We've talked about modular helmets, otherwise known as flip-up helmets, in the past -- and you have a lot of options to choose from. The reasons to buy a modular are obvious: the protection of a full-face helmet with the accessibility of an open-face helmet. But the reasons to buy the Shoei ...

As your speed increases, small mistakes can turn into big mistakes. It's amazing how quickly a tiny error becomes a catastrophe. If you're running at race speeds, you don't want to be looking down at your speedometer just to impress yourself with how fast you can go, because in that split ...

I wear a full face helmet for the protection, noise reduction, and the look. Yes, I think full face helmets are better looking than skullcaps. You'll certainly stay better-looking if you happen to find your face heading for the pavement. Should you want to get yourself a fine full face ...