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

HJC IS-MAX II Modular 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 (4.2 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 #4 in Best Motorcycle Helmets Under $300

HJC IS-MAX II Modular

4.2

$104.99as of Jun 7

The HJC IS-MAX II is the best modular (flip-up) helmet in this group, offering a smooth-opening chin bar, an integrated drop-down sun visor and a Pinlock-ready shield at around $200. webBikeWorld rated it 4/5 A Good Buy and Motorcycle.com scored it 87.5/100, both noting it offers more than almost any modular at the price and comes surprisingly close to lids costing three times as much. It is light for a modular and convenient for touring and commuting. The sun-visor spring feels flimsy and it is not the quietest flip-up, but for affordable modular versatility, the IS-MAX II is the pick.

Strengths

— Smooth-operating modular chin bar that flips up easily with a gloved hand
— Integrated drop-down sun visor doubles as eye protection without swapping shields
— Lightweight for a modular at around 3 lb 14 oz, easy on the neck

Watch-outs

— Drop-down sun visor spring feels weak and may not last long-term
— Some minor fogging in humid conditions despite venting
— Not the quietest modular at this price point

$104.99 · 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

HJC IS-MAX II Modular

The HJC IS-MAX II is the only modular (flip-up) helmet in this group, offering convenience the fixed-chin Bell Qualifier DLX MIPS, Scorpion EXO-R420 and HJC C10 cannot, and a more road-focused design than the adventure-oriented Bell MX-9 Adventure MIPS. Its integrated sun visor is a feature only it and, indirectly via Transitions, the Qualifier offer. It is DOT-rated only, lacking the MIPS of the two Bell helmets and the Snell of the Scorpion.

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 IS-MAX II Modular	Scorpion EXO-R420
Type	Modular (flip-up)	Full-face
Safety Rating	DOT	DOT, Snell M2015
Shell	Advanced polycarbonate composite	Polycarbonate
Weight	3 lb 14 oz	3 lb 14 oz (L)
Sun Visor	Integrated drop-down	—
Shield	Pinlock-ready, 95% UV	Ellip-Tec II, EverClear no-fog
Chin Bar	One-button flip-up	—
Closure	Double D-ring	Double D-ring
Safety Feature	—	EQRS emergency release
Extras	—	Speaker pockets

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