When it comes time to choose your first motorcycle helmet, as a beginner you should probably opt for something on the affordable side. That's not all you should base your decision on, though.
In this list, I've compiled a selection of the best entry-level motorcycle helmets in New Zealand, each with varying selling points to suit individual preferences in regards to price, weight, comfort, ventilation, etc.
Your helmet is probably the single most important piece of motorcycle safety gear, and it's wise to have one of good quality regardless of whether you've been riding for years or you’re just starting.
6 Best Motorcycle Helmets for Beginners
AGV K1
The AGV K1 is a sleek full-face helmet that’s similar to AGV's popular racing helmet range but more affordable.
Design
It has an aerodynamic, high-resistance thermoplastic exterior with a spoiler in the rear to increase stability while travelling at high speed. The helmet weighs roughly 1.5 kg and is fitted for intermediate oval head shapes.
The interior of the AGV K1 has an integrated ventilation system that circulates air through the helmet and prevents your visor from getting foggy in cold or rainy weather. The adjustable vents are on the forehead and chin, with the exhaust vents on the rear spoiler.
Visor
The visor is made from scratch-resistant polycarbonate which offers protection from the sun and fog thanks to its anti-fog coating. Because of the visor's 190° range of vision, this helmet allows you to see well without turning your head too much, which is a great safety feature for beginners who need to keep their eyes on the road as much as possible.
This series of AGV helmets goes up to AGV K9 but I went with this model because it offers a high safety rating at an affordable price. This is advantageous to beginners because you’re probably working on a tight budget due to all the equipment needed to begin your motorcycle journey.
A Pinlock lens can also be fitted onto the AGV K1, although the lens itself isn’t included. Dry-comfort material makes up the eyewear-friendly interior of the helmet and is completely removable for cleaning.
Safety
The AGV K1 has a 2-year warranty and is DOT certified and ECE 22-05 approved. These certifications mean the helmet meets all the safety requirements set by the U.S Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) respectively.
Arai Quantic
Arai is one of the top motorcycle helmet brands and their Arai Quantic model serves as a good testament to that fact. You get a taste of that quality if you value the protective capabilities of a helmet above anything else.
Handmade in Japan, the Arai Quantic is a full-face helmet with an outer shell made from the company’s extremely sturdy multi-fibre resin material. A medium-size helmet weighs about 1.6 kg.
Design
The aesthetic is somewhat classic, but that doesn't say anything about its overall practicality.
Its plain round design is made to roll and bounce off of surfaces to prevent any violent bumping in the event of a crash. The shell’s design also helps lessen wind noise.
There are intake vents across the chin bar and crown. The vent on the chin bar sends air up towards the face shield and mouth and, when coupled with the Pinlock anti-fog insert, it provides optimal fog protection.
The vent at the crown sends fresh air towards your scalp, which is relieving on hot summer drives. Exhaust vents are located at the rear spoiler and around the collar.
The interior is made from triple density expanded polystyrene (EPS) liner, which is the same shock absorbent material used in many of Arai’s pricier helmets. The inner linings are fixed for the speaker compartments situated behind the cheek pads.
Visor
Arai’s VAS (Variable Axis System) visor rounds off the helmet to minimize bumping during a crash. The visor provides a wide range of vision and is Pinlock-ready. A Pinlock MaxVision anti-fog insert is provided with the helmet and it has an auto-lock mechanism, although the latch can be tricky to operate with gloved hands. The visor also has two vents along the brow.
The facial contour system means the cheek pads are contoured to fit comfortably around your face, and unlike the linings, they are completely removable. It also comes with an emergency release system so that the helmet can be safely removed in the event of a crash.
Safety
The Arai Quantic has a warranty of 5 years and is the first helmet on sale that passed the new ECE 22-06 standards, which is the latest and highest safety certification.
HJC i90
The HJC i90 is a modular helmet that serves as an improvement to the HJC IS Max II, making it one of the best value helmets for money for the many updates that were made.
Interior
The interior of the helmet is fitted with SuperCool antibacterial lining which absorbs moisture to keep your face cool and sweat-free while on the road. The lining and padding are removable for easy cleaning and include room for glasses on the inside as well. The helmet is made for an intermediate-oval head shape.
A polycarbonate shell makes up the sturdy exterior of the helmet. Polycarbonate plastic is the most commonly used material for helmets because of its toughness and impact-resistant capabilities that cushions your head in a crash.
Design
The HJC i90 is more aerodynamic than the HJC IS Max II, which is a great addition since modular helmets are usually lacking in aerodynamics because they’re slightly bulkier. It also has a sliding mechanism to adjust the vents on the crown of the helmet that's easy to reach and operate even when wearing gloves.
The HJC i90 has a bit of weight to it, sitting at about 1.7kg.
Helmet weight can be a game-changer for most bikers, but it doesn't make much difference in the event of a crash. So in the end, it all depends on the rider’s preferences or how well they can handle the weight on their head for an extensive ride.
An adjustable vent is located on the chin of the helmet as well as exhaust vents towards the back section. They do a good job at making the helmet highly ventilated. A Pinlock anti-fog lens is included with the HJC i90.
Visor
HJC’s RapidFire quick-change visor allows you to easily remove it for cleaning and offers a wider range of vision than the HJC IS Max II. The visor is made from clear polycarbonate material for increased visibility.
Since the HJC i90 is a modular helmet (which can be lifted at the chin bar), it has a lightly tinted sun visor beneath the face shield that provides excellent UV protection. It’s also Bluetooth friendly.
Safety
The HJC i90 has a 3-year warranty with a DOT and ECE safety certification.
Scorpion EXO 490
The Scorpion EXO 490 is a continuation of the EXO 400 series and comes with various improvements inspired by the EXO 500 Air without much of a price increase.
Design
The exterior of this full-face helmet is made from polycarbonate, and when it comes to aesthetics the EXO 490 sports various solid colours and eye-catching graphic designs. Coupled with a smooth finish and a 3D logo, this is easily one of the best-looking motorcycle helmets on this list.
It weighs about 1.6 kg and is well balanced with some noticeable weight behind it.
Intake vents are located on the chin and forehead with 3 adjustable options including closed, with a pair of exhaust vents located at the back in the form of a spoiler.
Visor
The polycarbonate visor is coated with EverClear anti-fog that effectively keeps it from fogging up enough to impair vision. It has a mechanism that allows it to stay locked in a cracked-open position that lets fresh air in. It comes in handy for getting rid of fog as well. The visor seals really well and keeps moisture from intruding during rainy days.
It also has a drop-down sun visor to safeguard you from harsh sunlight. A Pinlock visor can be added for extra fog protection, though it’s not included with the helmet. Instead, it comes with a regular clear polycarbonate visor.
Interior
The interior has a simple lining that's removable for cleaning. It has a tight but comfy fit, but there isn't much room for glasses so I wouldn't recommend this helmet if you need them. Cheek padding on the interior comes with an emergency release system that helps to safely remove the helmet in a bad situation.
Like many helmets, the interior is a bit snug at first but it starts adjusting to the shape of your head after a few hours of riding. It also has cut-out compartments for speakers and wiring and accommodates most brands that make helmet audio gear.
Safety
The Scorpion EXO 490 has a warranty of 5 years and has a DOT and SNELL M2015 certification.
Nolan N60-5 Full Face Helmet
Every veteran rider is at least familiar with Nolan helmets. This Italian brand has been making some of the safest and best-looking mid-range helmets on the road from their local factory since the 70s. You’re not going to see them gracing the track in any MotoGP event, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have their place for new riders.
The Nolan N60-5 brings their brand of affordable and sleek design to new riders looking to get started at a reasonable price. Even if you’re looking for your first helmet to take to the road, there’s no reason to look past the N60-5.
Design
The helmet is fairly basic in terms of its design. It’s an all-muss, no-fuss kind of affair. Clearly, the engineers behind it spent more time focusing on making it as safe as possible while not spending too long on the frills.
That’s not to say it’s unattractive though. The Nolan N60-5 is sleek and form-fitting and wouldn’t stand out next to some of the more expensive options.
While I think it looks best in plain black to accentuate its minimalist aesthetic, the N60-5 comes in an array of colour palettes, ranging from single-block neon to garish and psychedelic kaleidoscopes. There’s definitely something for everyone here.
The inner padding is removable to make it easier to wash out whenever it gets a bit too smelly. To keep you from sweating too much, the inner helmet is channeled with vents to circulate fresh air whenever you move. Not only does this keep you cool, but it also helps you stay awake and attentive by making sure you’re always breathing fresh air.
Visor
The visor’s quick-release catch is located in the middle of the helmet, just below the visor itself. This means you can open it with either hand, even while wearing gloves. This is particularly useful if you plan on doing a lot of inner-city riding where you might want to pop your visor open every now and then when you stop at a traffic light.
What’s more, like many of my favourite helmets, it’s Pinlock-ready making it more versatile in bad weather. When you’re out and about, particularly on cold or foggy days, you want to make sure your helmet won’t stop you from keeping your eyes on the road.
Safety
While the Nolan N60-5 hasn’t undergone DOT or ECE certification, it’s still achieved an impressive 4/5 stars on its SHARP score. This mark of safety should give you confidence that your helmet will keep you safe in some of the most severe crashes and tumbles.
Scorpion EXO R1 Carbon Air
With this full-face helmet, Scorpion brings the complexity of their R1-GP MotoGP to the commercial market. If you're not shopping on a tight budget and prefer to start your motorcycle journey with a high-quality motorcycle helmet, then let me introduce you to the Scorpion EXO R1 Carbon Air.
Design
Resin-infused TCT-U 3k carbon fibre - which provides aircraft-grade impact dispersion - is woven to create this helmet's outer shell and, aside from looking high-tech, makes the helmet both sturdy and light. It weighs in at about 1.3kg, which makes it one of the lighter helmets on this list.
Some of the best lightweight motorcycle helmets are made from carbon fibre, and you'll find that this helmet's exterior coating is highly scratch resistant as well.
It’s sturdy but the lightweight design makes it a great option for both new and experienced bikers who are sensitive to helmet weight.
Visor
The MaxVision polycarbonate visor is fitted with an anti-scratch coating and offers a fairly wide field of vision as well as 95% UV-A and UV-B protection, which blocks out the sun's glare and prevents damage to your skin caused by direct sunlight for long periods.
Included with the helmet are a dark smoke Pinlock-ready face shield and a Pinlock anti-fog insert.
Interior
The cheek pads can be custom fitted to your face thanks to the adjustable inflation system running through the cheek pads and jawline. You can inflate them by pumping the red ball located at the chin on the interior of the helmet.
Expanded polystyrene (EPS) lining along the interior of the helmet doesn’t add much weight and is designed to efficiently absorb impact energy. The EPS liner has built-in channels that allow air to flow from the ram-air intake system located on the crown towards the 4 exhaust vents located at the spoiler.
The adjustable vents located on the chin bar can send air up to your mouth, forehead, or visor for defogging depending on their setting. For the amount of ventilation this helmet offers, it's surprisingly silent. Its low noise levels and comfortably light weight makes it one of the best motorcycle helmets for touring on this list.
Safety
The Scorpion EXO R1 Air Carbon comes with a 5-year warranty and a DOT and ECE certification.
Conclusion
Making the decision to start riding a motorbike is exciting, but you need to temper that excitement and remember that there are also risks associated with the hobby.
Once you decide to start riding, you need to invest in quality protective gear. While some motorcycle gear can be prohibitively expensive, it doesn’t have to be. There are plenty of affordable, comfortable, and stylish entry-level helmet options available for newer riders.
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