Best Full Face Motorcycle Helmet: 11 Options For UK Riders In 2023 (2024)

The Arai Quantic is the latest helmet from Arai and is the first to meet ECE 22.06 regulations.

It is a multi-composite shell and is Arai’s lightest weight construction to date while maintaining the strength needed for exceptional protective abilities.

The Quantic comes standard with a Pinlock visor and a MaxVision visor for excellent visibility.

Arai has implemented a complex ventilation system with 6 intake and 6 exhaust vents in various places that can easily be controlled to suit each rider’s preference.

Speaker pockets are built-in, and the shell has been designed so communication systems can be easily affixed.

Comfort is second only to safety on Arai’s priority list, from the plush inner liner, FCS (Facial Contour System), and custom fit options with 5mm peel-away internal layers.

The Scorpion Exo-491 is an exceptionally good-value helmet. It packs a lot of premium features into an affordable package.

The Exo-491 is constructed from a lightweight polycarbonate shell and it has been ECE 22.06 certified — the latest safety standards for motorcycle helmets.

Despite the ECE 22.06 certification, it’s worth noting that the helmet is not well suited for high speed riding, as multi-composite shells perform much better high-speed impact absorption. The Exo-491 is best suited to urban riding environments where speed isn’t a priority.

Features include a moisture-wicking liner, an internal sun visor, a RAM-Air ventilation system, and a Pinlock-ready visor.

To top it off, Scorpion offers a five-year warranty which is more than enough time to cover your helmet's lifespan, as typically you should replace your helmet by that point anyway (riding miles and environment dependent).

If you have a streetfighter, then you need a helmet that can match that same attitude, and the V60 is a mean, lean head-protecting machine.

The new HJC V60 is ECE 22.06 certified, featuring a fibreglass composite shell with a removable peak.

The drop-down visor is a three-stage sun visor, and the design allows you to wear goggles quite comfortably.

HJC has used a moisture-wicking internal liner that is removable and washable, plus eyeglass grooves are built into the EPS liner. You can also swap the liner through the size range for the perfect fit.

Overall, the helmet is a lightweight, comfortable vintage-style helmet that will turn heads and match any aggressive dark and moody bike.

On the subject of helmets with style, the Bell Eliminator is a fantastic lid that has a premium style combining Bell heritage and contemporary design.

The Eliminator has a fibreglass composite shell and is equipped with a ProVision anti-fog visor. You can choose from a range of tinted visors to add a splash of colour to the helmet.

Recessed speaker pockets allow for a comms kit to be fitted easily and the Eliminator is also glasses friendly.

The ventilation is excellent, with side vents on the chin piece and exhaust vents running along the top. You don’t need to worry about getting your head wet, though — the helmet also comes with a clip-on attachment to waterproof the top ventilation holes.

However, the chin piece vents remain open and there is no closure system; this is great in warm weather, but in the cold and wet, it isn’t the best. The airy nature of the helmet means it is also quite loud.

Carbon-fibre helmets have really taken off over the last few years. A super lightweight and strong material, it’s exceptionally suitable for motorcycle helmets.

The X-Lite X-803 Ultra Carbon is the peak of X-Lite’s carbon range. It is a sports helmet built for performance, particularly at high speeds.

The full carbon-fibre construction comes in three shell sizes. It has expanded-foam cheek pads for the best fit, an elongated chin piece, and an adjustable rear spoiler.

There is also a racing airflow system for maximum ventilation and stability, along with a race-inspired breath deflector to keep the visor from misting up.

The aerodynamics of this lightweight helmet will cut through the air, the wide-vision visor is perfect for lateral vision — ideal on the track — and it is double-action, so it won’t open up at high speeds.

Another full-face sports helmet worth a look is the Shark Spartan RS. The Spartan RS is a multi-composite, ECE 22.06-certified sports helmet with some decent road features, like an internal sun visor.

It’s a helmet for those who take their sport bikes to the track and occasionally impersonate Rossi on the country roads (within speed limits, of course).

The best part is that it’s offered at an incredible price point for such a solid sports helmet.

Features include a multi-density EPS liner, a Pinlock insert, an internal sun visor, and excellent intake and exhaust vents, as well as a removable chin cover.

Everything about the Spartan is sports engineered. The very design comes from Shark’s desire to create the most aerodynamic helmet possible for high speed stability and performance.

For a full-face touring helmet, only one stands above the rest — the Shoei GT-Air 2.

AIM multi-composite construction, a mist-resistant CNS-1 Pinlock system, an emergency quick-release system, an internal sun visor, noise-reducing ear pads, and great ventilation are just some of the features that make the GT-Air such an awesome touring helmet.

It comes ready for intercom installation (the Sena SRL2), which is perfect for those who regularly ride in groups or with a passenger.

The GT-Air 2 is an all-round excellent helmet, but you will find it more suited to oval head shapes. Those with round head shapes might not find it to be the best fit.

If you want a sports helmet with touring features — the best of both worlds — then the AGV K6 could be the right choice for you.

It’s a multi-composite helmet made from carbon and aramid fibres, which offer excellent strength and safety properties. It has a five-star SHARP rating, so you can feel confident that the K6 has gone through the toughest safety testing.

Designed for cutting through the wind, it has an advanced ventilation system. Turbulence, whether you are on the track or the motorway, is nearly nonexistent.

The helmet is compatible with the AGV ARK Bluetooth system, and the pressure-free cheek pads and internal liner ensure that no matter the accessories, the fit is comfortable and secure.

Thanks to the clever design, secure visor (removable with tools), and placement of the vents it is a relatively quiet helmet, which is great for longer rides.

If a tight budget but a need for quality are your priorities, then look no further than the HJC C10.

It’s a simple, get-the-job-done lid with a polycarbonate shell helmet at a great price. The C10 does meet the latest ECE 22.06 certification, which is a huge bonus, and HJC is also offering four shell sizes so you can be sure the helmet fits properly for optimum safety.

The helmet is also equipped with a Pinlock-ready visor, but the insert itself is not included. The wide visor allows excellent vision and there is an advanced ventilation system with channels in the EPS liner.

Sure, it is pretty simple, but it ticks all the boxes as a good entry-level helmet. There’s even room if you want to fit an intercom!

The Shoei NXR 2 is a lightweight performance helmet with everything you need and nothing you don’t.

At around 1350g, the NXR 2 is a truly lightweight helmet, but it sacrifices nothing in terms of protection. It is ECE 22.06 certified and has a five-star SHARP rating.

It comes in four shell sizes for the best custom fit and has a moisture-absorbing Quick-Dry liner for enhanced comfort. The inner liner, cheek pads, and strap are all removable and washable.

The visor has been improved since the original NXR. It is now distortion free, giving you optimum vision even in the corners of the visor, plus it’s Pinlock ready with the Pinlock insert included.

Other performance features include a quick-release system, aerodynamic lines, a multi-density EPS liner, and an advanced ventilation system with intake and exhaust vents.

The NXR 2 doesn’t have the internal sun visor or built-in coms like other Shoei helmets, but that helps keep the weight and the price down. This is good value for a Shoei helmet.

The N87 is one of Nolan’s best-selling helmets for good reason.

It is a polycarbonate constructed helmet that keeps it at the lower end of the price range, but it remains lightweight and is rated 4 stars by SHARP.

Along with an ultrawide visor, Pinlock, and internal sun visor, a cool feature of the N87 is that it has side grooves for those who wear glasses to make things more comfortable.

I don’t think there is anything quite as irritating as the pain caused by glasses inside a helmet, so I love this well thought out feature.

Nolan has recently released theN80, which has passed ECE 22.06 regulations, so this may be worth checking out if you want a helmet tested to the latest standards.