Schuberth E2 review | Versatile flip-front touring / adventure helmet tested

Date reviewed: July 2025 | Tested by: John Milbank | Price: From £589.99 | bikerheadz.co.uk

The Schuberth E2 on review here is yet more proof that the German helmet brand has really upped its game in the last few years. This flip-front helmet with removable peak is a big step up from the previous E1, and has proven – over months of use on my 2019 BMW R1250GS and a Zontes ZT350-T – to be almost perfect. There are flaws, but nothing that’s put me off wearing this for almost every ride…

Outer Shell

You might be thinking that this Schuberth E2 looks similar to the C5 reviewed here, and you’d be even more right than you might imagine. The composite fibre outer shell and plastic chin bar are identical, with only the vents being different, so it’s no surprise that the chin bar locks firmly and reliable into place and the overall finish is excellent, with quality plastics that don’t have the cheap feel of some.

The logos on the front and back aren’t lacquered in, but they’ve shown no signs of peeling (including on Schuberths that are many years old) and they’re reflective, for an extra touch of safety. There are also reflective panels above the eye port, but being all black they don’t stand out until light catches them in the dark. Nice.

The Schuberth E2 is homologated as both P (Protective, or full-face) and J (Jet, or open-face), meaning it’s designed to be ridden in when open or closed. There’s a very small red locking tab on the left of the lid to prevent the chin bar from dropping down when open, but I’ve never had it move at all. The tab’s fiddly to use with gloves on, but I find it’s simply not needed.

The E2 hasn’t yet been tested by SHARP, but the C5 is basically the same and scored 4/5, being only let down slightly during the side impact tests. During testing though, the chin bar is reported to have stayed firmly locked shut 100% of the time, so if you’re worried that flip-fronts aren’t as safe a full-face lids, you needn’t be.

My only disappointment with the Schuberth E2’s shell is that the colour options are rather limited. There are three graphics choices at £649.99, matt black or gloss white at £569.99, and the ‘Concrete Grey’ I have on review, which costs £589.99. The C5 has far more colours and styles to choose from, including the matt blue I have, which is one of my favourites. Still, there is a solution…

Schuberth E2 peak

The Schuberth E2’s peak is a piece of design genius. Removing it just requires turning the plastic locks on either side – no tools required – and it pops off. A pair of blanking inserts are supplied for the holes in the sides of the visor, though if you forgot to take them on a ride I wouldn’t worry as I haven’t noticed significantly more noise without them. If you lost them, a pair of replacements are just £4.99.

The peak does shake at speed, and adding weights to it doesn’t help. There’s a fair bit of movement in it so, depending on the screen on your bike, you might notice it jiggling up and down a bit, but using a locking tab on either side you can set it in one of three different positions. The lowest is ideal for very low sun, giving superb coverage not just at the front, but also around the upper sides of the visor, making riding a lot safer. Nudge it up one stage and you see less of the sides of the peak, then take it up again and it disappears from view altogether. The two lower peak settings do restrict the visor’s opening, but it’s worth it.

Riding with a peak at higher road speeds will almost always be a compromise, which is why it’s so important that it’s easy to remove them, but Schuberth really has struck an excellent balance here. Sure, the peak can shake a bit, but when you don’t need it you can push it up out of the way. When you’re riding into low sun, drop it to the bottom and I can honestly say I’ve never used one as effective as this. You usually need to tip your head a bit to block the dazzling light, but the lowest setting here is absolutely superb. Sunshields and dark-visors don’t cut it in low sun… once you’ve tried a peak you’ll not want to go back.

The opening of the visor is restricted slightly in all but the upper-most peak position, but again, this is a compromise worth making.

Like any, the E2’s peak can grab at the wind when moving your head up or to the side at high speed, but it’s fine (as is the shaking) at most back-road speeds. You’ll also notice your head gets shaken about when following vans and trucks, but again this is to be expected.

What really surprised me is that, as long as you have the visor with holes in the side, the peak will also fit the Schuberth C5, which opens up your options with colour choices though will get pricey; buying the E2 peak separately costs £92.99 at RRP, and the E2 visor is £55.00. Given that the retail price of the E2 is only £30 more than the C5, it’s a lot better value to buy it this way.

Schuberth E2 weight

Weighing 1,880g with the peak on my scales, or 1,706g without it, The E2 is unsurprisingly very similar to the C5 and a touch lighter than the Shoei Neotec 3… Remember though that the Schuberth comes with its intercom speakers already installed. Adding the Cardo-based SC Edge intercom increases the weight by only 61g.

Schuberth E2 ventilation

Besides the peak, the main difference between the E2 and the C5 is the vents. The ports cut into the shell are the same, but the chin, top and exhaust vent intakes are all slightly different.

I’ve tried hard to feel a difference between the two helmets, and I have to say that I think the C5 has the slight edge on the chin vent, which just seems to feed a little more air up to the brow. The mouth vent that feeds straight into the front via a bug-stopping mesh is about the same, but both of these will be limited if you’re sat behind a large screen.

The top vent has a wider scoop on the E2, no doubt designed to work with the peak but it’s also easier to operate with gloved hands. It’s got two stages and closed, and feeds air in well.

Schuberth also gives the option in its linings to flick over a flap that spreads the air from the top vents around the head more, rather than blowing straight onto it. This works well and makes for even more customisation in the way it performs.

The top vent can be easily unclipped for cleaning, and it’s great to find mesh in there to prevent large bugs getting inside. Arai and Shoei could learn from this!

With the exhaust vent cover unclipped, the exhaust port looks like it could be a little out of line with the outer shell (it’s the same in my C5), but it’s effective

Air is able to move across the top of the lid and feed out of the single port in the Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) inner shell and out of the exhaust vent. I was surprised to see how the porting didn’t line up perfectly with the hole in the outer shell. It’s not a round port, but it doesn’t seem to make the most of what it could. Still, the venting overall is very good in the E2.

If you’re thinking of adding the peak to a C5 you already own, you’ll no doubt be pleased to hear that the venting still works very well with it.

Schuberth E2 visor

The Schuberth E2 is supplied with a Pinlock 120 (the highest performing version of the anti-fog insert) already fitted – you just need to take the protective film off.

The clarity and field of view is excellent, and another brilliant part of this design (as with the C5) is that no matter where you have the visor set, if you open the chin bar the visor will go back to where you had it when you close it again. Very clever!

On my R1250GS, the standard screen causes the visor to shut at high motorway speeds, but I haven’t had this happen on the Zontes. It’s a shame as other lids don’t do it, and I like to ride with the sunshield down and the visor up for more airflow at times. I’ve used the 3D-printed inserts that I designed for the first-gen C5, which had a looser visor mechanism, and find it more stable on the GS now.

The E2’s drop-down sunshield has excellent clarity and is easy to operate, but I do wish it came down a little further, as I find the line of bright light along the bottom a bit annoying. You get used to it, but Shoei really has nailed this.

Removing the visor for cleaning is a simple matter of opening it, pulling two small levers forward, then rotating it further back until it pops off. Even better is the fact that it just clicks on and rotates into place, making it one of the simplest visor mechanisms I’ve used.

Lining

Despite being made up of nine parts, the Schuberth E2’s lining – like the C5’s – is pretty simple to remove for cleaning and to refit. It’s a quality design (as you’d expect of a premium lid) and each part is available in a variety of sizes.

Fastening

The Schuberth E5 has a quality micrometric ratchet adjuster with a wide nine-click range, so once the strap’s set up to suit you, you’ll always get a good, snug fit.

It’s also protected by a soft, padded cover that secures with Velcro. This ensures it stays in place and is always comfortable against the chin, though you do have to remember to pull it open or you can end up wondering why the lid won’t come off.

Fit

Fit is obviously very subjective, and you must always try any helmet on before buying. Ideally get some help with the fit too, as a worryingly large number of riders are in lids that don’t fit them correctly.

I’m usually a size medium, and the E2 is no different, but like the C5 I found it more comfortable with the optional thinner cheek pads. These cost an extra £62.99, but it might be worth talking to your dealer when buying to see if there’s any chance of a deal. Keep in mind though that these are not supplied to the dealer for free like Arai for instance, so ask nicely and don’t be disappointed if there’s not much they can do, especially if the helmet’s already been discounted.

As with the C5, I have no problem wearing glasses with the Schuberth E2, and I can use this helmet all day long without any issues at all.

Here the E2’s visor and peak are fitted to my Schuberth C5

Schuberth E2 Noise

Any helmet needs earplugs over about 40mph, and the E2 is no different. I can’t really tell any significant difference with the peak fitted, and while the gaps in the sides of the chin bar do make it a little noisier than a decent full-face helmet, it’s still very good.

Noise levels are affected by your height, seating position, the screen on your bike, the fairing and the fit of the helmet so it’s practically impossible to fairly compare noise in lids. However, the Schuberth E2 doesn’t have any noticeable issues for me.

For more information on why earplugs are vital with any helmet, and advice on which are the best, click here.

Can I fit my own intercom to the Schuberth E2?

As it’s the same outer shell as the C5, there’s space to fit your own intercom if you want. You’ll need to remove the speakers that are already fitted, but 40mm diameter seems to be the limit. You might also struggle to fit the boom mic, but I have managed it with a bit of jiggling.

However, Schuberth has taken the unique move – and one I hope other manufacturers will follow – of offering its own comms system in either Sena OR Cardo versions. The Schuberth SC2 Comms kit costs £340 and uses Sena’s Mesh 2.0 system, but if you prefer Cardo you can buy the Schuberth SC Edge Comms Kit for the same price, and is what I have fitted.

Installation is really easy as the wiring, antenna and speakers are already installed. Just snap in the rear unit (which contains the main battery), add the buttons to the side and plug in the mic.

The comms must be charged while it’s on the lid (you can’t pop it off for charging), and the buttons panel uses its own 2016 cell. I’ve not had this little battery show any signs of running out of power, but I’ll of course keep this review updated. A replacement is only £1.75 from my favourite battery shop, BatteryStation.co.uk.

I wish there was a printed manual, but as usual now you have to download the instructions for the comms unit. I’d liked to at least have received the ‘Pocket Guide’ as something I can keep handy.

The excellent Cardo app makes setting the device up easy, and you can update firmware over the air from your smartphone. I’ve set it to ‘high volume’ mode, rather than the default bass boost, and get on well with it even when wearing dense 3M Earsoft FX earplugs. A little more volume would be nice, but filtered earplugs are an option if you’re struggling to hear.

The SC Edge has voice control that generally works very well, though it sometimes gets confused between “music on” and “music off”. This wasn’t a problem in the past, but it’s the same on other Cardo units I’ve been testing, so hopefully a firmware tweak will improve this. Or maybe it’s just my voice.

The boom mic can get caught in the chin skirt if you don’t tuck it in well when closing the front of the helmet, but it’s not excessively long and does place the mic directly in front of your mouth, making for excellent clarity when you’re talking to people either over the Mesh or Bluetooth intercom, or via a phone call.

Mesh comms are essential for riding in groups of larger than two, but keep in mind that Cardo and Sena Mesh aren’t compatible. Still, you could use WhatsApp, Discord or the new Sena Wave app to connect any intercom using a small amount of data on your phone.

The Bluetooth connection on the Schuberth SC Edge is excellent, connecting almost immediately to your phone when powering up (once set up).

The problem with helmet-brand comms is that you can’t swap them between other lids, and the fittings also change over time. That is a consideration here too of course, but I’m very impressed with the fact that you can choose between Sena and Cardo, and would recommend either unit if you’re considering it.

As with other brands, if you buy an intercom at the same time as the helmet from most stores, you’ll not pay VAT on the comms system, saving 16.66%.

Three alternatives to the Schuberth E2

The Schuberth E2 packs a lot of features, but if you’re in the market for a touring / adventure helmet, here are some others you might consider…

• Arai Tour-X5, from £599.99 | The new Tour-X5 (or XD5 in the USA) is a significant step up from the previous model, not least in its new quick-release visor. It’s not a flip-front, but it is superb quality. Read the full review of the Arai Tour-X5 here.

• HJC i80, from £199.99 | While we haven’t reviewed the i80, we did test the C80 a while back and found it offered good value, despite needing a screwdriver to remove the visor. Read the full review of the older HJC C80 here.

• Nexx X.LifeCountry, from £439.99 | Nexx has produced some great helmets in its Portuguese factory over the last couple of years, but this one proved disappointing thanks to a peak that shakes and drums far too much, and the worst visor removal system I’ve ever encountered. Read the full review of the Nexx X.LifeCountry here.

These are just three of many alternatives – you can find all the helmets we’ve tested here  and be sure to regularly check for the discounts available through Bikesocial membership.

Schuberth E2 review: Verdict

The Schuberth E2 is almost the perfect touring helmet. It’s a flip-front, which makes stopping for fuel and talking to people far less hassle, and it also gives you the option to ride with it open (though of course it’ll catch the wind at higher speeds).

The ventilation is very good, and having a drop-down sunshield makes it all the more versatile in changeable conditions.

And then you have the peak, which can be set far lower than any others I’ve tried and is for that reason the most useful I’ve used for road riding.

Sure, the peak shakes a little (depending on the buffeting from your bike’s screen), but you can always move it out of the way if you’re not using it, or take it off altogether, even while the lid’s on your head.

So why isn’t it perfect? It’d be great if Schuberth backed a custom fit option that was free at point of purchase in all stores, and I wish the visor would stay open at high speed on all bikes. Oh, and that sunshield could do with being a touch lower.

But these are gripes, not deal-breakers, and the fact remains that the Schuberth E2 is the most versatile touring / adventure helmet I’ve ever tested. If you’re looking for a good flip-front and fancy being able to fit a peak when you need it, I thoroughly recommend you try one on.

And if you already own a Schuberth C5, consider investing in the E2’s visor and peak to add what is a brilliant safety feature in low sun.

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