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

HJC C10 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.

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The short answer

HJC C10 comes out ahead by a clear margin (4.6 vs 4.1). The gap is mostly about new and budget riders who want a safe, comfortable full-face for under $100 — read the strengths below before deciding.

Higher ratedRanked #1 in Best Motorcycle Helmets Under $300

HJC C10

4.6

3 sourcesall derived$123.49as of Aug 1

A sub-$100 full-face helmet that meets the latest ECE 22.06 safety standard is rare, which is what makes the HJC C10 the budget champion of this group. Reviewers call it the best value motorcycle helmet they have tested; RideApart, MCN and RevZilla all praise its comfort, exceptional ventilation and build quality that feels worth far more than the cost. Plush cheek pads and a lightweight shell keep it comfortable all day. The first visor detent lets in debris and it fogs without a Pinlock, but for a rider who wants a genuinely safe, comfortable full-face on the tightest budget, the C10 is unbeatable.

Strengths

— Meets the latest, most demanding ECE 22.06 safety standard plus DOT
— Exceptional ventilation that flushes heat well for a full-face helmet
— All-day comfortable liner with plush cheek pads that resist flattening

Watch-outs

— First visor detent opens wide enough to let in bugs and debris
— Fogs in humid conditions without the optional Pinlock insert
— Padding is not adjustable for fine fit tuning

$123.49 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Ranked #3 in Best Motorcycle Helmets Under $300

Scorpion EXO-R420

4.1

2 sourcesall derived$150as of May 26

Safety comes first with the Scorpion EXO-R420, one of the rare sub-$200 full-face helmets carrying Snell M2015 certification on top of the mandatory DOT approval. webBikeWorld rated it 4/5 and RevZilla owners 4.5/5 across more than 800 reviews, with praise for a genuinely deep feature set: EQRS emergency release, the EverClear anti-fog shield, the tool-free Ellip-Tec II shield swap and efficient ventilation. Snell-grade protection costs weight; at nearly 3 lb 14 oz this is the heaviest helmet here. For maximum crash certification at a low price, the EXO-R420 sets 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 →

Derived means the reviewer published no score, so one was inferred from their written verdict. Everything else is a number the publisher printed. How we rank.

How they stack up

HJC C10

The HJC C10 is the budget pick of this group, costing roughly half the Bell Qualifier DLX MIPS or Scorpion EXO-R420 while still meeting the latest ECE safety standard. It lacks the MIPS of the two Bell helmets and the Snell certification of the Scorpion, and it is a fixed full-face rather than a modular like the HJC IS-MAX II or an adventure helmet like the Bell MX-9 Adventure MIPS. Its certification is the newest crash standard of any helmet here.

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	HJC C10	Scorpion EXO-R420
Type	Full-face	Full-face
Safety Rating	DOT, ECE 22.06	DOT, Snell M2015
Shell	Advanced polycarbonate composite	Polycarbonate
Weight	3.4 lb	3 lb 14 oz (L)
Ventilation	ACS, 3 intake / 2 exhaust	—
Shield	Pinlock-ready	Ellip-Tec II, EverClear no-fog
Liner	Removable, washable	—
Closure	Double D-ring	Double D-ring
Material	Polycarbonate (PC)	—
Safety Feature	—	EQRS emergency release
Extras	—	Speaker pockets

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