Lid luggage: Best motorcycle helmet bags and carriers

Published: 31 August 2023 Updated: 06 December 2023

Arguably your motorbike helmet is your most important bit of protective kit and it stands to reason that you should look after it. We all know that you should make sure you never drop it, but to transport it when not wearing it you really need is one of the many dedicated motorbike helmet bags available.

Many helmets will come with a thin drawstring bag and this is great to keep dust off it but it won’t help protect the helmet from damage if you have it in the boot of the car or a van if you are loaded up to do a trackday, for example.

How about if you are going to collect someone on the bike and need to carry a spare lid for them with you or you are going on a flight somewhere and need to take your helmet with you?

There are various motorbike helmet bags around to allow you to keep your lid safe when you are travelling. You may want it to be waterproof, you certainly want it to be padded and with a soft lining to protect the paint and visor. You might want a shoulder strap to carry it when you are off the bike.

Best motorcycle helmet bags

Shoei Helmet Carry Bag

Price: £79.99

www.helmetcity.co.uk

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This carry bag from Shoei is a strong and practical piece of luggage for transporting a helmet you aren't wearing or taking it abroad.

Tested by Michael Neeves

"Shoei aren’t only one of the leading helmet brands, but the bags they make to carry them are top notch, too. Since most people just wear their lids, it’s a niche product, but for those who need to carry one from A to B their Premium Helmet Carry Bag is practical and robust.

"I’ve used it travelling to new bike launches where my lid stays protected and there’s room to spare in the main padded compartment and substantial side pocket. It’s strong, too, as I discovered when I carried a 22kg VW Golf battery five miles from the shop to my house."

Pros

Lightweight
Strong

Cons

Niche product

Oxford Lidstash

Price: £18.08

www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk

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This helmet bag is made by renowned British kit and accessory giant Oxford Products and is a padded carrier to look after your helmet. It will take a full-face lid and the outer is formed in water-resistant fabric with a fleece lining to protect the lid's finish and the visor.

It has both carry handles and a shoulder strap and there is a handy external pocket too.

Pros

Made by renowned kit expert
Padded for protection
Soft, fleece lining keeps helmet safe

Cons

Not fully waterproof

RST Helmet Bag

Price: £28.49 (was £29.99)

www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk

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Another example from a British brand, this one from RST is made from polyester and neoprene on the outside and will accept all helmets, including peaked adventure ones.

It has padding to look after the helmet and a soft fleece lining to ensure the visor and finish remain protected. It comes with a carry handle and shoulder strap and there are internal pockets for earplugs and ID cards or driving licences.

Pros

Padded for protection
Soft fleece lining
Handy internal pockets

Cons

Not waterproof

O'Neal Helmet Bag

Price: £18.99 (was £19.99)

www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk

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Although made specifically by O'Neal for its own off-road and motocross helmets, this bag should fit other types of helmet, including peaked adventure lids. It is a deep bag with twin handles and a central zip to provide access to the main section, which has additional pockets internally too.

It also has air vents to allow air movement around the helmet in case if it hot and sweaty when it gets put away.

Pros

Made for off-road helmets
Simple design
Great value

Cons

No shoulder strap

Oldbones Helmet Bag

Rrp: £38.00

Price: £38

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This is what I think of when I think about helmet 'bags'; it's a semi-rigid teardrop-shaped bag that is made in foam with a mesh outer that hold a helmet shape for protection.

It is described as waterproof and the lid zips open to reveal a base deep enough to secure the helmet with a central nib that it sits on. There is a grab handle at the front and supports to allow it to stand up off the ground if necessary.

Pros

Shaped semi-rigid casing
Soft lining
Carry handle

Cons

May not accept adventure lids

R&G Helmet Bag

Price: £25.92 (was £27.81)

www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk

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A basic helmet bag but made by a renowned accessory company so it should be good. This bag, from R&G, is a soft example with integral padding and a soft lining to protect the helmet's finish and visor.

It has a central zip to allow the bag to open wide for access and there are two grab handles, as well as an adjustable shoulder strap. It also has internal pockets for earplugs and one on the outside.

Pros

Basic but effective
Internal and external pockets
Grab handles and shoulder strap

Cons

Not waterproof

MotoGP Drawstring Bag

Rrp: £8.94

Price: £9.43

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This drawstring bag is licenced from the official MotoGP range and will help to protect your helmet against dust and very light damage. However, it is not padded nor is it waterproof.

If you want to keep dirt and dust away from your helmet at home and it didn’t come with a bag, then this is ideal but I wouldn’t leave my helmet in this in the boot of the car or a van on the way to a circuit.

Pros

Very inexpensive
Official MotoGP branding
Keep dust off helmet

Cons

Not padded

Oxford Lifetime Helmet Carrier

Price: £48.99 (was £79.99)

www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk

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Another product from Oxford, this time designed to fit on the bike and carry a helmet with you as you ride, for a passenger perhaps. Forming part of the brand's Lifetime range, this helmet carrier can be mounted to the back of the bike like a tailpack.

It is supplied with a universal fitting for the back seat of any bike and has two external pockets as well as a shoulder strap for carrying off the bike. Useful.

Pros

Doubles as tailpack
25-litre capacity
Universal bike fitting

Cons

Could be cumbersome off the bike

About the author: After qualifying as a mechanical engineer, Jim Blackstock began working on magazines in the early 1990s. He remains passionate about product testing to ensure readers know what products offer good value and why. He relishes torrential rain to see if riding kit keeps water out and an hour or two to tinker on a project bike in his workshop.

- Just so you know, whilst we may receive a commission or other compensation from the links on this page, we never allow this to influence product selections - read why you should trust us.

By Jim Blackstock

Keen wet weather rider and dedicated product tester for MCN and sister publication RiDE Magazine.