Quietest Modular Helmets

If you’re looking for a modular helmet, you’re probably looking for a few things: protection, comfort, convenience, and good noise isolation.

We took each of these helmets out on the road, including the Shubert C4 Pro, Shoei Neotec 2, HJC 490, AGV sport modular, and Shark Evo-One 2 as well as the Nolan and 105 plus.

We’re all aware that these modular helmets are already of the highest quality, but which one is the best for noise isolation?

We tested two more helmets in addition to the top six, so we’ll include some you should avoid when it comes to how quite a modular helmet can be.

We collected data by inserting a thermometer into the helmet’s ventilation channels. A decibel meter was also taking measurements from a microphone in our rider’s ear, and the results were displayed on a cell phone.

Schuberth C4 Pro

The Schuberth C4 Pro is an improved version of the Shubert C4 and a supplement to the Shubert C3 Pro. This helmet is made of Schubert’s direct fiber processed fiberglass or carbon if you want the C4 Pro carbon version.

The Shubert C4 Pro weighs approximately 1,650 grams and is available in three shell sizes for approximately $700 USD OR £350.

This helmet has a chin vent and a brow vent for ventilation. In addition, it comes with a Pin-Lock together with a drop-down Sun Visor.

The liner is comfortable and already equipped with speakers and a microphone for the Sina SC1.

The wind speed was around 115 to 120 km/h when we tested the Shubert C4 Pro, with occasional wind bursts. The temperature outside was 31 degrees Celsius, while the inside of the helmet was 30 degrees.

So, with only two vents, the C4 Pro was one degree cooler than outside while also helping to keep the noise levels to a minimum. The C4 Pro’s noise level was around 99 decibels, which is excellent.

The shell felt fairly light and comes in three shell sizes, so it received four stars for the material.

The C4 Pro also performs well in terms of weight for a modular helmet, earning it another four stars. The same can be said for the visor, which is pin lock ready and comes with a pin lock in the box, earning it another four stars.

However, this helmet shone through for ventilation while remaining one degree cooler than the outside temperature, earning it a full 5 stars.

It’s the same story for noise isolation, and this helmet had an early advantage because the C4 Pro gets 5 stars for noise isolation with 99 decibels.

This was aided by the helmet’s comfortable liner and the small number of ventilation openings, which resulted in a strong noise isolation system.

Finally, this helmet received another 5 stars for comfort. This results in a total of 4.5 stars for the C4 Pro.

Shoei Neotec 2

Shoei’s A-material, a fiberglass composite, is used to make the Shoei Neotec 2. This helmet will cost around $700 (approximately £450).

The shell is available in three sizes, and while it is on the heavier side at 1700 grams, the visor is Pin-Lock ready with the insert included and has a drop-down Sun Visor.

There is a vent in the chin at the top of the head together with an exhaust for ventilation. Finally, the liner is removable, washable, and antibacterial, with additional liner pieces around the ears to reduce noise levels.

The Neotech 2 was tested on the same day as the Schuberth C4 Pro. The wind speed was between 120 and 130 km/h, and the temperature outside was around 33 degrees.

The internal temperature of the helmet was around 32 degrees Celsius, so a 1-degree difference isn’t too bad, especially on a hot day.

We measured an average noise level of about 101 decibels, which is also quiet but a little disappointing given the additional lining.

The Shoei Neotec 2 receives four and a half stars for its A-shell material. Because of its heavier 1.8 kilos, the Neotec 2 receives three stars for weight.

The visor gets 5 stars because it has a pin lock and an anti-fog can lock insert in the box and a large field of view.

The Neotec 2 received 5 stars for ventilation due to its 1-degree difference. The noise level and the Neotec 2 were both higher than the Shubert C4 Pro at 101 decibels, but it still received four stars.

His helmet’s increased number of ventilation openings could have been influenced, which allowed in more road noise.

HJC RPHA 90

The HJC RPHA 90 is constructed of HJC pin plus material, which is a blend of carbon aramid and fiberglass. The RPHA 90 will cost around $530 USD (£325).

This helmet is available in two shell sizes and weighs approximately 1500 grams. For ventilation, the RPHA 90 has vents in the chin and brow and an adjustable exhaust in the back.

This helmet’s visor is pin lock lens ready; the lens is included and has a drop-down Sun Visor. The removable, washable, and antibacterial inner liner is ready for the smart HJC communication system.

The wind speed was about 135 km/h with occasional gusts when we rode with the RPHA 90.

The outside temperature was a pleasant 25 degrees Celsius, while the inside temperature of the helmet was also 25 degrees Celsius.

As a result, the vents kept the helmet at roughly the same temperature as the excellent outside. This was not a noisy helmet; it registered about 102 decibels on our decibel meter.

The RPHA 90 earned a solid 4-star in almost every aspect. Because the material is both strong and lightweight, he receives three and a half stars for material and four stars for weight.

Another four stars for the visor will provide a strong seal and include everything one would expect from a helmet at this price.

This helmet also performed admirably in terms of ventilation, with a rating of 5 stars. In addition, the helmet receives four more stars for noise at 102 decibels.

Finally, the RPHA 90 was comfortable, earning it another 4 stars. This gives the RPHA 90s a total of 2 stars out of a possible 4 stars.

AGV Sports Modular

This helmet, including the chin bar, is made of carbon fiber, making it very light at about 1,300 grams, which is excellent for a modular helmet.

This helmet will cost around $800 USD, making it the most expensive in our comparison. This helmet has a chin vent, a brow vent, and a back exhaust for ventilation.

The visor is Pin-Lock ready, with a pin lock in the box and an internal Sun Visor that is controlled by a slider.

The liner is also of high quality and reversible, allowing you to change it depending on whether you’re riding in hot or cool weather.

The sport modular also includes extra liner pieces in the ears to aid in noise isolation. It was a hot summer day with a wind speed of about 125 km/h when we took out the AGV Sport modular.

The outside temperature that day was 31 degrees Celsius, while the internal temperature of the helmet was a much-appreciated 30 degrees Celsius.

The strength of the sport modulars ventilation is demonstrated by one degree less than the outside temperature.

We measured a fairly average noise level of about 100 decibels, which isn’t ideal but not terrible. It demonstrates how the ear liner pieces can assist someone.

The sport modular receives five stars for material because it is entirely made of carbon fiber.

Following the lightweight of the materials, the sports modular receives an additional 5 stars for its weight.

The helmet receives three stars for the visor; five stars for ventilation, with one degree less than the outside temperature; and four stars for noise levels, with approximately 100 decibels.

Finally, this was a comfortable helmet, so three and a half stars for that, bringing the total to four stars for the AGV Sports Modular.

2 Helmets To Avoid For Noise Levels

Shark EVO One 2

The Shark EVO One 2 is a one-of-a-kind modular helmet in this lineup because the chin bar retracts.

The shell of this helmet is made of polycarbonate and comes in two sizes. It weighs approximately 1700 grams. This helmet will also cost around $440 USD/£360, making it the most affordable of today’s helmets.

The EVO One 2’s ventilation system includes one chin vent and two brow vents to allow hot air to escape and exhaust under the rear spoiler.

The visor has a drop-down sun visor and is pinlock prepared with the insert included in the box.

The Shark EVO One 2 liner is removable, washable, and antibacterial, and it is compatible with the Shark EVO One 2 communication system.

This helmet was tested on the same day, but this time the wind speed ranged between 125 and 130 kilometers per hour.

Our measuring device and helmet registered an average temperature of about 31 degrees Celsius, while the outside temperature was about 26 degrees.

That’s a 5-degree difference; luckily, we’re not looking for the coolest modular helmet.

The noise isolation of the helmet was about 102 decibels, which was average. The EVO One 2 is made of polycarbonate and comes in only two outer shell sizes. That translates to two stars for average weight.

The Shark EVO One 2 also receives three stars for weight; however, because the visor is pinlock ready and the insert is included, the Shark receives four stars for the visor.

Because this helmet did not ventilate well, it received two and a half stars in the ventilation category.

Because 102 decibels isn’t the worst noise level, we decided to give the EVO One 2 three and a half stars for noise isolation.

Finally, the EVO One 2 receives a fair three and a half stars for comfort, giving the Shark Evo-One 2 a total of three stars.

Nolan N100 5 Plus

The Nolan N100 5 Plus is now available. This is a Shark Evo and one of our top budget entry modular helmets.

This helmet costs approximately $480 USD. This helmet is made of Lexan polycarbonate, a high-quality polycarbonate material, and is available in two shell sizes. This helmet’s medium size weighed around 1750 grams.

There is your standard vent in the chin, together with a large scoop on the top front end of the helmet and an exhaust at the back for ventilation.

The visor is pinlock-ready, the insert is included, and it has a stepson visor with an automatic retraction system. The liner is detachable, adjustable, and machine washable.

The wind speed was approximately 115 km/h for the outside temperature when we took this helmet out on the road.

The temperature outside was about 15 degrees Celsius, and the internal temperature of the helmet was about the same, at 14 and a half degrees, indicating that it has good ventilation.

This helmet performed slightly worse in terms of noise, registering around 104 decibels, which could have been worse, but we’d hoped it would perform better.

Even though it was a colder day than the other helmets, the temperature versus noise difference was not significant.

The Nolan N100 receives two stars for material and three stars for weight. This helmet’s visor received a comfortable four stars, and it received five stars for ventilation; however, it only received two stars for noise isolation.

While Nolan focused on improving the helmet’s comfort, this did not translate well into noise isolation in the liner. Finally, the Nolan receives four stars for comfort. Overall, the Nolan receives three out of five stars.