I’ve been gleefully rolling around in the dirt quite a lot lately, so I’m glad to have an off-road helmet which is up to the job of keeping my noggin cool, comfortable and safe for long days of sweatin’ in a dusty saddle. The Bell Moto-9 has a ‘Tri-matrix’ composite construction which gives it a reasonably light weight of 1450grams without the price premium of a carbon fibre shelled model. Three sizes of outer shell mean a better fit is offered through the size range, and importantly for image conscious motocross kids, you won’t look like you’ve got a disproportionately huge bonce if you’re at the smaller end of the size scale.
Bell Moto-9 helmet
The D-ring fastened retention strap is padded with a super-soft, super-comfortable material which I can only presume must be ethically harvested from baby mink seals, as it proved itself to be chin-friendly and chafe-free even when cradling a five-day adventure stubble. A magnetic strap keeper eliminates the need for annoying press studs, stops you from being whipped in the face by your own skid lid, and is simply the best thing to happen to helmets since William ‘Pete’ Snell bumped his head in 1957.
The awesome miracle of magnets is also used to retain the cheek pads, which are available in different thicknesses to tailor the face fit from emaciated to chubby. The sense in having easily detachable cheek pads, is it allows the helmet to be loosened and removed safely by medical staff in the instance of a neck injury.
I hate helmets which feel stuffy and claustrophobic, particularly on hot dry days. Mercifully, the Moto-9’s air-vents are highly effective at keeping your head cool, the goggle opening is generously wide, and there is enough distance between my face and the mouth guard to not feel too close and confined.
No amount of vents will ever prevent me from working up a sweat in the heat of an Aussie summer, and perspiration plus dust equals plenty of smelly yuck. So the removable and washable liner are a must, and they’re as easy as’ to strip and refit.
We liked
The QuickFlip™ visor screws are a great idea. There’s nothing worse than when your visor, or peak as we used to call them back in the day, comes loose mid-ride. With these nifty visor securing widgets, you can adjust and tighten the visor without the need for tools, and without even taking your gloves off.
We didn’t like
Nope, can’t think of a thing!
Verdict
The Bell Moto-9 is a great choice for riders who want all the features of a top shelf helmet, but can’t or won’t spring for the cost of a carbon models. Bell’s five-year warranty gives peace of mind that the product is built to last. It’s light, feature-packed, and it’s the business.
Stars 5
Pros
Comfortable
Feature-packed
Five-year warranty
Cons
Ninguna
Nikto
None
Sizes XS to XXL
Colours: Yellow/Camo, Black, Orange, Matte Black, Infrared, Black/White, Airtrix Stance Blue/Green, Airtrix Shards, Tagger Trouble
RRP $569.95
