When it concerns the safety equipment on their motorcycle, every rider does have some comfort needs. Helmet manufacturers provide various solutions to suit riders’ expectations, depending on their demands. However, several helmets on the market are designed on a different principle. That is to say, some are designed to promote comfort, while others are only concerned with the degree of safety.
Two types of helmets are prevalent among riders in this category: modular and full-face helmets. Surprisingly, you won’t be able to identify the difference between these helmets if you look at them from afar. That’s why we’ve produced an essay comparing Modular Helmets vs Full-Face Helmets to assist you in differentiating between the two. Furthermore, finding the correct helmet for you will no longer be a challenge.
Table of Contents
Full-face Motorcycle Helmets
We don’t have much to say about the full-face helmet. Because everyone is familiar with the safety characteristics of full-face helmets, this is the case. One thing to bear in mind is that it doesn’t leave any stone unturned when keeping your head safe when riding. Riders are well-protected with this sort of helmet. It’s all in one piece from head to toe.
It is not vulnerable since there are no moveable parts or weak hinges. Those who ride on the racetrack often need to carry this piece of safety gear. You can only be sure that you are entirely safe while driving at high speeds. A full-face helmet ensures a comfortable fit. Consequently, even after wearing them for many hours in the sun, you will not be uncomfortable.
Full-face helmets are built of lightweight materials and aerodynamic designs to accomplish this. As a result, the increased weight on the rider’s head does not detract from his performance on the track. Long rides and living in high-traffic areas will require a full-face helmet, which offers the most comprehensive protection available on the market.
Not only that, but it shields users from the elements such as rain, tiny stones, and dust. It includes various vents to ensure that you do not feel smothered and that the inside is kept cool. Let’s go into the specifics now that you know the essential characteristics of both kinds of helmets. Next, we looked at the benefits and drawbacks of modular helmets over full-face helmets.
The Advantages and Disadvantages of Full-Face Helmets
Full-Face Helmet Pros:
- Protection
Full-face helmets are the ultimate option when it comes to safety and protection. They cover the whole head, including the chin, often the section of the face that hits the ground when you’re in an accident. Some full-face helmets get SNELL safety ratings, which indicate that they provide the most protection. Find out which motorbike helmets are the safest.
- Weight
Full-face helmets are generally lighter than modular helmets since they lack the additional elements that allow for modular construction. If you want to save as much weight as possible on your equipment, a full-face helmet is a way to go for you.
- Regulations
While modular helmets are generally sufficient for riding on public streets, racing associations and private racecourses often require full-face helmets. As a result, full-face helmets are becoming more popular among racers and outdoor enthusiasts.
- Price
Full-face helmets are available in a variety of pricing ranges. Basic ones may be relatively affordable, making them ideal for tight-budget riders who want to be protected to the utmost extent possible.
Full-Face Helmet Cons:
- Temperature
Inside a full-face helmet, it may feel quite hot and humid, and there’s no way to get any respite by flipping up the face shield. Even though almost all current full-face helmets have extensive ventilation systems to help keep things cool, nothing beats experiencing the breeze on your exposed face.
- It isn’t easy to get on and off
If you want to do anything other than eat or chat to your friends, full-face helmets must be slipped on and off the complete head. It results in the typical ear scratches and the basic hassle of taking the helmet off.
Modular Helmets
You must have heard about full-face helmets by now. With the new modulated version of the chin bar, modular helmets combine a pivoting construction structure. After full-face helmets, these helmets made their debut in the twenty-first century. Because the full-face helmet had several problems, the Modular helmet received an upgrade in terms of breathability and ventilation.
These helmets contain the most modern inside, providing the rider with excellent durability and comfort. These helmets were believed to be a good compromise between open-face and full-face designs. Furthermore, the ergonomics of this helmet were designed to provide comfort and ventilation without encumbering riders with filling material.
You raise the visor if you wish to get some fresh air or speak freely with your pals. The porous mesh material inside absorbs sweat and provides a nice cooling effect to the brain, allowing the rider to concentrate on the track. Furthermore, while out for a long ride on hot summer days, you suddenly start sweating, and it drips on your eyes, blocking visibility.
Although this is inconvenient, we may be sure that the modular helmet will prevent moisture from getting into our eyes. Furthermore, they are focused on technologies for venting. It will prevent heat from accumulating within the skull, allowing the temperature surrounding the head to be regulated. Modular helmets are also enhanced with high-tech enhancements.
The Advantages and Disadvantages of Modular Helmets
Modular Helmet Pros:
- Comfort
The ability to flip up a modular helmet to function more like an open-face helmet makes them ideal for hot weather. It becomes heated down there quickly if you live in a hot region like Florida or Texas. Having the ability to feel the breeze on your face for a short period may significantly impact, even if it is just when you are waiting at a traffic light.
- Communication
It’s challenging to communicate with another rider when wearing a full-face helmet if you don’t have a communication device. Your voice is completely muffled. It’s possible to open the face shield of a modular helmet so that you may communicate with someone at a stop.
You won’t have to worry about removing the helmet this way. Your ears will be grateful. People who bike in large groups choose modular helmets because of this. They’re also ideal for delivery drivers or riding instructors that need to communicate with customers frequently.
- Consumption of food or drink
If you want to eat or drink while wearing a full-face helmet, you must remove the helmet entirely. However, you can flip up the front to eat a snack during a rest stop with a modular helmet. As a result, they are ideal for travelers on the road.
- Glasses
With a modular helmet, putting on glasses is much simpler since you may put on the helmet first with the face shield up and then lower it to put on the eyewear. Full-face helmets are far more difficult to slide down over your glasses.
- Replacement of the face shield
Sometimes, replacing the face shield or visor on an interchangeable helmet is more convenient. If you want to use tinted shields or anti-fog Pinlock inserts, you may do so with this adapter.
Modular Helmet Cons:
- Safety
Even though they may be removed, the chin guard on a modular helmet is less durable than that of a fully enclosed full-face model since it is separate from the rest of the helmet. While most modular helmets are DOT-certified, fewer are SNELL-certified, with a higher requirement, particularly for the chin guard.
- Maintenance
Naturally, the mechanisms that allow you to connect and remove the chin guard and face shield on modular helmets contain more moving parts. These small locks and buttons can malfunction, wear out, and need maintenance or replacement.
- Noise
Modular helmets rattle louder at fast speeds because they contain more moving pieces. More apertures allow for more wind to enter and, as a result, more wind noise. Learn how to make your helmet quieter.
- Price
It’s common for modular helmets to be more expensive since they are more technologically advanced. While the most costly full-face helmets may still be more costly, a modular helmet will be more expensive if all other factors are equal.
Helmet Safety Ratings
Even if we have incredible riding abilities, we may not always be able to escape a skid. As a result, every time we bike, we must put on a helmet. However, we must exercise caution since not all helmets provide enough protection for our heads. Several helmets on the market now are more suited for Halloween costumes than for protection.
Helmet safety ratings should be understood before purchasing a modular helmet or a full-face helmet. It is not only a waste of money to buy a novelty helmet, but it may also be hazardous. We need to look at the stickers on the rear of a helmet to determine whether it has a safety rating.
Three organizations govern motorcycle helmets. If a helmet has one of the following labels, we know it complies with the group’s minimal safety requirements:
- The Economic Commission for Europe
- The U.S. Department of Transportation
- The Snell Memorial Foundation (for racing helmets)
We are unlikely to be concerned with the details of safety testing. It’s more important that our helmet provides proper protection for our brain, face, and neck during a collision.
While checking for an organization’s sticker is a simple approach to determine if our helmet is secure, our helmet’s maker may have chosen attractive designs over stickers. That’s all right. We only need to conduct more investigations to ensure our heads are adequately protected.
Why Aren’t Any Modular Helmets Snell-Certified?
Let’s take a deeper look at how safe modular helmets are. DOT helmet regulations are satisfied by many modular helmets, all available on the market. Because of this, it is typically best to opt for an approved helmet by an organization with more stringent testing requirements like Snell or the Economic Commission for Europe than to settle for a DOT-approved helmet (ECE).
The Snell Foundation level is commonly regarded as the most stringent for motorcycle helmet protection; however, they presently do not approve any modular helmets. It is due to the fact that Snell holds chin-bar helmets to the exact requirements as full-face helmets. A well-built modular helmet will virtually never fulfill the Snell chin bar requirement since the standard is intended for a full-face helmet, not a modular one.
What about modular helmets that the ECE has authorized? There are just a few of them available on the market right now, and they are all high-quality helmets. The ECE has also recently altered its approach to evaluating modular helmets to raise the bar even higher, implying that modular helmets authorized by the ECE will become even more trustworthy in the future.
Which one is more effective in reducing noise?
Although noise insulation may seem to be a minor consideration, it has the potential to cause you to abandon an otherwise perfect helmet. Without further ado, let us state unequivocally that a full-face motorcycle helmet provides superior protection.
Essentially, it does not have an opening to allow the noise to enter the system. As a result, it has the ability to provide the most satisfactory hearing insulation. On the other hand, noise is a variable that depends on many factors. The helmet size must be correct, and the ventilation system must be adequate, as well as the surrounding circumstances.
Aside from that, a helmet’s noise insulation is affected by your riding style and the sort of motorbike you own. On the other hand, if you buy a high-quality model, a modular motorbike helmet may reduce noise to a manageable level.
Which is preferable, the modular or full-face helmet?
Modular helmets are popular among bikers, although they do have certain disadvantages. The most significant difference is that modular structures often weigh more than full-face versions. Adding a hinge and a sun visor to a helmet might significantly increase its weight. For longer rides, some cyclists may find the extra weight bothersome.
Furthermore, modular helmets’ shells are often bigger, so that’s another factor to consider. On safety, it is generally agreed that a modular helmet offers protection comparable to a full-face helmet. According to the makers, the chin bar of a modular helmet should never be turned up.
It’s not good to ride with your helmet in open-face mode since it exposes your chin to the environment and provides less protection. So because the wind might play havoc with the helmet’s hinge, it is not recommended to ride with the chin bar up at all times.
Anyone who rides in a modular helmet at high speeds does not want their helmet to close violently. It may be dangerous, causing you to lose your balance and tumble. Depending on the design and homologation standard, other modular helmets are meant to be worn open-faced or with the chin bar in the air.
Final Thoughts
Both helmets are designed to keep a rider safe. Before choosing, like with any other part of riding a motorbike, you must consider the benefits and drawbacks for yourself. Each rider may have various needs and preferences, and there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all solution.
Go for it if you want the convenience and adaptability of a modular helmet. Just make sure you’re aware of your helmet’s restrictions and don’t use it in ways that aren’t recommended. On the other hand, a full-face helmet is always a good choice if your primary goal is top-notch protection.
