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Brands
Categories
Parts Finder
Bikebiz Parramatta
Bikebiz
granville
granville
Brands
Categories
Parts Finder
Brands
Categories
Parts Finder
By Michael Catford
|
3 June 2026
|
7 min read
The best vintage motorcycle helmets combine heritage aesthetics with modern ECE 22.06 safety standards. Top choices for Australian custom bike builders include the Shoei Glamster for cafe racers, the HJC V31 for cruisers, and the Merlin Blackbird Racer for restomods. These retro looking helmets feature advanced shells, plush interiors, and the impact protection you deserve.
The best vintage motorcycle helmets for a custom bike:
If you've put all that effort into customising your bike, you shouldn't just slap any old lid on. Your helmet is the finishing touch – the cherry on top of a cog-filled cake that you spent months or years baking.
Some helmets pair better with custom cruisers than others. They typically have a vintage look, but safety has come a long way over the decades, so the best will also hide the latest tech within a classic shell. (Pro tip: Avoid actual retro helmets – they may not help you in a slide.)
At Bikebiz, Sydney's #1 motorcycle dealer, we're home to a market-leading range of road gear, including 400+ different road helmets from AGV, HJC, Shoei, Arai and more. We've also tested each one, to understand exactly how they perform in local conditions.
In this guide, we'll share those expert insights to give you the top five vintage motorcycle helmets on the market today. And we're feeling generous, so we'll also break down the best option by bike, so you can match the ideal skull cap to your specific type of custom cruiser.
What's the best vintage motorcycle helmet? Whichever delivers the period-correct aesthetics you want, and the modern impact protection you need. Looking for some inspo? We live and breathe this stuff, so here are our top recommendations for the full gamut of custom rides: cafe racers, scramblers, bobbers, restomods and more.
Vibe: 60s ton-up boy says hello to modern Japanese engineering.
Why: The ultimate road full face helmet for cafe racers, the Shoei Glamster features a compact AIM fibreglass shell, discreet ventilation channels, and a flat visor that gives it a classic look. Enjoy the elite level of safety you'd expect from a premium modern helmet, while looking right at home on your tricked out Triumph Thruxton or vintage Yamaha SR400.
Vibe: Vintage off-road aggression with street-tracker chops.
Why: A scrambler motorcycle helmet that also works perfectly for the street-tracker crowd, the EX-Zero Xanadu pairs a raw 80s motocross helmet shape with modern decals that bring it screeching into the present day. The chin bar has a distinct underbite that adds an element of aggression while giving you plenty of breathing room, and is specifically shaped to accommodate a set of classic retro motorcycle goggles for the ultimate old-school look. Like to get your tyres dirty? There's no better lid for the job.
Vibe: Easy rider minimalism.
Why: For owners of custom cruisers and bobbers who want the wind on their face, the HJC V31 is the road open face helmet of choice. This is a low profile open face helmet available in both lightweight fibreglass composite or featherweight (and cool looking) carbon. A luxurious stitched leather and suede lining looks and feels the part, making this the perfect vintage bobber helmet for a stripped-back chopper or custom cruiser.
Note: While open-face is vintage style in its truest form, modern road modular helmets can offer more comfort at high speeds and in all weather.
Vibe: A modern take on heritage British elegance.
Why: Merlin is known for its premium heritage motorcycle gear, and their Blackbird Racer helmet carries on this tradition, while integrating modern safety tech and aesthetic choices. This fibreglass retro helmet is covered in military-grade resin that protects the chequered flag decals on the side, and has laser cut padding for a snug and plush fit. The gold finishes and removable visor add to the restomod-ready looks.
Vibe: Retro European urban sophistication.
Why: The Nolan N21 Classic is a lid for the purists. This injection-moulded open-face helmet has a low-profile shell that avoids the bobblehead look of cheaper alternatives, and comes complete with a deep drop-down sun visor that slides completely out of sight when not in use. If you're a cafe hopper or minimalist urban cruiser looking for an ADR approved retro helmet option, here it is.
There are two types of vintage helmet: those that are decades old, and those that are brand new but built to look retro. You need the latter.
The factory-fresh lids we sell at Bikebiz are built to the latest and most stringent standards. ECE 22.06 retro helmets are tested for impact protection in 22 different spots, while rotational tests simulate slides. They're even tested for durability in extreme heat, cold, UV and moisture.
Old helmets lack these modern design certifications. Worse, they gradually degraded over time, particularly the liner that is entrusted with absorbing the impact in a crash.
The good news: the Bikebiz range of brand new, vintage-style lids means you won't sacrifice safety or style. Beneath the classic shapes and retro paint jobs you'll find tech like multi-density EPS liners and fibreglass/carbon composite shells.
While road rules across Australia include grandfather clauses to ensure that older, legally purchased helmets remain compliant, new lids must comply with at least AS/NZS 1698 (2006) or ECE 22.05 (2015). While potentially legal, a forty-year-old vintage helmet will provide minimal protection. Almost all retro helmets at Bikebiz, however, are fully certified to the latest standards.
You certainly can. While you need to awkwardly clamp a bulky receiver to the shell of older helmets, modern retro designs often feature dedicated internal speaker pockets cut directly into the EPS liner, so you can seamlessly integrate a bluetooth kit without ruining the vintage look. At Bikebiz we offer a whole heap of other helmet accessories too.
Not if they're good quality. Any bubble visor that features the words 'optically correct' will not distort your vision. Modern manufacturing methods like injection moulding ensure a uniform thickness that gives you a crystal clear view of the road.
While a low profile open face helmet is legal to wear on highways (at least if you buy it from Bikebiz), the design does leave your chin and face exposed. You'll feel the wind, you'll catch the road grime on a wet day, and you might be hit with flying debris. For highway commuting or long-distance touring we recommend a full face or modular option, or at the very least a pair of retro motorcycle goggles (though they won't protect your teeth from flying gravel).
A cafe racer, a stripped-back bobber, a street scrambler; your custom bike is a labour of love that deserves the right helmet – one that protects your head while you turn other people's.
The best retro helmets have the right aesthetic while giving you total peace of mind. At Bikebiz we're home to Australia's widest selection of heritage motorcycle gear; timeless silhouettes packed with the latest ECE 22.06 safety tech. You get the style to match your custom steed, as well as lightweight comfort, crisp optical clarity, and maximum protection.
Browse our massive range of premium road helmets online today, or ride down to our Parramatta or Granville showrooms to chat with our in-store experts, slide a few on and find your perfect fit.