The Motorcycle Helmet Types They Fit Your Riding Style

Before considering the price range, brand, and color, the first step to the ownership of the helmet should be the choice of a type of cap. Not all helmets are equal, and specific designs serve specific purposes. There are six generally recognized types of motorcycle helmets, each with its purpose, advantages, and disadvantages. We’ve broken them down for you and listed their pros and cons as well as the type of driving they are ideal for getting you started.

Integral helmet

A full helmet is the type of cover that people usually think about when discussing motorcycles. It has the typical round, bobblehead-like profile and has been featured in some of the world’s most popular racing events, including the Isle of Man TT, MotoGP, and World Superbike. As the name suggests, a full helmet “covers the entire face”; or, we should say, the entire head. There is an opening in the neck (for mounting, of course) and one at eye level (to see, of course), protected by a retractable, transparent (clear or colored) viewfinder. Wrapping around the bottom of the visor is what we call the chin bar. It is the part of the shell that revolves around the rider’s chin and mouth. The bar and visors are particularly important parts given that, according to an Australian study, half of the head impact happens at the front of the helmet.

Modular Helmet

On some models, the chin bar and visor are fixed and raised as one piece. Usually, you can not raise the” face ” part of these headphones higher than the forehead. This is useful if you want all the full face protection while riding, but as is the versatility of opening the helmet during pit stops without having to remove it. If you are looking for a good hybrid up to three-quarters, look for a modular helmet that allows you to raise the chin bar separately from the viewfinder and turn it to the back of the head. This type of helmet is especially popular among adventurers and Tour riders, as it allows them to spend almost a whole day without having to put on the helmet and stop continuously.

Motocross Helmet

The motocross helmet is a variant of the full face designed to meet the specific needs of off-road and cross bike enthusiasts. Like the full face, the motocross helmet is a one-piece helmet with a hole to see your head through and a hole to look through. However, it has no viewfinder. Instead, it is designed to be paired with glasses that offer superior eye protection against obstacles and debris. The Shape of the chin bar is truncated and more easily wraps around the face. It also usually has a front component” mouthpiece ” covering the nose, usually equipped with massive air ventilation. This type of helmet also comes with a tip on the forehead that makes it look like a baseball hat that serves the same purpose—protecting the eyes from the sun.

Dual-Sport Helmet

The dual-sport helmet is a hybrid between the full-face helmet and motocross. The shape is similar to the motocross helmet, with an egg-shaped chin bar, large vents, a mouthguard and a sunspot at the top. However, it offers better insulation and sound insulation than the motocross helmet and comes with a retractable visor as a full-face model. That said, the face opening remains glasses-friendly when the rider wants to hit the trails. The tip is also more aerodynamic, so it can be used on the highway without creating resistance in the wind.

Three-quarter helmet (or open face)

The three-quarter helmet is what happens when you remove the chin bar from a full-face helmet. Structurally, a three-quarter helmet provides the same level of protection and insulation for the head (top, side and rear) as a full face, minus face protection. There is a wide range of three-quarter headsets on the market, whether you have a preference for a fully open face, prefer a visor, top, or both. Some models even come with a “face mask” – a kind of chin piece that can be removed. In more modern models, some three-quarter headsets also have lockable air vents at the top of the head. However, due to openwork designs, most classic silhouettes do not require holes to keep the head cool.

Half Helmet

The half helmet is the most minimalist type of helmet on the market and really only ensures the top of the head safety. This is the type of helmet that is perfect for those who kind of want protection but want to look randomly over it. Although they are usually DOT certified, brain buckets (such as half-helmets) are more about appearance than actual protection. They are the final step for riding without a helmet and can be used as a compromise for those who prefer rider al fresco but live in a state with mandatory helmet laws.