The Best Motorcycle Helmets You Can Buy Under $200

The Icon Airform Rubatone combines a little bit of sport and a little bit of sport-touring into one affordable helmet. Injection molded polycarbonate forms the outer shell while air channels built right into the EPS liner keep air moving around your head. An internal sun visor eliminates the need to carry extra faceshields around, and the main faceshileld itself features a fog-free coating and can be popped on or off without any tools. Internal speaker pockets inside the sweat-wicking liner make it easy to install a comm system if you want.

The Shark Ridill Helmet is a no-frills do-it-all kind of lid. The shell is made from a light and strong resin. Inside you’ll find a moisture-wicking liner that’s also removable and washable. An internal sun visor is easy to use, keeps the sun from hurting your eyes, and removes the need to carry extra faceshields or wear sunglasses under your helmet. It’s also Pinlock-ready (sold separately).

The LS2 Breaker helmet brings a host of features at a great price point. Three different sizes of its Kinetic Polymer Alloy shell keep it light, and a wide eye port increases peripheral vision. To keep things cool the Breaker has two closable air vents up front and one open vent in the rear. LS2 uses its Fog Fighter shield on the Breaker to prevent fogging, and the helmet also includes a drop down sun visor. A nice feature not found on many helmets regardless of price point is the quick-release ratchet closure system which allows you to get the helmet fastened or removed quicker than using the typical D-rings. The Breaker comes in a host of graphics, all of which are available for well under $200; that’s the Breaker Pinball Glow in the Dark shown.

The HJC i10 is another helmet that is offered at a great price point. It pushes the limits of a polycarbonate shell to create a full-face helmet with a light aerodynamic shell and a price tag that isn’t too heavy either. ACS (Advanced Channeling Ventilation System) ventilation channels vent from front to back working to keep cool air flowing through the helmet as heat and humidity are exhausted. The chin bar vents direct air to the face shield to help prevent fogging. Inside, the removable liner is also washable so things don’t get funky. HJC is known for its little details like the dedicated groove along the temple to relieve pressure while wearing glasses. The i10 is also ready to accept comm devices, if that’s your thing.

The BILT Vertex is a full-face, injection-molded helmet with all the features you expect from a sport-focused helmet. It’s designed to be aerodynamic in a tuck, which also means its top vents will pull air through the channeled EPS liner and help keep you cool. There’s a quick-release face shield, double D-ring fasteners, eyeglass-compatible cheek pads, and built-in speaker pockets for your communicator.

The Bell Qualifier was already an excellent helmet coming in at a great price point. But what you get with the Qualifier DLX Blackout helmet is all of those great features at an even lower price. How? With the simple black colorway.

In case you forgot, the Qualifier features a lightweight polycarbonate shell. In fact, three different shell sizes are used depending on the size of the helmet, ensuring a much better fit for the wearer. There’s an adjustable ventilation system, a padded wind collar to reduce wind and road noise, a moisture-wicking, removable and washable liner, quick-change faceshield (that’s also fog-free), and a five-year warranty – just to name a few of its features!

Ah, the Bitlwell Gringo. The Gringo comes without a shield unlike its more expensive S compatriot. The Gringo is slightly rounded in its head shape. Biltwell helmets are fairly devoid of extra features, focusing more on the simple styling cues of days gone by, along with plenty of interesting color options for the Gringo, which makes them a favorite among the hipster set. Jon Langston reviewed the Gringo for MO a few years back, and that can be found here.

The Scorpion EXO-R420 isn’t some half-baked race-inspired helmet. This is the real deal, with an advanced LG polycarbonate shell that is SNELL approved. The Ellip-Tec 2 face shield pulls the shield snug, making the EXO-R420 aerodynamic. Cheek pads have an emergency release system and are washable if needed. Take the Scorpion EXO-R420 to the track or to the twisties.