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VISOR & VENT

HUB 02 · MODULAR

The Best Modular & Flip-Up Helmets

Flip-up touring helmets ranked by the certification on the shell — including the P/J mark that decides whether you're actually allowed to ride with the chin bar up.

A modular helmet is a compromise machine: it wants to be a quiet full-face on the highway and a jet helmet at the gas station, and the good ones pull it off. But two things separate a modular you can trust from one you can't, and both are certification questions the glossy reviews skip.

The first is P/J homologation. Under ECE, "P" means the helmet was impact-tested with the chin bar closed, and "J" means it was tested open. Only a helmet marked P/J is actually approved to be ridden with the chin bar up — a lot of flip-ups are homologated for closed use only, and riding them open is riding an untested configuration. Every modular we recommend states its P/J status.

The second is the same US-versus-Europe trap as everywhere else. The Shoei Neotec 3 is, deservedly, the quiet-touring benchmark — but the version sold in the US is a DOT build, while the European Neotec 3 is ECE 22.06 P/J and scored a perfect 5/5 in SHARP testing. Meanwhile the HJC RPHA 91, at roughly half the price, carries ECE 22.06 P/J and its own 4/5 SHARP score. That is not an argument that the HJC is a "better helmet" than the Shoei in every way — the Shoei is quieter and better finished. It is an argument that you should know exactly what you're paying for. Two of our planned picks, the Schuberth C5 and AGV Tourmodular, aren't sold on Amazon; we mention them where relevant and link to buying them direct, rather than pretend a buy button exists.

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Touring rider flipping up the chin bar of a modular motorcycle helmet

The short answer

Quick picks, by the mark on the shell

#HelmetCertificationScorePrice
01
HJC HJC RPHA 91
HJC RPHA 91

The value-flagship modular that quietly out-certifies the big names: ECE 22.06 P/J, a 4/5 SHARP score, at half a Neotec's price.

DOT certifiedECE 22.06 certifiedSHARP ★★★★☆
8.6
$559.99Amazon
02
Shoei Shoei Neotec 3
Shoei Neotec 3

The quiet-touring benchmark. Superb to live with — but the US build is DOT-only, and that is the one thing every other reviewer forgets to mention.

DOT certifiedECE 22.06not held
8.5
$949.99Amazon
03
Scorpion Scorpion EXO-GT930 Transformer
Scorpion EXO-GT930 Transformer

A genuinely clever three-in-one that converts full-face to open-face — but read the certification: it's ECE 22.05, not 22.06.

DOT certifiedECE 22.05 certified
7.7
$279.95Amazon

#ad · Live prices from the Amazon Product API, as of Jul 21, 2026. Certifications reflect the US-market build and are cited in Sources. Where a live price has rotted, we show none.

In detail

The picks, in full

01
HJC HJC RPHA 91

Best-certified modular for the money

HJC RPHA 91

DOT certifiedECE 22.06 certifiedSHARP ★★★★☆
PIM EVO composite~1,740 g (M)ECE 22.06 P/JSHARP 4/5
8.6/10

The value-flagship modular that quietly out-certifies the big names: ECE 22.06 P/J, a 4/5 SHARP score, at half a Neotec's price.

Certification
9.5
Value
9.5
Quiet
8
Weight
8
Finish
8

Pros

  • ECE 22.06 with P/J dual-homologation — legally approved to ride with the chin bar up
  • Independently SHARP-tested at 4/5, a real safety data point
  • Composite shell keeps weight and price down together

Cons

  • Not as whisper-quiet as a Neotec 3
  • Interior plushness is a notch below the premium Japanese brands

Don't buy this if…

…outright touring silence matters more to you than certification and price — the Neotec 3 is quieter.

$559.99View on Amazon

Price as of Jul 21, 2026. Prices change — Amazon's at checkout is the one that counts.

#ad · we may earn a commission from this link to HJC RPHA 91

02
Shoei Shoei Neotec 3

Premium quiet touring

Shoei Neotec 3

DOT certifiedECE 22.06not held
AIM composite~1,880 gDOT (US build)Sun visor + comms-ready
8.5/10

The quiet-touring benchmark. Superb to live with — but the US build is DOT-only, and that is the one thing every other reviewer forgets to mention.

Certification
7
Quiet
9.5
Comms integration
9.5
Finish
9.5
Value
7

Pros

  • Among the quietest modulars you can buy, with an excellent seal and sun visor
  • Purpose-built channel for the Sena SRL3 — clean comms with no bolt-on
  • Shoei fit, finish and shield mechanism are the class reference

Cons

  • The US version carries DOT only — no ECE 22.06 rotational-test homologation on the box you buy here
  • Heavy, and flagship-priced

Don't buy this if…

…the ECE 22.06 rotational standard is your deciding factor — the US Neotec 3 doesn't carry it; a genuine-22.06 modular like the HJC RPHA 91 does.

$949.99View on Amazon

Price as of Jul 21, 2026. Prices change — Amazon's at checkout is the one that counts.

#ad · we may earn a commission from this link to Shoei Neotec 3

03
Scorpion Scorpion EXO-GT930 Transformer

Budget convertible commuting

Scorpion EXO-GT930 Transformer

DOT certifiedECE 22.05 certified
Polycarbonate~1,890 g (XL)DOT + ECE 22.05 P/JFull-face ↔ open-face
7.7/10

A genuinely clever three-in-one that converts full-face to open-face — but read the certification: it's ECE 22.05, not 22.06.

Certification
7.5
Versatility
9
Value
8.5
Weight
6.5
Quiet
7

Pros

  • Converts fully to an open-face — rare and genuinely useful for hot commutes
  • P/J homologation, so riding open is approved
  • Drop-down sun visor and a friendly price

Cons

  • ECE 22.05, not the newer 22.06 with its rotational-impact test
  • Heavy polycarbonate shell

Don't buy this if…

…you want the current 22.06 rotational standard — step up to the ECE 22.06 EXO-AT960 or the HJC RPHA 91.

$279.95View on Amazon

Price as of Jul 21, 2026. Prices change — Amazon's at checkout is the one that counts.

#ad · we may earn a commission from this link to Scorpion EXO-GT930 Transformer

How to choose a modular helmet

Decide first whether silence or certification leads your decision. If you tour long highway days and quiet is everything, the Neotec 3 is the class reference — just go in knowing the US build is DOT. If you want the current ECE 22.06 rotational standard with P/J approval and independent SHARP data, the RPHA 91 delivers it for far less money.

Weight matters more on a modular than a full-face, because the flip mechanism and hinge add mass up high. And confirm comms compatibility before you buy: the Neotec 3 has a purpose-built channel for the Sena SRL3, which is a cleaner install than any bolt-on. Whatever you choose, verify the P/J mark on the actual shell if you plan to ride open.

How we picked

We do not crash-test helmets

We compiled each helmet's published specifications, its certification (DOT, ECE 22.06, Snell, SHARP) from the standards body or manufacturer homologation, and aggregated owner reports, then scored them against a published method. The scores are judgments from documented research — not measurements we took, because we do not run a crash lab and we are not going to pretend we do. Certifications reflect the US-market build; where it differs from the European version, we say so and cite it.

The differentiator

Not sure what the marks mean?

Every ranking on this page leads with certification. If DOT, ECE 22.06, Snell and SHARP are a blur, start with the plain-English pillar — it's the one guide that makes every buy decision on the site easier.

DOT vs ECE vs Snell, explained →

Go deeper

Everything in modular & flip-up helmets

Questions

Frequently asked

Can I ride any modular helmet with the chin bar up?
Only safely and legally if it is P/J homologated. P means it passed the impact test closed; J means it also passed open. A modular without the J rating is only certified for closed use — riding it open is an untested configuration. Every modular we recommend lists its P/J status.
Is the US Shoei Neotec 3 ECE 22.06?
No — the US Neotec 3 is a DOT build. The European Neotec 3 is ECE 22.06 P/J and scored 5/5 in SHARP. If you want genuine ECE 22.06 P/J on a US-market modular, the HJC RPHA 91 carries it. See our Neotec 3 vs RPHA 91 comparison.
Are modular helmets less safe than full-face helmets?
A well-certified modular is a very safe helmet — the RPHA 91 and the European Neotec 3 both carry top-tier certifications. The hinge is a potential weak point, which is exactly why the P/J test and ECE 22.06's new modular-mechanism testing exist. Read our certification explainer for the detail.