One of the oldest helmet manufacturing company, since 1954, the Bell is binding to fulfill customers and bikers’ requirements with purpose. An antibacterial interior which is a specialty of this low-profile fiberglass shell is all set to make the user contended. This round size helmet is fit to the rider of five unique sizes XXXS to XXXL.
With this helmet, you can travel anywhere, as it has DOT as well as ECE certification.
What Would You Love?
This helmet is a combination of an old style with modern features based on the Custom 500 chassis, but with a riot shield. Its smooth, black, and silver round shape gives the rider an elegant look. With fiberglass composite shell, clear visor, antibacterial interior, multi density EPS inner liner and padded chin strap with D-ring closure and strap keeper, the helmet comes with a 5-year warranty. An integrated flip up face shield is included as an additional bonus.
The checkers graphic keeps sending thoughts about a race and the finish line with that checkered flag waving in the distance. A single grey line is stretched from the center of your brow line all the way to the back, with two curved silver lines at the side. The center grey line has a nice fill along these two lines with a ‘feathered pixel’ effect. Photoshop users will recognize this immediately.These silver accent lines follow the center and curve around at the temples to travel all the way to the back and carry on towards the other side in a symmetrical beauty.
‘Checkers’ adorn the space beneath these white accent lines, almost giving off an ‘ear-muff’ appearance to the lower part of the helmet. These merge with the grey accent line coming from the top in a smooth gradient.
There’s also a massive gasket liner all over the edge of the shell that traps rainwater and prevents it from leaking on your face, even though there is a gap between the visor and itself.
We have worked closely with RevZilla, Amazon and 2Wheel over the years to provide our testers with products to review. They are all great partners and unique in their own ways, so make sure to check out their prices. Please don’t forget we may get a commission if you buy from them.
The Top Features to Look For
Amazing looks with DOT and ECE ratings and the reliable Custom 500 chassis. What else? Take a look.
Shell
The helmet shell is made of a Fiberglass composite material. It’s actually a polyester resin matrix with fiberglass interwoven throughout evenly. This combines strength and abrasion resistance in once convenient compound material and gives you the best of both worlds when it comes to protection.
The shape of this helmet is intermediate oval, which means that 80% of the target demographic is going to have no problems putting this lid on. Weighing a mere 2.84 pounds, it is one of the lighter helmets you can buy to keep your neck muscles intact for longer duration rides.
It fits quite low on your head for a close comfort fit and gives you a more refined look as opposed to a disgraceful mushroom mass lurking on your top, looking for a branch to knock (and perhaps gift you a concussion at the same time). This is a big change from the design as it used to be prior to 2014 and the change has propagated to the Custom 500 as well.
The shell is available in 5 shell and EPS sizes for a massive number of personalized fittings.
We have worked closely with RevZilla, Amazon and 2Wheel over the years to provide our testers with products to review. They are all great partners and unique in their own ways, so make sure to check out their prices. Please don’t forget we may get a commission if you buy from them.
Visors
The ‘riot shield’ visor is a Nutra Fog II variant and has been borrowed from a Bullitt. It is anti-fog, anti-scratch shield with UV protection as well. Bell has made away with the studs that are on the Custom 500 and replaced them with two visor mounts on sides so you can rotate it freely instead of the older brow snaps that kept your shield locked in the face down position.
The face shield has leather at the lower left corner to lift or lower the face shield. If you have OCD and do not want fingerprints on your precious shield, you now have the option to prevent that from happening with your own hands. And it can be removed quite effortlessly by twisting the flathead screws on both sides.
Ventilation
Ventilation is virtually nonexistent since it is an open face, ¾ helmet. The face shield is removable and can be rotated in any position to adjust your airflow. Feel that wind in your face and be one with nature.
Padding and Lining
The interior is anti-bacterial and micro perforated combination of leather and suede. This is essentially non removable, so you need to air dry it quite often to get rid of the pungent odor from your own sweat.
The thickness of foam padding is adequate enough to make you ooh and aah at once.
Customer Reviews
Some people have reported that the shape is actually round oval and not intermediate oval; which created pressure points on their foreheads. Some also complained about buffeting and uncomfortable airflow at speed. But they also praised the increased amount of comfort and additional noise suppression over the Custom 500.
We have worked closely with RevZilla, Amazon and 2Wheel over the years to provide our testers with products to review. They are all great partners and unique in their own ways, so make sure to check out their prices. Please don’t forget we may get a commission if you buy from them.
Bottom Line
There’s really nothing to complain about this helmet. It is targeted at a specific audience and will not appeal to others. ‘It’s not for everyone’. Bell claims it is for people who are obsessed with custom built rides. But the Bell Riot Solid Open Face Motorcycle Helmet is also perfect for the simple and sober who are looking for a minimalistic satisfaction in a timeless design, upgraded to modern-day standards.