Five of the best... retro open-face helmets

For a comfortable, lightweight open-face with a sleek retro profile, Sportsbikeshop customers insist the Shoei J-O is the best option. This is reflected in a 4.94 buyer rating from the first 66 reviews. Owners say the interior is comfortable, and that the pull-down visor is easy to drop over glasses. Although it pushes towards the higher end of the open-face price point, customers are adamant the customary Japanese build quality makes it worth the outlay.  

If promises of a better life from buying a helmet bounce straight off you then this lid from Spada will keep you very content. A top-fuel drag bike can get to 60-foot in the time it took Spada to conjure up the product title and the description has as many frills as a pair of hobnail boots. Plastic shell, EPS protective liner, micrometric buckle and a low price. Still, the combination is popular with customers who want a basic lid for a basic price. Only one of the first 10 reviewers docked a star, with a universal view that this lid delivers everything expected for a £55 outlay. It even comes with the removable peak.

Sportsbikeshop customers praise the excellent build quality of the Caberg Freeride, giving a 4.9-star average from its first 33 reviews. They say the supplied clip-on visor is easy to install and remove, and that the helmet overall is so light they can barely notice they’re wearing it. A number of reviews commented on the sleek, low profile of the Freeride, and say the overall fit is true-to-size.    

“If you’re trying to avoid the microphone head effect, this helmet gives a classic profile,” says one Sportsbikeshop customer, who contributed towards the MT’s 4.9-star average from the first 54 reviews. Reviewers rave about the quality finish, which they say defies the price. They say the retractable sun visor is effective, and praise the helmet for its comfort and true-to-size fit. A peak can be bought as an optional extra and attached using the press studs.

Bell invented the ‘jet’ motorcycling helmet back in the 1950s and the Custom 500 replicates that original style in a modern package. The authenticity has been well received by owners, who rate the build quality and retro styling. This one is made using a fibreglass shell, just like the original, with three snaps for an optional peak and two extra snaps for an optional visor. An average rating of 4.8 from the first 122 reviews shows the popularity with those who’ve spent their money on one.