10 retro full-face helmets for riding your motorcycle with a 70s style, but with your head well protected.

The first thing to be clear about is that the price of a helmet is determined by the material it's made of, its exclusivity, or its technology, but not by its level of protection. As long as it has the corresponding certification—it's worth emphasizing once again the recklessness of purchasing uncertified helmets of dubious origin on online platforms—a €300 helmet offers the same protection as a €3,000 one, since both pass the same impact tests.

The price differences are related to factors such as noise reduction, weight, ventilation, and design. All the models presented below, despite their different prices, have the same ECE 22-05 or ECE 22-06 approvals currently in force in the European Union.

In all cases, and focusing on aesthetics, these are ideal helmets for motorcyclists who ride custom bikes, café racers, scramblers , or neo-retro models from Triumph, Royal Enfield, BMW, and similar motorcycles.

They are not, therefore, helmets for serious commuters, but rather for urban and interurban use, as aerodynamics is not their strongest point, and at high speeds they are a bit noisier. It's also worth keeping in mind that they tend to be somewhat more compact than sports or touring helmets, so while some are designed for the use of internal intercoms, not all accept them. The same goes for optical glasses.

In any case, these are not the factors that will make a potential buyer decide on one of these helmets, whose beautiful aesthetics are their main selling point.

The Italian brand has long maintained a line of retro helmets—the X3000 Legends—that pays homage to great riders of the 1960s and 1970s, such as Agostini and Sheene. Its top-of-the-line model is the Agostini, an exact replica of the helmet worn by the Italian champion—the man with the most world titles—in the 1970s. It even has the double-button visor and the characteristic chin bar that Giacomo Agostini requested so he could better lean on the fuel tank while riding.

However, beneath that vintage style lies a modern structure with a fiberglass shell, a hidden ventilation system, and a removable, hypoallergenic fabric interior that offers both comfort and functionality. The helmet also features a Double D-ring closure system. The "Ago" is a limited edition of just 3,000 units, although more affordable versions are available, with prices varying depending on the trim. Sizes available range from XS to 2XL.

The Arai Concept-XE—one of the benchmarks in its style—is a full-face helmet that follows Arai's traditional philosophy of protection first and foremost. Inspired by retro designs from the 1980s, its outer shell features the latest in PB e-cLc (Peripherally Belted e-Complex Laminate Construction), which offers excellent durability while maintaining a relatively low weight.

Its smooth, rounded design deflects energy in the event of an impact, minimizing the transfer of force to the skull. The Concept-XE features discreet air intakes in the chin guard and rear exhausts integrated into the spoiler, while the fully removable and washable interior is made with antibacterial fabrics and is compatible with the emergency extraction system and intercoms. Sizes available from XS to XL.

The reference to the legendary Steve McQueen film isn't gratuitous. A Bell very similar to this one is the one the American star used on his motorcycle escapades. The Bullitt tells a story, and those who choose it do so for that reason, despite not being the quietest among its competitors. With a composite shell (fiberglass or carbon fiber, depending on the version), the Bullitt achieves a good balance between lightness and strength.

The interior is upholstered in genuine leather and antibacterial materials and offers a functional and well-designed ventilation system. It features five metal vents on the front and a discreet rear extractor that allows for constant airflow. But without a doubt one of the Bell Bullitt's biggest draws is its wide, bubble-type visor, which offers a panoramic field of vision and is available in several versions: clear, smoked, and so on. It can also be swapped for a flat visor, for those who prefer a more subdued look. The helmet fastens with a double D-ring system. Sizes available from XS to 2XL.

Domestic manufacturers also have a lot to offer when it comes to retro helmets. ByCity—NZI's premium brand—offers a beautiful range, the Roadster, that looks straight out of the 1970s. Made from fiberglass composite and a carbon fiber shell in the "top-of-the-range" version, both models feature multi-density padding, a removable and washable interior, and a double D-ring buckle closure.

The Roadster helmets stand out for their wide field of vision, with thermoformed or injected visors that are easy to change even with a coin and are compatible with tinted or anti-fog visors. The vents are discreet and located on the chin bar, yet sufficient for urban use. They also feature a rear mount for aviator-style glasses and a base for integrating intercom systems. Sizes available from XS to 2XL.

We're looking at a true specialist in retro helmets, as the entire range of Italian company DMD has focused on this aesthetic since it was founded in Bergamo in 1975 as a family business. In fact, DMD is the acronym for the three children of founder Amilcar: Davide, Michela, and Danila.

The compact shape and low-cut visor give the Rivale a minimalist look, much appreciated by purists of the genre. This short visor is designed to provide adequate visibility without being as obtrusive as other full-face helmets. Of course, it meets ECE 22.05 homologation standards and has a double-ring closure system. The helmet is also equipped with a Pinlock 120 XLT visor and is Bluetooth-ready. Sizes available from XS to XL.

Another emerging brand, Korean HJC, offers its retro version with a 22/06 homologated model with a lightweight AFC fiberglass shell that offers slightly improved aerodynamic performance, having been developed in the company's wind tunnel. The brand's designers intended the air intakes in the chin area to resemble the grille of a classic American car. It features emergency pull tabs, a removable and washable lining, and quick visor replacement with screws that require no tools.

The visor offers 99% UV protection and an integrated Pinlock system to prevent fogging. The closure also features a double D-ring. It's compatible with intercoms via the HJC Smart Bluetooth system. Sizes available from XS to 2XL.

Also worth a look is this Cartagena-based brand, founded in 1968, which is doing very well at a very affordable price... as evidenced by its beautiful Jarama, the first of its retro models already approved under ECE 22.06 regulations. Inspired by racing helmets from the 1970s, this model stands out for its clean lines and pronounced chin bar. The shell is made of HIRP (High Impact Resistant Polymer) polycarbonate, and the interior features removable and washable padding made of hypoallergenic and breathable fabrics with a micrometric closure.

MT Helmets' R&D department has designed a new, exclusive quick-release visor mechanism, allowing for quick and convenient installation and removal without having to remove the helmet from your head. The ventilation system is discreet, although the Jarama stands out more for its closed, well-sealed design that offers excellent soundproofing. Sizes available from XS to 2XL.

Another Spanish brand that's proving that the automotive industry is doing very well in this country. Yecla-based Nazario Ibañez is betting on the Club as its retro model, with a minimalist, seventies-inspired approach based on rounded shapes, without adornments or stridency, and understated decorations. It's constructed from fiberglass and composite resins.

Also approved according to ECE/UN R22.06, it features a double-ring closure system. The multi-density, breathable fabric interior is removable and washable and includes an emergency extraction system. The front and top vents allow for proper airflow. The visor is lockable and compatible with Pinlock.

The Italian—though of American origin—Premier has been making helmets since the mid-1950s. They started in Westminster, California, but in the 1980s they were bought out and production moved to Lucca, in northern Italy, where they remain to this day.

Its catalog includes a wide collection of vintage models, some of them as original as the Trophy BTR, which has not only been given a seventies design but also the signs of wear and dirt typical of a helmet that would have been lying around in a garage ever since. But don't be alarmed; it's pure decoration. It's actually a helmet developed from carbon fiber and "Dyneema" aramid fiber. Of course, the interior is removable and washable, as is the double-D closure, but it must be emphasized that this is a helmet conceptually from the seventies; that is, there's no ventilation other than the open visor and the airflow that enters underneath. Sizes available from XS to XL.

The Glamster was one of the first models from a major Japanese brand like Shoei to embrace a retro aesthetic. It's made with an AIM (Advanced Integrated Matrix) shell, a combination of organic and multi-composite fiberglass fibers that offers excellent impact resistance while remaining lightweight.

Its interior features an EPS liner made up of different components with materials of varying densities, ensuring that impacts are progressively and effectively absorbed in balance with the rigidity of the shell. It also includes a series of vents to allow air from the ventilation systems to circulate freely inside the helmet, eliminating moisture. It is also equipped with a quick-release emergency system and the CPB-1V visor, designed exclusively for this model. Sizes available from XS to 2XL.