Best Motorcycle Helmets for Harley Riders

Does anybody who rides a Harley need to be told Harley-Davidson sells a huge line of gear and accessories? And most of them already have a bar and shield or Harley ID on them. The Pilot 3-in-1 XO4 is a best-seller, since it can be a half-helmet by removing the face mask and rear comfort sleeve, a ¾-helmet by adding just the rear comfort sleeve, or a full-face by adding the face mask and rear comfort sleeve. Its retractable sun shield gives 95% UV protection along with an anti-fog coating and anti-scratch coating. Safety-wise, this one’s made by Scorpion for H-D, a very well-respected helmet maker. But, and it’s a big but, only the half shell meets DOT safety standards; the face mask and comfort sleeve “are for comfort only and do not provide any safety features.”

If you’re not going far or fast, if riding is more about socializing, then the open-face helmet has a lot to recommend it, and the recently reinvented Arai Ram-X is one of the finest. Alternatively, if you’re sat behind the windscreen on a big touring bike shielded from the worst the road will throw at you, open face is also a good thing – though please be advised that a full-face helmet offers the most protection to your chin and face in case of a crash.

In any case, the Ram-X represents the latest evolution of the helmet Arai has been building by hand in Japan since 1988. Its intermediate oval shape fits many North American heads best, and custom interior pad thicknesses make it one of the most comfortable, lightest, breathable open faces on the market. We reviewed the Ram-X here when we first got our hands on one in 2019.

For the ultimate in safety for your entire noggin, you really can’t beat a full-face helmet, and if we’re talking “Best,” then Shoei is in the top two or three manufacturers in the world. Shoei produced its first RF in 1984, and the latest, the RF-1400, was just introduced in 2020 – lighter, quieter, and more comfortable and aero than ever. We’ve also noticed many Harley riders love to display their patriotism, and Shoei acknowledges that yet again via its Dedicated stars and stripes version pictured here (one of many solids and graphics). Our 2020 RF-1400 review is here.

The modular, or flip-front helmet, provides the best of all worlds: open-face stylishness when you need to see and be seen, along with full-face protection, comfort, and non-recognizability when you want that. The Shark Evo One-2 isn’t quite our favorite modular (that title is held by the more-expensive Shoei Neotec 2), but it might be the coolest: That’s because it’s the only modular whose chinbar rotates all the way back and behind, giving its wearer a clean, “no-I’m-not-a-cop” look, and also allowing it to be worn in open-face mode at speed without acting as a sail. Like all good modulars, it also has a retractable sunshield to provide some eye protection when worn with the faceshield open. And, Shark says it’s the only modular that passes DOT safety tests in both open and closed positions. Slasher Matt graphic shown. We tested the Shark here.

Retro is big with lots of Harley riders, and AGV’s retro X3000 is one of the nicest, most comfortable of the retros we’ve sampled. Whether you’re into roadracing or not, you can appreciate that the X3000’s based on AGV’s first full-face helmet, the one worn and partially designed by legendary motorcycle racer and current GOAT, Giacomo Agostini, in 1969. Although the shape is old school, the materials are anything but. The X3000’s shell is made from AFC (Advanced Composite Fiber) fiberglass, and the interior liner is made mostly of microsuede and leather. The X3000 is available in many cool graphics, and it’s the nicest feeling, best-looking retro helmet on the market, with an attention to detail most retro helmets lack.

We couldn’t help noticing over the years that lots of Harley people have outsized personalities and like to express themselves in their apparel. HJC offers some truly interesting graphics, especially in its premium RPHA 11 line, including the “Joker” shown here. These are made in Korea, and offer about 90% of the quality, detailing, and plush comfort of super-premium brands such as Arai and Shoei for quite a bit less money. The 11 Pro was originally designed for racing, so it has a bigger-than-usual eyeport, slippery-quiet aerodynamics, and a really light and strong carbon-fiber hybrid shell. We reviewed the RPHA 11 Pro here.

We really encourage you not to, but since half the people we see rolling around on Sportsters are wearing German army replicas anyway – we can only beg you to make sure whatever  you choose to display on your head at least has an authentic Department Of Transportation sticker on back of it. And since those are easily faked, please look inside the helmet to make sure it has a thickish polystyrene liner to absorb shocks, and not just a thin layer of cheap foam.

The liner inside this Daytona half helmet, sort of like styrofoam, is what’s going to get crushed to absorb an impact, if you’re lucky, instead of your skull. The hard plastic on the outside is more for show, and on its own isn’t nearly as effective at protecting you. Meanwhile, the moisture-wicking fabric that covers the liner keeps your head cooler and more comfortable, and Daytona throws in a head wrap (‘do rag!) and drawstring bag. Far better than nothing, until you’ve taken enough bugs and rocks in the kisser to move onto something higher up the helmet chain. Good luck on your ascent.

Now that Harley is making a premium adventure motorcycle, you’ll be needing a premium adventure helmet, and Shoei’s Hornet X2 is still tough to beat. Adventure motorcycling involves long days on the road and off it, and the X2 gets a big eyeport that’ll accept goggles if it comes to that, but also offers more breathing room inside and better air circulation. All without sacrificing really smooth aerodynamics in high-speed cruising mode. Your AIM+ (Advanced Integrated Matrix Plus Multi Fiber) shell is lighter, more compact, and comes in four sizes to encompass six helmet sizes from XS to 2XL. A dual-layer multi-density EPS liner uses varying densities of foam in key impact areas around the head for enhanced comfort and impact absorption, while the 3D Max-Dry System II interior is three-dimensionally shaped to conform to your head, for a comfortable but snug fit. Beyond that, the list of luxury features is long, and we’re Snell 2015 and DOT approved too. Read our review here.