Review on Bell Unisex-Adult Off Road Helmet Motorcycle & Powersports by Mark Colbert

I would like to share my observations on the Bell MX-9 Adventure MIPS. As I continue to use the helmet I will update this review. When opening the box. Well packaged and both Revain and Bell did a very good job. No transport damage found. Inside the Bell box was a helmet pouch, some MIPS literature, information about the antibacterial liner, a Bell helmet instruction manual, and a zip pouch with two plastic discs (I assume these discs are used to cover and protect the holes should attach the side of the visor when the visor is not in use. The instruction manual does not say anything about its use). This is a sharp looking helmet. Comes with a transparent shield and a red and black visor. Fits. Fits as expected. The cheek pads of my old HJC CL-17 (sports bike helmet) reached almost to the corners of my mouth. Bell cheek pads don't. It's okay, Bell is still in very good shape, no movement, no unusual discomfort. I have an oval head so there is some pressure on my forehead but after an hour of riding the headache went away. As with any new piece of equipment, before embarking on a long journey, you should give it time to break in. Visibility… I really like the extended side view compared to my HJC. This head check to the right or left when changing lanes is really good, now you can see far behind. The sign is kinda weird. It's as if the light waves going through the shield are only slightly bent, it's not. crystal clean. Perhaps the best way to describe it is like looking through old window panes from the 1900's, but very thin. Another thing is that the bottom edge of the shield has a 90 degree chamfer. I also uploaded the picture. When looking ahead, the head is straight, when looking down, the 90-degree bevel distorts everything in the field of vision. For example your instrument cluster or items attached to your handrails such as GPS, phone etc. I'm almost 6ft tall and when I'm seated I can see my sensors are fine but the steering wheel controls are garbled. Standing can be a real problem. It's not a problem for me, I can tilt my head down when driving on the road. And when I ride off-road, I plan to remove the protective lens and put on glasses. Noise… With this helmet, I plan on wearing a visor all the time. So, my noise test from this point of view. Obviously, without the visor, the overall noise level is lower at highway speeds. I'm about 5"11", my Tenere seat height is about 34", and with the standard adjustable windshield set at the lowest height, the noise is extremely high. Hearing protection is highly recommended. The height of the Stock windshield is raised, noise level not much different from my old HJC Add Scala Gx9... No problem The missing piece... Strange and a bit disappointing When I removed the helmet visor and shield to clean it noticed that one of the three mounting bolts was missing a small rubber washer. This small washer is put on the mounting bolt first and then attached to the helmet. Something to help prevent scratches can help prevent over-tightening. It's okay , I'm sure I can find it at Home Depot. But still... Update 10/2018 - Loud at speed. Hearing protection should be used on long drives with high noise r speed may be a major concern. Removing the visor reduces noise, but be careful not to lose small details. This bevel at the bottom of the visor interferes with the view when looking down at the sensors. For me and my height, this is a little tip of the head to get a clear view. The screw at the top of the helmet that holds the visor has come loose. Holly Cow, let's talk noise. I thought my whole head would fall off. Be sure to hold it tight. The length of the screw is quite long, I was able to get off the road and tighten it before it fell out. I'm an old biker returning to the sport after 30 years. So I'm a noob. I think it's pretty versatile with everything designed to work in two different areas, it's going to work really well in one area and just GOOD in another. This Bell MX-9 seems to lean more towards off-road. It's a solid helmet fit and good visibility. How can you go wrong with MIPS. For long journeys, take off the visor and put on hearing protection. Install Bluetooth and listen to your favorite music.