Is a Modular Motorcycle Helmet Safer than a Full Helmet? 

A modular motorcycle helmet is one type of helmet that a bike rider puts on as a safety measure. There are many types of helmets in the market. However, many riders are tied between a flip-flop and a full-face helmet. 

When deciding on a helmet most scooter and motorcycle riders consider three factors; safety, comfort, and convenience.

It's easier to decide whether a modular helmet is safer than a full-face helmet when you understand each type of helmet. Alternatively, you can visit helmetgurus.com for a deeper analysis and guide. All the two types of helmets are common in the market, but their safety levels differ. 

What’s a Full-Face Helmet? 

A full-face helmet has a solid (one) piece of shell material covering the entire head. That includes the forehead, cheek, chin area, and back of the head. And because of the monocoque shell, it has no part having lines of weakness. Further, it has an inbuilt visor to shield the eye. 

What’s a Modular Motorcycle Helmet?

A modular motorcycle helmet is also referred to as a flip-up helmet. Unlike the full-face helmet, it features a two-piece shell construction and covers your head completely.  

It has a sturdy visor, shell and movable chin bar. Because of the movable chin bar and visor, it can play the role of a full-face or open-face helmet. 

How is a Modular Motorcycle Helmet Different from a Full-Face Helmet

The major difference between a flip-up and a full-face helmet is that a modular helmet has a movable chin bar that you can flip up. 

In other words, you can move up the visor and chin to make it an open-face helmet. And when you bring down the chin bar it becomes a full-face helmet. In other words, it's convertible and plays dual roles of open-face and full-face helmet. 

On the other hand, a full-face helmet consists of one-piece shell construction and an inbuilt visor. The part shielding the chin is inseparable from the rest of the helmet body. 

⇨ Useful Page: Best Modular Motorcycle Helmet For You - Helmetgurus.com

So, is a Modular Helmet Safer than a Full-Face Felmet?

The best way to know whether a modular helmet is safer than a full face is by comparing the two under the following subheadings:

Area of Coverage

Regarding the area of coverage, a full-face helmet covers the entire head. That includes the chin, the back of the head, and the cheeks. No wonder it is called full-face because it cushions the head fully against the impact of an accident. 

On the other hand, a modular helmet can also act as a full-face helmet. In that mode, it covers the entire area of the head. Therefore, both types of helmets cover the head completely. 

Shell Construction

A helmet's shell is the first part to hit the ground in case of an impact. The shell material may be of various materials such as carbon fiber, fiberglass, polycarbonate, composites, and Kevlar. 

The shell design of a full-face helmet is superior to that of a flip-up helmet since it features a one-piece material. Being one piece gives it superior strength and has a higher possibility of holding to an impact.

On the other hand, a modular motorcycle helmet isnt of of a solid piece shell. Its chin bar and visor are movable. Though it’s connected to the main helmet body, you can lock or unlock the chin bar. 

Thus, compared to a standard full-face helmet, a flip-up helmet has a high chance of disintegrating in case of a high-force impact. Some people also believe that the chin safety protection of a full-face helmet is superior to the flip-up.

Thus, regarding shell protection, a full-face helmet offers higher degree of safety. 

Certification

One way to detect a safe and reliable helmet is by checking on certification marks. Whether full-face or modular, helmets the certifications are the same. The safety certification bodies include ECE, SNELL, and DOT. 

Therefore, as per certifications, it’s easy to find both modular and full-face helmets that are DOT, SNELL, or ECE certified.  

Weight

If you compare the two, modular helmets are slightly heavier than their full-face counterparts. The inclusion of the flip-up mechanism, mostly metal, adds some weight. 

However, it’s easy to find a modular helmet that’s lightweight and reliable. Those are brands that use shell materiasl such carbon fiber, glass fiber, or composite materials. 

Visor

A face shield plays a key role in the safety provision of a helmet. A visor keeps insects and dust from your eyes thus contributing to a comfortable ride. 

The best modular motorcycle helmet has a face shield. Some models have dual visors for day and night rides. But the visor and the chin bar are movable and not fixed as in the standard full-face helmet. 

A full-face helmet has an inbuilt visor that keeps your face protected from bugs and dust. Unlike in a convertible helmet, the full-face helmet’s visor is mostly attached to the body, hence more reliable. 

Being a fixed visor, it seals off most of the wind, dust, and bugs and thus feels more reliable. On the other hand, the movable visor in a flip-up also locks away foreign particles. But if the locking mechanism malfunctions, it may leak air and allow dust to sip in. 

So, Which is Safer: a Modular Motorcycle Helmet or a Full-Face Helmet? 

Of the two the full-face helmet has a leading edge in safety. That’s because of the solid piece of shell material and inbuilt face shield. When you put it on, it provides maximum protection to the entire head down to the chin. 

On the other hand, a modular helmet in the full-face mode also covers the entire head. But since it has a movable chin bar, its level of chin cushioning can’t match the standard full-face type. That’s especially true for motorcycles that adore racing or high-risk riding scenes. 

But if you need a helmet suitable for leisure, low-speed or street adventure rides the best modular motorcycle helmet wins. In such a setup it gives a blend of protection, ample viewing area, and plenty of ventilation that a full-face helmet can’t match. 

Rembember, when safety is your top concern, a full-face helmet wins. So what fits you most is a modular or a full-face helmet, whatever your option is, helmetgurus.com offers help.