8 Best Open-Face Motorcycle Helmets For 2021/2022!

Open-face motorcycle helmets have a huge market of their own, regardless of them being inferior in protective qualities compared to full-face or modular motorcycle helmets. After all, many city riders go with their motorbike to work or just do their daily chores. Naturally, these riders will respect open-face helmets the most. But, even if you are not in such a demographic, we have created a list of the best open-face motorcycle helmets for the 2021/2022 seasons!

Before we delve deep into each individual helmet on our list, here is a quick breakdown table of all the best picks!

Without further ado, let’s begin with our breakdown of the best open-face helmets on the market!

1) Shoei J-Cruise II – Most Feature-Rich Open-Face Helmet

Shoei J-Cruise II is one of the best open-face motorcycle helmets for the 2021 and 2022 seasons due to its variety of features. Let’s take a quick dive into its main advantages and disadvantages!

Shell, Weight & Safety

First of all, the J-Cruise II has a fiberglass shell made with Shoei’s signature Advanced Integrated Matrix technique. That makes it both durable and lightweight at 1,37 kg (3,02 pounds). It also comes with the DOT safety certificate.

Ventilation

We had to put the J-Cruise II on the top of the list as it is undoubtedly the best-ventilated open-face helmet out there. It has 3 vents:

• Two vents on the either side of the brow
• Large middle vent

Basically, all the air coming from underneath the visor will get filtered out through the multi-density EPS connected to the aforementioned vents. This makes the helmet exceptional during the summer months, but keep in mind that the noise levels will be higher due to this vent scheme.

Check out more Shoei helmet reviews!

Vision

The visor of this open-face motorcycle helmet comes with a lip at the bottom for wind resistance and aerodynamics improvement. Also, this CJ-2 face shield is 100% optically correct and is Pinlock-ready. Sadly, the Pinlock lens doesn’t come in the package, so you need to buy them later.

Also, there is an integrated drop-down sun visor to help you out during those sunny days!

Comfort

When it comes to comfort, the J-Cruise II is a touring-style helmet, so it is only suitable for the 3D Max-Dry liner to be comfy like on its full-face cousins. It also comes with speaker cutouts, so you can easily install a Bluetooth headset.

Summary

Overall, if looking for one of the best open-face motorcycle helmets, the Shoei J-Cruise II will impress you if you are a touring rider and are looking for something that is both comfortable and relatively protective. It isn’t the best looker but is one of the best feature-wise, for the price of $550/£396.

2) Arai Ram-X – Safest Open-Face Helmet

If you look for the premium open-face helmet with touring qualities, look no further than Arai Ram-X. The company behind it is known for premium-quality motorcycle helmets, and the Ram-X is easily one of the best open-face helmets of 2021/2022 if you regard safety.

Shell, Weight & Safety

Its shell is made from fiber laminate and weighs 1,52 kg (3,35 kg). This shell feels quite aerodynamic, as it will cut through the wind when facing forward and stay steady when turning your head. Maybe that’s why this open-face motorcycle helmet has Snell M2020 and DOT safety ratings!

Vision

Another main selling point of the Arai Ram-X is its super-wide face shield system – the Vas-Z. An interesting touch here is the Pro Shade System – a sunshade visor installed on top of the clear face shield. That is a clear solution for all those who hate when the inner sun visor hits your noses!

With a dual-pivot system, we would expect smooth installation and replacement of these two shields. But, Arai is known for making fiddly face shields, and it certainly shows here. It’s pretty tough to replace its face shield due to difficulties snapping the pivot points.

Ventilation

When it comes to the ventilation aspect, the Ram-X is clearly inspired by Arai’s Corsair-X helmet. There are three large intake vents at the top of the shell and are very easily actuated. The same can be said for the two exhaust vents.

Comfort

The Ram-X also feels quite comfortable, thanks to the multi-density inner liner. Well, the only gripe we have here is that the cheek pads are a real hassle to take off. However, the other parts of the liner are pretty easy to remove and provide high comfort.

Summary

With Arai Ram-X, you can take the safety of a modular motorcycle helmet and transfer it to the open-face helmet. So, if you value safety the most, don’t think any further, and pick up the Arai Ram-X helmet for $700/£506.

3) LS2 Spitfire – Best Budget Open-Face Helmet

Being priced at the $110/£80 price mark, this modern take on the classic bobber helmet aesthetic turns out to be one of the best open-face motorcycle helmets of the 2021/2022 seasons!

Shell, Weight & Safety

LS2 Spitfire has a thermoplastic shell that is surprisingly lightweight at 1,2 kg (2,65 pounds). Yes, its shell won’t win any awards for safety, but it suffices to say that the Spitfire has DOT and ECE safety ratings under its belt.

Vision

When it comes to the visibility aspect, LS2 Spitfire diverges from the previous two entries on our best open-face helmets for the 2021/2022 seasons list. That’s because this helmet has only the sun visor and no clear face shield.

Here are more LS2 helmet reviews!

Basically, this is an optically correct drop-down sun visor actuated with two tabs on its bottom. Sadly, there is only the shaded version, which means this visor will be useless for night rides.

Ventilation

Being an open-face motorcycle helmet without a face shield, LS2 Spitfire gives out lots of ventilation by default. Still, there is only a large vent behind the sun visor opening, with four large channels connected to the EPS. When you pull down the sun visor, the vents will be covered, and there will be less airflow altogether.

Comfort

When it comes to the comfort aspect, LS2 Spitfire excels with its removable and washable comfort liner. It comes with speaker pockets, and keep in mind that it takes a bit of time for the cheek pads to fit in nicely.

Summary

Overall, LS2 Spitfire doesn’t come with its faults, but you can understand that judged by its sub-$150 price mark. Unfortunately, it doesn’t come any better than this for this particular price range!

4) Scorpion EXO Belfast – Best Open-Face Retro Helmet

Most open-face helmets are synonymous with vintage and minimalistic styling. If you desire such an open-face helmet, it might be hard to filter through all the below-average ones and find the right one for your head. Well, Scorpion EXO Belfast is hands-down, the best open-face motorcycle helmet when it comes to retro vibes!

Shell, Weight & Safety

First of all, the shell of the Belfast is made of fiberglass material. This makes it very lightweight at just 1,19 kg (2,62 pounds). However, its safety is a bit questionable, as it only has the DOT safety rating.

Vision

While the Scorpion EXO Belfast lacks the clear face shield, it does come with a retractable sun visor. It features a dark tint, which means it will block out the sun rays during the day but will be useless during night rides. So basically, there is no fly and insect protection during the night.

Check out more Scorpion helmet reviews!

Ventilation

When it comes to ventilation, Scorpion didn’t really add any vents, and that’s okay. After all, this is an open-face motorcycle helmet; it ventilates pretty well during the summer months.

Comfort

It seems Scorpion put more focus on the looks of the EXO Belfast. It sports that old-school bobblehead look and comes with different color schemes to boot. So you can be a good ol’ Hell’s Angel or sport your individual colors with this one.

Further contributing to the looks of the EXO Belfast is its hand-stitched plush interior with leather accents. Also, it comes with Scorpion’s signature Kwikfit cheek pads that are extra comfy and can accommodate glasses. Overall, the EXO Belfast is great when it comes to comfort, as its liner removes the pressure points, especially on your temples.

Summary

Overall, for a $200/£144 package, we think the Scorpion EXO Belfast deserves the spot on our list of best open-face helmets of 2021/2022!

5) Schuberth M1 Pro – Best Modern Open-Face Helmet

Last but not least is the best open-face helmet from Schuberth – the M1 Pro. It is a lovely blend of high-quality build, great safety, and a modern design. If looking for an awesome open-face helmet for touring, the Schuberth M1 Pro might just be the one for you!

Shell, Weight & Safety

Schuberth M1 Pro has a fiberglass shell made with proprietary Direct Fiber Processing technique. It weighs 1,45 kg (3,20 pounds), which is suitable for an open-face motorcycle helmet. This helmet comes with an ECE 22.05 safety rating, by the way.

Vision

When it comes to the visibility aspect of the M1 Pro, Schuberth pleasantly surprises. First up, we have the Optical Class I clear face shield with two detents and an easy replacement procedure that requires no tools. It is Pinlock-ready, but you will need to buy the Pinlock insert separately.

Along with the clear face shield, there is an internal sun visor actuated with a slide mechanism on the bottom left part of the helmet. It’s a great feature, especially because it doesn’t go down as low to hit your nose.

Ventilation

The ventilation scheme of the Schuberth M1 Pro is also fairly nice. There is an actuated top vent that provides airflow to the crown of your head. In addition, the EPS layer just further helps promote airflow over your head, even though there are no cut channels in the EPS. Keep in mind that this vent scheme reduces noise, which will be most felt if you ride with a full-fairing.

Comfort

The interior of this helmet is also pretty well made. Its cheek pads have speaker and microphone cutouts for easy Bluetooth headset installation. Along with the cheek pads, five other interior pieces promote comfort. If you have an intermediate oval head shape, the Schuberth M1 Pro will be one of the most comfortable open-face helmets out there!

Summary

In summary, Schuberth M1 Pro is a great all-rounded touring open-face helmet that is extra comfortable for long rides. Well, that’s why it’s situated at the $500/£361, but in our opinion, it’s worth the price!

6) Arai Classic-V – Runner-Up For Safest Open-Face Motorcycle Helmet

Here is another open-face motorcycle helmet from Arai – the Classic-V! It’s very similar in its construction to premium full-face Arai models. Hence, the Arai Classic-V is the open-face helmet to look for if you value more safety in your open-face motorcycle helmet!

Shell, Weight & Safety

This is a fiberglass open-face motorcycle helmet that weighs only 1,2 kg (2,65 pounds). The Classic-V has DOT and Snell safety ratings, which essentially means it will protect your head like a full-face lid, as long as you don’t hit anything with your face.

Vision

While there is no included face shield or goggles for the Arai Classic-V helmet, there are five studs on the peak of the helmet that can accommodate a face shield or goggles. Almost any goggles will fit on the Classic-V due to its accommodating shape.

When it comes to face shields, you can easily fit in shields from any other brand and just roll with them.

Ventilation

Compared to most other open-face helmets, it’s a surprise to see some hidden vents on the Arai Classic-V. There are three intake vents just below the peak of the helmet that will flow air through the EPS liner, finishing up with the exhaust vents near the neck roll.

This vent scheme is great for ventilation during scorching hot days, but not such during winter days. Well, who rides with an open-face lid during winter anyways?

Comfort

Inside the helmet, there are removable cheek pads, but you can’t remove the top part of the inner liner. Still, the whole interior fabric is antimicrobial, and you can wash the cheek pads. Also, the helmet is pretty comfortable for even the longer rides, and bonus points for its styling – you won’t look like a bobblehead with the Classic-V!

Summary

Overall, Arai Classic-V is a great open-face motorcycle helmet if you’re looking for superb safety and retro styling. It’s certainly not the best feature package, especially when you consider its $470/£344 price tag. Still, you are paying for long-term quality and expert craftsmanship here.

7) Bell Custom 500 – Runner-Up For Best Retro Open-Face Motorcycle Helmet

Bell Custom 500 enters our list of best open-face motorcycle helmets for the 2021 and 2022 seasons due to its awesome retro styling. Essentially, this is a remake of their old open-face lids from the 1960s. How does this remake fare in the modern age?

Shell, Weight & Safety

The shell of the Bell Custom 500 is made of fiberglass composite, and the overall helmet weighs only 1,3 kg (2,8 pounds). As this is first and foremost a low-profile helmet, there are no reliable safety ratings for Bell Custom 500. Well, the focus with this open-face lid isn’t on safety, after all.

Vision

You won’t get a clear face shield or goggles included with the Bell Custom 500. Although, you can find some pretty nice snap-on retro bubble shields for this particular helmet that will improve the riding experience greatly.

Ventilation

Just like any other old-school open-face motorcycle helmet, Bell didn’t bother to add any additional vents to the Custom 500. Supposedly they did this to preserve that low-profile feel to the overall helmet. So, the only venting you’re going to get with the Custom 500 will be the wind blazing in your face and cheeks.

Also, as this lid comes with no goggles or a face shield from the get-go, you can only imagine that it’s quite a loud helmet.

Comfort

Bell Custom 500 has a medium oval shape, which fits most of the riders out there. The inner liner is made of fake leather but does a good job of making it look like the retro helmets from the 1960s. Having fake leather is nice as you cut down on maintenance time for genuine leather.

What is more peculiar is that the comfort liner isn’t removable, so you will need to wash it inside the helmet. Clunky at best.

Summary

Overall, the Bell Custom 500 doesn’t really hit too many goals when it comes to the overall feature package. But, if you’re a city rider who wants something that looks amazingly retro, few come close to the Bell Custom 500. And, if you manage to snatch some additional accessories, it becomes a worthwhile open-face motorcycle helmet at the $126/£92 price tag!

8) Sena Savage – Most Unique Open-Face Motorcycle Helmet

Sena is a well-known motorcycle Bluetooth headset brand, but they also make some motorcycle helmets. The Savage is probably the most unique open-face helmet out there as it already comes with a built-in Bluetooth headset and is a pretty decent helmet on its own.

Shell, Weight & Safety

Sena Savage is a fiberglass motorcycle helmet that weighs only 1,1 kg (2,4 pounds), which is lighter than your average open-face helmet. It also comes with the ECE and DOT safety ratings, so it’s pretty safe as it can be for an open-face helmet.

Vision

You don’t get any kind of visor for the Sena Savage, but it does come with a long and short peak in the box, which is a nice addition. Savage does have that classic three-stud peak construction, so you can buy an additional face shield from any other brand easily.

Ventilation

There are no vents on the Sena Savage helmet to take note of. All the ventilation you’re going to get will be in your face, which should be good for spring and summer, but ride this in other months, and you will feel extra cold.

Comfort

As long as your head is medium oval, you will feel pretty comfortable with the Sena Savage. Keep in mind that the comfort liner is a bit basic, but it is fully removable and washable. Also, if you wear large glasses, this helmet can push the top of the glasses, as the Savage sits quite low on your head.

Bluetooth Headset Features

The Savage has the Bluetooth headset fully integrated, with all the wires, speakers, and the headset itself. It’s very similar to the Sena 10S headset, which is pretty entry-level at this point, with no Mesh or Bluetooth 5.1 tech.

Looking for the best motorcycle Bluetooth headsets out there? We have a handy Bluetooth motorcycle headset guide for you!

Savage supports 4 riders in one intercom connection and works on Bluetooth 4.1. Its range is 1 mile (1,61 km) in ideal conditions. You can also connect to your phone, listen to music, or take and proceed calls.

Summary

Overall, Sena Savage is a formidable open-face motorcycle helmet, with quite a safe and comfortable structure, all coupled with an integrated Bluetooth headset that works pretty well. All this in one package that costs $300/£219, and that makes it an entry on our best open-face helmets of 2021/2022 list!

Best Open-Face Helmets For 2021/2022 Seasons In Photos!

Let’s check out some killer photos of the best open-face helmets from our list!

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Closing Words

Now that you know the best open-face helmets for the 2021/2022 seasons, what would be the best out of the bunch?

We will go with the Shoei J-Cruise II if you want an all-rounder open-face helmet. It’s fairly lightweight, has a fiberglass shell, nice ventilation, and awesome visibility. This helmet is equally good for city rides and touring rides. And, it doesn’t cost that much when you consider how much value you get with it!

If you liked this list, make sure to check out our individual motorcycle helmet reviews to find the motorcycle helmet that has the best balance of features and price for your budget!