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LID & LEATHER

The lid · Helmets

The Best Modular Motorcycle Helmets

Flip-up lids for touring, glasses and easy conversation. Ranked on certification, quiet, weight and value.

By Stephen V.Updated How we research
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We earn a commission when you buy through our Amazon links, at no extra cost to you. It never affects our rankings, and we say so when the cheaper gear is the better buy. How this works.

A modular helmet has a chin bar that flips up, which makes it the touring and commuting favorite: you can talk at a gas stop, wear glasses easily, and get air without taking the lid off. The trade-off is a little extra weight and a hinge to seal against noise — the good ones manage both well. Every pick here is DOT certified, and we ranked on quiet, weight and value.

The Shoei Neotec II is the touring modular the rest are measured against — a multi-composite shell, an internal sun visor, a genuinely quiet cabin and a clean factory Sena comms path. For mid-money, the Bell SRT Modular gets you a fiberglass shell and a huge field of view; the HJC i90 adds ECE certification at a value price; and the Scorpion EXO-GT930 converts to full-face or open-face when you want it. If you want comms built in, the Sena Outrush R is a modular with the intercom already inside.

The short answer

Quick picks

#ProductBest forScorePrice
01
Shoei Neotec II

The touring modular the rest are measured against. A multi-composite shell, an internal sun visor, a genuinely quiet cabin and a drop-in SRL2 Sena comms option that keeps the lines clean.

Best touring modular
8.6
$699.99Amazon
02
Bell SRT Modular

A fiberglass-composite modular with a class-leading Panovision eye-port and a drop-down sun shade, at a mid price that badly undercuts the premium tourers.

Best mid-price modular
8.3
$399.95Amazon
03
HJC i90

The value modular. DOT and ECE certified, a drop-down sun visor and a comfortable touring fit, for a price that leaves room in the budget for a proper headset.

Best value modular
8.3
$139.77Amazon
04
Scorpion EXO-GT930

A clever 3-in-1: full-face, modular or open-face from one DOT-certified shell, with a drop-down sun visor. The most flexible commuter lid on this list.

Most versatile (3-in-1)
8.1
$279.95Amazon
05
Sena Outrush R

The cleanest do-it-all Bluetooth lid: a DOT-certified modular helmet with Sena's intercom built in, so there are no stick-on speakers, no dangling wires, and one thing to charge.

Best built-in Bluetooth
8.5
$315.92Amazon

#ad · Live prices from the Amazon Product API, as of Jul 18, 2026. Where we have no verified live price we show none — we would rather leave a gap than print a number that has rotted.

In detail

The picks, in full

01
Shoei Shoei Neotec II

Best touring modular

Shoei Neotec II

DOTMulti-composite shellInternal sun visorSRL2 comms-ready
8.6/10

The touring modular the rest are measured against. A multi-composite shell, an internal sun visor, a genuinely quiet cabin and a drop-in SRL2 Sena comms option that keeps the lines clean.

Certification
8.4
Shell/weight
8.6
Noise/aero
9.4
Fit range
8.6
Value
7.8

Pros

  • DOT certified with a refined multi-ply composite shell
  • One of the quietest modulars made, with a sealed chin bar
  • Integrated sun visor and a clean factory Sena SRL2 comms path

Cons

  • Expensive
  • Heavier than a full-face (all modulars are)

Don't buy this if…

…you want the absolute lightest lid or a tight budget — this is a premium tourer.

$699.99View on Amazon

Price as of Jul 18, 2026. Prices change — Amazon's is the one that counts.

#ad · we may earn a commission from this link to Shoei Neotec II

02
Bell Bell SRT Modular

Best mid-price modular

Bell SRT Modular

DOTFiberglass compositePanovision eye-portDrop-down sun shade
8.3/10

A fiberglass-composite modular with a class-leading Panovision eye-port and a drop-down sun shade, at a mid price that badly undercuts the premium tourers.

Certification
8.2
Shell/weight
8.4
Noise/aero
8
Fit range
8.2
Value
8.8

Pros

  • DOT certified with a fiberglass composite shell (lighter than polycarbonate)
  • Huge Panovision field of view and a built-in sun shade
  • Class II Bluetooth-ready speaker pockets

Cons

  • Louder than the Shoei
  • Chin-bar latch feels less premium

Don't buy this if…

…you want the quietest possible touring cabin — the Neotec is a step up there.

$399.95View on Amazon

Price as of Jul 18, 2026. Prices change — Amazon's is the one that counts.

#ad · we may earn a commission from this link to Bell SRT Modular

03
HJC HJC i90

Best value modular

HJC i90

DOT · ECEPolycarbonate shellInternal sun visorPinlock-ready
8.3/10

The value modular. DOT and ECE certified, a drop-down sun visor and a comfortable touring fit, for a price that leaves room in the budget for a proper headset.

Certification
8.6
Shell/weight
7.6
Noise/aero
7.8
Fit range
8.4
Value
9.2

Pros

  • DOT and ECE certified modular at an entry price
  • Drop-down sun visor and a genuinely comfortable long-day fit
  • Pinlock-ready shield included

Cons

  • Heavier polycarbonate shell
  • Not as quiet as premium tourers

Don't buy this if…

…you want the lightest, quietest modular and have the budget for it.

$139.77View on Amazon

Price as of Jul 18, 2026. Prices change — Amazon's is the one that counts.

#ad · we may earn a commission from this link to HJC i90

04
Scorpion Scorpion EXO-GT930

Most versatile (3-in-1)

Scorpion EXO-GT930

DOT3-in-1 convertibleDrop-down sun visorPolycarbonate
8.1/10

A clever 3-in-1: full-face, modular or open-face from one DOT-certified shell, with a drop-down sun visor. The most flexible commuter lid on this list.

Certification
8
Shell/weight
7.8
Noise/aero
7.8
Fit range
8.2
Value
8.6

Pros

  • DOT certified and converts between full, modular and open-face
  • Drop-down internal sun visor and Pinlock-ready shield
  • Speaker pockets sized for a Bluetooth kit

Cons

  • Open-face mode reduces protection
  • Polycarbonate shell adds weight

Don't buy this if…

…you always ride closed and want the lightest, quietest dedicated modular.

$279.95View on Amazon

Price as of Jul 18, 2026. Prices change — Amazon's is the one that counts.

#ad · we may earn a commission from this link to Scorpion EXO-GT930

05
Sena Sena Outrush R

Best built-in Bluetooth

Sena Outrush R

DOTModular flip-upIntegrated Sena intercomVoice + FM
8.5/10

The cleanest do-it-all Bluetooth lid: a DOT-certified modular helmet with Sena's intercom built in, so there are no stick-on speakers, no dangling wires, and one thing to charge.

Certification
8
Integration
9.4
Sound
8.6
Fit range
8
Value
8.6

Pros

  • DOT-certified modular shell with the electronics fully integrated
  • Real Sena intercom, HD speakers, voice commands and FM — not a generic module
  • One charge port, one unit; nothing to retrofit or fall off

Cons

  • Integrated electronics can't be upgraded later
  • Heavier than a bare modular

Don't buy this if…

…you already own a Cardo or Sena unit you like — a bare helmet plus your existing headset may serve you better.

$315.92View on Amazon

$359.0012% off

Price as of Jul 18, 2026. Prices change — Amazon's is the one that counts.

#ad · we may earn a commission from this link to Sena Outrush R

How we picked

We don't test helmets. Here's what we do instead.

Everyone in this category says they tested twenty helmets. We haven't tested any — and we say so. What we do instead: compile the published DOT, ECE 22.06 and Snell certifications, the manufacturer's fit, weight and shell specs, the CE armor levels, and reputable published reviews, then score each pick against a published rubric. The scores are judgments from documented research — not measurements we took, because we do not run a lab and we are not going to pretend we do. Every certification and spec claim traces to a source we name and link.

Questions

Frequently asked

Are modular helmets as safe as full-face helmets?
A DOT- or ECE-certified modular meets the same standard as a full-face, but the flip mechanism adds a hinge and a small amount of weight, and some modulars are only certified with the chin bar closed. Ride with the chin bar down; treat the flip-up as a convenience for stops, not for riding. Full-face remains the lightest, quietest and simplest option.
Can I ride with the chin bar up?
Only at very low speed, and only if the helmet is rated for it (a few carry a dual P/J homologation). At road speed the open chin bar adds drag and buffeting and offers no chin protection. Keep it down when you're moving.

Keep reading

Related

Receipts

Sources

We do not run a testing lab, and we do not pretend to. Our picks are built from published certifications, manufacturer spec sheets, the standards documents themselves, and reputable published reviews — named and linked above. Where we could not verify something, we say so on the page rather than quietly leaving it out. Read our full method.