Following in the trail blazed by iconic lines like the Outlaw and Street Bandit, the Ghost Bandit motorcycle helmet was developed to incorporate the technological advances that Simpson has made in recent years without abandoning the elements that allow the company’s designs to stand out from the crowd.

“Comfort and convenience were two of the big themes during the development of the Ghost Bandit,” says Joseph Rakowitz of Simpson Performance Products. “That helped guide the design of elements like the interior, venting, and the shield setup. At the same time, we also wanted to create a helmet that was a little more streamlined, but kept that Simpson Bandit look to it.”

In the years since the debut of the Ghost Bandit, Simpson has also introduced variants like the Wraith and Panzer. These helmets offer the same functional benefits as the standard Ghost Bandit helmets, but with added aesthetic flair and the rarified style that comes with a production run that’s restricted to a finite number of units.

Now Simpson is bringing out its new Royal version of the Ghost Bandit series. But before we dive into the specifics of this new design and other limited-edition iterations, let’s take a closer look at the entire Ghost Bandit line.

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Style Meets Versatility

Rakowitz says that the DOT and ECE-certified Ghost Bandit motorcycle helmet was designed to thrive in a variety of riding situations. “We wanted something that worked well regardless of whether you’ve got a windscreen; something that would cut through the wind and minimize buffeting at higher speeds. We also wanted to make sure it would provide excellent ventilation and keep riders cool while retaining that Simpson look to it. It seems like there’s been a standardization of motorcycle helmets you see on the road today – we wanted to create something that had more to it than just the basics.”

Available in composite or full carbon fiber, the shell of the Ghost Bandit features functional aerodynamic elements that reduce wind turbulence, which in turn reduces rider fatigue. “Wind buffeting not only creates a lot of noise, it will toss your head around,” says Rakowitz. “At highway cruising pace, that can get tiresome pretty quickly – especially if you’ve got a windscreen. Sometimes the windscreen will block the airflow at your chest, but that often directs the wind right into your face instead. And that airflow is going to move your helmet around in all sorts of different ways if your helmet doesn’t have features that are designed to reduce buffeting.”

The Ghost Bandit’s lightweight construction also helps further reduce the strain caused by turbulence, in turn yielding a helmet that provides all-day comfort. “Whenever someone picks up this helmet at a show, they’re surprised by how light it is,” he says. “We try to keep them all around three pounds. We might have been able to go even lighter than that, but we didn’t want to sacrifice the helmet’s functionality in order to do so.”

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That functionality includes internal speaker cutouts for communications systems as well as open design that allows the exterior shield to be removed without any tools. The Ghost Bandit also features a secondary internal drop-down sun visor to ensure that your lighting conditions can be dialed in regardless of the circumstances.

“Not having to get out a screwdriver to remove your shield went it gets dark is really convenient,” he explains. “And you’ve also got that internal drop-down shield, which is a feature that was first introduced with the Ghost Bandit. If you’re just running a clear exterior shield, the internal sun visor can provide that visual protection when you need it, and then you can flip it up when you don’t. The helmet’s design provides a lot of options there.” The Ghost Bandit includes a clear exterior shield and a smoked interval visor as standard, while a range of other shields and visors are also available.

The Ghost Bandit is also Pinlock-ready right out of the box. “This is the first Simpson helmet to offer this feature as well,” Rakowitz notes. “These exterior shield inserts are really nice to have because they dramatically reduce fogging on the inside of the shield. They work incredibly well.”

And comfort is further bolstered thanks to closable interior vents, another feature that made its debut in Simpson’s motorcycle helmet line with the Ghost Bandit. “Conditions can change quickly, and you can find yourself in a situation where a lot of water will come in through the front vents on a helmet if it suddenly starts raining. Being able to close off those vents on the fly will cut off the rain’s path into the helmet. It can be useful for wind as well – for example, if you’re riding long distances from south to north and it starts to get cold, being able to immediately block out some of the chill can really help. And if you don’t have a Pinlock insert, closing that vent can also help reduce fogging, too.”

The interior of the Ghost Bandit helmet features a protective EPS liner and a newly developed moisture-wicking fabric that’s designed to keep your noggin sweat-free. The cheek pads are also removable, a feature which allows riders to select thinner or thicker cheek pads for a more tailored fit. The Ghost Bandit is available in sizes ranging from XS to XXL.

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Custom Appearance Without the Expense

Rakowitz tells us that as full-graphic helmets started to gain popularity, Simpson wanted to offer customers a way to get a more personalized look without the added cost and legwork that’s typically involved with aftermarket solutions. The resulting limited-edition versions of the composite Ghost Bandit motorcycle helmet ratchet up the style while also adding some exclusivity to the mix, all without breaking the bank.

Simpson currently has several limited-edition versions of the Ghost Bandit motorcycle helmet on offer. “There’s the Tanto and the Wraith, which are essentially the same graphic with different color schemes,” Rakowitz says. “With the Tanto, the front of the helmet is gloss black and a gold strip separates that gloss black section from the white portion at the rear of the helmet. The Wraith uses the same graphic design but with a matte finish, and it goes from black to white with a grey strip creating that separation between the two main colors.” Also available are the Comanche, Have Blue, and Panzer, all of which offer a unique take on the urban camo look with different color palettes.

The new Royal version opens new styling territory for the Ghost Bandit line, with angular accent stripes in black and vibrant metalflake purple on a white base. Complementing the unique new design is a subtle “Royal” logo that tastefully accentuates the base of the stripes. The Ghost Bandit Royal was introduced in late August 2024, and like other special edition Ghost Bandit helmets, it will be offered only while supplies last.

“Any time we release a graphic for the Ghost Bandit, it’s just a limited run,” says Rakowitz. “This allows our customers to get something that’s a bit different and unusual, something that they won’t see other riders wearing wherever they go.”

Shop Simpson Ghost Bandit Royal now

Shop Simpson Ghost Bandit helmets now