Peon Maface Posted April 13, 2021 Share Posted April 13, 2021 Updated April, 2021 Here’s a dirty little secret: The typical motorcycle journalist rarely pays for a helmet, which is the reason we’re seldom seen with our heads shoved in anything less than the latest luxurious offerings from Shoei, Arai, AGV, etc. Were we doing this on our own dime, believe me, you’d be seeing us in a lot more of the helmets on this list. And truthfully, that wouldn’t be a bad thing. Though the expensive lids are definitely the Porsches and Mercedes-Benzes of the helmet world, we know from experience you can have just as much fun flogging a nice Mustang or last year’s Corvette. Maybe more, since you’re less concerned with scratching them up. What you’re paying for in the high-end stuff is exemplary fit-and-finish, top-shelf materials and graphics, prestige – and sometimes hand assembly by old-world craftsmen. That’s all great if you have $800 to drop on a helmet. But the number-one thing that defines a great helmet, in the end, is how it fits your head, and there are a surprising number of helmets in the sub-$200 category that will ensconce your skull very nearly as comfortably as the expensive imports. Well, they’re mostly imported also, often from places where labor is cheaper, but you get the picture. Buying a helmet is best done at a brick/mortar store where you can wear the thing for 10 or 15 minutes to see if your head begins to throb – and just about all bike shops still standing will match your online price if only you ask. If you’re buying online, be sure to check the return policy of the seller. Then there’s the whole safety component of the thing, of course, but every helmet here carries at least an official DOT (Dept. of Transportation) sticker that means it’s passed USA safety tests. Some take it further by going above and beyond to meet the voluntary (and controversial) SNELL standard: It’s really going to be up to the consumer to decide which safety standard they’re compatible with. Anyway, with no further ado: Table of Contents Vemar Sharki – $199 AGV K1 – $180 LS2 Breaker – $120 HJC IS-17 – $160 Icon Airmada – $150 FLY Sentinel – $125 Speed and Strength SS5100 – $145 Biltwell Gringo – $175 Scorpion EXO-R710 – $166 Vemar Sharki – $199 Okay, your paint and graphics aren’t up to Shoei/Arai standards, but again, not that far behind at all given the huge price difference – and one of the things that keeps the price down is there’s really only this one design in the Matt Black/Yellow “Hive” seen here, or Matt Black/Orange or Matt Black/Gray. The Sharki is a modular, which means the whole faceshield and chinbar flips open – a style we’ve come to love, and it comes with a retractable interior dark visor as well. This is my first Vemar, but it’s not Vemar’s first rodeo by any means. They’ve been at it since 1975 in Tuscany, Italy, though the helmet is made in China; you can read all about Vemar’s history here. In addition to the mandatory DOT sticker, every Vemar helmet is engineered to Europe’s ECE-22.05 standard. MO Tested: Vemar Sharki Helmet Review Head shape: Intermediate Oval Sizes: XS to XXL Safety Standards: DOT, ECE Shop Now AGV K1 – $180 AGV’s latest entry level helmet takes its aero shape, ventilation, and spoiler directly from the wind-tunnel tested Corsa R and Pista GP R worn by Valentino himself. The shell and spoiler are said to provide aerodynamic stability at speed, while five front vents and two rear extractors, ah, extract hot air as you ride, which leads AGV to claim league-leading ventilation for this lid. A fully removable and washable 3D inner liner and cheek pads made of Dry-Lex fabrics keeps the interior comfy and cleanish. Two shells sizes cover everybody from XS to 2XL. For a few dollars more, the K1 is available in a bunch of highly stimulating graphic treatments. Head shape: Intermediate Oval Sizes: XS, SM, MS, ML, LG, XL, 2XL Safety Standards: DOT, ECE Shop Now LS2 Breaker – $120 The LS2 Breaker helmet brings a host of features at a great price point. Three different sizes of its Kinetic Polymer Alloy shell keep it light, and a wide eye port increases peripheral vision. To keep things cool the Breaker has two closable air vents up front and one open vent in the rear. LS2 uses its Fog Fighter shield on the Breaker to prevent fogging, and the helmet also includes a drop down sun visor. A nice feature not found on many helmets regardless of price point is the quick-release ratchet closure system which allows you to get the helmet fastened or removed quicker than using the typical D-rings. The Breaker comes in a host of graphics, all of which are available for well under $200; that’s the Breaker Pinball Glow in the Dark shown. Head shape: Intermediate Oval Sizes: XXS, XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL, XXXL Safety Standards: DOT, ECE Shop Now HJC IS-17 – $160 The HJC IS-17 is another helmet that offers many features at a great price point. IS stands for Internal Sun visor and 17 is the predecessor to the IS-16, a straight-forward naming scheme once you know. The IS-17 uses two shell sizes to allow users a smaller shell for smaller sizes. Former editor Thomas Roderick, had the chance to review the IS-17 and found it to be a great helmet at its price. This helmet can be had in a bunch of different graphics for under $200, including the Arcus version pictured. If you can do without the internal sun shield, and are in the market for a lightweight, Snell-approved fiberglass-shelled lid, check out also the very popular FG-17, also a serious bargain from HJC under $200. HJC IS-17 Helmet Review Head shape: Intermediate Oval Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL Safety Standards: DOT Shop Now Icon Airmada – $150 If you have a longer head, you might want to try on the Icon Airmada for fit. This one’s been around for a while but has been recently overhauled with a new and better shield system. It’s come in plenty of wild graphics over the years. Wild is still available, but if you want to keep it under $200, you’ll be choosing black or white. The lightish polycarbonate shell comes in four sizes to provide a compact aerodynamic signature across a wide range of head sizes. Icon Airmada Volare Review Head shape: Long Oval Sizes: XXS, XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL, XXXL Safety Standards: DOT, ECE, SAI, SG Shop Now FLY Sentinel – $125 Off-road enthusiasts may be more familiar with the FLY brand, as the company has produced all sorts of off-road gear from helmets, to jerseys, pants, and gloves for quite some time. FLY not only produces street helmets but also entire lines of other street gear. The FLY Sentinel helmet is a good sub-$200 price point even including its four graphic styles. The helmet offers a drop-down sun visor, removable liner, easy-to-change shield, and six adjustable vents. Head shape: Intermediate Oval Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL Safety Standards: DOT, ECE Shop Now Speed and Strength SS5100 – $145 Taking design cues from race helmets, the Speed and Strength SS5100 Helmet offers a smooth aerodynamic experience thanks to the integrated rear spoiler. With a crown vent, two brow vents, chin vent and rear exhaust vents located at the base of the shell and integrated into the rear spoiler, the SS5100 flows air to keep you cool and comfortable. The SS5100 also features a dual-density EPS liner and removable and washable comfort liner. Head shape: Round Oval Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL Safety Standards: DOT Shop Now Biltwell Gringo – $175 Ah, the Bitlwell Gringo. The Gringo comes without a shield unlike its more expensive S compatriot. The Gringo is slightly rounded in its head shape. Biltwell helmets are fairly devoid of extra features, focusing more on the simple styling cues of days gone by, along with plenty of interesting color options for the Gringo, which makes them a favorite among the hipster set. Jon Langston reviewed the Gringo for MO a few years back, and that can be found here. Head shape: Round Oval Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL Safety Standards: DOT Shop Now Scorpion EXO-R710 – $166 The Snell-rated EXO-R710 uses a fiberglass/Aramid shell, which is generally a lighter way to build helmets compared to the more common polycarbonate found on helmets at this price range. The 710 boasts a removable liner, anti-fog shield, quick-release cheek pad system, pockets for communication system speakers, four vents up front with one in the rear, and three shell sizes to keep the helmet as light as possible. For only about $10 more, the R710 is available in a bunch of cool graphic designs. Bargain. Head shape: Intermediate Oval Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL, XXXL Safety Standards: DOT, Snell Shop Now We are committed to finding, researching, and recommending the best products. We earn commissions from purchases you make using the retail links in our product reviews. Learn more about how this works. Become a Motorcycle.com insider. Get the latest motorcycle news first by subscribing to our newsletter here. The post 10 Best Motorcycle Helmets Under $200 appeared first on Motorcycle.com. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Motorcyclefeed/~4/C8jM4LqZfhsSource Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catteeclan Posted April 14, 2021 Share Posted April 14, 2021 Bit strange calling a helmet "Breaker" 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slowlycatchymonkey Posted April 14, 2021 Share Posted April 14, 2021 59 minutes ago, Catteeclan said: Bit strange calling a helmet "Breaker" Not quite as bad as calling a motorbike clothing line ‘John Doe’ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tym Posted April 15, 2021 Share Posted April 15, 2021 No open faces!?! Pffft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skyrider Posted April 15, 2021 Share Posted April 15, 2021 On 14/04/2021 at 07:38, Slowlycatchymonkey said: Not quite as bad as calling a motorbike clothing line ‘John Doe’ sounds like a tractor 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tym Posted April 16, 2021 Share Posted April 16, 2021 12 hours ago, skyrider said: sounds like a tractor Oh Deere, i have one with a Kawasaki V-Twin, team green all the way buddy. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grasshopper Posted April 16, 2021 Share Posted April 16, 2021 8 hours ago, Tym said: Oh Deere, i have one with a Kawasaki V-Twin, team green all the way buddy. Seriously @Tym, is that your tractor? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XTreme Posted April 16, 2021 Share Posted April 16, 2021 5 minutes ago, Grasshopper's Ride said: Seriously @Tym, is that your tractor? Michelle never said that about your KLR! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grasshopper Posted April 16, 2021 Share Posted April 16, 2021 12 minutes ago, XTreme said: Michelle never said that about your KLR! Maybe not aloud.... Just quietly to myself.... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tym Posted April 17, 2021 Share Posted April 17, 2021 Need it to take care of whats left of Grandpa's poultry farm up the road a few miles @Grasshopper's Ride...when im done with Mum down here i;ll probably move everything up there, after who knows, never thought id live this long... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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