If you’re in the market for a full-face helmet that captures the essence of retro, then the Bell Bullet is definitely worth considering. Since its inception about five or six years ago, the Bell Bullet has been a runaway success.
It is the helmet that Bell sells as many of as every other kind of helmet in their collection put together.
It gave birth to the retro part of the full-face motorcycle helmet market, and many brands have followed suit, with a number of different brands copying the Bell Bullet like for like.
In this article, we’ll reflect upon the success of the Bell Bullet, what makes this helmet so good, and address some of the weaknesses and perceived weaknesses of this helmet.
But, the main question I will answer in this review will be: Is this the best full face motorcycle helmet for you? Let’s find out!
Bell Bullitt
The Bell Bullet: Aesthetic and Price Range
The Bell Bullet covers a wide price range, from the mid-300s up to the low 500s for something in a carbon fiber shell finish.
However, some great offers are always available on outgoing colorways, and it’s well worth checking out. Bell keeps its collection fresh, and a host of new and refined colorways are introduced every season.
Classic Styling with Modern Comforts
The Bell Bullitt is constructed with a low-profile fiber composite shell and multi-density EPS liner, which ensures that the helmet meets modern DOT regulations while coming as close as possible to the look and feel of the original Star.
This helmet offers an excellent balance between safety and style, making it popular among riders who appreciate vintage aesthetics.
Impressive Safety Features
Aside from its stylish design and comfortable fit, the Bell Bullitt also offers impressive safety features that provide peace of mind for riders.
The multi-density EPS liner absorbs and disperses impact forces, while the low-profile fiber composite shell helps reduce the risk of head and neck injuries in an accident.
The Bell Bullet: A Practical Helmet with Good Visibility
What makes the Bell Bullet so interesting is its practical nature in certain respects. Its large aperture provides a relatively small chin bar, giving riders a great degree of open visibility.
This harks back to the original design of the Bell Star from the 70s, which the Bell Bullet closely mimics in its retro look.
This large opening makes it feel somewhat like an open-face helmet when riding. It’s great for touring and is useful for being aware of your surroundings and soaking it all in.
The Bell Bullet was designed as a concept by an American graduate, Chad Hodge, who drew inspiration from the original Bell Star.
The helmet was pretty much produced as an exact version equivalent of this concept. The Bell Bullet is a safe helmet and is really well designed, with genuinely good ventilation systems and a venturi vent at the back.
This vent is molded into the shape of the shell and creates back pressure, drawing air through from the helmet and creating an airflow.
There are also five intake vents across the forehead area, which look fantastic, are of high quality, and give the helmet a premium look.
The helmet boasts a micro-suede lining with leather trim, which provides a comfortable fit and helps to reduce moisture and odor buildup.
Additionally, the metal mesh circular intake vents, rear exhaust vent, and 3D cut cheek pads with speaker pockets enhance the vintage styling and shoot the Bullitt into the 21st century.
Features And Benefits
| Features | Benefits |
|---|---|
| Wide price range | Offers a variety of price points to fit different budgets. |
| Low-profile fiber composite shell | Meets modern DOT regulations and provides a vintage aesthetic. |
| Multi-density EPS liner | Absorbs and disperses impact forces, reducing the risk of head and neck injuries in an accident. |
| Large aperture with small chin bar | Provides open visibility, making it great for touring and being aware of surroundings. |
| Impressive safety features | Offers peace of mind for riders in addition to stylish design and comfortable fit. |
| Micro-suede lining with leather trim | Provides a comfortable fit and helps reduce moisture and odor buildup. |
| Metal mesh circular intake vents | Enhance the vintage styling and provide a premium look. |
| Rear exhaust vent | Improves ventilation and airflow. |
| 3D cut cheek pads with speaker pockets | Add to the helmet’s comfort and convenience. |
| Hypoallergenic removable, washable | Makes maintenance easy and convenient. |
| lining | |
| Double D-ring fastening system | Provides a secure fit and added comfort with a soft chin strap pad. |
| Visor accessories available | Allows for customization and accessorizing with different visors. |
| Clear flat visor with optional smoke | Offers different visor options depending on the version chosen. |
| shield | |
| Universal fit with three EPS liners | Ensures a comfortable fit for various head sizes with high-quality soundproofing. |
| Not the quietest helmet on the market | Criticism of the helmet, but improved over time with revisions to address fit and feel for a universal fit. |
What I Like and Don’t Like
The real criticism leveled at the Bell Bullet is that it is not as technical as some of the street helmets because it’s a retro helmet.
It’s worth mentioning that there have been some revisions to the helmet since it was first released to address its fit and feel.
The original liners were not great and could be quite uncomfortable with a not so compromising or universal shape.
However, Bell has done great work over the years to improve this, and the helmet now has a universal fit. The sizing is true to size, and it’s very comfortable.
The EPS liner is high quality, and there are three different EPS liners and three different shells in the sizing range from extra small to 2XL.
| SIZE | HEAD (CM) |
| XS | 54-55 |
| SM | 55-56 |
| MD | 57-58 |
| LG | 58-59 |
| XL | 60-61 |
| 2XL | 62-63 |
This means that, relatively speaking, you have a nice compact shell with a high-quality liner to go along with it, which helps with soundproofing. However, it’s worth noting that this is not one of the quietest helmets on the market.
Interior and Visors
The Bell Bullet has a hypoallergenic removable, washable lining, making it easy to keep on top of maintenance. It also has a double D-ring fastening system with a soft, almost suede-like feel to the chin strap pad, adding to the helmet’s comfort.
There’s a vent operation system just on the inside of the chin guard, and the helmet comes in at about 1350 grams in the medium, which is par for the course with most full-face helmets.
Regarding visors, there are loads of different accessories available, and Bell has a really good part selection available for accessorizing with different visors. The helmets usually come with a clear flat visor, which is now more or less the default standard.
However, depending on which version you choose, you may also get a smoke shield, particularly with the carbon versions.
Possibly a leather bag is included as well. You can always accessorize, and some of the chrome and smoke visors make the helmets look stunning.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, the Bell Bullet is an excellent choice for anyone who wants a helmet that encapsulates the spirit of the retro look for motorcycles. It’s a beautiful, high-quality helmet with some great technical features, making it practical for riders.
It’s comfortable to wear, and Bell has done a great job of addressing some of the early criticisms of the helmet, making it a universal fit. However, it’s not the quietest helmet on the market and not the best option for riding in bad weather conditions.
But if you want a timeless, classic look and a quality helmet that will last, the Bell Bullet is definitely worth considering.
Bell Bullitt
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