Collection: Half Helmets

What Is a Half Helmet?

A half helmet — sometimes called a "shorty" — covers the top of your head down to about your ears, making it the lightest, lowest-profile street helmet style.

It's a cruiser-culture staple: minimal, cool, and unrestrictive. Half helmets deliver the open, free feeling many riders want, with maximum airflow and visibility. Just know what you're choosing — this is the least protective of the street-legal styles.

Benefits of Half Helmets

Half helmets are the lightest and coolest option, with maximum airflow and visibility and a classic minimalist look — popular with cruiser and custom riders.

• Lightest & least restrictive — minimal weight and bulk.
• Maximum airflow — nothing keeps you cooler in hot weather.
• Wide-open visibility — no shell in your peripheral vision.
• Classic cruiser style — the traditional look for many riders.
• Easy on/off — simple to wear with sunglasses or goggles.

Are Half Helmets Safe and Legal?

A DOT-certified half helmet is street-legal and protects the top of your head, but it covers the least of any street helmet — so it offers less protection than open-face or full-face styles. Critically, make sure it's DOT-certified, not a "novelty" helmet.

Daytona is one of the best-known makers of genuinely DOT-approved half helmets — see our Daytona helmets.

How to Choose the Right Size

Measure your head about an inch above your eyebrows, match it to the brand's size chart, and choose a snug fit that sits level and doesn't lift at speed.

• Measure right — widest part of the head, level, measured twice; use the larger number.
• Snug fit — a loose half helmet can shift or lift in the wind.
• Between sizes? Size down for a secure fit.

How to Care for a Half Helmet

Wipe the shell with mild soap and lukewarm water and let any removable padding air dry — half helmets are simple to maintain.

• Shell — lukewarm water and a microfiber cloth; avoid harsh chemicals.
• Padding — hand-wash removable pads and air dry fully.
• Lifespan — replace after any impact or about every five years.

Half vs. Open-Face vs. Full-Face

A half helmet is the lightest and most open but the least protective; an open-face adds coverage around your head; a full-face adds chin and face protection for the most safety.

Half Helmet FAQs