Look Out Arai And Shoei, The New Bell Pro Star Is Coming
Bell's new flagship helmet looks impressive
Two and a half years ago, Bell Helmets set out to design and create its most advanced helmet yet, and with the new Pro Star, designed with input from Bell’s athletes around the world, Bell has expanded the Star line to include three models: the Star, the Race Star, and the Pro Star. Each getting progressively more expensive.
Focusing on the Pro Star, the design goal in this premium helmet was to provide a comfortable fit and optimum protection with the lightest weight possible. While they were at it, Bell engineers added a bigger viewport for better field of vision both laterally and vertically. In fact this was the first area the team worked on, as a wider eyeport needs to be accompanied by a shell that maintains the necessary protection.
From there, a focus on weight savings was in order. Here, Bell collaborated with TeXtreme, producers of lighter, thinner carbon fiber fabric to incorporate multiple layers of the stuff throughout the helmet’s shell.
Available in five different shell sizes to create a smaller overall profile, the Pro Star also is fitted with Bell’s Flex Liner. Essentially three different materials – expanded polypropylene, expanded polyolefin, and expanded polystyrene – each suited for either low-speed, mid-speed, or high-speed impacts.
Inside the Pro Star, the rider is exposed to an interior made from Virus Performance Fabrics. This includes a quick-dry liner with odor-fighting properties that helps cool the rider by “harnessing the power of Jade.” Magnefusion cheek pads snap in or out of the helmet with ease thanks to magnets instead of snaps keeping them in place.
The Pro Star ain’t cheap, coming in at $1,199.95. The Race Star does without the Textreme carbon shell and Panovision shield but has a $699.95 starting price. If that’s still too much, the budget-minded Star ditches the Virus fabric, features a tri-matrix composite shell, and is geared more towards a street-oriented viewing position. Price for it starts at $449.95. Visit www.bellhelmets.com/star-series to learn more.
Troy's been riding motorcycles and writing about them since 2006, getting his start at Rider Magazine. From there, he moved to Sport Rider Magazine before finally landing at Motorcycle.com in 2011. A lifelong gearhead who didn't fully immerse himself in motorcycles until his teenage years, Troy's interests have always been in technology, performance, and going fast. Naturally, racing was the perfect avenue to combine all three. Troy has been racing nearly as long as he's been riding and has competed at the AMA national level. He's also won multiple club races throughout the country, culminating in a Utah Sport Bike Association championship in 2011. He has been invited as a guest instructor for the Yamaha Champions Riding School, and when he's not out riding, he's either wrenching on bikes or watching MotoGP.
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Long time Bell Star owner and looking to replace it. Where is the Cameron Beaubier Yamaha 60th Anniversary replica? I was really hoping that would be out this year to match the 60th Anniversary Yamaha's now in showrooms.
$1200 makes my Arai seem like a steal