Open face helmets, which cover all of the rider's head except for their face, provide moderate protection from falls, accidents and road hazards, but they leave the eyes, mouth, nose and other parts of the face open to injury should something happen while riding. Finally, half helmets--though very popular, particularly with Harley-Davidson riders--provide the least amount of protection, since they cover only the top portion of the head, leaving the neck, sides of the head and the face completely exposed to the elements and any dangers of the road.

Wearing any one of these helmets is much better than wearing none at all, but for maximum safety, one should consider wearing a full-face or a modular helmet, as they provide the best all-around protection of them all.