Best Low Profile Half Motorcycle Helmets

 There are a lot of low-profile helmets but which is the best?

Best Motorcycle Helmets for Oval He...x

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One of the most common questions we get in regards to low-profile helmets is “What is the best low-profile motorcycle helmet? That is a great question but the simple answer is it depends on the shape of your head. We went through and picked twelve of some of our most popular half helmets as well as some that fly a bit under the radar.

We have featured 12 of the best-selling low-profile motorcycle helmets available today. Out of the 12, we have picked three that we think you should take a serious look at.

What Is The Best Low Profile Motorcycle Helmet?

Table of Contents

• What Is The Best Low Profile Motorcycle Helmet?
  •  1. Bell Scout Air Helmet
  •  2. AFX FX 200 Half-Face Helmet
  • 3. Scorpion EXO C-110 Open-Face Helmet
  •  4. Fly Street 357 Half Helmet
  •  5. GMax GM65 Naked Half Helmet
  • 6. HJC CL-Ironroad Half Helmet
  •  7. Sena Cavalry Bluetooth Half Helmet
  •  8. LS2 Stripper Helmet
  • 9. Speed and Strength Solid Speed Open-Face Helmet
  • 10. HJC IS-Cruiser Half-Face Helmet
• In Conclusion
• Where To Buy?

I’m going to explain my pick for the lowest profile, lightest weight half helmet, but ultimately it’s going to be up to you to decide which half helmet looks best and is going to meet your needs.

All of our selections are DOT approved and all of the helmets are also extra-large. I also have a long oval head shape so I will describe the fit and feel of each helmet, just keep in mind if you have a round oval, or intermediate oval fit might be a little bit different for you.

We’ve got a lot of ground to cover so without further ado let’s jump in and take a look at our first selection.

1. Bell Scout Air Helmet

The first thing you’ll notice about the Scout air is that it provides a little bit more coverage than a straight half helmet.

The shell extends down over the ears and inside there’s a little recessed area where you could put speakers for your communication device.

The shell is a tri matrix material, you get a D-ring, a retention strap and this is one of the lightest weight helmets of our selection.

When we put this thing on the scales it weighed out at one pound thirteen ounces, which has a lot to do with the construction of the exterior shell.

This helmet is going to cost you a little bit more than some of our other picks it comes out at about $155.

The interior liner is nice and soft, it’s well-padded, it’s a little bit thin but you’ll see when you put it on this thing fits really well.

Another nice touch about the Scout Air is that Bell offers five different shell sizes and five different EPS liner sizes.

That means that no matter what size you wear you’re going to get the slimmest and lightest configuration possible.

I really like the way this one feels. It’s lightweight, it works with my head shape really well and it’s low and it has a nice low profile. I really like this one.

2. AFX FX 200 Half-Face Helmet

The AFX FX 200 is the lightest half helmet of all our picks at 1 pound 12 ounces.

It’s got a fiberglass-reinforced exterior shell, it’s got an antimicrobial antibacterial removable liner inside and it’s also got the standard D-ring retention strap.

The FX 200 starts at around $95, it has a pretty decent profile too. Again this one doesn’t fit my head shape quite right at all, there is no contact with the top of my head and there’s pressure on my forehead.

The nice thing about this is the interior liner is really soft, unlike some of the other ones, it was a little bit rougher than other helmets but it is really well padded inside.

3. Scorpion EXO C-110 Open-Face Helmet

The Scorpion EXO C-110 features a polycarbonate exterior shell, as well as a speed view drop-down sun visor.

Inside this helmet is a quick wick removable antibacterial liner system and on the retention straps, you get button snaps where you can install accessories speaker pockets if you’d like.

Another nice touch is the scorpion builds-in ventilation over the top of the head, you get a couple of intake ports at the front as well as some exhaust ports at the back.

The C 110 weighs out at 2 pounds 7 ounces and it’s going to start at $130. The Scorpion fits my head really well but it seems to bulge out on the sides a little bit too much for me.

4. Fly Street 357 Half Helmet

The Fly Street 357 Half Helmet a.com has a thermoplastic exterior shell, it’s also got a retractable sun shield.

The Fly street does have replacement shields and different tints available. Inside is a nice well-padded interior liner and you get the D-ring retention strap as well.

The 357 weighs two pounds three ounces and it’s going to start at just under $75.

This one has a pretty slim profile but it just doesn’t fit my head quite right, there’s some pressure on the forehead and I just can’t get it situated in a comfortable place. The interior isn’t quite as plush as some of the other ones either.

5. GMax GM65 Naked Half Helmet

Next up we’ve got the G Max GM 65 Naked Half Helmet. Like some of the others, it’s also got a drop-down internal Sun Visor, it’s got a removable washable antibacterial Coolmax liner system inside and it’s also got the standard D-ring retention strap.

The GM 65 also comes with a removable neck curtain as well as a clear tinted drop-down Sun Visor. This lid weighs in at two pounds one ounce and it’s going to start at about $80.

The G-Max has a nice low profile but it’s not fitting me right, I’m getting the pressure on my forehead and I can even get a few of my fingers into the sides at the front of the helmet so this definitely is an appropriate helmet for a long oval head shape.

6. HJC CL-Ironroad Half Helmet

The HJC CL Ironroad features a polycarbonate exterior shell and some pretty interesting features inside. It has a neck curtain that can be removed.

It has a zipper that runs along the base of the helmet and the ear flaps have pockets for communication speakers.

You also get kind of a cool dial fit adjuster so you can tighten or loosen the helmet on your head as needed. The iron Road weighs 2 pounds 11 ounces and it’s going to start at $80.

The iron Road doesn’t fit me quite right either, it’s a little bit too tall for my liking. The adjustment dial is a nice touch and the interior liner is well padded and soft but it’s a little bit too big of a profile for my head.

7. Sena Cavalry Bluetooth Half Helmet

The Sena Cavalry is by far the most technologically complex half helmet in our pic because it’s got the Bluetooth communication system built-in.

You get a fiberglass exterior shell, you get the Bluetooth communication unit and you also get built-in speakers. The interior liner is removable and washable as well.

It is remarkable that the cavalry only weighed 2 pounds 6 ounces on our scales considering all of the technology that’s built in but this lid is going to cost you, it starts at around $350.

This one among the half helmet types fits me really well, it’s really low on my head, doesn’t bulge out on the sides much and it fits my head shape really really good.

8. LS2 Stripper Helmet

The LS2 Stripper is made from LS 2’s kinetic polymer alloy and inside is a nicely padded removable liner.

The exterior shell comes in three different sizes so you get a little bit more refined fit, and this also has the standard D ring retention strap. The LS 2 weighs two pounds one ounce and it starts at $60.

The LS 2 fits my head shape really well, the interior is nicely padded it’s really comfortable and it’s making contact with all points on my head.

The fit is really nice, however, the profile is a little too large compared to some of the other helmets that we’ve chosen.

9. Speed and Strength Solid Speed Open-Face Helmet

The speed and strength feature a thermo poly exterior shell as well as a cool core interior liner that’s removable and washable.

You also get the standard D-ring retention strap as well. This one tipped our scales at 2 pounds even and it runs in at about $60.

It fits my head shape really well and the interior is nice and cozy. It does have a little bit of extra material out on the sides but it’s not quite as dramatic to my eye as some of the other ones we picked.

10. HJC IS-Cruiser Half-Face Helmet

The HJC IS Cruiser is made with a polycarbonate exterior shell and inside it’s got a removable antibacterial liner.

The integrated sun shield has three different positions and you can remove it without having to use tools.

The visor on the front is removable and replaceable as well. The Cruiser weighs in at 2 pounds 9 ounces and it’s going to start at $99.

The HJC Cruiser fits really well, it sits nicely on my head, the padding is really good but like the other HJC selection, it’s a little bit too tall in my opinion.

In Conclusion

You’ve seen all 10 helmets and for me, I would be choosing between these three.

My overall favorite is the Bell Scout Air It’s low on my head, it’s got a nice narrow profile, the interior is really comfortable for my head shape and it feels really lightweight when it’s on.

As a more traditional cut, half helmet is concerned, honestly, the Cena helmet takes the cake for me. It fits my head shape really well, the interior is soft and plush and it sits nice and low on my head. There’s no sense of any of that bulging out that mushrooming that some of the other helmets have.

Because the Cena is a pretty spendy option I also chose a more price-conscious helmet with the speed and strength. It has the speed and strength that the traditional half helmet has and it has a little bit of extra material out on the sides.

It’s not as dramatic as some of the other helmets plus the interior is great for my head shape. It fits really well, I can feel contact on all parts of my head and you know for around $60 it’s a great fine for me.

So to my mind, these two fit me best but I’d like to hear from you. Which one did you like the most? Leave us a comment and tell us about it.

We have also written an article on how to clean your smelly motorcycle helmet In three simple steps. So if yours is a little bit sweaty and needs a clean check it out.

When To Change Motorcycle Tires

 It doesn’t matter if you are riding a cruiser, a Harley, or just touring; everything that has ever been manufactured has an expiry date, and motorcycle tires are no different.

Best Sport Bike Motorcycle Tiresx

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How do you know when to change motorcycle tires? A motorcycle’s front tires can be viable for up to 3900 miles, and the rear tires for 1,900 miles, or three to five years.

Tires are one of the most critical components keeping us from landing on our heads. Many factors contribute to a tire being worn out, including the most obvious. This is an extreme example of a tire being flat worn out.

This is what we jokingly refer to as “throwing sparks.” The rubber has worn away revealing the metal bands, or chords, that hold the tire together.

When the rubber starts making these weird patterns, that means the metal chords are just about to wear through.

It’s worth noting that a tire does not wear at the same rate throughout its life. As the rubber becomes thinner, the tire wears faster. Like car tires, motorcycle tires have wear bars.

When the tire wears down to the point where these bars are level with the rest of the tire, it’s time to replace it.

For most modern motorcycle tires, the front tire is tasked with moving all the water out of the way.

This often means the rear tire will have a solid strip of rubber with no saiping or tread in the center.

This is done to help the rear tire wear more slowly and withstand more abuse from acceleration.

This is why it’s essential to always run matched tires. Not only can mismatched tire construction cause we’re handling issues, but the tread pattern on matching tires has been specifically engineered to work together.

The problem with tires with this solid strip of rubber in the center is that it’s tough to tell when the tire is at the end of its life, particularly for those of us who live in and ride in the real world, where we wear out tires in the center long before we wear them out at the edges.

So here’s our plea to the manufacturers. Race slicks use these little dots to indicate wear. When the dots disappear, there is no more rubber on the tire.

So manufacturers; please put these dots down the center of these rear tires. It would be so helpful so that we could more accurately be able to tell when a tire is worn out, so we don’t end up in this situation.

Tire Age

All tires are stamped with the data manufacturer. A stamp is a four-digit number molded into the sidewall of the tire.

If the number is “2714” that means the tire was manufactured in the 27th week of 2014. If the number is “0516” that means the tire was manufactured in the fifth week of 2016.

If the stamp is only three digits long, that means that the tire was manufactured before the year 2000.

So, how old of a tire should you run on your bike? Don’t confuse the manufacture date with the “Sell-By” date.

Most manufacturers recommend the tire be sold before the tire is five years old. When you’re buying tires, it’s good to be mindful of the age a tire that’s three or even four years old is OK.

But also pay attention to the age of the tires on a used bike that you may be considering.

If the tires look great but were manufactured ten or more years ago, you’ll probably want to add the cost of new tires into the price of the bike.

Here’s the thing, as rubber ages, it interacts with the air in the atmosphere, causing oxidation. Oxidation causes the rubber to harden and become brittle.

The rubber will wear away much more slowly but will offer significantly lower levels of grip.

Oxidation also shows up as cracks or “checking” on the sidewall. Cracking on the sidewall, or in between the traction blocks, indicates severe oxidation, and it’s a sign that the tires should be replaced.

This brings us to the third reason why a tire wears out.

Heat Cycles

Heat increases the rate of oxidization, so if your bike lives in a hot garage, or you live in a hot environment, your tire will lose its grip more rapidly because the heat accelerates the rate of decomposition of the rubber.

What’s more, every time your tire warms up and cools down, it goes through a heat cycle, which also compromises the grip the tire can provide.

When a tire has gone through so many heat cycles that it can no longer provide adequate levels of grip, that tire is “baked-out.”

And not all tires deal with heat cycles the same way. A race tire or even a DOT race tire that can withstand extreme heat punishment on the racetrack may only be able to withstand two or three heat cycles before the level of grip is significantly diminished.

While a sport touring tire may not be able to withstand the harsh punishment and heat like a race tire can, it can typically survive a lifetime of heat cycles from everyday riding stresses before grip decreases.

However, tires intended for cooler, wetter climates are less capable of dealing with too much heat when used in hot, dry climates and may bake out long before the tread is worn away.

This is part of the reason racers and track day riders use tire warmers. Not only to keep the tire warm and grippy but to reduce the number of heat cycles that the tire will have to endure.

This is also why it’s a good idea to try to replace your tires and sets. Your front tire is going through just as many heat cycles as your rear tire and is baking out at the same rate.

We’ve seen a lot of riders who will replace the rear tire, and then a few months later replace the front tire, and then a few months after that, replace the rear tire again.

So they are always chasing a new set of tires. And nothing makes your bike handle like new like a fresh set of tires. So, again, if you can swing it, it’s always best to replace your tires as a set. But if you can’t, for whatever reason, then at least stick with matched tires.

Knowing how old your tires are, or how many heat cycles they’ve endured, maybe a more significant indication as to how worn your tires are than how much tread remains.

Being aware of these things can help you make the best decision to know when it’s time to buy new tires for your bike.

Bonus

The way we tend to know the mileage left in a tire is the simplest of all: We track mileage. We’ve collected a relatively substantial database of tires that we ride, and the mileage we got out of them, and we’ve posted that information on our website.

There is still a wide range of factors involved here, so we don’t take these to be gospel, but they do give us anecdotal evidence to determine if a tire should be replaced before a trip or can go the distance.

Below, we put in a link to our tire mileage calculator. It’s a Google sheet that will help you predict how long a tire will last based on how long tires of the same make and model have lasted you before.

This is how it works: We’ve included the mileage of how long Pirelli Angel GTs have lasted us, taken from our Tire Mileage Chart just as an example. The only caveat is this only works for a single make and model of tire.

Different makes and models can provide vastly different levels of durability. Even two different sport touring tires from two different manufacturers can last from 3,000 miles to 6,000 miles. So you’ll want to add a new sheet for each unique make and model of tire you run.

Next, we measure to the wear-bar, not to the bottom of the sipe, because we plan to replace our tires at that point, not when the tire is bald.

Then we enter the mileage we got from previous versions of the same make and model and the tread depth to the top of the wear bar when we replace the tire.

If you replace it early, you’ll get a number greater than zero, and if you rode it until it was bald, you’d probably end up with a negative number.

From this point, you enter your bike’s odometer reading when you installed the new tire.

Then at any point later in time, you come back, re-measure your current tread depth and the current odometer on your bike, and it will tell you, roughly, how much more life you can expect from your tire.

Hopefully, this will help you know if you have enough tires left over for that weekend trip, or so that you can plan your budget accordingly and not be taken by surprise when your tire starts throwing sparks.

But one last thing, if you want to get the most out of your tires, you need to stay on top of your tire pressure.

We strongly recommend you run the pressure recommended in your bike’s owner’s manual, not the max PSI rating stamped into the sidewall.

Get your hands on a quality tire pressure gauge and check your pressure at least once a week, or before any long ride.

We have put together a comprehensive list of the best motorcycle tires for Cruisers, Sportbikes, Sport touring, Off-road, Touring, and Harley Davidson motorcycles, so you don’t have to.