Featured Motolegends De-lists Bell Helmets

Whether you like the ranges Motolegends sell or not, they work hard for their customers. For me, as much as I like looking there, it tends to be a bit too far into the fashion end of things for my wallet and I end up buying from Sportsbikeshop!

 

Bell Helmets. A difficult company to fathom. There is Bell Racing, that makes numerous helmets for the car crowd and professional racers, with costs that start at $500 US and go up from there. Serious head protection. Then there is Bell Helmets, which is owned by Vista Outdoor, a holding company with such diverse brands as Remington and Bushnell. It appears the original company/founders from California (Roy Richter) have sold the motorcycle market products to Vista. It is a bit difficult to follow the progression, but clearly there is a difference between Bell Racing and Bell motorcycle and bike products.

For me, I abandoned Bell for other builders (Arai) because the Bell products are less function and more fashion.
https://bellracing.com/helmets/pro.html
https://www.bellhelmets.com/motorcycle/
https://vistaoutdoor.com/brands/

 

I’ve bought from motolegends a few times and am impressed with them. A bit like the motorcycle equivalent of walking into a saville row tailors, we’ve all been to one haven’t we?, their customer service is brilliant and will spend a lot of time helping you choose the product that fits properly and is right for you. Plus offering proper coffee in a China cup with biscuit!
I can’t wear bell helmets either, not the right shaped head

 

That's interesting and well worth knowing as I'd assumed that they were one and the same.

Amused that the Bell Racing logo says "Bell Helmets" where the Bell Helmets logo looks virtually identical but simply says "Bell"

 

Hasn’t been ‘a’ company for some time with sell offs, acquisitions, re-mergers etc., between original US business and Europe. Bell is effectively a brand segmented across a variety of activities requiring protective head gear with cheaper helmets from Chinese factories.
I don’t quite buy the fashion over function criticism when ALL manufacturers offer multiple paint jobs. The basic proposition remains polycarbonate cheap via fibreglass to pure carbon pricey with all manner of gimmicks in between. Bell’s motorcycle range is no better or worse than any other in that regard. Shoei etc., simply don’t make cheap end helmets but charge a premium anyway!
As for de-listing - could be they weren’t selling enough to attract discounts or any number of commercial reasons to dress up an exit.

 

Yeah,
My point is Bell abandoned the Snell rating on most of the street gear. I can't use them for SCCA Solo II (double service) because of that. When I was looking for a replacement helmet for my old Bell, they also didn't do any fitting. Just standard sizes and hope for the best. Arai (sorry my "brand") is pretty serious about fitting the helmet with adjustable pads. They recommend having the helmet tested and fitted by their qualified techs. The helmet I bought fitted much more tightly and firmly than any other "stock" helmet I would have picked up at the shops.

It just bothers me that one of the most important items of equipment is considered fashion and not technology. I have looked back on Bell gear and they seem to promote safety and durability, but why abandon Snell?

That's all.

 

I have a Bell Star, not a retro, more a race style. Must be 3 year old now but I have to say its a great lid. I ride naked bikes and it copes unbelievably well with the wind, no neck strain even at triple figures, better than any Schuberth or Shoei I've owned. Easiest visor release mechanism I've seen too! Its a well designed lid, great fit (I'm a Shoei head) and it physically quite big so there must be plenty of padding/protection in there. Its quite drafty so only use it in the summer and I've never needed to fit the pinlock, does not fog up. I really rate it but they definitely seem to be all about retro looks there days sadly.

 

This is interesting as I was going for a retro Bell lid and the carbon (whilst more expensive comparably) I felt would catch both ticks in Safety and style

In short, if not Bell for the retro style then happy to take any ideas?

 

I think it was mostly the visor seal and ventilation that was criticised on the Bell with associated noises rather than safety in a crash. The Bell got 3 out of 5 star Sharp rating, which is reasonable, loads of Arai get that.

 

https://sharp.dft.gov.uk/helmets/bell-bullitt/

 

If you have the patience to find the cheapest price for a piece of kit they sell, their 10% price beat is excellent.
Their service is second to none, and they really do know their stock.
I've only had two Bell helmets, one full face in the 70s that was OK, and a flip lid now. Both of them replaced with Shoei's, neither fitted terribly well without a thickish balaclava under them.

 

I've picked up a bullit carbon Matt from Urban Rider (couldn't find a discount code) for over £100 less than some other sites.
The sizeing is interesting as UR has a different size chart from Bell

I'll try it, if it doesn't fit then I'll return it

Thanks for all the responses BTW

Ground anchors that can fit onto a wall are next :-D