Motorcycle Half Helmets

Yes, provided it is DOT certified. Washington's helmet law under RCW 46.37.530 requires a helmet meeting United States Department of Transportation standards, with the strap fastened while riding, and it does not specify a style. A DOT-certified half helmet satisfies that. What does not satisfy it is a novelty helmet, a shell sold without DOT certification, and these are most common in exactly this shape because they look similar and sit lower. Riding in one is the same as riding with no helmet as far as the law is concerned. We do not stock novelty helmets. Every helmet carries its certification sticker, and certifications are listed on each product page.

Snug enough that the helmet sits level on your head and does not rock forward, backward, or side to side when you push on it. Measure your head circumference about an inch above the eyebrows and match it to the model's chart, then check the fit by feel, because a half helmet is held in place by the shell gripping your skull rather than by cheek pads. Riders often size half helmets too large because there is no cheek pressure telling them it is loose, and a loose half helmet is the one that lifts at speed. The helmet should sit low enough to cover the top of your forehead, not perched high on the crown. We fit every helmet in our Lakewood store before purchase.

A correctly fitted half helmet with the strap fastened stays put. The complaint riders have is lift, where air catches the front edge and pushes the helmet up and back, and that is almost always a fit or a strap problem rather than a design flaw. Two things fix it: a snug fit, so the helmet is held by the shell rather than by the strap, and a strap tightened enough that you can fit one finger between it and your chin, no more. A helmet that rocks backward when you push on the front edge is too loose. Washington requires the strap fastened while the motorcycle is in motion, so this is a legal point as well as a practical one.

If your motorcycle has no windshield, Washington requires glasses, goggles, or a face shield. A half helmet leaves your eyes fully exposed, so this is not optional here the way it can feel on a full face. Some half helmets accept a snap-on shield or a flip-down visor, and some riders use goggles or wraparound riding glasses instead. Washington also restricts tinted eye protection, which cannot be used from a half hour after sunset until a half hour before sunrise or any time visibility drops below 500 feet, which includes heavy rain and fog. Carrying a clear pair alongside your tinted pair is the simplest way to handle a ride that runs into the evening. Rules vary by state.

This is the hardest helmet style to fit a system into. There is less shell to clamp to, often no ear pockets in the liner, and no chin bar for a microphone. It is usually doable, but the answer depends on the specific helmet more than with any other style. Some half helmets are sold with a communication system already built in, which sidesteps the problem entirely and is worth looking at if you know you want one. Wind noise on the microphone is also higher here than on an enclosed helmet. Bring your helmet to our Lakewood store and we will check what fits, and if you buy the system from us we will install it at no additional charge.

Weight, heat, and feel. A half helmet is the lightest option, the coolest in summer, and the least isolating, which is the point for a lot of cruiser riders. An open face covers more of the sides and back of the head and usually accepts a shield, so it handles rain and highway speed better while still leaving the face open. Neither protects the chin. If you ride mostly short distances in fair weather and want the least helmet you can legally wear, a half helmet makes sense. If you want more coverage without going to a full face, look at open face helmets instead.