Biltwell Gringo and Gringo-S Review: two Full Face Retro Helmets

Like the Bell Bullet and the Nexx XG100, the Biltwell Gringos are full face retro helmets, designed to conjure up those halcyon days when panheads ruled and in-line fours were new on the streets, and when protection boiled down to how thick the denim was on your jeans.

These days, we demand a bit more from our gear and lids, but we kinda like that retro vibe – often to go with our new breed of retro bikes. Which is where helmets like the Gringo (no shield) and Gringo S (hinged shield) come in.

But when they cost about as much as you’d have paid for your bike in the 70’s, are they worth the money?

• Full Face thermoplastic retro helmet
• Gringo (snap on shield) and Gringo S (regular shield)
• DOT certified
• Double-D ring strap
• 2 shell sizes
• Comfortable but noisy
• Neutral head shape
• Sizes XS-XXL
• Expect to pay $189-$229

Looking to buy a Biltwell Gringo?

Please click below to visit the Biltwell Gringo helmets pages at our recommended stores – all checked for great online ratings. And if you buy from any store, we get a small sum from the sale at no extra cost to you – a massive THANKS! (it’s how we finance the site).

Safety

 (more about helmet safety)

The shells of both Biltwell Gringos are made from ABS which is a similar thermoplastic material that you’ll find in lots of helmets.

They’ve been DOT certified for use in mandatory helmet states so should offer a good basic level of protection – though neither has been independently Snell or SHARP tested, so beyond their having been built to pass DOT tests, there’s no word on the protection a Gringo will offer in an accident.

However, there’s an expanded polystyrene shock absorbing liner (EPS liner) in there and it’s got a decent double-d ring fastener to keep it stuck firmly to your head.

And the S version also has a permanent shield which has gotta be a good thing for safety. In fact quite a few owners of the regular Gringo (without the shield) find that there’s just too much windblast without the shield – that’s whether riding with our without sunglasses.

So, to max out safety with the Gringo, we’d recommend buying the S version – or buying one of the clip-on shields available to the standard Gringo.

Having said that, and while the Gringo is no novelty helmet, a few owners said it doesn’t give them a feeling of security and safety like most modern full face helmets; some owners sighting the chin bar that’s just made of the same thermoplastic material as the shell and can flex quite a bit.

Note: DOT testing doesn’t cover the chin guard (though Snell certified helmets will have passed a chin bar impact test).

Noise doesn’t really seem to be an issue for owners of a Gringo.

That seems to be a) because most people seem to be trading-up from a 1/2 or 3/4 helmet so their Gringo seems quiet in comparison or b) no-one is really expecting much noise-attenuation performance from their Gringo, so buy one expecting it to be noisier than ‘modern’ ff helmets.

Again, folks are buying a Gringo for simplicity and looks and ‘so what if it’s a bit noisy’. Which is totally fine. But if we’re looking objectively at helmet noise, then the Gringo seems to be a pretty noisy helmet compared to most other full faces.

But if you’re thinking about buying a Gringo – hey, what does that matter?!? Buy some decent ear plugs and rock your Gringo anyway!

As you’ve probably noticed from the pictures, there’s only two ventilation holes in the Gringo; and that’s the one big hole in the front where the shield goes and that other big hole where your head goes. Apart from that, there’s zero vents.

Which might not be a problem if you’re wearing a Gringo around town for the occasional ride or if you keep it without a shield and letting in a ton of air.

And the great thing is that most people who buy the Gringo do it because they’re looking to get back to basics and they can forgive the Gringo minor misgivings like poor ventilation.

In fact despite the lack of vents, very few Gringo owners seem to report getting too hot in their helmets. If you’re buying one expecting great levels of venting like modern day full face helmets, then you might be disappointed. But then most owners don’t buy a Gringo for its ventilation; because they’re after retro-cool rather than cool-venting.

And besides, keep the shield open or wear goggles or shades and you’ll get enough air into your Gringo – for short/medium trips anyhow. And if you do buy one but find it too hot, a couple of owners said they removed the cheek pads which helped air flow massively without making it too uncomfortable (plus helped with fitting earbuds).

The Gringo comes in 2 flavors – the Gringo S with a basic hinged face shield and the Gringo (no S) with the snaps to take a snap-on shield.

Taking the shield-less Gringo first, there’s a few different shields available if you decide you want to try one. The standard 2D shield is called the Blast Face shield, but there’s also the Biltwell Bubble anti-fog face shield. And of course there’s a bunch of goggles and riding glasses that will fit inside the Gringo.

Having said that, be careful if you’re planning on using goggles or sun glasses as word is that many goggles don’t fit as the opening’s too small. Also wear sealed biker shades rather than standard sun glasses as a few riders reckoned the Gringo tends to funnel air behind the glasses and make your eyes water.

If all that’s a problem, then you might be best going for the Gringo S with built-in shield and with either rubber gasket or shiny chrome gasket. Owners reckon it’s a better bet for longer distance highway riding too. Plus the shield can be snapped closed to make sure it stays closed when it needs to be.

Owners love how comfortable their Gringo’s are.

It’s a slightly rounder helmet fitment (rather than the more common oval shape) meaning it’s pretty neutral, designed to fit most heads – but if you’re unsure, make sure you either try one on first or buy from a retailer with a no-quibble returns policy (like our recommended retailers).

Oh, and make sure you follow our fitment guide.

Inside the Gringo is a quality quilted interior made from a brushed Lycra. It’s removable for washing too.

Sizing of the Gringo is about right, so just measure your head and order the right size.

Looks & Graphics

Most people buy a Biltwell Gringo because they look spot-on for that retro look. Which is why Biltwell have made so many old-school and muted color schemes that’ll match your old-school Triumph or HD.

If you can’t find the finish you’re after on this page, then click through to our recommended retailers using the links below to find the latest colors and deals.

Best places to buy a Biltwell Gringo Helmet?

Please click below to visit the Biltwell Gringo helmets pages at our recommended stores – all checked for great online ratings. And if you buy from any store, we get a small sum from the sale at no extra cost to you – a massive THANKS! (it’s how we finance the site).

Biltwell Gringo Videos

First up, a 3m video on the Gringo S (the one with the face shield), followed by a 3m video of the shield-less Gringo.

Other stuff – weight, glasses, aero, warranty

Because the Gringo is so minimalist, it’s light weight too. It’s built in two shell sizes so there will be a slight weight variance between the two, but owners say it feels really light. It weighs in at just under 3lbs (1.3kg) which is well below the average weight for a full face lid.

Guys who wear their Gringos with glasses seem to find it a bit of a pain. You can’t get the helmet on with your glasses in place and if you want to have a shield down, you’ll probably need to buy a bubble shield as there’s not much space behind the regular flat shields.

Buffeting and aero isn’t really an issue – as long as you use the Gringo as intended; i.e. go cruising in it rather than looking to break speed records. It’s got a nice smooth exterior but can lift at speed and obviously if you’re not wearing a shield, there’s a stack of shield aperture to catch the wind.

Finally, your new Biltwell Gringo will come with a 2 year warranty.

Overall/Summary

Like we always do, we’ve scored the Biltwell Gringo on a number of factors that most motorcyclists judge a helmet on.

But with the Gringo and other retro helmets, that’s arguably a bit pointless.

I mean, let’s face it, you’re thinking about buying one because it looks cool and reminds you of the old days (whether you were actually there or not!).

And it probably suits your ride. Yeah, you want it to give you more protection than your half or 3/4 helmet and you like the idea of being able to snap on a face shield when you need it.

But it’s never going to give as good protection as one of our best safety-rated regular helmets (though it is DOT rated, just like other non-novelty helmets). It’s not going to perform as well on a long ride either – modern helmets have more sophisticated ventilation systems and materials inside to keep you comfortable and cool. But then you knew that anyway.

Provided you know the limitations of a retro helmet like the Gringo, and you’re planning on using it for local rides and cruising, then we’re sure you’ll be very happy together. Though you might wanna check out one of the other retro helmet alternatives below first.

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Good Alternatives to the Biltwell Gringo

There’s a couple of great alternative retro helmets knocking around – but they’re both more expensive than the Gringo.

First up is the Bell Bullet. Word is it’s better made than the Gringo and it’s both ECE and DOT certified as well as SHARP safety tested where it gained 3 stars (out of 5) – so it’s a serious helmet that just happens to look retro. It’s comfortable too, offers wide vision, but it’s quite a bit more expensive than the Gringo.

Secondly, there’s the composite-fiber Nexx XG100. That’s actually slightly lighter than the already-light Gringo, is highly rated for ventilation and comfort and is both DOT & ECE certified.

Looking to buy a Biltwell Gringo?

Please click below to visit the Biltwell Gringo helmets pages at our recommended stores – all checked for great online ratings. And if you buy from any store, we get a small sum from the sale at no extra cost to you – a massive THANKS! (it’s how we finance the site).

Star Ratings