Editor's Note:
The new Bell Star helmet was introduced at the 2008
Powersports Dealer Expo (report)
back in February of this year. I took some photos
(below) at the time and we quickly placed an order.
We've been waiting ever since -- as have
many of our readers, who have been asking for a review
of this helmet. We recently discovered that Bell is having problems with the large sized
shell for the size XL and XXL Bell Star, so the full review
will have to wait until the issue is solved and the
helmets are shipped to the retailers.
UPDATE:
June 14, 2008 - First Impressions
After talking to our contact at the Motorcycle
Superstore about this problem, they sent us a Bell Star
in size large for an evaluation. Unfortunately, we
found that the size large didn't fit any of our local
evaluators, so we still weren't able to conduct a full
webBikeWorld evaluation, but we were able to record our
first impressions
and we took some photos and even made a webBikeWorld
video (below)!
It's curious to note that several
sources, including our contacts at the Motorcycle
Superstore, told us that the Bell Star is sized slightly
large. So we assumed a size large would fit, but the
size large helmet we received actually runs small!
We think it's about 1/2 to 1 size small, compared to
other size large motorcycle helmets we've reviewed and
have on hand.
The Bell Star we received also has an
internal fit that something between an "intermediate
oval" and "long oval", in our opinion. It seems to
have a round shaped crown and it's narrow on the sides.
We're surprised at this rather unusual internal shape
that varies from the more popular "neutral" shape.
This, combined with the slightly smaller size and also a
slightly shorter height, means that the helmet didn't
quite fit any of our evaluators.
We also found that the padding seems
rather thin. There's a spot just above the ear
pocket where the lining for the pocket fits under
the thinly padded section that runs around the top of
the helmet, above the rider's eyebrows and along the
side of the head and around back.
The seam where the top of the ear pocket
material runs under the brow padding can be felt, and
the narrow "intermediate oval" sides of the helmet
caused some pressure against this seam, making the
helmet feel uncomfortable to all who tried it.
We'll have to wait until we get a size XL to learn more.
Quality, Fit and Finish
Overall, we think the new Bell Star exhibits very high
levels of quality, lots of attention to detail and
perfectly applied paint and graphics.
But what's really impressive about this
helmet is the way the features have been so artfully
blended into the design.
The Bell engineers were
very obviously working very closely together with the
designers and stylists to create a
beautiful-looking helmet that incorporates some new
features so well and so smoothly that we think it
actually has evolved motorcycle helmet design in
general.
Thus, the new Bell Star not only looks
great, it has a host of features that are unique.
We can't wait to see how these features work during a
ride, so let's hope a size XL arrives soon. Here
are some photos, and then will describe our first
impressions:
Why does the Star remind me of Sonic the Hedgehog?
Chin Vent:
The chin vent opens and closes with a slider
switch -- down to open and up to close. There are
four winged-shaped vent openings on either side of the
slider, and the inside of the chin bar has air passages
to allow the air to flow on to the rider's face.
Top Vents:
The top vents on the Bell Star are also its coolest
feature, if you'll pardon the pun. The vent
slider opens a wide passage down into the helmet, and
you can actually look down into the vent and see right
through the bottom of the helmet!
The EPS foam
liner has large air vent channels molded right in, and
we're anticipating that this helmet should have plenty
of air flow. There are no other helmets in the
webBikeWorld inventory where you can look down into a
big, wide vent and see a direct passage down on to the
rider's head.
The back of each
top vent has a small exhaust hole, and we think these
are designed to either bleed off air at high speeds to
prevent backpressure or to somehow enhance the ability
of the vent in general. Again, this is something
we've never seen before.
Brow Vent:
The Bell Star also has a wide brow vent across the top
of the visor, again something new and unique. This
vent system opens with a centrally located slider, and
it's backed by air channels through the EPS foam liner
and padding to allow air to flow on to the rider's brow
and head.
Rear Vents:
At the rear of the helmet there are two vertical exhaust
vents, and horizontal exhaust vents under the very
cool-looking spoiler. I can't help but think that
the Bell Star reminds me of something like a cross
between Sonic the Hedgehog and the trailing edge exhaust
ports of an F-117 Stealth bomber!
Weight:
This Bell Star in size large weighs 1559 grams (3 lbs.,
7 oz.), which makes it moderately light weight (see the
wBW
Motorcycle Helmet Weights page for charts comparing
all helmet weights). It isn't the lightest helmet
we've ever put on the Polder scale, but it sure feels
that way!
Actually, the
1559 grams puts the size large Bell Star in the lowest
1/3 of helmet weights of all the helmets we've tried,
which is excellent, especially considering the helmet
meets both DOT and Snell 2005 safety standards!
And by the way,
unlike most helmet manufacturers who list the smallest
size helmet weight in their advertisement, at least Bell
advertises the size large weight. These figures
are meaningless anyway without knowing which helmet size
they're referring to, but at least Bell is trying to be
a bit more honest.
Visor:
The clear visor release mechanism is designed to allow
the visor to be cracked open about 6 mm or so for
ventilation. The detents are very close together;
"micro adjustments" is what I guess they could be
called.
It works well and a metal lever on the
left-hand side can be turned one way to pop the visor
open to the first ventilation setting, then turned the
other way to hold the visor closed for high-speed
running, although the visor on our example could still
be opened at the locked setting.
Visor
Removal: The Bell Star has hands-down the
easiest-to-use visor removal system we've ever tried.
Ever. It's so simple, and works so well -- why
haven't other helmet manufacturers thought of this?
They should study Bell's design and copy it as closely
as they can. Let's hope Bell didn't patent it --
they should have, and then licensed the design!
No broken
fingernails here -- simply touch the lever and the visor
pops right off. You don't even have to hold the
visor with the other hand! See the demo in our
video... The visor pops back in as easy as it
comes out. Amazing. Beautiful. Bravo!
Liner:
Here's the one chink in the Bell Star's armor. The
padding feels unusually thin, as mentioned above, and
this may be one of the reasons for the helmet's light
weight.
The cheek pads and chin curtain on ours
were slightly loose; the strips of plastic that fit
between the EPS foam and the helmet shell just don't
have enough friction to adequately hold them, and both
started coming loose. Let's hope this is due to
teething problems on the first run and that this issue
will be resolved soon.
Helmet Bag:
The Bell Star is delivered inside one of the nicest
helmet bags -- no, THE nicest helmet bag we've ever
seen. It's very well made and even has an
embroidered Bell logo on one end!
Chin Strap:
The Bell Star uses the tried-and-true, classic,
infinitely adjustable, no-moving-parts, simple, elegant
and lightweight double D-ring.
Safety
Standards: The Bell Star is labeled as meeting
DOT and Snell 2005 safety standards
What About Size XL?
We don't understand what the holdup is on the larger
shell sizes; either some problems at the factory, or in
testing, or safety standards...who knows?
UPDATE: See comment from A.L. below.
But here's a caution: There are
many unethical online retailers who are taking orders for
the Bell Star in size XL (and other products), knowing full well that they can't deliver.
They process the order and then email
the customer days or weeks later with a backorder notice.
This has happened to
us more than a few times, and it's unethical at best and
perhaps illegal...or should be. There is no excuse for this -- the
retailers know they don't have the product in stock, so
they shouldn't be taking orders. Period.
This is happening with the Bell Star and
it's also happening in the UK with the new
Shark Evoline helmet. Several UK
retailers have the helmet listed for sale and are taking orders,
knowing the helmet is not yet available (we hope to get one of those
also as soon as we can).
What can you do? One thing you can
do is to buy from our affiliate using
this link to the Motorcycle Superstore. They
are one of the few online retailers that will tell you if
the product is out of stock before you order!
Choose a size in the drop-down box, and if the product
is out of stock -- including the Bell Star -- they'll
let you know before you place the order.
wBWLightbox - The Bell Star Helmet - Click photo to view.
Nice Helmet Bag!
Indy Show 2008
Bell Star Colors
Bell Star "Viper"
Preliminary Conclusion
We've done everything but ride with the new Bell Star!
The helmet looks, feels and works very well indeed, and
it brings a refreshing new style and functionality to
motorcycle helmet design. Whether this will
translate to performance in actual use remains to be
seen.
Comments? Send them to
Comments are ordered from most recent to oldest.
From "A.L.": "I came across your
review of the Bell Star. My company was contracted
to Bell to help launch that new helmet. Our
engagement is up and I no longer work for them, but I
was close to the development of the helmet and know
about some of the concerns you have.
The Bell Star is the first street motorcycle helmet
Easton Bell Sports has produced since they repurchased
the Bell brand. Back in the early 90s, the Bell
motorcycle brand was sold to Bieffe as Bell wanted to
concentrate on the booming bicycle helmet market.
Unfortunately, Bieffe took the industry-leading Bell
brand, the one that invented the the Styrofoam liner and
the full face helmet, and they drove it into the ground
with lower quality, inexpensive helmets.
So after buying the Bell motorcycle brand back from
Bieffe more than five years ago, Bell tasked their best
auto racing, bicycle racing and newly acquired
motorcycle helmet specialists into building the finest
street helmet on the market. Bell does all R&D,
prototyping and testing in the U.S. in their
state-of-the-art lab in California. They spent
three years building the Star and, from a guy who has
worn Shoeis and Arais all his life and has worn a Star
for the past six months, I think they have built a
helmet that can go up against any helmet in the world
for performance, and more-so safety.
Enough of my cheerleading. The delay with the
XLs is that the Stars are hand made in small batches.
Production takes longer than lesser helmets. When
they looked at which shells to build first, they built
the medium size (helmet sizes medium and large), because
it would make up the majority of their sales. The
small shell size (used for small and x-small) would come
next and then the least-selling large shell size (XL and
XXL helmet sizes).
When faced with getting the most popular sizes to the
market in Spring of '08 or holding those until the
large-shell-size helmets were ready in July, they chose
to get the extra-small through larges out in the Spring.
All their sales reps were briefed on this situation and
were to communicate this to their dealers.
I read your concern about the padding, and in my 3500
street and track miles with the Star, I haven't noticed
it being uncomfortable. What's neat is that it
comes with two sets of cheek pads, one firm and one
soft. When I want a Shoei-like fit I put in the
softs and when I want an Arai fit I put in the firms.
The most noticeable strength of the Star is how much
air it flows. You'll be blown away when you wear
it. Their bicycle-helmet designers were disgusted
with how little venting actually takes place on
motorcycle helmets, so they designed a system, within
Snell standards, that flows a ton of air. If it
isn't above 70, I have to keep all the vents closed, or
my skull gets too cold. One drawback of this much
venting, though, is the helmet is a little louder than
others. When that much air is flowing through it,
it just makes more wind noise. I wear earplugs and
don't notice it, but when without them, it is louder
than my RX7RR.
When we were working with them early this year they
told the press the XLs would be in dealers in July, so I
hope you'll get one soon. Thanks for reading my
rant. I just feel so strongly about this helmet, I
wanted to give you some additional background."
Comments are ordered from most recent to oldest.