If you are shopping for an adventure motorcycle helmet, you have probably already realised that this category is not as straightforward as it first looks. Adventure lids are expected to cover a huge range of riding styles. They need to be comfortable enough for long road miles, stable enough for motorway speeds, practical enough for touring, and still capable enough for green lanes, trails and proper off-road riding when the route turns rough.
That is exactly why choosing the right one matters. Some adventure helmets are really road-touring helmets with a peak. Others are much more serious dual-sport options that can genuinely work with goggles and cope with harder off-road use. The trick is understanding where each helmet sits on that spectrum.
In this guide, we break down five standout adventure motorcycle helmets available right now - the Scorpion ADF-9000 Air, Arai Tour-X5, Airoh Commander 2, HJC RPHA 60 and Schuberth E2 - and explain which type of rider each one is likely to suit best.
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What Makes a Good Adventure Helmet?
The adventure category is one of the broadest in motorcycling, and that is what makes it so interesting. Some riders want a helmet mainly for road touring with just the occasional gravel track or green lane. Others want something far more off-road capable, with proper goggle compatibility, strong ventilation and a design that still works when standing on the pegs and riding slower, more technical terrain.
For us, a true adventure helmet needs to do more than just look rugged. It should offer genuine versatility. That means being comfortable enough for distance, practical enough for day-to-day use and capable enough to adapt when the road ends. One of the biggest signs of that is whether the helmet can genuinely be set up to run goggles properly. If it cannot, then in many cases it is leaning more towards touring than proper adventure riding.
That does not make more road-biased helmets bad. Far from it. It just means you need to be honest about the type of riding you actually do. Some lids in this category are best for touring riders who like the adventure style. Others are better suited to riders who genuinely split their time between tarmac and dirt.
Simple version: the best adventure helmet is the one that matches how you actually ride. If you mostly tour on the road, comfort and stability matter more. If you ride trails regularly, goggle compatibility, ventilation and off-road practicality become much more important.
Road Adventure vs Off-Road Adventure - Know the Difference
One of the easiest mistakes riders make is assuming all adventure helmets do the same job. In reality, some are clearly more road-focused, while others are closer to dual-sport or off-road designs.
- Road-biased adventure helmets tend to offer better motorway stability, better weather sealing, easier visor use and more day-to-day touring comfort.
- More off-road-biased adventure helmets tend to prioritise ventilation, wider eye ports, easier goggle use and lighter, more active-feeling performance when the pace drops and the terrain gets rougher.
Most riders sit somewhere in the middle, which is why versatility matters so much in this category.
Our Top Adventure Helmet Picks
For this guide, we focused on five standout helmets that are all available right now and all bring something different to the category. Some are stronger value choices, some are more premium, some lean towards proper off-road versatility and some are more refined road-and-touring options.
| Helmet | Best For | View |
|---|---|---|
| Scorpion ADF-9000 Air | Best value adventure helmet | View Helmet |
| Arai Tour-X5 | Premium heritage and proven design | View Helmet |
| Airoh Commander 2 | Best true road-and-dirt all-rounder | View Helmet |
| HJC RPHA 60 | Best overall modern premium adventure helmet | View Helmet |
| Schuberth E2 | Best modular adventure helmet | View Helmet |
Scorpion ADF-9000 Air - Best Value Adventure Helmet
The Scorpion ADF-9000 Air is one of those helmets that always deserves a place in this conversation because it offers a huge amount for the money. This is the value-focused option in the group, but that should not be mistaken for basic. In real terms, it gives riders a lot of what they actually want from an adventure helmet without pushing into the higher-end price brackets.
You get the full adventure setup - peak, internal sun visor, Pinlock included, and an eye port that works well with goggles when you want to go more off-road. That wide opening makes a real difference if you are mixing road riding with trails and want a helmet that can adapt.
One of the standout features is Scorpion’s Airfit system, which allows you to inflate the cheek pads slightly to fine-tune the fit. It sounds like a gimmick until you try it, but it genuinely helps tighten the fit up, reduce movement and improve that secure feeling on the bike.
It is not the most refined helmet here. The visor mechanism is not the slickest, and some of the setup can feel a little more fiddly than the premium rivals. But that is really the trade-off. In terms of pure value for money, versatility and all-round practicality, it is seriously hard to ignore.
Best for: riders who want the strongest value option with proper adventure-bike versatility.
Arai Tour-X5 - Premium Adventure Heritage
The Arai Tour-X5 brings a very different flavour to the category. This is a premium adventure helmet built around Arai’s long-established design philosophy. If you already know and like Arai, a lot of what this helmet does will feel familiar. The shell shape, the fit, the premium feel and the strong focus on protection all come through straight away.
Arai have not completely reinvented the formula here, and that will split opinion depending on what you wanted from the update. Some riders coming from the previous Tour-X4 expected a bigger leap forward in terms of features and convenience. The Tour-X5 still feels relatively traditional compared with some rivals, especially if you are looking for things like an internal sun visor or a quicker, easier goggle conversion process.
But that is also part of its appeal. This is a helmet for riders who value Arai’s safety philosophy, trusted fit and premium shell construction more than they value long feature lists. Once it is on your head, it carries itself well, feels balanced, and gives that secure, planted Arai feel that so many riders swear by.
It may not be the flashiest option here, but it remains a serious bit of kit for riders who want heritage, quality and proven design.
Best for: riders who want Arai quality, traditional premium construction and a proven adventure design.
Airoh Commander 2 - Best Road and Dirt All-Rounder
The Airoh Commander 2 sits in a really appealing middle ground. It feels like a true all-rounder - a helmet that works well on the road, but still clearly has genuine off-road intent behind it. Airoh as a brand have always had strong roots in off-road riding, and you can feel that influence here, but it is packaged in a way that still makes the helmet very usable for everyday road and touring duties.
Out of the box, it gives you the features most riders want - peak, internal sun visor, Pinlock, and strong goggle compatibility. It also stands out for being one of the lighter-feeling helmets in this group, and that matters more than people sometimes realise.
Ventilation is another strong point. It flows a good amount of air, which helps both on hotter road rides and when the pace drops off-road. The field of vision is wide too, which adds to that sense of awareness when riding more technical terrain.
It is not perfect - swapping the visor is more fiddly than some competitors and does require tools - but once set up, it is a seriously capable lid. For riders who genuinely split their riding between road and dirt and want one helmet that can properly do both, this is one of the strongest options in the category.
Best for: riders who want one of the most genuine all-round adventure helmets for mixed road and trail riding.
HJC RPHA 60 - Best Overall Premium Adventure Helmet
The HJC RPHA 60 is one of the most interesting helmets in this line-up because it feels like HJC have arrived in the premium adventure space and got it right straight away. This is the newest helmet in the group, and it feels modern, refined and very well thought through.
It sits slightly more towards the road side of adventure riding, but that is not a criticism. In reality, that is where many adventure helmets spend most of their lives. The important part is that it still works when you go off-road. You can run goggles, the eye port is generous enough, and it does not feel out of place if you take it onto trails or green lanes.
On the road, though, it really shines. The shell feels premium, the ventilation is strong, and the wind-tunnel-developed design gives it a planted, stable feel at speed. It is also simply easy to live with, which counts for a lot in this category.
One thing to note is the intercom setup. It is designed to integrate very neatly with HJC’s own system, which is great if that is what you plan to use, but worth being aware of if you prefer another intercom brand. Overall though, the RPHA 60 feels like one of the most complete packages here - modern, versatile, premium and impressively rounded.
Best for: riders who want the most complete all-round modern premium adventure helmet right now.
Schuberth E2 - Best Modular Adventure Helmet
The Schuberth E2 is the wildcard in this group, and that is exactly why it deserves to be here. It is the only modular helmet in the line-up, which immediately sets it apart from the others. But more importantly, it brings a level of comfort, refinement and day-to-day usability that few adventure helmets can match.
Schuberth have built their reputation on comfort and low noise, and you can feel that straight away in the E2. This is a helmet that makes a huge amount of sense for riders doing bigger road miles, longer tours, commuting and all-day travel where comfort matters just as much as styling or flexibility.
It is refined, stable and noticeably quieter than most adventure helmets. The integrated intercom setup is one of the cleanest around, and the modular design adds another layer of practicality. It is also P/J homologated, so you can legally ride with the chin bar up or down, which some riders will really value.
The trade-off is that it is not the most hardcore off-road-focused option here. Yes, it can handle light off-road riding and occasional trails, but if your riding is going to be more dirt-heavy, a more traditional adventure or dual-sport helmet will likely feel more natural. The E2 makes the most sense for riders whose adventure riding leans more towards road, touring and comfort-first versatility.
Best for: riders who want the comfort and convenience of a modular adventure helmet for mainly road-based ADV riding.
Which Adventure Helmet Is Best?
The honest answer is that there is no single perfect adventure helmet, because this category covers too many different types of riding. Some riders want proper off-road capability. Some want long-distance touring comfort. Some want value. Others want premium materials, heritage or a very specific type of fit.
That said, every helmet in this list is a strong option.
- Scorpion ADF-9000 Air stands out on value.
- Arai Tour-X5 appeals to riders who want premium quality and established Arai DNA.
- Airoh Commander 2 is one of the best genuine road-and-off-road all-rounders.
- Schuberth E2 brings comfort and refinement that will really appeal to touring riders.
- HJC RPHA 60 is arguably the most complete overall package right now.
If you are looking for the most rounded helmet in the group, the HJC RPHA 60 is the standout. It manages to combine premium feel, strong comfort, good road manners and enough real off-road ability without feeling like it gives too much away in any one area.
How to Choose the Right Adventure Helmet
If you are trying to narrow these down, the best place to start is by being honest about how you actually ride. Ask yourself:
- Will this mainly be used for road touring and long-distance miles?
- Are you regularly planning to use goggles and ride proper off-road terrain?
- Is low noise and comfort more important than outright dirt capability?
- Do you want the best value option or a more premium feel?
- Are you likely to run an intercom?
Once you answer those questions, the shortlist becomes much easier. Adventure helmets all look broadly similar at first glance, but their real personalities come out once you understand where they sit on the road-to-off-road spectrum.
And as always, fit matters more than anything. The best adventure helmet on paper is the wrong helmet if it does not suit your head shape properly. If you can get into store and try them on, that will tell you more than any spec sheet ever will.
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Watch the Full Video Review
Prefer to hear Jamie’s full breakdown and side-by-side thoughts? The video below goes into more detail on how each helmet feels, where it shines, and how the line-up compares in the real world.
Final Thoughts
The adventure helmet market is one of the most varied parts of motorcycling because the category itself covers so much ground. That is what makes it interesting, but it is also what makes buying the right one slightly harder than it first appears.
Some helmets are clearly stronger if your riding is more road and touring based. Others make more sense if you genuinely want to spend time off-road. Some are all about value, while others focus more on premium build, heritage or outright comfort. None of that makes one universally right or wrong - it just means the best choice depends on the type of rider you are.
The good news is that there is not a weak helmet in this list. Every one of these does its job properly. The real trick is choosing the one that best matches how you ride, what features matter most to you, and which one fits your head the best.
If you want help deciding, come and try them on in store or watch the full video for the complete breakdown.
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