It’s the mid-2021 season, a favorite time of the year for motorcycle riders to take out their machines on the roads. Even so, are you perhaps looking for a new motorcycle helmet or feel somewhat directionless when it comes to buying a new helmet? We have you covered with our comprehensive look at the best motorcycle helmets of 2021 and for the upcoming 2022 season.

Keep in mind that all of the helmets on this list were released in 2020 or 2021 and are the most modern helmets around. Also, these are mostly top-tier helmets, so be prepared to pay a hefty price for any of these. Still, the best is the best, and it’s time to meet all of them head-on!

If interested solely in modular helmets, we’ve prepared a list of best-rated modular motorcycle helmets for 2021/2022!

Before we break down our picks for the best motorcycle helmets for the 2021 and the upcoming 2022 season, here is a quick breakdown table of all of them!

Without further ado, let’s see what are our picks for the best motorcycle helmets for the 2021 and the upcoming 2022 season!

1) AGV K6 – Quietest Motorcycle Helmet

The pleasure of one of the best full-face motorcycle helmets released in 2021 goes to AGV K6. We’ve chosen this model because it’s one of the quietest motorcycle helmets on this list and is very comfortable to wear for longer periods.

First up, its shell construction is made of carbon and aramid combination. This makes it extra light at 2,95 pounds (1,33 kg). Along with that, it’s quite a safe helmet due to DOT and ECE certifications. Still, it doesn’t have a Snell safety rating, so it definitely isn’t fit for the race tracks. Also, the 5-layer EPS liner makes it much safer during a crash.

Another thing that makes AGV K6 stand out is the 4mm thick Pinlock-ready face shield. The visor comes with Pinlock in the box and has high UV protection to protect you from the sun rays. K6 also has one of the smallest face shield mechanisms when it comes to full-face helmets, making its operation and replacement effortless.

The ventilation scheme of the AGV K6 is a double-sided blade, though. It has three top vents, a pair of rear vents, and a small chin vent. These vents are extra small, which translates to less airflow. Still, this translates to dramatically less wind noise, making AGV K6 one of the quietest full-face helmets around.

If you’re interested in another high-quality AGV helmet, check out our AGV Pista GP RR review!

K6 feels quite comfortable due to its washable and fully removable inner lining. We also like the double D-ring chin strap, which further increases the comfort. Inside the helmet, there are cutouts for glasses and Bluetooth speaker cutouts for further feature expansion of this helmet. 

Overall, AGV K6 is most certainly the best mid-range full-face motorcycle helmet you can get in 2021. It’s durable, light, and, most importantly, one of the quietest helmets around. If you need to prepare for the 2022 season, this is one of the best motorcycle helmets to prepare with.

2) HJC F70 – Best Full-Face Motorcycle Helmet Under $300

Released at the twilight of 2020, HJC really impressed riders around the world with their F70 model. It’s certainly the best full-face lid you can get in the sub-$300 price range. However, what makes it land on our best motorcycle helmets to prepare for the 2021 and 2022 seasons is the sheer range of features you get for such a small price, all with relatively high quality.

First of all, the fiberglass composite shell really gives that high safety at 3 pounds and 7 ounces of weight (1,56 kg). It’s DOT and ECE certified, so it will be fit for most roads out there. Don’t go on the race tracks with this one, though.

HJC F70 has a surprisingly well-made clear face shield that is Pinlock-ready and has a well-made locking mechanism. There is a breath guard included, but Pinlock honestly does a better job of defogging, so you can remove the breath guard and enjoy higher visibility. The peripheral vision on the HJC F70 really surprised us too!

This helmet also features an internal sun visor to block out the sun rays further. It’s a great addition that will help you out greatly in those summer rides when the sun is too much to handle.

The ventilation system of HJC F70 is surprisingly top-notch. First up are the two active chin vents, which provide excellent face ventilation but make mounting an action camera pretty difficult. Then, two active top vents and a pair of passive rear vents promote airflow on your head. This makes for a nice aerodynamic design that also isn’t too loud, at least below the highway speeds.

HJC F70 also doesn’t feel cheap when it comes to its interior guts. The cheek pads have a nice contour to feel more comfortable, the inner liner has no pressure points, and there are also Bluetooth speaker cutouts below the cheek pads. These speaker cutouts feel a bit small, though. Also worth mentioning is that F70 might feel too snug at the beginning, but it certainly isn’t the most comfortable helmet around.

Overall, if you look for an affordable full-face helmet packed with features, choose HJC F70. This is a helmet for the long-term, and while it might not be the most comfortable for longer rides, it’s great for street rides or short city getaways. Hence, it’s one of the best motorcycle helmets to prepare for the 2022 season.

For a more detailed look, check out our HJC F70 helmet review!

3) Shark Evo-GT – Best Modular Motorcycle Helmet

When it comes to modular motorcycle helmets, few come close to the newly-released Shark Evo-GT. What makes it one of the best motorcycle helmets to prepare for the 2021 and 2022 seasons is the revamped chin bar that won’t hinder your safety when in open-face mode and the overall premium quality of the helmet.

When it comes to shell design, it’s made of thermoplastic material. Coupled with the multi-density EPS, it provides suitable protection. As this is a European helmet, it has only the ECE safety standard, along with a 4/5 rating on SHARP testing. It’s certainly not safe as full-face helmets, but it gets the job done. It also weighs 3 pounds and 11 ounces (1,68 kg), which is certainly not the lightest you can go with a modular helmet.

What we like here the most is the new Auto-up, Auto-down chin bar system that lifts up the visor automatically as you toggle the chin bar. This prevents the chin bar from scratching the visor and overall provides a more aerodynamic profile, as the chin bar lands on the rear of the helmet.

The clear face shield is 100% optically correct and comes with a pre-applied Pinlock to boost defogging capabilities. It’s really high-quality stuff. Removing or replacing the visor is a bit more complicated as you will need a screwdriver to do so, but the visor is so good that you will rarely need to replace it.

You won’t even need a tinted visor (at least for sun protection) as the Evo-GT comes with an inner sun visor. It’s perfect for boosting your overall visibility, but its actuator is clunkily placed on top of the helmet.

When it comes to the overall vent scheme of the Evo-GT, Shark has done a pretty good job of improving aerodynamic features and overall airflow. It has two actuated and glove-friendly top vents, a standard chin vent, and a huge rear vent. Evo-GT ventilates well and surprisingly keeps the wind noise at bay, making it stand beside the quietest modular motorcycle helmets like AGV Sportmodular and Shoei Neotec 2.

What further contributes to more noise isolation is the moisture-wicking and well-ventilated inner comfort liner. It also comes with cutouts for glasses and speaker cutouts too. The only gripe we have here is that the micrometric buckle doesn’t feel comfortable as the double D-ring chin strap. Still, the cheek pads and the inner liner feel very comfortable, and that matters the most.

Overall, if you’re looking for the best modular helmet when it comes to the feature package, few come close to the throne where Shark Evo-GT is sitting right now. Due to its great ventilation, it’s also considered the best summer motorcycle helmet.

For an in-depth look, check out our Shark Evo-GT review!

4) Shark Evojet – Best-Looking Modular Helmet

Shark excels in evolving its modular motorcycle helmets, and its Evojet helmet is an evolution of its overall styling and design. With this helmet on your head, you will look like a mix of Robocop and a Power Ranger, all within a reasonably priced package. If looking for the best-looking modular helmet on the market, the Evojet is the one to look out for.

Its shell is made of thermoplastic, which is a fairly standard deal for modular helmets. The multi-density EPS liner helps further with absorbing the shocks during an imminent fall. Unfortunately, this one didn’t release in the US yet, so it has only the ECE and SHARP safety ratings.

The Evojet is surprisingly light on weight when it comes to modular helmets, weighing only 3,2 pounds (around 1,45 kg). Like with the Evo-GT, the chin bar and visor are integrated, so when you pull up the chin bar with a button, both the visor and the chin bar will pop up. Mind you; this modular helmet doesn’t emphasize aerodynamic features like the Evo-GT, as the chin bar stays on the forehead area.

The large visor on the Evojet is probably its main selling point, which feels like those large visors on open-face helmets. When it comes to visibility clearance, Shark Evojet is pretty much the boss on this front. Unfortunately, you can’t open the visor via traditional means, as it opens only when you toggle the chin bar.

Its large face shield is optically correct and has an additional anti-fog coating, so there might not be a need for Pinlock here. In addition, the face shield has a quick-release mechanism, so it’s fairly easy to replace.

Shark has outfitted the Evojet with an inner sun visor, operated with an actuator behind the visor pivot. It features 95% UV protection, which is pretty standard for polycarb visors.

How does the Evojet perform from the ventilation standpoint? To keep the airflow up when in full-face configuration, there is an actuated chin vent, a single top vent, and a single rear vent. These all are very easy to actuate with a gloved hand and actually provide some decent airflow to the helmet. 

When it comes to noise levels, Evojet doesn’t do too much when it comes to isolating the wind noise. But most likely, you already have accepted that downside when looking for a modular motorcycle helmet.

Also, the Evojet is quite comfortable to wear. Like most other Shark modular helmets, it features a fully removable and washable inner comfort liner that will absorb sweat but won’t accumulate moisture over time. It also has cutouts for glasses if you prefer to ride with glasses. Additionally, it has Bluetooth speaker cutouts if you want to install a comm system inside.

Ultimately, Shark Evojet’s main selling features are its large face shield and futuristic styling, making it the best-looking modular helmet to get for the 2021 and 2022 seasons. While its wind noise might be high and the visor opening mechanism might take time to get used to, Evojet is a worthy addition to our list of best motorcycle helmets for the 2021 and 2022 seasons!

5) Shoei Glamster – Best Cafe Racer Helmet

We love Shoei Glamster, as it sports the retro cafe racer look, combined with the modern helmet technology that elevates it above your usual cafe racer helmets. Hence, it found a spot on our best motorcycle helmets for the 2021 and 2022 seasons list!

Its shell is the usual advanced integrated matrix fiberglass shell found in other newer Shoei helmets. It has ECE and SHARP ratings, which make it suitable for most roads. The dual-density EPS liner further increases the safety in case you crash your bike. We also love how lightweight this helmet is at 2,65 pounds (around 1,2 kg).

Despite using a retro-style visor, it’s fully Pinlock-ready which most retro riders would appreciate back in the day. The Pinlock insert is already featured in the box, which is great. The face shield provides nice clearance, and it’s fair to note that it isn’t a quick-release shield, so you will have to work more to replace it with a screwdriver. It also has a visor locking mechanism in the middle that is sometimes clunky to operate, as common with this locking mechanism style.

The ventilation of the Glamster could be a bit better, as the four chin vents, for example, are always open, whether you dig it or not. Good for summer rides, not so for colder seasons. The top vent is actuated, lets in a decent amount of air, and is directly connected to the cutouts in the EPS. One gripe we have is that there are only two small exhaust vents on the neck roll that just hinder the airflow to the back of your head. At least, this translates to less wind noise.

Shoei is a tough act to follow when it comes to comfort, and it shows with the Glamster. First up are the emergency-release 3D-molded cheek pads. The inner liner is fully removable and washable too. Sadly, there are no speaker or glasses cutouts, but that’s just a leftover from the retro styling.

Overall, if looking for a safe and absolutely catchy cafe racer helmet, the Shoei Glamster is certainly the best pick released in 2021.

6) Bell Star DLX MIPS – Best Street Bike Motorcycle Helmet

Bell has completely knocked it out of the park with their DLX MIPS helmet, making it one of the best motorcycle helmets to wear in the 2021 and 2022 seasons! What distinguishes it from most other helmets from this list is that it features a MIPS interior, which will provide top-tier safety for your head.

Let’s start with the construction of the Bell Star DLX MIPS. Its shell is made of aramid, carbon fiber, and fiberglass combination. It makes it lightweight at 3 pounds and 6 ounces (or 1,53 kg). Also, it meets the ECE safety rating and has a 5/5 rating on SHARP testing. 

The clear face shield will provide you a wide field of view with additional cutouts to improve the peripheral vision. It is 100% optically correct, too. Of course, the face shield comes with a Pinlock insert, and there is an included shaded variant of the face shield. Keep in mind that there are no tear-off posts on this helmet, making it less fit for the race track and better for upright, street bike rides.

How does the race track-oriented variant of this helmet perform? Check out our Bell Race Star Flex DLX review to find out!

When it comes to the ventilation scheme, there is a large actuated chin vent with 4 inlets, the actuator brow vent with 4 inlets, actuated top vent, and a rear spoiler vent. This vent scheme provides excellent airflow to the helmet, taking cues from the race variant of the helmet. In addition, the wind noise reduction is very close to the AGV K6, which means wind noise won’t be an issue until you hit highway speeds.

Now, where the Bell Star DLX MIPS absolutely excels is in its overall comfort. The X-Static XT2 inner liner is the absolute champ here, with glasses and Bluetooth speaker cutouts, anti-bacterial and washable properties, very comfortable cheek pads, and of course – the inclusion of MIPS. 

MIPS will protect you if this helmet hits something from an angle, thanks to the secondary EPS layer that allows the helmet to move and reduce the force to your head. It’s a thoughtful addition that increases the overall safety of the helmet.

While this is not a sport-oriented motorcycle helmet, it’s an absolute beast when it comes to street rides and naked bikes. It provided a sporty style, though, and coupled with the MIPS, you have one of the safest, if not the safest full-face motorcycle helmet.

7) Shoei RF-1400 – Most Comfortable Motorcycle Helmet

If comfort is your biggest factor in choosing a motorcycle helmet, the Shoei RF-1400 absolutely nails it. This helmet was released at the beginning of 2021 as a successor to the favorite of Shoei Helmets fans – the RF-1200. 

When we look at the overall design of the RF-1400 motorcycle helmet, we can see the big focus on aerodynamic design. Basically, that means the Shoei RF-1400 is even fit for the race track, and its intermediate oval shape will fit most head shapes apart from round heads.

It’s also quite a safe helmet, as it has DOT, ECE, and Snell ratings, which further prove this helmet will protect you either on city streets or the race track. The shell construction is made of fiberglass and organic fiber layers, netting the helmet weight of 3,62 pounds (1,64 kg).

The face shield offers a wide field of view and is 100% optically correct. However, we don’t like the new center locking mechanism because it is very hard to operate with gloves. The great thing is that the visor comes with Pinlock pre-installed, and the improved shield adjustment mechanism makes Shoei RF-1400 quite versatile on the aerodynamics front.

Check out our Shoei NXR2 helmet review to find out if Shoei’s first ECE 22.06 helmet is worthwhile!

Its vent scheme has seen some great improvements compared to its predecessor. It has much larger vents now and has two chin vents, one top vent on the center, two top side vents, and a rear exhaust vent. Overall, the ventilation system provides an awesome amount of airflow and even reduces that annoying wind noise.

Now, let’s see what makes the Shoei RF-1400 the best full-face motorcycle helmet when it comes to comfort. The 3D Max-Dry System II is here from the RF-1200, and it rocks. Basically, it will keep all the sweat away from you in tandem with the nice airflow. If the inner liner doesn’t fit you, there is an ability to replace it!

The cheek pads feature the emergency quick-release system, which makes them safer, and they are also quite comfortable in the first place. Keep in mind that there are cutouts for glasses in the cheek pads and speaker cutouts for easy Bluetooth headset installation.

Overall, the Shoei RF-1400 is a well-balanced helmet, with its high comfort levels, nice airflow, and superb construction and design. Because of how comfortable it is, we just had to put it on our best motorcycle helmets for the 2021 and 2022 seasons!

8) Scorpion Exo-R1 Air – Most Versatile Full-Face Helmet

Scorpion impressed us with this well-crafted helmet with a plush and quiet interior, with a heavy dose of versatility. It’s first and foremost a sports helmet, but it also does a fancy job of being one of the best helmets for touring riders too.

Let’s start with the construction of this motorcycle helmet. Its shell is made of fiberglass, aramid, and polyester combination, but you can also find a full carbon fiber variant of the same helmet. This nets it with the ECE and DOT safety ratings and a weight of 3 pounds and 4 ounces (around 1,47 kg), which is fairly lightweight.

The visor of the Exo-R1 Air comes with Pinlock and is optically correct. There is also a dark tinted visor included for those sunny days, with an additional Pinlock insert. With six different detents, you can adapt to any riding position. It also has a center locking mechanism easily operated by gloves. Thankfully, the visor has a quick-release mechanism to make its replacement effortless. 

The ventilation scheme of this motorcycle helmet is pretty interesting, as it provides solid airflow and greatly reduces wind noise at higher speeds. This is a motorcycle helmet inspired by racing helmets, after all. There is an actuated chin vent that you can use to defog the visor or vent the helmet. On top is an actuated brow vent connected directly to the double-layered EPS cutouts. Additionally, there are two exhaust vents under the pair of spoilers.

Scorpion also nailed it with their latest modular helmet. Check out our Scorpion EXO Tech helmet review to find out more!

The interior is also expertly designed, starting with a titanium D-ring and the extremely comfortable Kwikwik 3 liner. Its neck roll is extra wide to cut down on noise but also keep you comfortable. Cheek pads have glasses and speaker cutouts, which is pretty standard in modern motorcycle helmets. These are also emergency release, implicating higher safety. One nice bonus you get in the interior is the Airfit system, which can inflate the cheek pads if they are too loose. 

Overall, the only gripes with this helmet may be connected to the visor and vent scheme. First, when you unlock the visor locking mechanism, you may find it difficult to adjust to the city position. Also, the top vent slider could be more reinforced; it feels like it could break at any time. Apart from that, Scorpion really knocked it out of the park with a versatile and balanced aggressive looker.

9) Arai Quantic – Safest Dual-Sports Motorcycle Helmet

Arai Quantic is the absolute best when it comes to shell construction and overall safety levels. Its shell is made out of very sturdy multi-fiber and resin material and has additional layers around the visor and forehead areas. Basically, in a crash, this contributes to evenly spaced impact dissipation.

Because of a few reinforcements, this touring helmet weighs 3,52 pounds (1,6 kg). Even though it is a bit heavier, you won’t feel the weight when checking blind corners at higher speeds. Interestingly so, this is the first helmet with the ECE 22.06 safety standard.

The clear face shield had a side pod mechanism that might annoy some, but it’s great to replace face shields with no tools required. You have full freedom when it comes to detents, which promotes different riding positions. Due to the visor latch positioning, this one will be more optimized for left-dominant riders, as opening the visor is clunky with the right hand. Of course, the visor comes with a Pinlock insert, and its seal is awesome to keep the rain and debris away.

Ventilation on the Arai Quantic also impresses. For instance, the chin, two top vents, and an exhaust vent under the winglet have two different positions and a closed position, adding for some versatility. It’s kinda clunky to find the middle option, especially with a gloved hand. Then, there is an actuated forehead vent and two eyebrow vents. There are passive exhaust vents on the rear and a vent on the neck skirt.

Lots of vents, right? Well, this all results in high airflow, making this one of the best summer helmets to wear. Because there is so much control involved with Quantic’s vent scheme, the wind noise won’t be an issue.

The interior guts are quite well-designed and fairly comfortable, with Bluetooth speaker cutouts too. There are the comfy emergency release cheek pads and a neck skirt that sadly can’t be removed. The chin skirt also isn’t removable but helps out with the wind noise reduction.

If you value safety the most and ride a dual-sports bike, you should definitely consider Arai Quantic, as it is certainly one of the best motorcycle helmets for the 2021 and the upcoming 2022 season.

Best Motorcycle Helmets For 2021/2022 Season In Photos

Here is a gallery of some of the best graphics available for the helmets we reviewed!

Summing Up

Now that we are at the end of our list of best motorcycle helmets for the 2021 and the upcoming 2022 season, what is the best motorcycle helmet in our opinion, and why?

For us, Shoei RF-1400 is the best motorcycle helmet to get right now. It’s a great upgrade over its RF-1200 predecessor, with a well-balanced package that is extra comfortable and functional, not to mention its safety. Yes, it isn’t the most beautiful motorcycle helmet, but it’s certainly the best-performing one.

Thanks for tuning to our thoughts on the best motorcycle helmets on the market. We just want to note that each helmet on this list will be worth your money but will still depend on some preferences.

For more in-depth reviews, make sure to visit our motorcycle helmet reviews section!