A helmet is the first piece of gear any new rider should be looking for. Even before you make the final purchase of your bike, it’s a good idea to have a helmet ready to go. That way you can get riding right away. Or, if you’re taking a motorcycle safety class to learn how to ride, you’ll likely need to bring your own helmet anyway
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Beginner Motorcycle Helmet Guide March 2021
Unlike a motorcycle itself, which can be catered toward riding styles and skill levels, motorcycle helmets are all trying to accomplish the same thing: to save your head in case of an accident.
What that means is there really aren’t “beginner” helmets per se, but there are good quality helmets that you can find at an entry-level price point. I totally understand that a new rider who just shelled out a few thousand dollars on a bike isn’t trying to shell out a few thousand more dollars on a helmet, jacket, gloves, boots, etc.
For that reason, I’ve compiled a list of the best “bang for the buck” helmets that will be perfect for any new rider looking to get on the road but also be well protected.
Let’s take a look at the best beginner motorcycle helmets.
Types of Motorcycle Helmets
The first thing a beginner rider should consider when looking for a helmet is what kind of riding are you going to be doing? On road? Off road? Touring? Commuting?
Second question, what kind of bike will you be riding? Someone with a large touring bike and a big windscreen might be completely find wearing a 3/4 face helmet, but a sport bike rider wouldn’t want one at all.
Top Full Face Beginner Motorcycle Helmets
Here is a list of the best beginner motorcycle helmets out there right now.
Bell Qualifier Helmet
The Bell Qualifier is easily one of the most popular beginner helmets and it’s obvious why: it’s so cheap! At just over $100 it’s a bargain of a helmet and likely the cheapest you will find of a major, reputable helmet manufacturer.
This helmet comes in a few different styles, but they are all based on the same basic Bell Qualifier helmet. It is DOT-approved, comes with an industry-leading five-year warranty and fits Bell’s transition lenses, which are a huge perk.
Scorpion EXO-R420 Helmet
The Scorpion EXO-R420 is another budget helmet that consistently gets great reviews and performs when you need it to.
Despite being a budget helmet, the EXO-R420 does have a few additional features that are usually only found in more expensive helmets.
First, this helmet is DOT-Approved and Snell M2015 rated, all for around $150. Many consider the Snell rating a more reliable and accurate measure of safety than the DOT system, so having this addition rating is a great feature.
Second, this helmet has emergency release cheek pads, which are helmet in the event of a crash should EMT have to remove your helmet quickly.
This is a great, comfortable helmet, and it’s probably the cheapest helmet out there with a Snell rating.