Whether you’re new to biking, or a seasoned motorcyclist looking for a new helmet, safety is pretty much a top priority for most people. We’ve taken a list of around 700 helmets from our partner SportsBikeShop and over 400 helmets that have been SHARP tested to help you find the very best motorcycle helmet in 2020.
Our criteria to find the top 10 best helmets is simple:
It must have a 5 star SHARP rating
SHARP are the UK government funded helmet safety testing agency. They’re the most trusted name in the field, and a 5 star rating on a helmet from them is not just rare, but an incredible achievement.
It must be sensibly priced
There are plenty of ultra safe helmets out there that come with the price tag to match. We’re keeping things sensible and restricting our budget to £300 max. All except the Shoei X-Spirit III anyway, we threw that in because it’s a stunning race helmet for the hardcore rider.
Oh….and it must be available to buy still.
1. HJC FG-ST
Our top runner is the stunning HJC FG-ST. Available at around £139, this stunning helmet scored an incredible 4.5/5 in our HJC FG-ST review. The safety is of course great, being a 5 star SHARP helmet, but it’s also packed with features, very low wind noise and all for around £130+. In our eyes this helmet can’t be beaten if safety is your main concern.
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2. Shoei RYD
In at number 2, is our favourite Shoei, the RYD. This 5 star rated helmet oozes with safety and quality. It’s at the higher end of the budget at £299.99 but is worth every penny. If you’re a life-long Shoei owner, don’t expect all the gadgets and gizmos that you are used to. The RYD is simple, but does everything you need and is everything you want for a safe, comfortable and enjoyable ride, day after day.
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3. HJC IS-17
Another HJC in at number 3. This one has proven extremely popular over the past year. Available on discount from as little as £119.99 up to £230 depending on the paint scheme. For a budget helmet it’s packed with features like the pinlock ready visor (with a pinlock insert included at the price), integrated sun visor, great comfort and even better ventilation. Most of all, it’s a HJC so you’re definitely not going to be let down.
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4. MT Revenge
The MT Revenge is the perfect helmet for the budget conscious and safety conscious rider. It’s currently available at SportsBikeShop from £65 through to £109 depending on the colour scheme. It’s great for new riders with its entry level price. This won’t set the world on fire with it’s quality, However, for the money you’ll be very impressed. It scores 5 out of 5 from customer reviews at SportsBikeShop for a reason.
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5. Shark Race R Pro
Up next is the Shark Race R Pro, again this received the 5 star safety rating from SHARP. The helmet is currently selling between £258 and £479 (for some of the MotoGP replica paint schemes). This lid was developed and designed with racers in mind, developed primarily for riders in MotoGP, WSBK and Moto2. This means you get all the race critical elements in a road helmet, lightweight, aerodynamic, ultra tough, comfortable and stable. This probably wins the best looking of the bunch for me.
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6. Shark Evoline Series 3 – Touring Helmet
Next up is Sharks answer to a sporty looking, flip-up touring helmet. A 5 star SHARP rated helmet, packed with features and very comfortable. Like many flip-up helmets it is however supposed to be noisy at speed. However my personal opinion on this one, is that it looks stunning and to get the benefit of 5 star safety i’d stick a set of earplugs in on long journeys and that would solve my issues. The Evoline series 3 varies from £259 to £300.
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7. Caberg Duke 2 – Touring Helmet
The quirky looking Caberg Duke 2. Forget your bike, the helmet is enough of a head turner. This 5 star SHARP rated helmet is one of the most popular helmets in the touring lid category. Providing a huge range of features, it’s a dual-homologated (meaning it has been EC tested as both a full face and flip up) helmet with an internal sun visor and pinlock ready visor. Because the helmet ranges from £140 to £200 this one is a real winner and I have no hesitations putting it in the top 10 best helmets.
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8. Caberg Tourmax – Touring Helmet
The Tourmax is modelled on the Duke 2 mentioned above, however it gets more tour focus, with the addition of the peak. Just like the Duke it is dual homologated and 5 star SHARP rated, making it one of our top 10 safest helmets of 2020.
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9. AGV Veloce-S
Available from £280, to £450 depending on the paint scheme, the AGV Veolce-S is AGV’s race inspired 5 star road helmet. Made from a complex mixture of Aramid, Carbon and fibreglass to give it the structural strength and light weight fit for a MotoGP racer. The helmet goes above and beyond on safety with the 5 star SHARP rating, ECE 22.05 and USA DOT rated, as well as ACU Gold rated for use on UK tracks. In addition it comes with 2 years warranty as standard plus an extra 3 years warranty currently available as detailed on SportsBikeShop website so it seems like this is going to be a popular helmet. Furthermore it’s pinlock ready, has a visor tear off system for track use and a great amount of ventilation for a truly comfortable ride.
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10. Shoei X-Spirit 3
This is the helmet that I couldn’t resist sneaking into the top 10 best helmets list, I realise it’s well above the target limit of £300 since it’s retailing at £599-£699, but it’s a stunning lid and belongs in here. It’s 5 star SHARP rated for the ultimate safety, and it’s their flagship helmet. It has been designed with MotoGP riders in mind and made available on mass scale for the likes of you and I. It has everything you need for the ultimate performance helmet, from the ventilation to the pinlock and tear off compatible visor. With spoilers for aerodynamics and an adjustable interior for comfort.
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In conclusion of the 10 safest helmets, we’d suggest that there are some really great helmets available with a 5 star SHARP rating and at a sensible budget. The HJC FG-ST is probably our favourite of the bunch because it offers so much for so little money. It offers the same level of protection you would expect from a £400 helmet, and being HJC it will last too.
Share your thoughts. If you are in the market for one of the safest helmets available then hopefully we’ve given you a good enough selection above. But if there’s a helmet you want to see on this list, or if you own one of the top 10 then we’d love to hear from you. Drop us a comment below.
About SHARP Helmet Safety test
To determine how safe a helmet is, the Department for Transport’s SHARP division conduct thorough safety tests. More detail on the tests and how the scores are calculated can be seen in the video below.
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