Head-to-head · Best Motorcycle Helmets Under $300

Bell MX-9 Adventure MIPS vs Scorpion EXO-R420

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

The short answer

Scorpion EXO-R420 comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.3 vs 4.4). The gap is mostly about safety-focused street riders who want Snell certification on a budget — read the strengths below before deciding.

Ranked #3 in Best Motorcycle Helmets Under $300

Bell MX-9 Adventure MIPS

4.3

$249.95as of Jun 7

The Bell MX-9 Adventure MIPS is the best budget adventure helmet in this group, bringing MIPS rotational protection, ECE 22.06 and DOT certification to a dual-sport lid that streets around $250 and often dips to $200. RevZilla owners rate it 4/5 across 98 reviews, and reviewers call it the best balance for off-road and on-road riding among budget ADV helmets, and the quietest budget adventure helmet tested under $250. Its lightweight polycarbonate shell goes easy on the neck. The fixed peak and always-open vents are the main compromises, but for an affordable do-it-all ADV helmet from a major brand, it is the standout.

Strengths

— MIPS rotational protection plus ECE 22.06 and DOT certification on a budget ADV helmet
— Lightweight polycarbonate shell, around 1500-1700 g, easy on the neck off-road
— Versatile dual-sport design with a peak and a full face shield for on- and off-road use

Watch-outs

— Fixed (though removable) peak, with no on-the-fly adjustment
— Always-open chimney vents let rain leak inside in heavy downpours
— Air can pass through closed vents at speed, chilling the face

$249.95 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Higher ratedRanked #2 in Best Motorcycle Helmets Under $300

Scorpion EXO-R420

4.4

$150as of May 26

The Scorpion EXO-R420 is the safety-first pick of this group, the rare sub-$200 full-face helmet to carry Snell M2015 certification alongside the mandatory DOT approval. webBikeWorld rated it 4/5 and RevZilla owners 4.5/5 across more than 800 reviews, praising the genuinely impressive feature set: EQRS emergency release, the EverClear anti-fog shield, the tool-free Ellip-Tec II shield swap and efficient ventilation. The trade-off for Snell-grade protection is weight; at nearly 3 lb 14 oz it is the heaviest helmet here. But if maximum crash certification at a low price is the priority, the EXO-R420 is the benchmark.

Strengths

— Carries Snell M2015 certification on top of DOT, rare at this price
— Ellip-Tec II tool-free shield swap with a secure center-locking latch
— EQRS emergency cheek-pad release for safer helmet removal after a crash

Watch-outs

— Heavy at around 3 lb 14 oz for a size large polycarbonate shell
— Standard shield is not Pinlock-ready
— Shell can lift slightly at sustained highway speeds above 60 mph

$150 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

How they stack up

Bell MX-9 Adventure MIPS

The Bell MX-9 Adventure MIPS is the dedicated dual-sport helmet of this group, the only one with a peak for off-road use, where the Bell Qualifier DLX MIPS and Scorpion EXO-R420 are street full-faces and the HJC IS-MAX II is a modular. Like the Qualifier it includes MIPS, which the Scorpion and HJC C10 lack. It is heavier and bulkier than the pure street lids but lighter than many adventure helmets, and it shares the budget-brand value of the HJC C10.

Scorpion EXO-R420

The Scorpion EXO-R420 is the safety-maximalist pick, the only helmet here with Snell certification on top of DOT, where the Bell Qualifier DLX MIPS instead offers MIPS and the HJC C10 carries the latest ECE rating. It is a pure street full-face, not an adventure helmet like the Bell MX-9 Adventure MIPS or a modular like the HJC IS-MAX II. Its main downside versus the lighter Qualifier is weight, the price of its Snell-grade polycarbonate shell.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	Bell MX-9 Adventure MIPS	Scorpion EXO-R420
Type	Adventure / dual-sport	Full-face
Safety Rating	DOT, ECE 22.06, MIPS	DOT, Snell M2015
Shell	Polycarbonate	Polycarbonate
Weight	1500-1700 g	3 lb 14 oz (L)
Peak	Fixed, removable	—
Shield	Full face with peak	Ellip-Tec II, EverClear no-fog
Ventilation	Mouth, top and jaw vents	—
Closure	Double D-ring	Double D-ring
Safety Feature	—	EQRS emergency release
Extras	—	Speaker pockets

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