Best 5 Female Motorcycle Helmets That Blend Safety, Comfort and Style

The best motorcycle helmets for women feature ultra-lightweight shells, a broad range of sizes (particularly at the smaller end) and swappable internal padding that can be customised to the rider's head shape. Top recommendations include the Shoei Neotec 3 for touring, the Shark Skwal i3 for urban commuting, and the AGV K1 S for sport riding.

The best female motorcycle helmets for:

• Commuting: Shark Skwal i3 Helmet
• Touring: Shoei Neotec 3 Helmet
• Track days: AGV K1 S Lap Helmet
• Cruising: HJC V10 Hodu Helmet
• Weekend burns: HJC RPHA 12 Brels Helmet

What do the best female motorcycle helmets look like? The same as the male versions, because motorcycle helmets from top brands (such as AGV and Shoei) are almost always unisex.

Women's heads are, on average, slightly smaller than men's. But this doesn't demand a complete helmet redesign. Female riders will simply want a helmet that comes in a range of sizes, including S and even XS, and that can be customised to their head using swappable internal padding.

At Bikebiz, home to Australia's largest range of road gear, our top helmets are premium unisex models. The secret to finding the perfect female motorcycle helmet comes down to three main factors:

• Size: Brands that offer a large range of sizes, including the smallest shell size motorcycle helmets, allow you to find the right fit and avoid the bobblehead look.
• Weight: Ultra-lightweight materials like carbon fibre can keep you safe while increasing levels of comfort and reducing neck fatigue.
• Customisation: Features like swappable motorcycle helmet cheek pads and liners allow you to customise the internal shape of the lid to better fit your head.

Our expert team has spent over 25 years testing top helmets from top brands in local conditions. In this guide we'll share our picks for the best female motorcycle helmets, based on what and how you ride.

The 5 best female-friendly helmets for every riding style

The perfect brain bucket will fit right, look good and align with your riding style. To point you in the right direction, we've hand-selected a choice few from our range that excel in terms of weight, fit, style and safety.

Occasion 1: The urban city commuter

You're navigating heavy CBD traffic and need a helmet that will help you ride safely, including a wide field of vision to keep an eye on the cars around you, and a lightweight shell to help keep your head on a swivel.

Our recommendation: Shark Skwal i3 Helmet

The Skwal i3 is a game-changer for peak hour riders. It's the first helmet in the world to feature integrated LED brake lights, which turn on when a built-in accelerometer senses a stop. Shark's 'Best Fit' interior has been crafted based on 3D scans of real riders, providing a snug, secure hold for narrower faces, within a lightweight shell made from Lexan™ polycarbonate.

Occasion 2: The long-distance tourer (and pillion)

You spend six or more hours on the road facing 110kph headwinds. You need a helmet that's aerodynamic and quiet at high speeds, and that stays comfortable on long rides, whether you're in the saddle or on the pillion.

Our recommendation: Shoei Neotec 3 Helmet

Long held as the gold standard for women's modular motorcycle helmet design, the Neotec 3 lets you flip the chin bar up to drink or chat on the roadside. Shoei also caters to the widest range of heads on the market: the Neotec is available in six distinct sizes, down to XS. Add in choose-your-own-thickness motorcycle helmet cheek pads, and you can perfectly tailor the internal fit.

Occasion 3: The track day rider

You're a tight-tucking track star or enjoy a knee-scraping ride through the twisties. You want a helmet with an aggressively aerodynamic profile that looks fast and feels it too, cutting through the air to stop you straining your neck at speed. MotoGP-level safety also wouldn't go astray.

Our recommendation: AGV K1 S Lap Helmet

AGV's racing heritage shines through in the K1 S. It features wind-tunnel-tested aerodynamics and a profile designed to keep both your head and your collarbones safe in a spill. Most importantly for female riders, it's super lightweight (~1.5kg for the XS version), so you won't suffer from neck fatigue on a long session leaning into chicanes.

Occasion 4: The cafe racer & retro cruiser

You ride a classic Triumph or custom cafe racer and want a vintage helmet to match your wheels – minus the vintage (non-existent) approach to safety.

Our recommendation: HJC V10 Hodu Helmet

A masterclass in retro design, the V10 Hodu is packed with all the mod cons a rider could want. Say goodbye to both neck ache and bobblehead accusations, thanks to an ultra-lightweight and surprisingly slimline fibreglass composite shell. The Advanced Channelling Ventilation System keeps you comfortable and dry, making this the perfect women's cafe racer helmet for long cruises.

Occasion 5: The weekend sport-tourer

You want a versatile women's full face motorcycle helmet that's light enough for a burn through the Blue Mountains but that's quiet and comfortable enough on the M4 when you're riding there and back.

Our recommendation: HJC RPHA 12 Brels Helmet

Featuring HJC's Premium Integrated Matrix (PIM) EVO shell, this is one of the most advanced helmets on the market: super lightweight, extremely comfortable, and offering a level of protection that other lids struggle to match. This is also an anti-fog motorcycle helmet that offers great peripheral vision, so you can see more of the road during weekend runs. Available in six sizes down to XS, you'll have no trouble finding your fit.

The golden rules of helmet fitment for women

The right fit guarantees both comfort and safety. When a helmet feels perfect, it's more likely to offer the high-end protection that you need. The golden rules of lid fitment include:

• Aim for snug: A new helmet should feel quite tight the first time you pull it on. Motorcycle helmet cheek pads and liners compress by up to 15% after a few weeks of riding as they break in and mould to your shape. If a helmet slides on easily on day one, it could become loose – and unsafe – by the end of the month.
• Prioritise swappable inserts: Look for customisable elements, like motorcycle helmet cheek pads, that allow you to change the internal dimensions to suit your cranium and jawline. Some helmet brands, like Arai, even offer distinct internal shapes, like the long and oval Signet-X and the rounder Quantum-X.
• The more sizes, the better: On average, a female dome is more petite than a megahead male's. Premium brands like Shoei, HJC and AGV understand this fact and offer up to six sizes on certain models, from XS to 2XL. More options mean a higher chance of finding your perfect fit.
• How to wear your hair: When you go to try on helmets, wear your hair as you will when you ride. If you have long locks that will usually mean a low, flat hairstyle, a low pony or braids. A neck gaiter can help to contain your hair and avoid it catching on buckles and straps if you have a whole heap.

Female motorcycle helmet FAQs

Is there a difference between men's and women's motorcycle helmets?

Helmets from top brands are almost always unisex. Female riders typically have smaller heads and narrower jawlines, so the best helmets come in a wide variety of sizes (often down to XS) and with interchangeable internal padding to create a firmer and more comfortable fit.

How can I prevent my motorcycle helmet from ruining my hair and makeup?

To protect yourself from helmet hair, choose lower, flatter styles when you ride, and consider investing in a hood or neck gaiter to contain your locks and stop the static frizz. The snug fit of a helmet means that makeup can be tricky to protect, so it's wise to minimise the amount you wear when you ride. Look for helmets with a high-quality, removable anti-bacterial lining that you can toss in the wash.

Why does my neck hurt after riding my motorcycle?

Neck pain is usually caused by a combination of helmet weight and wind resistance. If your helmet is heavy – perhaps you were forced to choose a larger size than you needed, maybe it's made from cheap materials – it can strain your neck muscles, particularly during long rides. If you ride on the highway or the track, a lack of aerodynamics can cause your helmet to fight against the wind, which also wears out your neck. To avoid these issues, choose an aerodynamic and lightweight motorcycle helmet for women.

Cover your cranium, ride with comfort and confidence

The fit of your lid can matter almost as much as wearing one in the first place. Women should find the type that suits their style of riding, the right size for their head, and consider customising the internal padding to the dimensions of their skull.

At Bikebiz, we're home to Sydney's largest range of helmets, and exclusively stock the world's most trusted brands. And we know that the best way to find your ideal helmet is to wander in store and try a few on.

Browse our market-leading range of female motorcycle helmets online, or visit our in-store experts at Parramatta or Granville to get fitted today.