I have a 3/4 helmet that I wear on road trips and can actually hear the radio better due to less wind noise.

 

To each his or her own.

Back in the day, I had to have a 3/4 helmet to ride on my Navy base and that was all I wore. Now, I have a full face Bell and it is a good helmet, but I never liked the 3/4 and I like the full face helmet even less and it sits on the shelf. I have worn it maybe 6-8 times since I got it years ago. I typically wear a bean bucket if and when I wear a helmet. I recently tried out a Bluetooth rider to rider intercom in the Bell helmet...that was a waste of time. I could not get enough volume out of the intercom to make it worthwhile and I still don't care for my head being fully enclosed and I just cannot see making a long trip with that uncomfortable feeling. I have made several long rides wearing my Skid Lids over the years and I was never uncomfortable or fatigued from the wind in my face, even riding the Dyna without a windshield. The rain can be a ****, though.

 

I hear the fairing speakers best with my 3/4 [no shield]. In fact, I find I can lower the volume 1 or 2 notches when I switch to my 3/4 from either my full or 1/2. I'm guessing it's because the wind noise is minimized with the 3/4, allowing me to hear the music better. Wind noise is also muffled with my full, but so is the music. With my 1/2, I hear the music about the same as my full, but with an increase in wind.

 

When I wear one it is 3/4, As some others said you can actually hear it better due to the reduction of wind noise. I refuse to use the little helmet speakers so I regularly have my helmet on with the radio tunes on the regular speakers.

 

I wear the Harley 3/4 Maywood helmet and the radio sucks with my helmet on. I also have the 4 speaker Ultra Boom Bagger kit. I wear my beanie just to hear the radio better.

 

Bell is cheap comparing with Shoei and Arai. Arai most expensive. You can have a look at AGV as well, not as expensive quality close.

 

I recently bought a 3/4 and thought I was crazy when I jumped on the interstate and actually turned the radio down. Less wind noise so I can hear the radio better. I recently put a Cardo Scala smart pak on it and listen threw bluetooth and it is great., can actually answer a phone call at 70 mph.

 

I ride with an Arai Quantum, a full face helmet. With the face shield raised, I can hear the sound system quite clearly. When lowered, its a little bit muffled.

For me, the protection of my head is what’s most critical.

 

Like others here, last season I went from a beanie to a 3/4 Shoei RJ. I can hear the music much better now. Because of wind noise, previously I would wear ear buds plugged into the stereo. I built a conversion connector to allow earbuds to plug into the system, allowing me to adjust volume from the control on the bars. With the 3/4 I can just listen to the stereo without going deaf from wind noise. My wife will tell you I'm already deaf enough. No one tell her my hearing in her case is more "selective".

 

I ride with both a half helmet and a modular full face. As others have stated, the wind noise with the half helmet is greater, but I can hear just find going 75 down the interstate. With the modular full face, I can still hear the stock radio on my RGS at 80 if I leave the face shield cracked a little at the bottom. It's not like being at a concert, but I can hear it and make our the words. The biggest impact to hearing the stereo for me was to put a taller windscreen on my bike. It pushed the wind over my head more and made it so I can hear the stereo better. My point is, there are a number of things including the helmet that will factor into being able to enjoy the stereo. Helmet, windscreen, stereo improvements, etc... I'm sure I didn't help, but thought I'd throw out a little different perspective? Good luck, because in the end, the formula is not perfect, you have to test it for yourself based on your bike, riding style and expected results.