Having a cafe racer motorcycle is a lifestyle choice. A rider’s attire, riding style, and companions are all important. One thing is certain about owning a cafe racer. You’ll need a decent vintage or retro cafe racer helmet.
According to scientific research, When riding, you want to make sure your head is protected and following the state helmet requirements.
Of course, these aren’t just for cafe racers. They’ll look fantastic on Scramblers, Bobbers, and even chopper-style bikes. They also go well with a restored classic. In such a case, these helmets are appropriate for your motorcycle.
We have listed the 10 best cafe racer helmets along with their features. We did our expert research to choose the best cafe racer helmets for you.
Table of Contents
9 Best Cafe Racer Helmet
1. Scorpion EXO Covert Helmet
Pros
- Kwikwick 2 cloth liner with anti-microbial properties
- Front mask made of dual-density EPS that is easily detachable and equipped with neodymium magnets
- System of ventilation that has been aero-tuned
- Earflaps that can be removed
Cons
- The helmet makes a noise
The Scorpion Covert Helmet adds a lot of “but wait, there’s more” to the traditional half shell. They start with a customizable ventilation system. Then they add a simple drop-down sun visor. It’s as simple as pulling a tab to lower the shades and pressing it to raise them.
Adding a rear bottom sleeve turns your helmet into a 3/4 helmet and muffles the screams of your life-saving exhaust. The Scorpion’s Kwikwick lining keeps you focused by directing heat and humidity up to the air vents in the back.
Attaching the front mask protects your face from bugs and debris while cruising down the freeway. The Scorpion Covert is available for tasks ranging from the twisty to the impossible.
Features:
- Safety: The Scorpion Exo Covert is constructed of polycarbonate and comes in two sizes. The shell’s structure and material are pretty simple, but that doesn’t imply it won’t provide enough protection.
- Ventilation: Because it’s an open-face helmet, you’ll need to remove the face protection and push up the sun visor to obtain enough airflow. With the Covert, though, there’s a little more to it. You’ll rely on the built-in vents a little more with the muzzle on and the visor down.
- Chin guard: The Covert’s chin guard is essentially a big EPS-lined plastic faceguard that you can easily remove from the helmet.
2. Biltwell Lane Splitter Helmet
Pros
- The exterior shell is made of injection-moulded ABS with a hand-painted finish.
- The inner shell is made of expanded polystyrene.
- An ear recess with audio compartments is hand-sewn into the detachable brushed Lycra lining, contrasting diamond-stitched to the quilted open-cell foam cushioning.
Cons
- The helmet makes noise.
- The size of the helmet is significant, and sometimes the rainwater enters through the vent.
A shock-absorbing EPS liner with hand-stitched internal padding, cheek cushions, and BioFoam chin bar cushion provide further comfort. The helmet is built around Biltwell’s unique ABS outer shell. The chin bar has several large vents that help to circulate the air, and the rear outlet allows heated air to leave.
The Lane Splitter shield features precise optics and straightforward hinge mechanics, resulting in a high level of style that is also simple to remove for replacement or cleaning. With little fanfare or complication, a brass peg and hole design on the left side of the shield allows for quick opening and secure closure with less effort. A set of mesh pockets has been added in the ear recess, which is ideal for most aftermarket communication systems.
Features:
- Safety: The Biltwell Lane Splitter is constructed of polycarbonate ABS and features what Biltwell refers to as a urethane chin bar. Once more, that is a plastic chin bar.
- Ventilation: Those cool-looking chin bar vents effectively cool the areas of your face that they cover. And they provide coolness regardless of the weather, as they are constantly open and cannot be closed.
- Comfort and Sizing: The Biltwell Lane Splitter is a popular helmet because it features a high-quality interior comfort liner made of soft, moisture-wicking material. It’s also entirely detachable and machine washable, with velcro tabs securing it in place, and it has speaker slots in case you wish to add a communications unit as well.
3. Simpson Ghost Bandit Helmet
Pros
- One of the most lightweight full-face helmets available
- Simpson style in the retro era
- Quite functional in several ways
- Stable aerodynamic profile
- The Ghost Bandit seemed to be fully at ease in his skin.
Cons
- The locking mechanism for the visor is a bit perplexing.
- The inner sun visor does not retract to a sufficient depth.
- Wind noise is a significant issue that you cannot disregard any longer.
Developed exclusively for motorcycle riders, the Simpson Ghost Bandit Helmet combines traditional tough-guy Bandit style with the functionality riders have come to expect from a decent lid. The Ghost Bandit is equipped to handle nearly any riding while maintaining an edgy aesthetic and total comfort.
The lightweight shell is aerodynamically optimized for motorcycle riding and completely vented to ensure optimum airflow when you need it most. Integrated speaker and microphone pockets make it simple to mount your preferred communication device, and a drop-down sun visor makes changing light conditions as simple as turning a button.
Features:
- Construction and Design: Simpson’s Ghost Bandit motorcycle helmet features a composite fiberglass shell. 128 kg makes it one of the lightest full-face motorcycle helmets available.
- Vision: They enhanced the gasket that runs along with the visor seal, making it more waterproof than before. The transparent face shield now features a redesigned removal mechanism, which eliminates the need for a screwdriver when replacing it before.
- Comfort: Hard snaps held the cheek pads to the helmet’s sides. No Velcro! These snaps are strong, so take care not to damage the helmet when taking them out. The cheek cushions include more padding for comfort, and the speaker cutouts are visible.
4. Biltwell Gringo S ECE Helmet
Pros
- Hand-sewn brushed Lycra lining with diamond-stitched quilted open-cell foam cushioning in a contrasting color.
- BioFoam chin pad with hand-sewn contrast stitching on the inside of the helmet
- The helmet has a D-ring neck strap with an adjustable strap end retainer made of rugged plated steel.
- The shield is injection-molded and laser CNC cut polycarbonate, with elegant, robust aluminum hinge covers and mounting hardware to complete the look.
- Edging on the shell and eye-port that is accentuated with rubber or chrome
- For installing Sena-style speakers in ear recesses, speaker pockets with VELCRO® brand fasteners have been included.
Cons
- Even with the shield closed, there is plenty of ventilation.
The Biltwell Gringo S ECE Helmet is constructed around an injection-molded ABS outer shell. It has a shock-absorbing EPS lining with hand-stitched internal padding, cheek cushions, and a BioFoam chin bar cushion for added comfort.
The Gringo S shield features incredible optics and an easy-to-remove hinge mechanism for great style and quick replacement or cleaning. A snap and tab arrangement on the rider’s left side allows for quick opening and tight closure, shielding the user from road debris and wind discomfort with no fuss or complications.
Speaker pockets allow you to plug in your preferred communication device and converse with your friends or simply listen to music.
Features:
- Safety: The Biltwell Gringos’ ABS shells are comparable to thermoplastic materials used in many helmets. However, neither of them have been independently Snell or SHARP tested, so beyond the fact that they’ve been constructed to pass DOT testing, there’s no indication of how much protection a Gringo will give in an accident.
- Ventilation: The Gringo has only two ventilation holes, one for the shield and one for your head. There are no other vents.
- Shield: The Gringo is available in two flavors: the Gringo S, which features a bare hinged face shield, and the Gringo (without the S), which features snaps for attaching a snap-on shield.
5. Bell Bullitt Helmet
Pros
- Interior that is removable, washable, and anti-bacterial
- Interior fabric is perforated micro-suede with a leather piping accent.
- The helmet comes with a padded chin strap and stainless steel buckle D-ring closure with a leather pull tab on the inside.
- There are 5 metal mesh intake vents and one rear exhaust vent on this unit.
- Cheek pads with speaker pockets that are 3D cut
- System for closing the Magnefusion shield
- When ordered with a flat shield, a Bubble Shield is also available and sold separately for an extra touch of retro flair.
Cons
- The helmet produces higher noise.
We have the Bell Bullitt DLX Motorcycle Helmet, another prominent participant in the vintage motorcycle helmet industry. It’s a full-face helmet inspired by thoughts of a retro-future and created for riders who want to get their throwback on while still riding their antique motorcycles. Although vintage helmets sometimes prioritize form above function, we will nonetheless be testing the helmet on the road with our instruments to evaluate how well it works.
Features:
- Material: The Bell Bullitt Deluxe Retro Helmet is a lightweight and strong fiberglass composite outer shell. The Bell Bullitt Carbon is a lighter version of the helmet with a carbon fiber shell.
- Ventilation: One mesh-covered air inlet is on the chin, and there are four air intakes upfront. These intakes are also coated with metal mesh to prevent accidental ingestion.
- Visor: The Bell Bullet DLX helmet has a typical wide round visor, with certain models including a bubble shield. The big flat visor has a good field of view, although it is not Pinlock ready and merely anti-fog treated.
6. Bell Custom 500 Helmet
Pros
- Aftermarket shields and visors may be attached using the integrated 5-snap design.
- Ankle braces with D-ring clasp and strap keepers. Padded chin strap.
- Stainless steel with a multi-density EPS lining D-ring closure with a leather pull tab D-ring fastening
Cons
- There is no ventilation in the helmet.
- They have the potential to crush your glasses a little.
Since 1954, when Bell Helmets was founded, Bell’s traditional open-face helmet has existed – in one form or another. It’s a very simple open-face helmet that’s been intended to look incredibly stylish – with a low profile shell that helps keep the helmet’s size down, as well as a large selection of classic and creative graphics.
The helmet comes in good construction quality, low profile, classic styling, and a wide selection of excellent paint colors. If that is what you’re searching for in your next open-face helmet, the Bell Custom 500 may be the one for you.
Features:
- Safety: It features a traditional double-d ring fastener – which is good and should do an excellent job of securing your lid to your head.
- Ventilation: The interior of your helmet will have little to no ventilation unless your helmet is large. If you ride slowly, you may cook in the bag.
- Comfort and Sizing: The interior comfort liner has a vintage, classic style. And while it appears to be leather, it isn’t. Unlike leather, you may readily clean the Custom 500’s lining.
7. Bell Eliminator Helmet
Pros
- A two-pane, anti-fog face shield with Class 1 optics is provided by ProVision.
- Liner with anti-bacterial properties
- Cheek pads with a contoured shape
- Speaker pockets that are recessed
- Compatibility with eyeglasses
- Strap keeper made of Magnefusion
Cons
- You have to purchase a peak visor separately.
- Quite expensive.
The Bell Eliminator Helmet pays homage to vintage car racing helmets while still incorporating cutting-edge technology. The fiberglass composite shell comes in three sizes, so no matter your size, you won’t have to deal with the discomfort of a too-large helmet. Because the ProVision face shield is dual-paned, no insert lenses are required.
There are speaker pockets for optional communication devices and eyeglass-friendly compartments for individuals who need to wear their glasses. For extracurricular activities, remove the face protection and put on your goggles.
Features:
- Bell Eliminators have been ECE 22-05 tested and approved in Europe and DOT certified in the United States.
- The Eliminator has adequate cushioning and a spherical shell with few projecting parts into the airflow, all of which contribute to a rather quiet helmet.
- The 9 round vents drilled into the forehead are perhaps the most visible. They inhale directly through the shell and EPS lining to the skull.
8. Sena Momentum Lite Bluetooth-Integrated Helmet
Pros
- Shell made of fiberglass composite
- There are two shell sizes.
- EPS liner with a variety of densities
- Face shield that is pinlock ready (Pinlock lens sold separately)
- The liner is removable, washable, and quick to dry
- Vents on the top and under the chin
- The exhaust port on the back
Cons
- No drawbacks have been noticed yet.
Sena’s sophisticated sound processing removes road and wind noise, making conversations crystal clear. You may use the onboard capabilities to communicate with other Sena riders or listen to music while tearing through the twisties. By connecting a Bluetooth-enabled smartphone to your Sena, you can use features like navigation, music, and hands-free calling.
Features:
- This fiberglass composite shell is aerodynamically engineered to keep you safe while providing optimum performance.
- Quick-drying liners are used in the interior to prevent sweat from clinging to the fabric and producing a foul odor. You can maintain it clean and hygienic because it’s removable and washable.
- Front-to-back airflow from top and chin vents keeps your head cool. The back exhaust blows heated air out of the helmet, enhancing the relaxed atmosphere and ideal breathing.
9. AGV X3000 Helmet
Pros
- The Visor air vent has channels carved out in the shell that you can turn on and off.
- An embroidered logo is featured on the premium inside, made of genuine leather and suede materials.
- Interior that is detachable and washable (neck roll not removable)
- System of two D-rings for retention
Cons
- The size of the helmet is small, not for big heads
At 15 World Championships, Agostini used the AGV X3000 Helmet. Small features like the curved chin bar that let Ago rest on the tank remain. While the X3000’s appearance may look vintage, it has all the current AGV safety, ventilation, and comfort features.
Features:
- The AGV X3000 is a vintage helmet with current technology. So it should protect the contemporary rider well.
- The X3000 features clever vents in the shield. These connect to vent holes in the helmet shell and send air through the shield, into the helmet, and through the polystyrene liner onto the scalp.
Conclusion
We hope that our list of best cafe racer helmets will help you choose the perfect helmet for your ride. If you have any queries, you can ask us in the comment section below.
