Full-face motorcycle helmets deliver the greatest amount of protection to a rider. As its name implies, a full-face helmet provides total coverage to the front and rear of rider’s head. An added benefit of the full-face design is built-in eye protection in the form of a visor/faceshield, which can be swapped out with tinted or non-tinted versions. Utilized in road-racing, many full-face designs are replicas of the helmets worn by professional riders in MotoGP and the World and AMA Superbike ranks. Due to their racing application, many full-face designs are Snell approved.

Special full-face helmet features include:

Full-face helmets deliver the optimal protection. Many designs are direct replicas of the helmets worn by professional road-racers – like this AGV helmet worn by MotoGP star Valentino Rossi.

– Removable shield. Some shield removal systems are much easier than others. Ask a sales rep to show you how it works and practice it yourself. Fumbling with a shield replacement for 10 minutes is a frustrating experience.

– Washable, removable liners. After a couple of months of use, the inside of a full-face helmet can get ugly. The ability to freshen things up by tossing liners into the wash is a definite advantage.

– Variable sized cheek pads. Even with the wide variety of brands and styles available, there are some heads that are difficult to fit. Many motorcycle helmets offer different sized cheek pads to fine-tune fit.

– Venting systems. One of the disadvantages of a full-face design is that they can be hot. Many of the latest helmet designs have such good ventilation systems, however, that you can often wear them on a hot summer’s day without breaking a sweat. Vents near the visor are also important in keeping it defogged.

– Chin strap fastener. Check out the fasteners on the chin strap. Snaps do a good job of keeping the strap secured rather than flapping around against your neck and are easy to use while wearing gloves.

– Room for glasses. If you wear prescription eyeglasses or sunglasses, make sure your full-face helmet has enough room to accommodate them.

– Extra features: Some motorcycle helmets offer extras like chin skirts, which tuck in underneath and keep wind from blasting up into a helmet – helpful in cold weather. Also a rider might consider room for the installation of speakers for aftermarket communication or sound systems.