Types of Motorcycle Helmets Explained

“What kind of helmet should I get?” is really two questions: which type, and then which model within it. The type is the bigger decision, because it sets how much of your head is protected and how the helmet fits your riding. Here are the five main types, what each one does well, and the honest trade each one makes. Once you know your type, our rankings take you to the best models in it.

Full-face

The full-face is the most protective and most popular type: a single molded shell that fully encloses your head, with a fixed chin bar and a face shield. It protects the whole head including the chin and face — and the chin bar covers the region that takes the first hit in a large share of crashes. Full-faces are also the lightest and quietest type, with the best aerodynamics, and they span every price from budget to flagship. The only real “downside” is that you remove the whole helmet to talk, eat or cool off. For most riders, most of the time, a full-face is the right default. See the best full-face helmets.

Modular (flip-up)

A modular is a full-face whose chin bar and shield hinge upward, so you can flip the front open without taking the helmet off. That makes it the touring and commuting favorite: flip up at a gas stop, a toll booth or to talk to a passenger, then close it to ride. The trade is a little more weight and noise from the hinge mechanism, and a slightly higher price for equal shell quality. The best touring modulars are quiet and well-sealed enough to rival full-faces, and they’re the friendliest type for glasses wearers. Our full-face vs modular guide digs into the trade, and the modular ranking covers the models.

Adventure / dual-sport

An adventure (ADV) or dual-sport helmet is a full-face shell fitted with a peak (a sun visor brim) and designed to accept goggles, so it works on pavement and off-road. It’s built for riders who mix tarmac with gravel and trails. The trade is that the peak catches wind and can buffet at highway speed — the better ADV helmets are shaped to reduce that. Road-biased models are more comfortable on long tarmac stretches; lighter carbon lids suit more genuine dirt. See the best adventure helmets.

Open-face (three-quarter)

An open-face, or three-quarter helmet, covers the top, back and sides of your head but leaves the face and chin open — no chin bar. It’s popular with cruiser, scooter and cafe riders for its airy feel and classic look, and a DOT-certified open-face is legal for the street. The honest trade is significant: with no chin bar, the part of your head that most often strikes the ground in a fall is unprotected. Some riders accept that for the feel; it’s a real trade-off, not a free one. If you want the open feel with the option of protection, a modular that converts — or that you run with the chin up around town — is a middle path. We don’t rank uncertified open-face novelties.

Half helmet

The half helmet (or “brain bucket”) covers only the top of the head. It’s the least protective type by a wide margin, leaving the face, chin, ears and much of the skull exposed. A DOT-certified half helmet is street-legal, but many sold as fashion items aren’t certified at all. It’s chosen for the minimal, open feeling and the classic cruiser aesthetic. We’ll be blunt: it protects the least, and if you’re choosing one, choose a genuinely DOT-certified model and go in clear-eyed about the trade. Our cruiser roundup covers the certified full-face and modular options for riders who want the cruiser look with more protection.

Type first, then certification and fit

Pick the type that matches your riding and how much protection you want — then two things matter more than any brand or feature. First, certification: any helmet you buy should at minimum be DOT-certified, with ECE 22.06 or Snell as a plus. Second, fit: the best helmet of the right type is useless if it doesn’t fit your head, and a loose helmet is louder and less protective. Get the type, the certification and the fit right, and the specific model becomes a matter of features and budget — which is exactly what our rankings are there to sort out.