The 25 Best Places to Travel in 2017 How to Reduce Stress by Breathing Like a Navy SEAL Seiko Brings Back a Cult Favorite, in Blue Mirrorless Cameras That Beat Your DSLR The Best Handmade Steel Bike Makers Vintage and motorcycles are good bedfellows. From Italian styling to luxuriously reconditioned rides, there’s a raw, utilitarian beauty to be found on two wheels. Superfluity is kept at a minimum, and styles of yesteryear echo a time when motorcycling had an ethos and feel all its own — individualistic and raw with an attitude that was a natural flow out of the two-wheeled renegade spirit. And that spirit lives on today, as more motorcycling gear manufacturers are seeing value in vintage styling. More than just leather jackets and boots, helmets also imbue riders with retro aesthetics — and modern safety. So let the beard grow out, tune up the café racer, and get your vintage style ready for a Sunday ride. Best for Modern Ventilation:If you want the wind in your face, but you hate the noise and drag, the RJ Platinum R helps by incorporating forehead intake and exhaust vents (which also aid in reducing rider fatigue), along with a removable visor that allows use of a face shield for protection and additional wind-cutting.

The profile is enhanced by a ridge at the back, and narrowed temple sections thin it out and even give your goggles a place to rest. It is both DOT and SNELL approved. Best for Café Racers: If café racing is your moto jam, then look no further than an open-face Union Jack helmet that pays homage to the home of café racers, London. motorbike shop braintree essexThis slim design gets retro-style paint and a soft ultra-suede lining that wicks moisture to keep you dry. motorcycle dealers near lynchburg vaThe chrome trim dresses things up, and the optional interior speakers amp things up. suzuki motorcycle parts interchange Best Military-Inspired Design: If you’re helming a Ural, you’re aiming for the weathered fighter pilot look. motorcycle helmet store manhattan

And for that, Premier’s Jet Vintage is perfect with a matte military green paint and big fat stars emblazoned on the sides. The look is attractive enough, but the draw of an integrated and retractable sun visor makes it irresistible. used ktm for sale in alabamaAnd though it’s heavy on old-school style, the modern carbon fiber mix shell weighs in at a super-light 900 grams for all-day comfort. motorcycle clothing tyne and wearThe Jet is ECE certified, essentially the European equivalent of DOT.mitas motorcycle tires Best Retro Design: Bell partners with Roland Sands Design to create one of the most gorgeous retro helmets on the planet. Similar in vintage ethos to the famous Ruby Castel Spandau, the Bullitt RSD Viva gets a cream-white fiber-composite shell with red, white and black accents and a tasty bubble visor that’s equal parts vintage rider and retro space boy.

The RSD Viva is outfitted with a washable antibacterial lining, metal mesh intake vents and an extra flat shield that installs in seconds. Best of the ’70s: Though the Gringo S doesn’t have the most flattering name, its ’70s feel — with the kind of striping that makes you feel like you’re watching Soul Train on a Saturday morning — more than makes up for it. The full helmet has a simple, no-nonsense shape but bears a hand-painted finish and an interior lining with hand-stitched diamond-quilted padding. Comfort is enhanced by an Internal BioFoam chin pad. Best Overall Style: The Tachibana GT-750 Grand Prix is the helmet we covet at the end of the day, simply because of its impeccable style, with a design that mimics the iconic Bell Star II. It comes in three absolutely stunning color schemes that use a matte white top portion and a dual-stripe trim at the base. Unfortunately, it’s tough as stink to actually buy in the States (so make sure you get your size right!).

Japanese SG rated, the equivalent of Europe’s ECE and US’s DOT approval. Best for the Bad-Ass: This dome is the clear bad-ass of the group, looking very much like an extra from Mad Max: Fury Road. But the toughness isn’t all show. It’s a half helmet with a matching adjustable muzzle to keep debris and other road junk off your pretty face. Plus, the muzzle is magnetically mounted, making your reveal or concealment a snap. The matte black composite shell cuts the wind and protects your cranium, and the overall look will scare the dickens out of pretty much everyone short of law enforcement. Best Darth Vader Homage: The IS-Cruiser takes the basic half helmet and adds a convenient (and protective) visor and a smoked out sun shield, which can slide up or down as needed. This allows open-air freedom, with additional road and weather protection when you need it. The advanced polycarbonate shell is light and strong, and the liner is both moisture wicking and antibacterial. The Darth Vader homage part is free of charge.

Best in Clean Design: The GM65’s clean design and catalog of features make it an ideal half helmet that will keep you cool, protected and vintage stylish. The UV400 sun shield fully retracts and also detaches easily. The helmet comes with a snap in neck curtain, for weather protection, as well as a removable Coolmax liner that wicks sweat like a champ. Internal speaker pockets are communicator ready, so group rides are simple. A helmet says much about a rider. Sport, touring, adventure, cruiser, or café—whatever your style may be—a helmet is good indication of what piques your interest when it comes to two-wheels. Biltwell Inc., a Southern California based brand, has produced stylish gear for a few years with a vintage-vibe for the new generation of riders. One of the staples in Biltwell lineup is the Gringo S full face helmet. The Gringo S full face satisfies a rider who has yearned for the classic styling of the original Bell Star of the late 1960s. We sometimes see riders donning these older Bell Stars—the lids not only feel like they are from the 1960s, but are well past their expiration date in 2016, so safety is non-existent.

Constructed out of an ABS, polycarbonate, injected-molded shell with an industry-conforming EPS liner, the Biltwell Gringo S has a classic fit. Fitment is subjective, as we all have unique needs when it comes to sizing, but the Gringo S does not offer a “race” feel. What you can expect is a bit more room in the chin-bar, and something with a bit less precision than you’ll be accustomed to—especially for those who use state-of-the-art, race inspired helmets. That isn’t a knock, not in the least, but you need to be aware as to what you’re getting into. The Gringo isn’t meant for those who want to break personal records at the track; it’s for getting there in style, while being adequately protected. The Gringo S provides comfort, and wearers will surely appreciate the hand-stitched Lycra liner that, unlike helmets of old, is beyond pleasant. At no point were my ears being boxed by the Gringo S, which is massively importantly because I happen to be a bespectacled rider.

Even if you’re not, and you go in for shades while cruising, that’s something to consider. One might also question the lack of venting, and that is a cause for concern. However, the Gringo S is what I’d consider an airy helmet, allowing for a healthy amount of ventilation from the bottom opening without creating turbulence or excess noise. I tend to ride with earplugs and immediately regret doing so if I don’t, so we’ll spare the volume details. The Gringo S doesn’t suffer from wind buffeting problems, which helps keep noise subdued. I also didn’t experience lifting when reaching freeway speeds. Why the “S” in the Gringo S? It stands for shield. Basic enough, but one should note that it’s an optically corrected, removable shield. Do note that it isn’t making use of a tool-less removable system. However, thanks to the large, plastic hardware, a coin will work just fine for swapping out shields. While we’re on the subject, a dollop of light-duty thread locker wouldn’t hurt either.

There is a fair bit of customization offered from Biltwell when it comes to shields, with a variety of not only shield colors, but hardware as well. In line with the vintage aesthetic is the single snap-and-tab that secures the visor. Admittedly, I’d never actually used a helmet that used a snap-and-tab configuration. While a modern locking system is certainly much smoother, sometimes my issue is that I have a hard time confirming if the shield is fully locked and or closed, due to a lack of tactile feel. In this case, it’s either closed or isn’t, and the hearty snap will put any second guessing to bed. Under your chin, you’ll find a tried and true D-ring strap. The gasket seal between visor and helmet—though not all that beefy—does a good job of keeping air out. While running around in the Malibu canyons, I didn’t detect any distracting air leaks. In the rain, that might be a different story. Our particular Gringo S is an LE Tracker in Black/Vintage White.