Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/534951
P134 CN III PRODUCT REVIEW BELL MOTO-9 FLEX LIST PRICE: $599.95 – $649.95 Website: www.bellhelmets.com Standout Feature Lightweight carbon shell with Rotational Energy Management; DOT certified and SNELL approved Rider Analysis Right out of the box, the Moto 9 Flex helmet feels light, and you can't help but notice the many large ventilation channels. On the track, the vent channels kept my head cool; in fact, there is so much air flow that I could actually feel the wind on my head when ripping down the straight, and there is very little wind noise. I found the helmet to be extremely comfortable, by the end of my first day wearing the helmet, it felt like I had been wearing it for months, not just hours, like it was built exclusively for the shape of my noggin. The eye port seems to accept a wide variety of goggles, the chin bar is a good distance away from your face and the pads are snug on the cheeks. The standard D-ring strap is easy to use and the magnetic strap keeper is a cool feature that makes us not want to go back to the snap style of other helmets. The magnetic cheek pads are another standout feature of this helmet both for safety and general ease of use and the quickflip visor screws are easy to use, even with gloves on. As far as safety, I can actually say from experience that the helmet works well. While competing in the 10 Hours of Glen Helen, right away, I had a big crash and suffered one of the hardest smacks to my head ever. I was waiting for the stars to appear (and they usually do after far less hits than this one) but they never came! I wasn't dazed at all and suffered no headaches. I went on to finish the race like nothing had happened. Just for that hit alone, I give the Moto 9 Flex a double thumbs up. Jason Abbott Bell's latest Moto-9 Flex helmet is based off its popular Moto 9 but adds to it the most technically complex impact liner Bell has ever produced. After two years of R&D, Bell developed four core technology for the Flex. First and foremost is Bell's new Progressive Layering system. Inside the lightweight carbon shell, the new impact liner design is made up of three layers, each a different material and density to help manage energy from low, mid and high-speed impacts. Bell also incorporated what it calls Rotational Energy Management, or "slip zone," within the liner that allows for the subtle movement between layers, which helps to reduce rotational energy transfer from angular impacts (which are most common) during a crash. The Flex helmet also features Bell's Adaptive Fit design, which was taken from its bike helmets. Adaptive Fit uses a segmented liner construction that allows the helmet liner to eventually conform to the rider's head to provide a better fit and more predictable energy management. Ventilation has also been increased significantly. The Flex also features an adjustable Flying Bridge Visor with Quickflip visor screws and a vented EPS-lined chin bar with integrated vented roost guard. Bell's Extended Wear X-Static XT2 silver liner is removable and washable, and cheek pads feature an exclusive magnefusion emergency removal system (MERS), allowing for easy removal of cheek pads in an emergency situation. The Flex also has a padded chin strap with standard D-ring closure and features a new and improved Magnefusion magnetic strap keeper. The Flex comes in sizes XS, S, M, L, XL and XXL, and a variety of colors and graphics.