Last week, Bell released an image teasing a new open-face helmet with some sort of detachable mask. Bell said it would reveal the new helmet next week but it looks like retailer Revzilla has let the secret out, revealing the all-new Bell Rogue helmet.

As shown in the teaser image, the most noticeable feature of the DOT-approved Bell Rogue is the muzzle made of molded thermoplastic polyurethane. The muzzle is vented with a micro-fleece interior. There’s also a removable breathbox that’s fleece-lined, designed to provide an extra level of protection from cold winds.

The muzzle itself is detachable using fasteners from a German company called Fidlock. The muzzle attaches magnetically to a strap with an adjustable length that ratchets into the helmet shell. The muzzle snaps right into the strap for quick attachment even when wearing the helmet, but the muzzle can only be removed when the helmet is off, by sliding it up from its connection point. Continue Reading »

We’ve seen a lot of teaser images in the motorcycle industry, but this might be the first time we’ve seen a teaser campaign for a helmet. But that’s what landed in our inbox, a grainy photo of an all-new helmet from Bell Powersports. The photo was also posted on Bell’s Facebook page with the caption “Something wicked this way comes—from Bell in 2013″.

The picture shows a helmet with a vented mask and what appears to be an attachment mount, perhaps suggesting the mask and chin bar is removable. A spokesperson from Bell’s PR agency says the new helmet  is for cruisers and is “like nothing else on the market today”.

Bell will release more information during the second week of January, and we’re curious to see what Bell has in store. We’re also curious about that small pencil eraser-shaped object not-so-subtly placed in front of the helmet. Check back at this space in the next few weeks for more details. Continue Reading »

We had a treat last month at the AMA Pro Flat Track season finale, joining the packed grandstands in Pomona, California, for some thrilling dirt-track racing you can read about here. The action on the half-mile dirt oval was intense, with Kenny Coolbeth taking the checkers, but it was Jared Mees who won the championship after his eighth-place finish.

While most of the tracks in the series are on simple ovals, there are two TT circuits on the schedule. The TTs are raced on motocross-based machines on a track that includes a jump and a right turn that adds a literal added dimension to dirt-track competition. Seen below is an excellent video from this year’s Peoria TT round in Illinois, the longest running dirt-track race in the world. Continue Reading »

For most die-hard motorcyclists, a trip to Los Angeles to have their beloved ride customized by innovative designer and master-builder Roland Sands would be a dream come true. In August, Bell Powersports is making this dream a reality with its BELL STAR TREATMENT contest. Launched today on the Bell Powersports Facebook page and themed to highlight Bell’s premium Star Carbon helmet, the unique promotion challenges fans to offer their most compelling rationale for why they and their motorcycle deserve the “Star Treatment” from Bell and Roland Sands Design (RSD). Continue Reading »

Who says a motorcycle show has to contain Concours-level machinery? Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and the 2012 One Motorcycle Show, sponsored by Bell, celebrates motorcycling in a rather unusual way. Continue Reading »

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With the first round of AMA Pro Road Racing at Daytona now in the books, it’s clear to see this season is going to be exciting in all classes. Entries were healthy in all classes at Daytona, with the prediction that this trend will continue throughout the season. Of course, with more riders comes the need for more protection. Head protection in this case. For 2012, Bell is stepping up to the challenge and sponsoring five riders. Continue Reading »

Arai retained the top spot on J.D. Power and Associates’ 2011 U.S. Motorcycle Helmet Satisfaction Study, sharing top honors with Icon.

The J.D. Power and Associates study measures the customers’ satisfaction with their helmets. Brands are scored on a 1,000-point scale generated from 11 different attributes: quietness; ventilation; de-fogging performance; face shield wind protection; face shield scratch resistance; ease of replacing face shield; shell scratch resistance; color and graphic; weight; ease of strap fastening; and fit and comfort.

Arai is back on top for the 13th consecutive time, tied with Icon with an overall score of 852, well above the industry average of 788 (a new record high in the study’s 13-year history). According to J.D. Power and Associates, Arai rated well across all 11 attributes, especially fit and comfort and face shield wind protection. Icon rated high in color and graphics. Shoei, which rated second in last year’s study, dropped to third this year despite increasing its rating and performing well in ease of shield replacement.

The study also found some other interesting trends. Customers are more likely to buy helmets over the Internet than ever before, with 23% of helmet owners purchasing their headgear online, compared to just 20% in 2010. The average helmet purchase price was $209 in 2010, a small increase from the industry average of $206, and the $203 average from 2007.

The Motorcycle Helmet Satisfaction Study also re-affirmed data from J.D. Power and Associates’ latest Motorcycle Competitive Information Study: motorcycle riders are an aging demographic. The median age of a new helmet buyer is 48, a consistent increase from the 2000 study.

J.D. Power and Associates 2011 U.S. Motorcycle Helmet Satisfaction Study
Brand	2011	2010	2009
Arai	852	836	830
Icon	852	826	806
Shoei	831	827	815
Harley-Davidson	800	815	790
Scorpion	800	785	782
Industry Average	788	784	766
Bell	781	777	722
Nolan	774	758	752
HJC	761	757	738
Fulmer	759	769	730

Press release after the jump.

Related Reading
2010 JD Power helmet satisfaction study
Customer Satisfaction Down in 2010

Continue Reading »