Bell Vortex Striker

[micahm]

Striker Helmet

So I picked this up last weekend to replace my old Shoei 800. I have never owned a Bell helmet so at first I was sceptical.

Fit: The fit is nice and tight but very comfortable. I needed to run a size bigger then my last helmet for the bell so im in an XL but still very good fit. 5 out of 5 for me here.

Vent: Though it has alot of venting on the outside I have not felt a whole lot of air moving in the helmet. I guess this is a good and bad thing but I have ridden with some other helmets that have better venting imop. All in all I would still rate this helmet at a 3.5 out of 5 on venting just may get warm with the face shield down and not moving on a summer day.

Wind Noise: So with this helmet being well designed I was actually surprised by the amount of wind noise that you get. Now don't get me wrong its far less then my old lid and so it is pretty quiet still. Further the padding is so good that with the face shield up or down it really doesnt make that much of a sound difference oddly. I was expecting a little less but am still happy with the outcome. I think once I find some ear plugs that will help a ton. 4 out of 5

Accessories: So with the quick release shield option like most other helmets have gone to the array of shields available is massive. Bell does swear by a transistion lens and well if any one has tried it I would love to hear from you before I run out and grab one. 4 out of 5

Designes: Man there are a ton of options here.

Price: I picked mine up for about 145.00 bucks not bad if you can find it as it normally retails at about 169.00.

Summary: For the price range of this lid you get alot for your money. I think it has got the HJC CL15, CL16, SLP betean hands down but thats just me. i am looking forward to saving up some cash for the Bell Star or Shoei RF model see what the big diff is in a helmet that sells for 400 - 500 US. I will add actual pics highlighting the helmet once I take them this week.

There ya have it please drive through.

[Beck]

Striker Helmet

So I picked this up last weekend to replace my old Shoei 800. I have never owned a Bell helmet so at first I was sceptical.

Fit: The fit is nice and tight but very comfortable. I needed to run a size bigger then my last helmet for the bell so im in an XL but still very good fit. 5 out of 5 for me here.

Vent: Though it has alot of venting on the outside I have not felt a whole lot of air moving in the helmet. I guess this is a good and bad thing but I have ridden with some other helmets that have better venting imop. All in all I would still rate this helmet at a 3.5 out of 5 on venting just may get warm with the face shield down and not moving on a summer day.

Wind Noise: So with this helmet being well designed I was actually surprised by the amount of wind noise that you get. Now don't get me wrong its far less then my old lid and so it is pretty quiet still. Further the padding is so good that with the face shield up or down it really doesnt make that much of a sound difference oddly. I was expecting a little less but am still happy with the outcome. I think once I find some ear plugs that will help a ton. 4 out of 5

Accessories: So with the quick release shield option like most other helmets have gone to the array of shields available is massive. Bell does swear by a transistion lens and well if any one has tried it I would love to hear from you before I run out and grab one. 4 out of 5

Designes: Man there are a ton of options here.

Price: I picked mine up for about 145.00 bucks not bad if you can find it as it normally retails at about 169.00.

Summary: For the price range of this lid you get alot for your money. I think it has got the HJC CL15, CL16, SLP betean hands down but thats just me. i am looking forward to saving up some cash for the Bell Star or Shoei RF model see what the big diff is in a helmet that sells for 400 - 500 US. I will add actual pics highlighting the helmet once I take them this week.

There ya have it please drive through.

If you are considering a Bell Star in the future, be aware that it also suffers fro quite a bit of wind noise from it's rear side exhuast vents. It is the price you pay for the excellent air venting for the helmet that is second to none of the many helmets I have tried through my many years biking, interior airflow-wise. The Star is also much more stable at speed and do not have any lifting tendencies that some helmets still suffer from. Material quality on the exterior finishes is top notch but the interior is not as great as what you might find on a Shoei or an Arai. I got mine at a model graphics clearance sale price that i could not refuse ($199!) so I could not complain too much. I like it enough that I could still recommend it to anyone as long as they remember to wear ear plugs when they use it.....and they find it a a good sale price like I did. Frankly, I think the retail price at aorund $500 is way too much.

Beck

95 VFR

[leanit]

Striker Helmet

So I picked this up last weekend to replace my old Shoei 800. I have never owned a Bell helmet so at first I was sceptical.

Fit: The fit is nice and tight but very comfortable. I needed to run a size bigger then my last helmet for the bell so im in an XL but still very good fit. 5 out of 5 for me here.

Vent: Though it has alot of venting on the outside I have not felt a whole lot of air moving in the helmet. I guess this is a good and bad thing but I have ridden with some other helmets that have better venting imop. All in all I would still rate this helmet at a 3.5 out of 5 on venting just may get warm with the face shield down and not moving on a summer day.

Wind Noise: So with this helmet being well designed I was actually surprised by the amount of wind noise that you get. Now don't get me wrong its far less then my old lid and so it is pretty quiet still. Further the padding is so good that with the face shield up or down it really doesnt make that much of a sound difference oddly. I was expecting a little less but am still happy with the outcome. I think once I find some ear plugs that will help a ton. 4 out of 5

Accessories: So with the quick release shield option like most other helmets have gone to the array of shields available is massive. Bell does swear by a transistion lens and well if any one has tried it I would love to hear from you before I run out and grab one. 4 out of 5

Designes: Man there are a ton of options here.

Price: I picked mine up for about 145.00 bucks not bad if you can find it as it normally retails at about 169.00.

Summary: For the price range of this lid you get alot for your money. I think it has got the HJC CL15, CL16, SLP betean hands down but thats just me. i am looking forward to saving up some cash for the Bell Star or Shoei RF model see what the big diff is in a helmet that sells for 400 - 500 US. I will add actual pics highlighting the helmet once I take them this week.

There ya have it please drive through.

If you are considering a Bell Star in the future, be aware that it also suffers fro quite a bit of wind noise from it's rear side exhuast vents. It is the price you pay for the excellent air venting for the helmet that is second to none of the many helmets I have tried through my many years biking, interior airflow-wise. The Star is also much more stable at speed and do not have any lifting tendencies that some helmets still suffer from. Material quality on the exterior finishes is top notch but the interior is not as great as what you might find on a Shoei or an Arai. I got mine at a model graphics clearance sale price that i could not refuse ($199!) so I could not complain too much. I like it enough that I could still recommend it to anyone as long as they remember to wear ear plugs when they use it.....and they find it a a good sale price like I did. Frankly, I think the retail price at aorund $500 is way too much.

Beck

95 VFR

Good reports. I have looked at he Bells recently and with price being a major issue for most riders, I'm glad they have went after the less expensive range. That is a sharp looking lid. As far as wind noise, I have worn ear plugs when riding since the mid 80s. I can't imagine how bad my hearing would be now if I had not. With that being said, they can make a $100.00 helmet as quite as a $800 without plugs.

[Guest]

I've been thinking about getting the Vortex to replace my girlfriends cheapo helmet. I have a 2010 Bell Star and the Vortex uses the same shields so that would be a plus. The Star is noisy, but the ventilation, stability, finish, and visor mechanism are top notch. Bell is working their way back up to the top, and it doesn't bother me that you can buy one of their cheap models at WalMart for $70. They have something for every budget.

For anyone considering a Star, be aware that the 2008-2009 models are shaped differently than the 2010. If you try one on at a store and then go order last year's closeout, you may be disappointed with the fit. The 2010 model is easy to identify, it has a magnet in the chin strap to take up the extra length, another great feature!