Comparing Our Two Favorite Vintage Motorcycle Helmets. Both Awesome, But Which One Wins Our Badass Helmet Shootout?
With every day the snow and ice melts away, it seems the season to ride is right around the corner. One of these days; however, the dreaded snow and ice will melt and stay melted. When that happens, many of us will no doubt find ourselves getting ready for the road.
One of the most important aspects of doing so is, of coarse, grabbing ourselves a new motorcycle helmet. The Biltwell Gringo and the Bell Bullitt are two of the most heavy hitters in the world of motorcycle helmets right now. Whether one is more suited toward you than the other partially depends on your own needs and expectations.
That being the case, I’d like to go over just what it is that makes these two somewhat similar helmets different from one another. Both have their own pros and cons that I’d like to briefly touch base on. With that out of the way, let’s get to it.
Biltwell Gringo
Biltwell has long been known for producing high quality helmets that don’t only do their job in terms of offering optimal protection, but look great at the same time. This particular Bitwell helmet – the Gringo – fails to disappoint those who have come to know and love everything that is Biltwell.
For a moment, I’d like to talk about this helmet from a purely aesthetic standpoint, as this is an important aspect to consider in any helmet for many folks. The Gringo is actually rather unique in this regard, as it comes off as a bit of a blend between more modern, high-end helmets and vintage helmets. I’m not going to say that its look will appeal to everyone. To a certain group of people; however, its look just can’t be beat.
In terms of the field of view you’ll get while wearing a motorcycle helmet, the Biltwell Gringo is sure to leave you satisfied every time. Its wide, open eye port means you’ll be able to use pretty much any set of goggles you wish while having them remain compatible with the helmet.
The Gringo also does a great job of not only at protecting you from pavement, but from wind as well. Its design significantly reduces the noise made when cutting through wind, which is a huge plus. When you’re riding a motorcycle, you want to be protected. When all you can hear around you is wind, as opposed to other drivers, you’re not protected. Plain and simple. The Gringo is great in this regard.
Lastly, the Gringo is made of a very solid protective material, something which is a virtue in any motorcycle helmet even remotely worth your money. In terms of crack resistance, cushioning and overall protection, the Gringo does exactly what it’s supposed to do – keep you safe. Even if it excelled in no other ways, the Gringo’s head protection alone would make it worth you money.
All in all, Biltwell’s Gringo is a great motorcycle helmet. Through optimal head protection, noise suppression, field of view and overall aesthetic appeal, it will certainly garner the attention of many motorcycle enthusiasts and even collectors everywhere and is sure to remain a heavy hitter in the market for quite some time.
The Gringo is also listed as one of the Coolest helmets of 2015.
With that said, how does it stack up to Bell’s Bullitt? Let’s find out.
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Bell Bullitt
As it seems, Bell is going to need to have a few good selling points in their helmet – the Bullitt – to even hope to impress fans of the Gringo. Luckily, they do. Let’s take a look at what ways the Bulitt does or doesn’t excel in comparison to the Gringo, as well as its similarities and differences.
For starters, Bell seems to be appealing to the same demographic as Bitwell with their new helmet. Through an equal blend of classic and modern styles of motorcycle helmet, the Bullit, much like the Gringo, will appeal to a specific user base looking to stand out from every other biker on the road with their vintage style.
One of the areas in which the Bulitt excels is in regards to its weight. Made from a low-profile fiberglass, the Bullit is a very lightweight helmet which does not sacrifice protection to achieve such a status. In fact, I’d like to see more helmets on the market constructed in a similar fashion, as the lightweight feel to this helmet is sure to be seen as a positive by everybody.
Much like the Gringo, after removing the Bulit’s shield, you’ll find it to be compatible with nearly all sets of goggles out there. Of coarse, if you’re not much of a goggle person, its shield will work just fine. Also like the Gringo, you’ll find this helmet to have a wide field of view. These are the goggles that I recommend.
Lastly, I’ll mention that the Bullitt’s ventilation system will, at times, give you a level of comfort that you won’t find in other helmets. I won’t go too much into how it does what it does (where the vents are placed, etc.), but I will say that the ventilation system is top notch. Read the full review of this helmet here —>
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 Verdict – The Bullitt vs. The Gringo
The Bullitt is, without a doubt, the better of the two when it comes to the venting of hot air. This will reduce to occurrence of fog and sweat while keeping you comfortable in situations where the Gringo will not. Unfortunately for the Bullitt, this is the only area in which it beats the Gringo.
The Gringo offers a better field of view, great head protection and a sleek look about it that you just can’t seem to find in the majority of motorcycle helmets these days. I will say that both helmets are way above par and that, of course, whether one truly looks better than the other is majorly subjective. If I have to pick a winner; however, I’d have to go with the Gringo hands down.
Of course, many will opt for the Bullitt instead out of varying personal preference – and that’s okay! Both are quality helmets giving you the awesome look of retro motorcycle helmets which should be considered by anyone in the market for a new vintage style lid.