Best dirt bike helmets are mostly expensive and budget riders like me can’t afford them. Sometimes, you might need to have more than one helmet for a dirt bike depending upon weather conditions and the type of tracks you are on. Unless you are a professional dirt biker who regularly participates in competitions and championships, you don’t need to opt for the highest quality dirt bike helmet.
Now, for whatever reason in your case, you don’t want an expensive helmet but you figure out some of the best dirt bike helmets for cheap. Be it a cheap dirt bike helmet, it will still be saving your head from injuries in case of an accident. In order to challenge your limited budget, you might need to compromise on your helmet’s design or luxuries and must check on its safety.
Thankfully in this guide, we have brought some of the best budget dirt bike helmets featuring a good design shape and a durable build quality along with some other important things without compromising on their performance and safety. Again, these things depend on your budget too and we’ve filtered the list between dirt bike helmets under $100 and the best dirt bike helmets under 300.
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06 Dirt Bike Helmets For Cheap | Dirt Bikes Action
The Overview:
Bell has been a popular brand in gear and accessories for dirt bikes since the 1950s. With such a rich past of the brand and my personal experience with their gear make it to the top of this list. There are more than 50 models for motocross helmets in their fleet and almost half are meant for dirt bikers. But, we sorted out their MX-9 (this helmet) and another great choice.
Build Quality:
We specifically sorted out Bell MX-9 which is based on MIPS technology making us fall in love with their build quality. MX-9 comes with a comparatively unbreakable and very tough shell. It weighs around 4 pounds which is not the lightest nor it’s a heavy one. So, the overall build quality makes it happily pass a medium crash due to its MIPS layering inside of its shell. Not just that, it’s also getting better day by day for more safety!
Performance & Safety:
It is sort of an all-weather helmet that you can wear whether it’s hot outside or even if there’s a cold breeze outside making it a comfortable helmet. Now just imagine, if you are having a hot day out and your helmet isn’t comfy inside, you can barely keep your head in it. The fitting is so kind of it and there are size variations too for small, medium, large extra large and even for double XL heads.
You just need to choose your size wisely so you can have a good time wearing it. Also, we have a detailed sizing guide in this buying guide for dirt bike helmets that you should check out. The cheek pads are nicely positioned and I do not face any kind of pressure on any point in my head. Initially, I noticed a slight pull on the highway while I was on 80mp/h until I got used to it. The reason is its weight and my X-Large head. This ain’t a problem for other sizes.
This thing is pretty common in the cheap helmets under $200 and you can eliminate it either by not exceeding 70mp/h or by simply picking the higher-end models that aren’t cheap by the way. This guy is D.O.T certified and its soundproofing was almost good. I use BT communication to stay in touch with my buddies so I don’t mind it. Rest, the waterproofing is not quite good as mine unit had open top vents that sometimes get a few rain drops.
Pros:
- Affordable and a durable MIPS helmet
- Very nice ventilation and exhaust
- Impressive comfort and a fit shell
- Extended visor and a tinted screen
Cons:
- You can’t comfortably wear sunglasses
- Waterproofing isn’t the greatest out there
The Overview:
The list would be incomplete without O’Neal as it is a brand of feel and support! Started in good time in 1970 which is almost 16 years later than Bell helmets but they saw a massive response from the riders around the globe. In these 50 years, O’Neal launched hundreds of models but we sorted out 3 of them for this list instead of rushing things out.
The 2 series helmet of O’Neal is the boy here featuring an ABS shell, nice ventilation of its kind, chin pads and a couple of other great things. O’Neal’s 2 series helmet comes with all standard things that are offered at a very decent price. Let’s take a detailed look at it.
Build Quality:
With its polycarbonate shell, O’Neal is giving a tough time to Bell’s helmets as O’Neal has been making them lightweight. I once experienced this helmet almost 3 years ago and that was still lighter than many others currently. This 2022 model is having a good time with stability and O’Neal never compromises on its build quality due to ABS material having a total weight of just 03 pounds.
The shell construction is one of the nicest providing a good feel and support. Almost all O’Neal helmets come packed with the D-O-T certification to ensure a good quality check O’Neal so there’s less chance of any kind of brain injury if you meet an accident unless you are wearing it correctly. Bell’s MX9 is still beating this guy as that guy further comes with MIPS integration too but that’s a bit expensive.
Performance & Safety:
It is undoubtedly one of the most comfortable for this amazing price ever built in history. O’Neal is taking care of ventilation pretty nicely so your head can breathe out nicely. You can wear this boy for up to 7-8 hours in a row without having a break. But, this depends on the weather conditions too!
The best part of Spyde is its aerodynamics. It has decent aerodynamics providing a decent air flow. Due to this, you don’t get loads of pressure on your head. There is an adjustable visor that you can adjust as per your needs. The side vents on the chin bars are great but this isn’t so kind. However, its exhaust and top vents are undoubtedly great.
Pros:
- ABS lightweight yet durable shell
- Nice cuts & vents for aerodynamics
- The best dirt bike helmet under $200
- Comfortable and washable cheek pads
- Double D-ring and added padding inside
Cons:
- The chin bar aerodynamics isn’t so kind of it
The Overview:
Troy Lee Design is the successor to O’Neal for this list and this brand was originally launched back in the 1980s. Amongst their limited range of helmets, we have picked just one model SE4. The SE4 helmet was originally launched back in 2017 that was quite an expensive model from the price point as that was of carbon fibre. This specific model is a Polyacrylite helmet that comes along with MIPS technology.
Build Quality:
Let’s get to the business with the Polyacrylite helmet. Troy Lee launched this guy for under $300 carrying a weight of around 03 Pounds maybe less or more. This MIPS helmet protects your head from rotational injuries on an unusual sort of impact. The shell is overall nicely built and carries an impressive quality overall.
There is a nice and durable chin bar as your jawline is subject to more injuries. This is made up of extendable Polyacrylite making it lightweight overall.
Performance & Safety:
First thing first, this helmet is meant for riders of any size of the head be it small, medium, large or even double extra large/small. Additionally, SE4 is currently available in black and white, two colors making it sort of a unisex dirt bike helmet. Other colors are subject to availability but I comparatively like them the most!
Next, comfort matters and this Polyacrylite helmet is winning at this point as well. The cheek pads are nicely padded featuring a lot of comfort and value for money. These are 3d pads and are loaded with an emergency release so you can simply pull them out in order to take your head out. The fitting is also so wise and this series is DOT certified just like all other options on this list, so safety isn’t an issue.
Lastly, the ventilation part is what makes or breaks your journey and if you are a regular rider, this is what matters a lot besides its safety and budget. The SE4 comes with a standard ventilation system and there are 16 air vents next to your mouth and that’s good for the price. There is a visor too which is nicely extended and you can adjust this guy with a screwdriver to fix it to your position.
Pros:
- Standard ventilation and visor
- Emergency release 3D cheek pads
- Durable and a lightweight shell
- Nice fit and a comfortable helmet
Cons:
- The sunscreen is not pretty nice
The Overview:
SE4 by Troy Lee is undoubtedly on a slightly upper end in terms of our budget but we still managed to stay under the budget. Now, if you are more concerned about the pricing but don’t want to compromise on it, MX2 by HJC is what you need. This is a great entry-level helmet coming for a good price which is near 120 bucks and features a good quality Polycarbonate composite shell giving the best bangs for your buck. There are many other noticeable things too. Let’s see them!
Build Quality:
With the advanced Polycarbonate shell composition, the helmet is giving a tough time to Troy Lee’s SE4 base variant that we just reviewed above. That helmet is almost double its current price. Yes, that was MIPS though, but this is still not a bad idea to opt for a Non-MIPS helmet considering a specific budget.
With the CAD design, the helmet now features quite a good design in terms of appearance giving a modern look overall. HJC’s MX2 is still a lightweight helmet carrying a weight of fewer than 03 pounds only. The DOT certification ensures its quality, so you can always have peace of mind.
Performance & Safety:
This helmet provides a clear and board version from the deck so you can have a better view of your road or tracks ahead. Not only does it help improve your visibility, but this large eye port is also suitable for you if you are used to wearing glasses. Similarly, there is an adjustable visor which is honestly not so great but it still gets the job done. Either, you can replace it with a quality visor in case you want to get the most out of it. Yet the helmet looks cool and quite sophisticated.
The helmet comes incorporated with lynex interior that houses a good level of comfort for you guys. There are nicely designed cheek pads and anti-bacterial liners as well. You can wash all the pads and liners to get a refreshing feel for your next trip. The ACS shell further optimizes the helmet by escaping the air from the inside.
Besides these things, aerodynamics is an important department when sorting out the best dirt bike helmets under budget. You will get multiple vents to take air into and make the environment cool for you. There are air vents on top and cheeks area along with the chin featuring a mesh that blocks dust and sand from getting into the helmet room.
Pros:
- A sophisticated budget dirt bike helmet
- With Quite a decent aerodynamics
- Comfortable padding and cushioning
- Nice snug fit for glasses and durable a shell
Cons:
- The shell could be more lightweight
The Overview:
Another great budget helmet from O’Neal comes in all standard sizes and two basic unisex colors making it ideal both for male and female riders. This guy is not a lightweight deal as it weighs around 3.5 pounds. Now, these helmets are usually easy to manoeuvre if you are maintaining a speed of no more than 75mp/h. However, it is still near a middle point for dirt bikes and off road helmets.
Build Quality:
Design-wise, O’Neal designs it to be a dirt bike and a street helmet making it a hybrid model for riders of these tracks so they don’t have to get separate for both routes. That’s why this is a generally heavy model featuring an ABS shell right out of the box. Furthermore, it is an oval shape helmet that fits easily for the oval shape heads compared to round ones. So, just keep it in mind!
Performance & Safety:
Compared to the models that we’ve already reviewed, this particular helmet isn’t so kind in terms of ventilation and comfort. You might not be able to wear this on your head for more than 8 hours in a row and you’ll need to have a short break in order to get some comfort out of it. Still, comfort isn’t categorized as a bad one because this is a normal case for such types of helmets.
There have been a couple of versions since the launch of Sierra by O’Neal and this version is safer than ever both in terms of safety, features and comfort. They have added vents on chins, a revised peak visor and my favourite option of a sun protector and face shield that is tinted to block sun rays. For its peak visor, that’s of a nice kind as it has a rigid design and it works nicely with the ventilation too.
Similar to other models, this guy is providing good comfort and there is no doubt about it. There are cheek pads on both sides that are quite comfortable and safer internally. Also, you’ll get a decent cutout on its shell meant for a quick and nice airflow. Overall, it is a nice budget and a slightly bulkier helmet for dirt bike riders.
Pros:
- A nice peak visor and sun shield
- ECE, DOT Certified durable ABS shell
- An adjustable face shield and visor
- A Budget Comfort and ventilation
Cons:
- Can’t install any communication system on it
The Overview:
Fly Racing is an emerging dirt bike and motocross gear manufacturer that’s been making quality helmets for almost 25 years. Meanwhile, they have made several helmets but this Kinetic Straight edge helmet is on a completely next level especially due to its price. It is the first and amongst the fewest best dirt bike helmets under $100. Originally launched back in 2020, generating a lot of applause from riders across the world. Let’s check out this DOT helmet in detail.
Build Quality:
Alright, the build quality of this regular entry level helmet is something satisfactory and quite modern in design. Fly racing uses expanded Polystyrene which is sometimes called polycarbonate to make its shell. This is the same material that we had in HJC CS MX2 that was bulkier than this model. Now, this guy hardly weighs 3 pounds. The weight and shell are enough to deal with a medium impact.
Performance & Safety:
Coming to its fit which is decent though. The helmet is featured in an oval shape providing a better design and room to fit your head. You’ll get the right sizes so you don’t need to worry about fitting. Other than that, there are nice perforated and comfortable liners for its cheeks and heads inside of it that are washable too.
The ventilation is doing a good job in order to provide a breathable and refreshing experience by providing nice airflow overall. The air channelling is designed quite sophisticatedly. Under its visor, you will get air vents too and also on its chin bar. The exhaust is nicely located ensuring a good air exchange at the rear.
The matching visor provides a consistent feel that is adjustable though but it is not the finest and most durable quality to be very honest. You may need to replace it if you are an adventurous guy. However, it is not so bad for recreational riders though. Although it is a budget helmet, it still fits your goggles without interrupting your comfort or fit which is a missing thing in a helmet like Bell MX-9.
Pros:
- Comfy and strappable cheek pads
- Eye Port supports wearing goggles
- Impressive perforation and air channelling
- A lightweight helmet with a polycarbonate shell
Cons:
- Some helmet sizes are not physically true here
Best Dirt Bike Helmets For Cheap Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I Use A Dirt Bike Helmet On the Street?
Helmets for dirt bikes and street helmets are generally different in terms of design and manufacturing. But, you can still use a Dirt bike helmet on the street because they both use the same safety standards as DOT and Snell (for base and premium helmets). These helmets for dirt bikes provide good airflow. However, Dirt bikes and motocross helmets are more durable and bulkier compared to street helmets which are decent in design and standard protection only.
- Why Are Dirt Bike Helmets Different?
The major difference would be in ventilation and safety. Dirt bike helmets are worn on dirt bikes to ride on dirt roads and your dirt bike helmet blocks dust and sand from getting inside. Similarly, they are built for optimal quality, performance and for standard safety as their MIPS shell protects your brain from critical rotational injuries that may not be necessary in the case of traditional and unsafe helmets.
- How Much Are Dirt Bike Helmets?
A considerably good Dirt bike helmet pricing starts from around $50 and the higher it can go is for around $1000 as well. Generally, a quality dirt bike helmet would cost you between $150 to $400 which would be safe, durable and comfy. The price depends on its build quality, safety, protection performance, durability, comfort and size too. The best ventilated helmets would come for expensive and standard comfortable helmets would come for comparatively cheaper.
Wrapping Up
When riding a dirt bike, there’s always a risk of any injury to your body overall. You might be a physically strong man but if you hit your head on the ground, you know what happens next! A dirt bike helmet isn’t just a riding formality but a life saving stuff that you should never miss out on. So, having a good dirt bike helmet should be an important point in your dirt bike riding gear.
Now, there are tons of options in the helmet market. Usually, we need to prioritize safety first and design or aesthetics comes next to it even if you opt for the best dirt bike helmet out there. Personally speaking, I used to choose a helmet by its looks instead of safety. However, if you want to get a top-notch helmet with a good design, nice build quality and superior safety, you need to spend extra bucks as such helmets are generally very expensive.
We’ve listed some dirt bike helmets for cheap you should prefer if you’re on a limited budget. With all these helmets listed, you will definitely get a decent design and a standard safety as a rule of thumb for safety first. Your exact choice should depend on what type of rider you are, what stuff exactly you want, which brand you like the most and definitely your budget range as well.
If you are still unable to decide, let us make things clear for you. So, if you are looking for the best choice from us, Bell MX-9 stays top of the list. If you don’t want to compromise on the build, safety and other features and you wear goggles too, O’Neal 2 Series Spyde and Kinetic Straight edge by Fly Racing is what you need to opt for. And, if you are on a very strict budget, CS MX 2 by HJCis going to be your piece of cake!
