We don’t wear motorcycle helmets only because of cool looks and aesthetics, but because of the safety, they provide to our heads. There are many motorcycle helmet brands, but how many of them are actually safe? That’s why we looked hard to find the 10 safest motorcycle helmet brands of 2021 and 2022!
Yes, there are many different helmet safety ratings out there, but we’ve looked specifically into the SHARP rating table. This is the only motorcycle helmet rating system that provides concrete numbers. Hence, we can rank the best motorcycle helmet brands regarding safety based on these numbers.
If you are in a rush, here is the list of the safest motorcycle helmet brands out there:
- Shoei (4,14 out of 5)
- HJC (3,33 out of 5)
- Bell (4,36 out of 5)
- Arai (3,59 out of 5)
- AGV (4,30 out of 5)
- Nolan (4 out of 5)
- Shark (4,19 out of 5)
- MT Helmets (3,77 out of 5)
- LS2 (3,26 out of 5)
- X-Lite (4,18 out of 5)
Without further ado, let’s begin!
Table of Contents
Shoei (4,14 out of 5)
Kicking off our list of 10 safest motorcycle helmet brands of 2021 and 2022 is Japan-based Shoei. This company was founded by Eitaro Kamata all the way back in 1959 and has become one of the best hand-crafted motorcycle helmet manufacturers in the world.
Shoei is known for creating premium, top-tier motorcycle helmets. Actually, this company is the first to put kevlar in the helmet shell construction, which speaks tons about them.
Shoei has 14 helmets tested by SHARP, with an average rating of 4,14 out of 5. They have five helmets with a 5-star SHARP rating, with the other helmets having 4 stars, which is quite rare when it comes to SHARP ratings.
Check out our Shoei helmet reviews!
The main advantages of Shoei helmets are that their helmets have great wind noise reduction, a 360-degree pivot face shield locking system, and most of their helmets have an inner sun visor.
Of course, as Shoei is reputable as one of the safest motorcycle helmet brands of 2021/2022, their helmets are usually more expensive when compared to the competition. Still, if looking for the safest motorcycle helmets out there, Shoei is the best of the bunch!
HJC (3,33 out of 5)
Coming up next is HJC, a motorcycle helmet manufacturer based in South Korea. This company started in 1971, with an exclusive focus on helmet manufacturing. Even though HJC is based in South Korea, it became one of the most popular motorcycle helmet brands in the US since the 1990s. That’s mostly due to their low-priced helmets that come with a wide range of nice features and high quality.
They have a whopping number of 30 helmets tested by SHARP, with an average rating of 3,33 out of 5. They have four 5-star helmets, while the other 26 are either three or four stars. The safety provided by HJC helmets is quite impressive, especially when you consider that HJC makes helmets with lower sale prices.
Check out our HJC helmet reviews!
The main advantage you get with HJC helmets is that it is one of the most affordable motorcycle helmet brands, they usually come with tons of different graphics, and these helmets are comfortable for all head shapes.
On the other hand, the main disadvantage you get with HJC is that certain models can feel very cheap. Still, it’s unquestionable that HJC has made an impact in the motorcycle industry, and is certainly one of the safest motorcycle helmet brands of 2021 and 2022!
Bell (4,36 out of 5)
This motorcycle helmet manufacturer started out in 1923 as Bell Auto Parts. When Roy Richter purchased Bell for $1,000 in 1945 (around $15,000 in 2021), he only started creating motorcycle helmets in 1954. Now, Bell focuses on producing helmets for all racing sports and not just for motorcycles. When it comes to motorcycle helmets, their first full-face motorcycle helmet was produced in 1971 – the Bell Star.
Bell is well-known for making intricate details on their helmets, with some remnants of car racing aesthetics. They have 14 helmets tested by SHARP, with an average rating of 4,36 out of 5. Bell has 9 helmets with a 5-star SHARP rating, which is a nice amount.
Check out our Bell helmet reviews!
The main advantage of Bell motorcycle helmets is that they come with lots of different designs. On the contrary, the main disadvantages of Bell helmets are that some of their helmets have no padding, and they usually are heavier than average.
Still, we can’t ignore that 4,36 out of 5 rating, which makes Bell one of the safest motorcycle helmet brands of 2021 and 2022!
Arai (3,59 out of 5)
This is yet another motorcycle helmet manufacturer based in Japan. Arai was founded in 1937 by Hirotake Arai. It originally manufactured hats but started with motorcycle helmet production in 1952. What sets Arai apart from most motorcycle helmet manufacturers is that they craft most of their helmets by hand.
What further contributes to the overall reputation of this brand is that some professional MotoGP racers, like Dani Pedrosa and Nicki Hayden – always wear Arai helmets.
Most Arai helmets come with DOT, ECE, and Snell ratings, but we are looking mostly at SHARP ratings in this post today. Arai has 17 helmets tested by SHARP, and the brand has an average rating of 3,59 out of 5. Out of 17 helmets, four of them have a 5-star SHARP rating.
The main advantages you’re going to get with Arai helmets are that they are great at wind reduction, are comfortable and lightweight, and feature some high-quality craftsmanship.
Even though they can be quite pricey, they are still one of the safest motorcycle helmet brands for the 2021 and 2022 seasons!
AGV (4,30 out of 5)
Now, we’re coming to Europe, more specifically – Italy. AGV is creating awesome helmets since 1947, even though they originally produced saddle covers and light helmets.
Most of us know AGV for creating the lids for Valentino Rossi. Now, he won’t put on a shoddy helmet on his head, right?
AGV is an industry leader when it comes to safety innovations for motorcycle helmets. Most of their helmets have DOT and ECE certifications, which makes them fit for all the roads in the world.
AGV has 30 helmets tested by SHARP, with an average rating of 4,3 out of 5. Actually, they have 10 helmets with a 5-star SHARP rating, while most others have 4 stars. These scores truly show us that AGV is certainly one of the safest motorcycle helmet brands in 2021 and the upcoming 2022.
Check out our AGV helmet reviews!
The main advantages of AGV helmets are that they are set at reasonable prices, have nice visors, are great at noise reduction, and offer nice ventilation. On the contrary, they come with limited designs and could have better neck rolls and chin curtains.
Overall, if you’re looking at extra-safe motorcycle helmet brands, few can outshine AGV!
Nolan (4 out of 5)
Here comes yet another motorcycle helmet manufacturer from Italy! Nolan was founded by Lander Nocchi in 1972, and quickly became the largest helmet producer in Europe.
Actually, this manufacturer has several in-house development facilities in Italy, so no worries about shoddy quality! All of Nolan’s modular helmets have the chin bar fully locked, which is hard to do on modular helmets.
Out of 14 helmets tested by SHARP, they all have 4 stars. This just proves the consistency in build quality, with an obvious average rating of 4 out of 5 stars.
Check out our Nolan helmet reviews!
The main advantages of Nolan helmets are that they are specialized in modular helmets, and you can use these helmets in any season. Well, the only disadvantage with their helmets is that they only come with clear face shields.
If you are looking for the safest motorcycle helmet brands of 2021 and 2022 for modular helmets, Nolan is the best choice!
Shark (4,19 out of 5)
This French company was founded in 1986 by the Teston brothers, who were professional racers at the time. Shark is well-known for their innovation, and they were the first brand to industrially produce a carbon fiber helmet. Even today, the goal of the company is the same – to innovate.
They have 31 helmets tested by SHARP, with an average rating of 4,19 out of 5 stars. Shark has seven 5-star helmets while most of their other helmets have 4 stars. Even their modular helmets are quite safe, as the chin bars on most Shark modular helmets have 100% scores on SHARP tests.
Check out our Shark helmet reviews!
Now, the main advantage you get with Shark helmets is that they offer great protection and high aerodynamics. The main disadvantages are that their helmets are quite expensive and don’t have the most comfortable interiors. Still, these disadvantages don’t hold them back from being one of the safest motorcycle helmet brands of 2021 and 2022!
MT Helmets (3,77 out of 5)
This motorcycle manufacturer is based in Spain and was founded in 1968, with an in-house facility in La Palma. Until 2021, they provide awesome motorcycle helmets to more than 100 countries on all continents!
This company produces budget helmets with higher safety scores than some big players. They have 13 helmets tested by SHARP, with an average rating of 3,77 out of 5 stars. Out of these 13, there are two 5-star helmets, while the others are 4 and 3 stars.
Overall, for a budget helmet manufacturer, MT Helmets is one of the safest motorcycle helmet brands to look out for in 2021 and 2022!
LS2 (3,26 out of 5)
This helmet manufacturer was founded in 1990 in China by Arthur Liao, even though the headquarters are in Spain. At their beginnings, LS2 created unbranded helmets for other distributors. Since 2008, LS2 is creating branded helmets, so they are relatively new when it comes to their own brand.
LS2 has solid helmets when it comes to safety, at pretty affordable prices too. They have 23 helmets tested by SHARP, with an average rating of 3,26 out of 5 stars. It’s fair to note that LS2 has no 5-star helmets, but most of them sit between 3 and 4 stars.
Check out our LS2 helmet reviews!
All in all, when you compare them to the competition, LS2 is one of the safest motorcycle helmet brands you can buy from in 2021 and 2022!
X-Lite (4,18 out of 5)
For the end, we’re returning to Italy to meet X-Lite, a company that is part of the Nolan Group. This company has a helmet design philosophy that is closely tied to crafting the safest helmets possible.
The claim above is certainly evidenced by their average SHARP score. X-Lite has 11 helmets tested by SHARP, with an average rating of 4,18 out of 5 stars. They have two 5-star helmets and no helmet under 4 stars as of now. This all makes this brand one of the safest motorcycle helmet brands of 2021 and 2022 for sure!
Closing Words
Now that we’re at the end of our safest motorcycle helmet brands of 2021 and 2022 guide, what is the safest brand from this list?
The honors for the safest motorcycle helmet brand go to AGV, with 30 helmets tested by SHARP, with an average rating of 4,3 out of 5 stars. After all, Valentino Rossi trusts AGV to have the safest and highest-quality helmets, so why shouldn’t you too?
If looking for specific safe helmets, don’t forget to check out our list of 10 safest motorcycle helmets of 2021 and 2022!
In the meantime, check out our motorcycle helmet reviews section for objective, in-depth looks into numerous helmets.
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