Bell recently announced the eagerly anticipated update to its much-loved retro helmet. The new Bell Bullitt GT is ECE 22.06 and DOT-approved – yet it’s practically indistinguishable from its predecessor.
It’s available in a multitude of vibrant colourways and constructed using a lightweight fibreglass composite, with elegantly finished, even lighter carbon fibre variants also on offer. However, will this updated vintage-inspired lid retain its crown as the King of the Retro Helmets, or has it been usurped? Here’s an in-depth first look.
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Legacy: Bell Bullitt GT
The Bell Bullitt was originally designed by Chad Hodge, (at the time) a final-year industrial design student. He took inspiration from the Bell Star, one of the most iconic full-face helmets of the 1960s and ’70s.
Hodge’s vision was to create a helmet that blended modern safety and comfort with a clean, vintage aesthetic. Bell saw his design and brought him in-house to produce the helmet.
The Bullitt quickly became the number one retro motorcycle helmet favoured by riders in the resurgent custom scene and emerging retro motorcycle circles.
New Bell Bullitt GT Design & Looks
The overall shape of the Bullitt GT is practically identical to the original. It’s evident that Bell sought to maintain the lines of the MK1 while adhering to the latest safety standards. As such, the new version retains its distinctive ’60s-’70s silhouette that made it popular.
However, upon closer inspection, despite retaining its low-profile aesthetic, the chin guard seems slightly larger, perhaps to offer more protection in step with the latest ECE and DOT standards.
Bell’s head designer, Kyle Westmoorland, confirmed the GT’s chin guard is indeed larger and farther away from the rider’s chin, prompted by rider feedback.
Bell has preserved the wide viewport aperture that makes the original a pleasure to wear, especially in an urban setting. With a bubble visor combination, the updated version still has the space helmet-like appearance, accenuating the nostalgic design – conjuring space race era imagery.
Specifications
The Bullitt GT is available in three shell sizes, covering six sizes from XS up to XXL and retains the double-D ring fastening. What’s always been great about Bell’s retro offering is the availability of removable multi-density EPS liners, offering a highly-customisable fit.
The new carbon fibre version weighs approximately 1350g (±50g for size M), while the fibreglass variant comes in at around 1450g (±50g for size M).
Notably, the original carbon variant weighs 1280g, and the standard version is 1426g +/- 50g, based on the medium shell size. That means there’s a slight increase in the weight, possibly due to the new safety standards.
So, What’s New, What’s Not?
While to the naked eye, the GT looks largely unchanged at a first glance, Bell have made significant tweaks to the functionality of the helmet after considering a decade of rider feedback.
Closeable Forehead Vents
The forehead vents are now closable using a switch found at the bottom right of the chin-guard. The predecessor was also well-ventilated with (always-open) forehead portholes.
My original Bullit, an RSD edition, is my go-to full-face helmet for summer riding for this reason. But it’s a tad chilly in the winter. The ability to close them now is a welcome update if it mitigates some wind chill.
However, there’s still a fairly large opening at the bottom of the helmet and no wind curtain – meaning it’s still bound to be somewhat draughty.
Chin Vent Removed
Bell says it removed the chin vent after discovering through CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) that it wasn’t effective. It’s anecdotal, however, I definitely feel the difference with my original Carbon RSD lid when the vent is open on cooler days.
It also helps clear some of the misting on the visor in stop-start traffic during the colder months of the year. Speaking of which, there hasn’t been any mention of Pinlock or anti-fogging for the flat or bubble visors for the GT.
Tool-Free Visor Removal Mechanism
One of the most significant changes is an overhaul of the visor removal mechanism. It’s now tool-free, offering a simpler and vastly improved removal method. When the visor is up, a push of a button in the centre of the magnetic hinge plates releases it.
In contrast removing the visor on the mark one helmet requires a flathead screw driver or a large coin. I always carry a 50-pence coin for this reason. It’s a finicky affair that can take several minutes.
It means, on a group ride, if I’m the only one wearing a Bullitt, I’ll be the last to swap out my dark visor for a clear one or vice versa, making me often reluctant to change visors at all.
The revised mechanism seems secure and is likely to prevent overtightening or damage. Although not stripped, there are plenty of scuffs to slots from continual operation on my original.
Tighter Visor Seal – to Reduce Noise (?)
It’s no secret that the original Bullitt is a noisy helmet, even by retro helmet standards. So, to reduce wind noise, a gasket has been added to the rubber seal around the viewport. Bell says this makes for a much tighter seal and a quieter helmet.
While it’s a welcome improvement, the difference is likely marginal, given the large opening at the bottom of the helmet. It’s just one of those things – if you want a classic-style helmet, noise is a concession you’ll need to make.
New Interior Eyewear Compatible
The updated interior liner now includes eyewear arm pockets woven directly into the design. It’s a thoughtful addition that makes the helmet compatible with prescription glasses or sunglasses. I found anything thicker than my classic Ray Ban Wayfarer sunglasses became uncomfortable on a longer ride.
Many, Many, Many Colourways
For both carbon fibre and fibreglass variants, there are several sublime solid and graphic colourways that might tempt you away from the popular matte and gloss black finishes.
In total, there are eight fibreglass and four carbon fibre GT colourways. I’d happily plonk most of them on my head.
For the Carbon version, the TT Gloss Red/Gold stands out for me. Gloss Vintage Blue, Charge Blood Red/Black and Wander Vintage White/Black are the front runners in the fibreglass version.
Pricing
Some riders feel the Bell Bullitt has always been overpriced. That’s a fair comment if it’s based purely on the specifications.
However, it’s less fair when materials and construction are considered. If you hold one in your hands, you’ll know what I mean – it’s is a refined helmet.
The standard fibreglass GT starts at £434.99 ($399.95 / ~€508.94) for solid colours – graphic finishes start at ~£454.99 ($429.95 / ~€532.34).
The carbon variant costs £614.99 ($649.95 / ~€719.54) for the solid and ~£643.24 ($699.95 / ~€752.59) for the graphic finishes.
That’s a princely sum if not quite a King’s ransom.
Competition
When the Bell launched the Bullitt in 2013, there wasn’t much competition in the full-face retro motorcycle segment. Ruby Helmets’ Castel had launched a year prior but cost north of £1000/$1200 – not necessarily in the reach of most riders. The more rugged Gringo by Biltwell was around and there were several non-road-approved helmets from the likes of Davida.
Since then, the market has changed considerably with a dizzying array of helmets.
More recently, Bell’s fiercest rivals have all had ECE 20.06 upgrades. The Shoei Glamaster 06, Arai Concept XE and Biltwell’s, Gringo S – not forgetting the supremely refined Hedon Heroine Racer 2.0.
New entrants to the segment, such as the John Doe One and Roeg helmets – plus the Bullitt lookalikes like the TORC T1 and ByCity have all made ground on Bell.
A glance at your retro/custom motorcycle Instagram feed will find it populated with content creators wearing Hedon Heroine Racers and Classics. So, it’s certainly not an easy market for the GT to enter.
Opinion
In its previous less-than-perfect incarnation, the Bullitt was still the favoured helmet of retro, custom and classic riders. Despite all its failings, it has a legion of admirers who weren’t put off.
With Bell (arguably) addressing the idiosyncrasies of the original, or at the very least, correcting them to an acceptable level, there’ll be no shortage of buyers. Nonetheless, riders now expect vintage-inspired gear that looks great and performs as well as modern-looking counterparts.
Perhaps, with this in mind, this new iteration is less likely to be as dominant as its predecessor on first release. There are simply many more options for riders.
Price may also play a pivotal role, with cheaper lookalikes offering comparable specifications (using less refined materials) or similarly priced higher-specification alternatives of similar quality.
Regardless of the competition and riders’ needs, the outlook for the GT is ostensibly good. The answer to the original question, ‘Will the Bell Bullitt GT retain its title as King of the Retro Helmets? Is ‘Yes’ but it will have to fight to keep it.
Expect to see an array of limited editions and collaborations in the coming months and years.
Retailers
The Bullitt GT is out now, available in the US, the UK and soon the EU, with several online retailers now stocking it, although you may need to pre-order.
Image Credits:
- All images unless stated are the copyright Bell Helmets
