Faster Than A Speeding Bullitt: Bell’s Newest Throwback

So Bell has decided to jump on the bandwagon and release the new Bullitt on the heels of the Gingo and Daytona Retro Ride which I reviewed back in October. The new Bullitt is by far a technically superior product than its competitors and comes with a price tag that reflects its high quality and attention to detail (MSRP $399.95).

This lid is SUPER nice. Whether or not you agree with the aesthetics becomes instantly irrelevant once it is actually in your hands. The outer shell is constructed of a fiber composite that is standard on Bell’s high end full face helmets. The composite shell reduces weight and increases the strength of the helmet while providing the lowest possible profile. The design of the helmet is the brain child of Chad Hodge who designed the Bullitt as part of his senior thesis in college (or something like that). He had a kick-starter campaign for awhile to try to raise money to actually produce the helmet, but once Bell got a whiff of this thing they basically brought him on to make his dream a reality.

The interior of the helmet is magnificent. Lined in a super soft suede like micro fiber that is both removable and washable, making it the one of most comfortable full face helmet I have ever worn. The cheek pads in the helmet are equipped with pockets, making it compatible with any universal bluetooth device like the Sena SMH10R or SMH-10. Aside from the lining, the helmet is also adorned with subtle niceties like a chrome bezel, metal mesh covered intake vents, chin vent and a beautifully crafted exhaust vent that make the overall finish of the helmet comparable to the insanely overpriced priced Ruby.

Face shields are available in either bubble or flat form and  come in a variety of tints including Clear, Dark Smoke, Gold Iridium, Yellow and Amber Gradient. Rumors have been floating around that Bell will be releasing a Photochromic shield for the Bullitt like the ones already available for their other full face helmets. This will use the transitions technology which changes from clear to smoke in sunlight.

The shield screws on to the helmet via two pretty large pivot points on each side, which have internal detents making it possible to raise the shield a little bit at a time. This is a nice feature carried over from their higher end RS-1 and Star helmets and is handy when you need a little extra air flow but don’t want to put the shield all the way up. To add to the list of premium features, the shield closure is a leather strap with a magnet attached to it that connects to an invisible magnet inside the chin bar, aka baller.

Color options for the Bullit include Black (gloss), Matte Black, White, Blue and the TT (Pictured). The TT version also comes standard with the bubble shield while the solid colors come stock with the flat shield.

As some of you may know I got a chance to ride in the pre-production version of this helmet a few months ago (see video Here) and I have to say I really liked it. Its a bit noisy, but the comfort and visibility while riding is unmatched. It is pretty stable at speed and your peripheral vision is in no way limited like it is on the Gingo and Retro Ride.

The bottom line on this guy is that if you were thinking of spending $400 on a Shoei, but don’t want to look like a sport bike douche on your vintage or modern retro bike, you should consider the Bullitt. A hefty price tag, but whats money compared to safety and style?

Check ’em out Here.