Adventure Helmets

Adventure Motorcycle Helmets by Bell: Built for Every Road and Trail

Adventure motorcycle helmets, also known as ADV helmets, dual sport helmets or adventure touring helmets, are designed for riders who move between sealed roads and unpaved terrain without wanting to change helmets. Bell covers this category with the MX-9 Adventure Mips: a single model available across a full range of colourways, built around an adjustable peak visor, an integrated face shield and Mips® rotational energy management. One helmet, engineered to handle both environments.

Bell MX-9 Adventure Mips

The MX-9 Adventure Mips is the only adventure helmet in the Bell range. It combines an adjustable peak visor with an integrated face shield, allowing the rider to configure the helmet for road or trail without carrying extra gear. Mips® rotational energy management and ECE 22.06 certification come as standard across the full colourway range, from solid black and white to graphic trail and touring editions.

How the MX-9 Adventure Mips Compares to Pure Road and Pure Off-Road Helmets

The MX-9 Adventure Mips occupies the space between a dedicated motocross helmet and a road full face helmet. Unlike a motocross helmet, it includes a face shield for wind and weather protection at road speeds. Unlike a full face road helmet, it retains the extended peak visor and goggle compatibility for off-road sections. Riders who want a helmet that can be used all day on both surfaces without compromise will find the MX-9 Adventure Mips the most practical option in the Bell range.

Riders who spend the majority of their time on sealed roads and want a chin bar they can open at stops may also want to consider the Bell modular helmet range as an alternative for primarily road-based touring.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an adventure motorcycle helmet and what are the benefits?

An adventure motorcycle helmet is a dual purpose design that combines elements of a motocross helmet and a road full face helmet in a single shell. The key features are an adjustable peak visor for off-road use, a face shield for road use, and a construction that handles both without being fully optimised for either. The main benefit is versatility: a rider can use one helmet across a full mixed-terrain day, from tarmac commutes to gravel forest roads, without needing to carry or change equipment. Additional benefits over a pure road helmet include higher ventilation for slower-speed riding with more physical exertion, and goggle compatibility for more demanding off-road conditions where a face shield alone is not enough. The MX-9 Adventure Mips adds Mips® rotational energy management to these functional benefits, addressing the rotational forces that are a significant factor in both on- and off-road impacts.

Why do adventure motorcycle helmets have peaks?

The peak visor on an adventure motorcycle helmet serves several practical functions inherited from motocross helmet design. On unpaved surfaces, the peak deflects roost — the mud, gravel and debris thrown up by the front wheel — as well as low branches on trail sections. On the road, it shades the eyes from low sun at dawn and dusk, which is particularly useful on longer touring days where the sun angle changes across the ride. The peak on the MX-9 Adventure Mips is adjustable, allowing the rider to set the angle for the terrain and conditions, and can be removed entirely using the included tool kit when a lower-profile road appearance is preferred. This removability is what distinguishes an adventure helmet peak from the fixed visor of a dedicated motocross helmet.

Are adventure motorcycle helmets road legal?

Yes. The Bell MX-9 Adventure Mips carries both DOT and ECE 22.06 certification, the current mandatory European road standard, making it fully road legal for use on public roads. While some motocross helmets in the Bell range also carry ECE 22.06, they are not designed for road use: without a face shield, they offer no protection from wind, rain and debris at road speeds. The MX-9 Adventure Mips is specifically built for mixed use, combining road legality with the peak visor and goggle compatibility needed for off-road sections.