best motorcycle helmet for women

The ABCs of How to Find the Best Motorcycle Helmet for Women

Introduction

As a female biker, I'm sure you've struggled with finding the best motorcycle helmet that combines safety and style. We recognize this struggle and our experts have scoured the internet to find the best motorcycle helmet for women on the market. Check out the detailed reviews and insights below.

Choosing the Best Motorcycle Helmet for women

The feeling of the rumble of the road under your wheels and the wind in your face as you ride your bike down the highway is nothing short of exciting. It's an adrenalin rush for sure. However, it's important to keep yourself safe and to obey traffic laws.

A motorcycle helmet is designed to protect your head when you get in an accident and fall off the bike. It keeps your head from suffering concussions and other potential head injuries. When hunting for the best women motorcycle helmet, it's important to note that the helmet should be a combination of womanly style and practical function.

Product

Type

Rating

Price

Bell Monarch Women's Vortex Street Bike Motorcycle Helmet - Editorial Choice

Full Face Helmets

Shoei Seduction RF-1200 Street Bike Racing Motorcycle Helmet -Best Motorcycle Helmet for Women

Full Face Helmet

HJC CL-17 Mystic Full-Face Motorcycle Helmet - Best Budget Choice

Full Face Helmet

LS2 Helmets 569 Track Floral Open Face Motorcycle Helmet with Sunshield

3/4 open face helmet

Shoei Metallic RF-1200 Street Racing Motorcycle Helmet

Full Face Helmet

Matte White Pink Butterfly Full Face Motorcycle Helmet - Low Budget Choice

Full Face Helmet

XFMT Pink Butterfly Flip Up Motorcycle Modular Full Face Women Motorcycle Helmet

Full Face Helmet

Type of Helmet

You should choose the right type of motorcycle helmet (for women) that best suits your needs. These women helmets are available in different styles and types. They include:

full face helmet
  • Full Face Helmets: This helmet type provides you with the best protection, a quiet ride, all-weather protection, a clear visor, little wind resistance, and vision and eye protection. However, it's a little on the heavy side. Some women don't like them for their bulkiness and ability to hide faces.
open face helmet
  • Open Face Helmets: These helmets are also known as ¾ helmets that leave the entire face open (which some women prefer). This means many of the models don't have visors to protect your eyes with. However, they offer better visibility, easier communication, and flip-down shields for weather protection.
Modular helmets
  • Modular Helmets: Modular helmets give you the best of both worlds of open face and full face helmets because they can transform into a comfortable open face helmet or a protective full face helmet thanks to their mobile chin bar. However, they're even heavier than full face helmets.
Arai Tip off-road motorcycle helmet
  • Off-Road Helmets: These are racing helmets with no face shield, have sun visors, and offers chin protection plus special vents to allow heat to escape. They're basically full face helmets with no face shield and extra vents added.
half helmet
  • Half Helmets: If you're driving a cruiser instead, you can get half helmets or skull caps to protect you noggin. It offers the least protection among the helmets but it's also the lightest, most comfortable option and shows your face off more.

Top Motorcycle Helmet Brands

Here are the top brands to check out when it comes to motorcycle helmets for females. Take note, there are also a number of generic motorcycle helmets out there that work just as well as their branded counterparts.

  • XMFT: XMFT is a brand of motorcycle helmets (for men and women) and other accessories like visors, motorcycle gloves, and pads. They're the makers of helmets with flip-up systems to allow their modular full face helmets to transform into open face ones.
  • LS2: In the world of motors and street bikes, you're likely to come across the LS2 brand. Headquartered in Spain, the brand provides variety when it comes to their helmet products made of tough polycarbonate, composite, or berglass materials. They also boast of having ECE.22.05 international security certifications for all their products.
  • Bell Racing: More than any other brand on this list, the Bell Monarch brand by Bell Racing (established in 1954) specializes in making women's motorcycle helmets. As many a women helmet review would vouch for, their helmets don't only uphold safety standards. They're also designed to be female or feminine, showcasing graphics like a neon pink butterfly emblazoned across the item itself.
  • HJC: This helmet producer specializes in manufacturing motorcycle helmets in particular (so no dirt bike, motocross, or off-road helmets with no face shield). They've been around for almost 45 years. They claim to be committed to making the highest quality motorcycle helmets in the world, along with a brand line exclusive to women bikers.
  • Shoei: Shoei Co., Ltd is a Japan-based maker of motorsport helmets. Like with Bell Monarch, they also offer women's helmet brand designs (like Seduction and Metallic) as part of their brand that includes butterfly, hearts, and flower motifs. However, unlike Bell Monarch, they don't specialize in these types of helmet only, so they're able to maintain a unisex safety standard across the board for all their products.

Reviews of Best Motorcycle Helmet for Women in 2018

Here are some recommended and highly rated womanly motorcycle helmets you should check out.

Bell Monarch Women's Vortex Street Bike Motorcycle Helmet - Editorial Choice

Bell Monarch helmet

Bell Racing's Bell Monarch line of women's motorcycle helmets includes this standard-issue pink-and-white butterfly wing design over a black backdrop that's pretty common for this type of helmet demographic. Aside from the design though, the helmet itself is quite similar to its male counterpart.

It's a helmet with lightweight composite polycarbonate alloy shell as well. The 1.6 kilograms or 3.5 pounds of weight might be seen as a plus compared to the heavier football-sized helmets out there. This racing helmet has gone through all the battery of tests needed to get it to meet and exceed DOT standards. Curiously, it has a wide $95-$260 price range.

It also has stacked foam included for its contour cheek pads. Furthermore, it has a velocity flow ventilation system wherein the faster you go, the more ventilated the helmet gets with its flow-adjust system. It controls your head temperature with the vents catching the wind to cool you down and assures maximum stability through the item's aerodynamic design.

The customers who've availed and approved of this helmet mainly praise it for its "graphics" or butterfly helmet motif that's quite cool and feminine at the same time. According to these customers' opinions, the design is one of the better ones out there (which is saying a lot in light of how common butterfly women's motorcycle helmets are).

Things We Liked

  • Very Beautiful design
  • good price

Things We Didn't Like

  • N/A

Shoei Seduction RF-1200 Street Bike Racing Motorcycle Helmet - Best Motorcycle Helmet for Women

Shoei Seduction RF-1200 helmet for women

Does the Shoei Seduction RF-1200 Street Bike Racing Motorcycle Helmet live up to its name? It depends on your point of view. For those who are unimpressed by its lack of ornamentation compared to something like the Bell Monarch Women's Vortex or even the Matte White Pink Butterfly helmets, the Shoei quality helps it stand through.

The one major drawback of the Shoei Seduction RF-1200 is its exorbitant price of $590-$600. Whether it's small, medium, large, or extra-large helmet, they're all priced the same, which might be a good or bad thing depending on your head size. However, it's understandable if some customers might balk at the price and settle for the $30-$50 price range.

From my estimations, the extra money isn't for naught. The seduction line weighs 3.5 pounds across the different sizes and the reason for that is because it's a bike racing helmet that requires a more lightweight yet tough exterior in order to keep your weight down while racing. That's football-grade protection with the Snell 2010 seal of approval to boot.

I personally approve of the Shoei Seduction because it's like girl basketball rubber shoes in helmet form with the way it's designed. Rather than be too girly, it's feminine with an edge. It's like it's a punk rocker girl of sorts that's both impactful and womanly at the same time. Its design has personality and it doesn't hurt it's made by one of the top helmet manufacturers in the globe.

Things We Liked

  • LightWeight
  • Snell approval

Things We Didn't Like

  • HIgh price

HJC CL-17 Mystic Full-Face Motorcycle Helmet - Best Budget Choice

HJC Mystic Full-Face Motorcycle Helmet

This full face motorcycle helmet for women by HJC has a colorful pink, white, and black design that's kind of floral but is actually composed of more unisex spirals. Nevertheless, the color scheme and the "mystical" design make it more popular among women than men who want utilitarian or "hardcore" motifs with their helmets.

It's also quite the spec-heavy item, as evidenced by its advanced polycarbonate composite shell that's been designed for comfort, lightweight design, and exact fit with CAD (Computer-Assisted Design) technology. Its face shield is anti-scratch and pin-lock ready to boot. Its 3D design isn't just for looks either. It has an extra function in terms of UV protection.

The seal for the helmet is also quite secure thanks to its side shield lock mechanism and an optional pin lock insert not included with the package but may be worth it for those who purchase this. Unlike the other helmets, this one even has an anti-fog system for good measure.

The shield is also replaceable using a ratchet system that allows you to remove and install a new shield without using tools. In regards to its ventilation system, it works by making sure the airflow goes from the front to the back in order to dissipate humidity and heat out of the helmet like the vents on your bike itself.

Things We Liked

  • Anti-scratch face shield
  • Efficient ventilation
  • lightweight design
  • UV protection

Things We Didn't Like

  • Not very nice looking for Ladies 

LS2 Helmets 569 Track Floral Open Face Motorcycle Helmet with Sunshield 

LS2 Helmets

The main claim to fame that this helmet has over its competitors is its sunshield that shields your face and eyes from dangerous cancer-causing UV rays. It also controls how much light and air you want to get at the push of a button on the helmet.

This bike helmet for women has a nifty floral design using the combined color schemes of the XFMT Pink Butterfly Motorcycle Helmet and the brandless Matte White Pink Butterfly Full Face Motorcycle Helmet of pink, white, and black. This particular helmet design prevents claustrophobia by giving you a wide field of visibility. It has an open face design lacking a chin guard for easy visibility and face access.

Naturally, the helmet is also DOT-approved, right down to the quick-release that ensures a secure fit that will stay on your head even as you weave through the highway on your motorcycle. It's not like a skull top half helmet that flies off at highway speeds if you forget to fasten it onto your head.

This ventilated helmet is fully adjustable and has flow-through ventilation that allows you to ride in rain, shine, sleet, and snow. It's also made with a lightweight KPA (Kinetic Polymer Alloy) shell that meets and goes beyond both the standards of the ECE and DOT (probably Snell as well if you do a voluntary check).

Things We Liked

  • UV Protection
  • Wide field of Visibilty
  • ECE and DOT approved

Things We Didn't Like

  • Not a full face helmet

Shoei Metallic RF-1200 Street Racing Motorcycle Helmet 

Shoei Rf-1200

In regards to the Shoei Metallic RF-1200, it's more of a unisex helmet like the HJC CL-17 Mystic, except this time more so because it's just a shiny (metallic) red helmet with no floral or feminine design. The Shoei Seduction RF-1200 Helmet is more of a women's helmet with its black and pink color scheme, but it too lacks any outright female signifiers outside of that and its name.

As expected of the Shoei brand from Japan, it comes complete with helmet requisites like a chin curtain, dual layer or multi-density EPS liner, pin lock anti-fog system, ventilation performance, and compact lightweight aerodynamic design that cools your head down and protects it from any potential harm from sudden falls due to motorcycle accidents.

In turn, the high-class Shoei helmet has a similarly high-class price of $500-$550. It might seem sparse with specs, but the customers who buy it can verify it's priced about 5 times as expensive as other women's helmets because of its comfortable design due to the plush interior and toughness due to its shell.

It also only weighs a relatively light 5.5 pounds. At least one customer was able to vouch that it lasts quite long after she went through a 65 MPH unintentional "impact" test then lived to tell the tale exactly because she was wearing this specific helmet brand (that practically justifies its high price range).

Things We Liked

  • Unisex
  • UV protection

Things We Didn't Like

  • not a women design

Matte White Pink Butterfly Full Face Motorcycle Helmet - Low Budget Choice

MATTE WHITE PINK BUTTERFLY Full Face helmet

The generic Matte White Pink Butterfly Full Face Motorcycle Helmet also has a notably pink butterfly motif or design that's all the rage among women's motorcycle helmets apparently. However, it's a different look this time reminiscent of a cream puff thanks to its white and pink color choices.

It's a helmet that includes an adjustable steel dual D-ring with buttoned chin strap, a cushioned interior with removable and washable cheek pads for easier maintenance, and a ventilation system to cool your head down while riding. The stats and specs of this motorcycle helmet checks out as well.

To wit, its EPS inner liner is sweat absorbent, its visor mechanism is quick release, its shell is made of lightweight ABS composite material that's fiber-reinforced with EPS impact foam, it has sufficient air flow from its ventilation system, and it's kind of soundproofed with its streamlined design that mitigates wind noise.

It's also DOT certified (as indicated on the non-removable graphic on its back). In regards to its fit, there are fewer major complaints about it on its page, with many approving of its accurate sizes. Customers also love it for its $40-$50 price tag that gives you more bang for your buck.

Things We Liked

  • Affordable
  • ABS Composed Shell
  • Beautiful design

Things We Didn't Like

  • The helmet quality not high compare to other in our list

XFMT Pink Butterfly Flip Up Motorcycle Modular Full Face Women Motorcycle Helmet 

XFMT Pink Butterfly Motorcycle helmet

The XFMT Pink Butterfly Motorcycle Helmet has a nice pink and black floral and butterfly motif going on with a design that many females should adore. As long as you have your head circumference size by inches handy, you should be able to match the right size with your corresponding head size.

This motorcycle helmet for women review however does not approve of how the advertised sizes aren't the most accurate. You may need to buy a smaller size that what's posted. Several customers have ended up a couple of inches short from a perfect fit with their helmet purchase due to sizes confusion.

It's also a hassle to return since they make you purchase your own postage. However, the vast majority of purchasers who've figured out which size corresponds to which circumference have no complaints. Nevertheless, because of its modularity, it is well-worth the $30 to $50.

Aside from its obvious female signifiers, this is your brand new standard full face helmet that comes complete with DOT standard safety certification, a UV-protective glossy finish, a durable composite shell that's still relatively lightweight, a cushioned and comfortable interior, and loads of ventilation for the sake of riding during the winter or summer (thus making it an all-climate kind of modular women's helmet).

Things We Liked

  • Affordable
  • Spec Worthy
  • Decent Design

Things We Didn't Like

  • bad Chin Strap
  • Not top quality 

Buying Guide

Here are the things to keep in mind when shopping for a motorcycle helmet for women.

Safety: This is arguably the whole point of getting a motorcycle helmet in the first place. While it's better to not crash at all when riding a motorcycle, accidents do happen. When you crash, it's better to wear a helmet than not to because it protects your head and, in turn, your brain. You don't want your brain to get shaken up and concussed, leading to motor problems down the line in the future. Your helmet for women should be sufficiently thick and shock absorbent to do its job right.

Head Measurement: Your head should fit in the helmet, obviously. However, the act of shopping online (or even offline or at a real store) for a helmet will be made much easier by knowing your head measurement. To be more specific, you need to have a measurement (in inches) of your head circumference so that you only need a few minutes to get the right helmet size. An additional guide on what small, medium, large, and so forth sizes refer to can be found in the FAQ.

Head Shape: On one hand, this used to be important when helmets had different internal shapes to accommodate the three head shapes. Wearing an ill-fitting helmet can lead to undue pressure when wearing it. In general, all human heads are egg shaped when viewed from the top. However, some are long oval in shape (elongated from front to back), intermediate oval (more circular), or round oval (elongated from one ear to another).

On the other hand, modern manufacturers of helmets (including female helmets) have been converging towards a universal internal head shape standard so that one motorcycle size fits all people of the same head size regardless of the shape of their head. So in the future, your head shape might not be as important a factor. Head circumference or measurement might be enough to determine a perfect fit on these universally egg-shaped or adjustable helmets.

Comfort: It takes about an hour of riding to know whether a helmet is comfortable. You should try the helmet before you buy it or have a return receipt/money-back guarantee agreement available just in case. Many helmets may feel comfortable for a minute, but certain pressure points can develop over time. When wearing a woman's helmet, clench your teeth to see if you have enough room to keep your mouth closed comfortably.

Aesthetics: You can either go with a unisex helmet that can be worn by both men and women or choose a more female helmet that's as identifiably feminine as a hot pink shirt, a skirt, a blouse, or high-heel shoes. It's up to you, either type is fine. Just go with your personal preference. Just expect to look through dozens upon dozens of butterfly-designed helmets since this is the first thing manufacturers apparently think of when you say, "Women's motorcycle helmet".

FAQ

Here are some Frequently Asked Questions about women's motorcycle helmets.

What's the difference between male and female motorcycle helmets?

The difference is mostly aesthetic or dependent on the tastes and preferences of the given demographic. Perhaps there's also head size discrepancies and whatnot, but in terms of marketing, female motorcycle helmets are mostly identifiable by their female motifs (they're pink and they have butterfly, flower, or heart designs on them). Men have either plain colored or "hardcore" masculine designs (like skulls and fire) on theirs.

What are the different motorcycle helmet certifications and standards?

The different motorcycle helmet standards and certifications that also cover women's helmets include DOT, ECE 22.05, and Snell.

  • DOT: In the U.S.A., Americans mostly go with women's motorcycle helmets that are certified under the U.S. Department of Transportation or DOT standard. The National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration or NHTSA have a list of motorcycle helmets meeting DOT standards.
  • ECE: ECE refers to the Economic Commission for Europe. This standard was created under a U.N. agreement back in 1958. The 22.05 part is the spcific regulation that the standards for testing are described herein (for motorcycle helmets in this case). This standard is accepted in 47 countries and is similar to DOT in many ways (peripheral vision and impact absorption).
  • Snell: This serves as an additional source of U.S. helmet safety standards by the Snell Memorial Foundation. This is somewhat different from the FMVSS 218 of DOT. To meet Snell standards is completely voluntary while DOT standards are mandatory for every U.S.-sold helmet.

What are the different helmet sizes for women?

The helmet sizes for women follow the same sizes for men for simplicity's sake. They include the following sizes and equivalent head sizes (in inches):

  • Extra Small (XS): 20⅞-21¼
  • Small (S): 21⅝ -22
  • Medium (M): 22⅜-22¾
  • Large (L): 23¼-23⅝
  • .Extra Large (XL): 24-24⅜
  • Double Extra Large (XXL): 24¾-25¼

Take note that sizing standards may vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, so buyer beware.

What makes a women's motorcycle helmet comfortable?

There are several factors to consider when judging a women's motorcycle helmet as "comfortable". For example, the material making up the helmet's liner should not make you feel discomfort on the skin. The visor should not block your vision and should be adjustable for the sake of airflow.

You should also check out how comfortable the cushion between the helmet internals and the head. The liner shape should perfectly match your head shape (which can be round oval, intermediate oval, or long oval) as well. As a rule of thumb, a helmet should fit perfectly and be so comfortable that you'll forget you're even wearing it.

Conclusion

The aesthetics of the women's helmet is covered by the individual style and designs of every helmet in order to suit the tastes of its female demographic who wants more than just a bland unisex or obviously male helmet design. However, all the helmets should uniformly accomplish their main function of protecting the head, whether it's minimum or partial head to maximum or whole head protection.

They should also be comfortable to wear to boot. Even though safety is always the top priority when wearing a helmet (in terms of head protection and shock absorption) if your comfort is compromised your safety will be compromised as well. This is why there are different types of helmets available with varying degrees of safety and comfort included.

When searching for the best motorcycle helmet for women, it's not only a balancing act between price and quality. You may also need to choose or compromise between aesthetics that make the helmet more fashionable to your tastes and its safety capabilities. For example, the safest helmet available (the full face one) is also the bulkiest and non-sexiest one of them all.

It's like comparing a brick cellphone to the sleeker designs of present-day smartphones in design terms. As a woman biker, it's up to you whether you're willing to sacrifice form over function or find a balance between the two (like getting a modular helmet that can switch between the bulky full face helmet and the more open and comfortable open face design sans chinstrap).

For more detailed information and reviews related to helmets, check out these other expert posts:

For the dirt bike enthusiast looking for a helmet checkout the: The Best Dirt Bike Helmet in 2018 (The Comprehensive Buying Guide).

For overall best motorcycle helmet review checkout: Best Motorcycle Helmets.

For best electric motorcycle for kids review checkout: Best Electric Motorcycle for Kids.

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