Gear
Gear guides, one item at a time
Each guide covers a single kind of helmet, intercom or riding gear and compares a handful of options by what their Amazon listings state.
Choosing a helmet
- Quietest motorcycle helmets for touring, by listed noise featuresSeven touring helmets compared by what each listing states about wind noise, plus certification, shell, weight and shield details.
- Best open face motorcycle helmets for cruisers and scootersSix open face and 3/4 motorcycle helmets compared by listed DOT and ECE certification, shell material, weight, sizes and shield or sun visor.
- Best modular motorcycle helmets for touring and commutingEight modular motorcycle helmets compared by certification, P/J rating, shell material, stated weight, visor setup and intercom readiness.
- Best full face motorcycle helmets for street and sport touringEight full face motorcycle helmets compared by listed certification, shell material, weight, size and Pinlock or visor setup, from $200 to $780.
- Best carbon fiber motorcycle helmets, with listed weightsEight carbon and carbon-composite helmets from Scorpion, Schuberth, AGV, HJC and Bell compared on certification, shell type, listed weight and shield setup.
- Best adventure and dual sport helmets for road and dirtSix adventure and dual sport helmets compared on certification, shell material, stated weight, sizing and the peak, shield and visor setup each listing describes.
Helmet brands and models
- Best Shoei helmets: the lineup explainedSix Shoei helmets compared by listed certification, shell, weight, sizes and visor: RF-1400, GT-Air 3, Neotec 3, Hornet X2, J-Cruise 3 and X-Fifteen.
- Best Sena smart helmets with built-in intercomSeven Sena smart helmets compared by intercom type (Mesh or Bluetooth), certification, shell, visor and lighting, from the Phantom to the OutForce.
- Best Scorpion EXO helmets above $150Seven ScorpionEXO helmets compared on DOT and ECE marks, shell material, listed weight, size range and shield setup, from the R430 to the EXO-R1 Air.
- Best HJC motorcycle helmets: RPHA, F and i-series comparedEight HJC helmets from $228 to $560 compared by listed DOT rating, shell material, sizes and Pinlock or sun visor: RPHA 91, 71, 60, 12, 11, F71, i91 and i71.
- Best Bell motorcycle helmets, from Qualifier to Race StarSeven Bell helmets compared, from the Qualifier DLX MIPS to the Race Star DLX Flex, on certification, shell material, weight, shell sizes and shield setup.
- Best Arai helmets by head shape and riding styleSix Arai helmets compared by listed head shape, shell construction, certification and shield system, from the Regent-X to the XD-5.
Intercoms and helmet audio
- Best Sena motorcycle intercoms comparedEight Sena motorcycle intercoms compared by listed range, rider count, battery and Mesh or Bluetooth support, from the Spider ST1 to the 60S and 60X.
- Best motorcycle intercoms for solo riders, couples and groupsEight Sena and Cardo motorcycle intercoms compared on stated range, rider count, battery life, mesh or Bluetooth link and whether you get one unit or two.
- Best Cardo Packtalk intercoms: Pro, Edge, Neo and OutdoorCardo Packtalk Pro, Edge, Neo, Edge ORV and Outdoor compared by stated range, rider count, mesh support and extras like crash detection.
Jackets, boots and gloves
- Best armored motorcycle jackets by season and armor levelEight armored textile motorcycle jackets compared on stated CE armor level, shell material and waterproof liner, from mesh summer jackets to touring shells.
- Best motorcycle gloves: gauntlet, adventure and heatedEight motorcycle gloves from Alpinestars, KLIM and Gerbing compared on knuckle and palm armor, material, waterproof membrane, cuff length and heating.
- Best motorcycle riding boots for street, touring and sportEight motorcycle boots compared by listed CE or EN 13634 rating, upper material and waterproof membrane, from Alpinestars, Sidi, TCX, Gaerne and KLIM.
- Best mesh motorcycle jackets for hot weatherSix mesh and airflow motorcycle jackets compared by listed CE armor level, shell material and waterproofing, from REV'IT, Alpinestars, KLIM and Dainese.
- Best leather motorcycle jackets for real ridingSix riding leather jackets compared by stated armor, leather type and thickness, airbag readiness and liners, from Alpinestars to Milwaukee Leather.
- Best adventure motorcycle boots: waterproof ADV picksSeven waterproof adventure motorcycle boots compared by stated armor and ankle support, upper material and membrane, from Sidi to KLIM.