Bell made a solid entrance into the adventure motorcycle market with the introduction of the Bell MX-9 Adventure. This helmet is very affordable, yet delivers the fit and finish of helmets costing two to three times the price. Its lightweight injected polymer composite shell weighs in at 3.2 lbs. making it a fairly light helmet, and the three shell sizes help ensure a proper fit.



When I first slipped on the helmet, I was impressed with its comfortable fit, partly a result of the large openings for the wearer's ears. The face shield is very clear with no noticeable distortion in the curved areas and the thumb tab easy to find, even with gloves on. The face shield also has graduated stop points to hold it open, but the first stop point is too high, putting the bottom edge of the shield right across the field of vision. The Velocity-Flow Ventilation system and adjustable mouth vent move quite a bit of air through the helmet to keep the head cool on hot summer days.

The MX-9 Adventure is equally at home on both dirt and pavement, and the visor is easily removable for highway travel to minimize headshake. When traveling off road, the large eye port will easily accommodate any size goggles, even with the face shield left on. It carries both DOT and ECE certifications and comes in a variety of colors and designs. MSRP: $189.95–$199.95 www.bellhelmets.com

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