The Bell SRT Modular Helmet has the pedigree of a race helmet, a finely tuned safety device not for the track but for everyday riding. With must-have features like a flip up chin bar, speaker pockets and eyewear compatibility wrapped inside a fiberglass composite shell, all pushing the boundaries of a modular helmet for the touring and everyday rider. The Bell SRT Modular offers first-rate performance and real-world practicality.
Unboxing the new Bell, I was quick to notice the overall appearance. As a predominant race helmet wearer, I was pleasantly surprised at the aesthetics of this modular; It doesn’t look like one, it has a sporty look and feel to it.
Before I dissect this lid, let me get on my soapbox and preach about why you should wear a helmet. Ahem…
Just do it. /Rant
Features + Benefits
Close up, you will find nice reflective material towards the back of the chin skirt. Standard D ring enclosure with a snap to hold the excess strap.
Below the sizing sticker, you can see an easy to manipulate sliding tab. This controls the internal drop down sun shade.
Cheek pads are easily removed to be cleaned or changed. Take notice of the recessed area over the ear for any communication speaker install: This will accept any motorcycle helmet speaker device without sacrificing comfort.
The Headliner is as easy to remove and allows you access to inspect your EPS as well as clean your headliner. EPS is the foam that dampens impact forces in the event of a crash. The foam is meant to crumple, absorbing energy meant to do you harm. Note the large vents holes and channels.
Large air intake on the crown of the helmet. Closed/ Open
Another large intake in the chinbar. Open/Closed
Two large exhaust ports to expel hot air, keeping your head cool.
First Impressions
Okay, we covered the details, but what is it like to wear and ride in? I am going to try it out and come back with some first impressions. I should start that with any helmet there is a list of pros and cons and my list of modular helmets is:
Pro’s: Easy on and off, great for those who wear prescription glasses, lift up to talk to others, can access drink or fresh air without taking the helmet off.
Con’s: Modular helmets are typically heavier than the compared full face, Chin bar pivot is a weak point in a crash, can be noisy due to extra cutouts.
My scooter is in the shop getting custom spinner wheels, so I will be borrowing this badass Z900rs from Brent to test out the ride-ability of the helmet.
Just around the block….. haha see you in a few hours bud.
I typically wear a medium (really stuck between a sm/md in most) and have an intermediate oval head shape. The medium Bell helmet is easy to pop on by using the straps to pull the cheeks apart. Like all modular’s, you put it on with the chin bar in the up position. The crown fit well, but not as snug as I am accustomed, the cheeks are what I noticed the most; expected to fit like a 3/4 I was anticipating a tight cheek pad area, it wasn’t. What was barely any pressure turned into the well-known feel of a full face when I close the chin bar to its locked position. Closing the chin bar, stiffens the whole helmet giving it a more secure fit. I stated early that I like the shape of the helmet, it offers more of a true sport shape than a bobblehead of traditional modular helmets.
The difference is real, here you have a traditional Modular helmet that looks like a bobblehead. Clunky, hot and not the best for selfies.
And here is the SRT, sporty Lines, great graphics and perfect for selfies.
3 Hours later…
What started as a test ride, turned into several hours of getting lost in the DFW area just enjoying the ride. I was motivated to keep moving, and not just by the sweet ride I was on, but by this Texas heat, its a scorcher.
Vents- The silver lining to the heat is that I can give an extreme example of how the vents work and do they work well. Starting with the vents on the chin and crown closed, things got warm, even at highway speeds. once opened up, the rush of air was welcomed. The front chin bar doesn’t blow directly in your face/ eyes which I’m thankful for, however, the relief of cooling came from the top vent. I could feel air move across the top of my head, very welcomed in the heat.
Sun Shade- I have never liked the idea of sun shades, not my thing. That said, it came in handy as I didn’t bring sunglasses or an additional shield and used it the whole time. After five minutes, I forgot it was even down and never once did I find my vision distorted.
Sound- I would put this on par with the average rest of the market, it wasn’t the loudest, however, the extra air noise was there. This really didn’t have a negative impact on me as I always ride with earplugs. If you don’t, try it for a while, you may convert.
Shape- I wanted to point out one major feature of this helmet which I thought was cool, its shape/profile. I noticed this as I was playing around in different riding positions, especially while tucked. Being tucked or bent over slightly, this helmet grants you the viability of any sport helmet, a feat that most modular helmets cannot accomplish.
Comfort- The padding in this helmet is pretty plush, and even though brand new and not broken in, I never received any hot spots around my head and my cheeks felt fine.
Overall
Overall, I like it. As a sport guy who rides a little bit of everything, this helmet is a great choice no matter what you ride. I really think this would be a home run for the riders on sport standards or sport touring bikes (VFR, FJR, ST, ZG14 etc). It’s sporty yet practical and for the MSRP of $349.95, it is a lot of bang for your buck.
