Dual Sport Helmets

Like the dual sport motorcycles from which its name is derived, a dual sport helmet is a hybrid, a mix of street and off-road oriented designs. Dual sport bikes have lights, instrumentation, horns, mirrors, and license plate brackets for legal operation on the street, but they also commonly have long travel suspension, increased ground clearance, and high fenders for riding on rough terrain, and aggressive tread for traction in the dirt. A dual sport helmet is of one-piece construction, with a built-in chin bar and integrated face shield like a full face helmet, but the chin bar is elongated, and it also has a visor, or peak, like a dirt bike helmet. The full face helmet derived face shield on a dual sport helmet can provide a quiet ride on the highway, but its wide eye port gives you the option of wearing goggles instead to completely shield your eyes from dust and debris on off-road trails.

However, just as a dual sport motorcycle is a compromise - able to provide adequate performance on paved roads and dirt trails, but generally incapable of matching the performance of purpose-built street and dirt bikes – a dual sport helmet may not be the optimal lid for every riding condition. For example, that peak can create drag when you’re riding on the highway and the peak and elongated chin bar can trap wind when you turn your head, putting a strain on your neck. The peak is removable on most dual sport helmets but removing it every time you’re cruising the slab could become a hassle. And even without it, a dual sport helmet won’t be as aerodynamic and quiet as a full face helmet. A dual sport helmet is often heavier than a full face helmet as well. If you ride almost exclusively on pavement, one of our full face helmets may be the more comfortable, and sensible, alternative. Conversely, if your miles are almost entirely on dirt, and your pavement time is just to get back and forth to your favorite off road riding areas, one of our dedicated dirt bike helmets, with its light weight and superior ventilation, will work better when you’re exerting yourself over rough terrain.

That said, if you really do split your riding time evenly between pavement and terra firma, or you just like those ready-for-adventure looks, then a dual sport is the right helmet for you. Our dual sport helmets come in men’s and women’s sizes from 2X-small to 3X-Large, in round oval and intermediate oval helmet shapes. All are DOT (Department of Transportation) certified and completely legal for use on U.S. highways, and some have ECE (Economic Commission for Europe) certification and/or Snell Memorial Foundation approval. A dual sport helmet is constructed with a thermoplastic, fiberglass, or composite shell designed to spread an impact over a broad area, an energy absorbing EPS (Expanded Polystyrene) foam liner, and interior padding.

Most less expensive helmets are made of thermoplastics like ABS or polycarbonate. These helmets are strong and perfectly safe, but with this construction they must be made heavier with thicker EPS to achieve the proper level of safety. Fiberglass and fiberglass composite are stronger and very good at distributing force upon impact and therefore fiberglass helmets can be made lighter. Top of the line Kevlar and carbon fiber composite helmets are extremely strong and can be made even lighter in weight, but they’re generally the most expensive. Helmets constructed with any of these materials will provide protection in the unfortunate event of a crash, but a lighter helmet will put much less strain on your neck and be more comfortable to wear than a heavier one, especially on long rides.

In our dual sport helmet collection, we’ve got many innovative shell and peak shapes to choose from, and they come in a rainbow of gloss and matte solid colors, camo, distinctive multi-color and stripe patterns, and unique graphic displays. An enclosed dual sport helmet will help keep your head warm so you can be comfortable in colder weather, but when the temperature drops, shield fogging and the dangerous impaired vision that ensues becomes a problem. Some dual sport helmets have face shields with an anti-fog coating while others come with shields that are set-up for an anti-fog Pinlock® shield. The Pinlock absorbs moisture and forms an insulating layer of air inside the shield, which prevents fogging. Many helmets also have chin vents to help prevent fogging as well as provisions that allow the shield to be opened just a crack for defogging from outside air, and some come with breath guards to deflect hot breath away from the shield.

At the other temperature extreme, on a hot summer day in bright sunlight an enclosed helmet could be like an oven, which is why dual sport helmets have built-in intake and exhaust vents to provide cooling flow-through ventilation. These vents can be opened and closed on most dual sport helmets for temperature control. The helmet’s comfort liner, the padded layer that contacts your head, is made of open cell foam covered with fabric. Some helmet liner fabrics are moisture wicking to increase your comfort level and some liners are antimicrobial to keep odors at bay. However, any fabric that’s continually exposed to perspiration and the oils from your hair and skin is going to get funky after a while, but with the removable and washable liners that are a feature in many of our dual sport helmets, it’s easy to make the inside of the helmet clean and fresh again. Some helmet makers also offer cheek pads in different sizes so you can customize fit and comfort.

Most dual sport helmets come with a pivoting clear face shield, and the majority of these are scratch resistant and provide UV protection. Many dual sport helmets are designed with space for goggle straps so you can wear goggles with the face shield in the fully raised position, but others require that the face shield be removed to wear goggles. In any case, face shields are generally easy to remove, and accessory shields are available for most dual sport helmets in tints to suit riding conditions, including dark shields that protect your eyes from glare in bright sun and amber that will enhance contrast and definition on overcast days. However, you’ll find that a large number of our dual sport helmets feature a convenient lever-operated internal sun visor that can be dropped down to cover your eyes when needed, eliminating the need to carry another face shield.

Talk with other riders in your group and your passenger instead of using hand signals, make calls, rock out with your favorite tunes, and get directions; Bluetooth communicators make it happen and many of our dual sport helmets make it easy for you to get connected. Several of our dual sport helmet brands have worked with well-known communications systems providers and configured their helmets to make installation of their systems simple and straightforward. There are provisions for the installation of the speakers and microphone, and even a recess for the controller. Other brands have taken a more universal approach and provided features like integrated speaker and microphone pockets so you can install your choice of communications device.