Caberg Duke Evo review | Flip-front motorcycle helmet tested

Date reviewed: March 2025 | Tested by: Jon Mansfield, BikeSocial member | Price: From £175.99 | cabergcares.co.uk

As a motorcycle riding instructor, my kit gets more abuse than most people would subject it to, and the Caberg Duke Evo on review here is no different.

The 5,000 winter and summer miles that I’ve used it for might not sound much, but that means wearing it all day, every day because a lot of my time is spent standing in a car park helping to get new riders started…

Outer Shell

I love the look of this ‘Matt Blue Yama’ colour-scheme, which costs £175.99 (reduced from £219.99), and the red detail that shows when the chin vent is open is particularly cool. All the plain colours of this ECE 22.06-certified ABS plastic helmet cost the same, with graphics rising to £207.99 and £215.99.

This is a budget lid, I must admit that the chin bar mechanism sounds a bit plasticky, but it locks down easily and securely.

A red tab on the left of the helmet locks the chin bar fully open, but I’ve never had need to use it – it stays in place just fine.

Weight

Weighing 1,682g on my scales in a size large, the Duke Evo is in the same ball-park as most ECE 22.06-certified helmets.

I wear my helmet open a lot of the time, and it is worth understanding that a flip-up helmet like this creates a lot of drag when the chin-bar’s up. At low speed that’s not too bad for short periods, but if you’re touring and want to ride with an open helmet, I’d recommend one of the flip-over helmets reviewed here.

Ventilation

The Duke Evo’s chin vent is easy to operate with gloves on, but its effectiveness will of course depend on the size of the screen on your bike – mine is large so I don’t notice much air flowing and tend to just leave it open.

I can certainly feel the top vent working, with a gentle breeze to the top of the head, but with no exhaust vents the air doesn’t really flow over my head as much as I’d hope.

Overall, I’d say the ventilation on the Caberg Duke Evo is okay, but not exceptional. However, as I ride with it open most of the time, I’m not that bothered.

Visor

Annoyingly, and from new, the Duke Evo’s internal sunshield doesn’t retract fully into the shell when not in use. It’s not distracting, but I can see it sitting there. Once down, the sunshield is useful and doesn’t have too much of a distracting gap of light at the bottom, though of course do try it for yourself.

There are tabs on both sides of the visor, which make it easier to reach with either hand, but the five-stage ratchet mechanism is rather stiff and the visor has a lot of flex in it, so it can be a bit awkward to close at times.

There’s a useful just-cracked-open stage on the visor, which is really handy, and a Pinlock 70 (the mid-range of anti-fog insert) is supplied.

You don’t need any tools to remove the visor, and while a strong spring and plasticky feel don’t inspire confidence, I haven’t broken anything while taking it off for cleaning.

I have noticed a small amount of water get in on the top of the visor seal in heavy rain.

Lining

Keeping in mind that the Caberg Duke Evo is a relatively budget modular helmet, it shouldn’t be a surprise that the lining looks and feels a little cheap and thin. It’s held up well to wear so far, but it’s a little less ‘finished’ looking than some others I’ve used.

Fastening

The Duke Evo has a quick-release micrometric ratchet-type chin strap, which is ideal for someone like me that needs to take their lid on and off so frequently.

The ratchet has seven positions, which gives a good range of adjustment once the strap’s been setup initially.

Fit

Fit is of course extremely subjective, so even if you have experience with a brand or model, you should always try any helmet on before buying.

The Duke Evo does feel rather thin, but it fits me fine with no pressure points.

Caberg Duke Evo - Noise

Perhaps due to that thin feel, especially around the cheek area and the rear of the chin bar, the Caberg does seem a little on the noisy side of flip-fronts I’ve used. As with any lid, earplugs are vital, and the Caberg is certainly not uncomfortably loud, but it’s not the best I’ve used.

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 Caberg Duke Evo

While Caberg offers its own ‘Pro Speak’ intercom, there is some space on the side to stick a unit, along with cu aways for speakers, though I’d of course recommend checking the size of the speakers you’re looking to fit.

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 Caberg Duke Evo

The Caberg is a relatively budget helmet, but here are some others you might want to consider…

• AGV Street Modular, from £239.99 | It's not without its faults, but the AGV is good for the money, mainly let down by an annoying chin bar release catch. Read the full review of the AGV Street Modular here.

• LS2 Advant X, from £299.99 | I love flip-over helmets as they’re so much better to ride in when open. This is one of my favourites, with one caveat about the visor seal. Read the full review of the LS2 Advant X here.

• Nexx X.Lifetour, from £359.99 | A full review will be coming soon, but first impressions are of an excellent flip-up.

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.

Caberg Duke Evo - Verdict

As a relatively affordable flip-front helmet – especially now it’s been discounted – the Caberg Duke Evo isn’t a bad lid, but it does have a cheap feel to it and the venting is a little disappointing.

As long as you’re aware of that though, this still meets the same minimum safety requirements as helmets costing three or four times the price, and what really matters is that it fits you correctly and is comfortable. For me, there are better options out there, but the Duke Evo certainly isn’t one I’d tell anyone to avoid.

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