Choosing a motorbike helmet to wear on an adventure bike is all about compromise. Peaks are handy off-road, for example, but can be a pain on the motorway. You want maximum ventilation on a sweaty trail but calm and quiet in a national speed limit.
With adventure bike sales continuing to dominate all over the world, helmet manufacturers have developed better lids that can do it all – picking the off-road features they want to keep and melding them with the best bits of touring and sporty lids, too. It’s not just helmets, either, there’s loads of adventure bike kit of all types to consider these days. bluetooth headphones for zoom
If you’re never heading off the tarmac, a sports-touring helmet could actually be a better choice. These are designed to be quiet and comfortable with lots of creature comforts and tech included. But if you are planning to explore trails (or you just like the look of a peaked lid) then an adventure bike helmet is the way to go.
So which is the best adventure bike helmet to buy? We have rounded our favourite options and answered all of the important buying questions at the bottom of this article to ensure you make the right decision.
To conform to UK law a helmet must either:
SHARP’s five-star safety rating is an independent helmet testing scheme ran by the Department of Transport. Where most full-face lids are rated, few adventure lids have been assessed by SHARP but those that have been can be located via the SHARP website.
When you are riding off-road, visors tend to get covered in mud, reducing visibility. Also, a visor is more likely to mist up when you are breathing hard due to exertion than goggles and has less ventilation. A lot of adventure lids allow the visor to be removed completely and goggles worn instead. If you plan on riding your bike off-road, look for a lid that allows the use of goggles.
One of the best anti-fog solutions on the market, many lids come with a Pinlock included in the box while others simply have its fixings and you need to purchase the Pinlock itself separately. If you need to buy it, factor this extra expense into your buying decision.
A heavy lid can put extra strain on your neck, leading to fatigue when worn for a long period of time, so a lightweight lid can be an advantage when it comes to touring.
Helmets get sweaty and removing the lining and cleaning it thoroughly is the best way of reducing smells and keeping it nice to wear. This is especially important if you are planning off-road use where you will exert yourself more and possibly even get the lid’s lining dusty.
A fiddly visor removal system can be very annoying when it comes to removing the visor to give it a good clean and remove and stuck on flies. Look for a well-designed system that will allow you to quickly remove the visor with minimal effort or use of tools.
A ‘flip-down’ sun visor is a really handy addition for when the sun is out as it means you can simply flip it down while on the go rather than stopping to fit a pair of sunglases.
A hot head is an uncomfortable head, so see if the helmet has vents and if they are easily operated by a gloved hand. The more vents, the cooler your head will be, however they can create extra wind noise.
Many helmets are ‘communications ready,’ which means they are designed with extra recesses around the ear areas so that you can insert headphones for a communications system. Without these recesses, the headphones can press irritatingly on your ears.
If you wear glasses, a lot of helmets have special areas in them to allow the glasses’ arms to sit comfortably between the lining and your face, stopping them pressing on you or getting deformed and also making them easy to remove and put on.
There are two general types of helmet strap fastener – a D-Ring and a ratchet-style. The D-Ring requires manually threading and then tightening the strap where a ratchet-style system is a simple push-fit. It is a matter of choice with some riders preferring the ease of the ratchet-style and other opting for the secure feeling offered by a D-Ring.
Adventure lids have a peak to help shade your eyes from the sun. Can it easily be moved to alter its position? Also, does it have cut-outs or aerodynamic features to stop it getting caught in the wind at speed, potentially putting extra strain on your neck.
The shift from the old ECE 22.05 safety standard to the new ECE 22.06 has meant that most manufacturers have brought upgraded models to market. But this has created some great bargains to be had on the older stock, which are still great lids and perfectly legal to buy… while stocks last.
At MCN, our team of expert journalists have decades of experience gained over hundreds of thousands of miles. We don’t test our kit to destruction; we use it exactly how you do, in the real world and in all conditions. That means we can deliver impartial buying advice you can rely on.
Each of our writers has an in-depth understanding of the needs of today’s biker… because they are one.
We’ve worn these tested adventure bike helmets for hundreds or thousands of miles on MCN test bikes and we ride in all weathers and conditions, too. We’ll never recommend a helmet we wouldn’t put our own head in!
If you can’t see a review against a helmet on this page, it’s because we haven’t tested it yet. These helmets will only be included if we think they’re important and relevant in the market, and rest assured, we will be working on bringing you a review as soon as we’ve done the miles.
To find out more, head to our dedicated page explaining how we test motorcycle products.
When we review a product, we award it a score out of five. In the ratings tab of a given product, you may also find more specific scores for the different aspects of a product’s performance to help you make an informed decision. Here’s a guide to what each number score means:
Ben Clarke began riding (legally) at 21-years-old when he passed his direct access one month before shipping his Yamaha XT660 R to Miami and embarking on a 13,500-mile tour of the USA and Central America. He's worked at MCN for the last six years, riding everything from super nakeds and superbikes to small-capacity electrics and scooters across several continents. In more recent years, he's worked closely with the bike kit team to bring you all the latest news and reviews about the bike-related products we all use every day.
- Just so you know, we may receive a commission or other compensation from the links on this website - read why you should trust us.
Deputy Head of Digital (Motorcycling), Ben Clarke began riding (legally) at 21-years-old when he passed his direct access one month before shipping his Yamaha XT660 R to Miami and embarking on a 13,500-mile tour of the USA and Central America.He's worked at MCN for the last six years, riding everything from super nakeds and superbikes to small-capacity electrics and scooters across several continents.In more recent years, he's worked closely with the bike kit team to bring you all the latest news and reviews about the bike-related products we all use every day.
© 1955-2025 Bauer Media Group
2 in 1 headphones and speakers Bauer Media Group consists of : Bauer Consumer Media Ltd, Company number 01176085; Bauer Radio Limited, Company number: 1394141; Registered office: Media House, Peterborough Business Park, Lynch Wood, Peterborough PE2 6EA and H Bauer Publishing, Company number: LP003328; Registered office: The Lantern, 75 Hampstead Road, London NW1 2PL All registered in England and Wales. VAT no 918 5617 01 H Bauer Publishing are authorised and regulated for credit broking by the FCA (Ref No: 845898)