Full Face Helmets

Full Face Motorcycle Helmets by Bell: Maximum Protection on Every Ride

Full face motorcycle helmets offer the most comprehensive protection available, covering the chin, face and head within a single shell. Bell has been building full face helmets since 1966 and the current range spans everything from an accessible everyday street helmet to a FIM-homologated race helmet used at the top level of professional motorsport. Every model is built to the same standard of protection, with ECE 22.06 certification across the range and additional approvals on select performance models.

The Bell Full Face Helmet Range

The Bell full face range spans four riding profiles, each with a distinct purpose and certification level:

Street and road

• Eliminator: the everyday street full face. A fiberglass composite shell, Provision anti-fog shield with Class 1 optics, eyewear compatibility and a removable antimicrobial liner. Available across a wide size range including solid colours such as black, white and matte black, as well as graphic options. Certified DOT.
• Lithium / Lithium Mips / Lithium Mips+: the performance road helmet family. A polycarbonate shell with Mips® C Solution rotational energy management on Mips models, four closable intake vents, internal drop-down sun shield and communication system compatibility. Certified DOT and ECE 22.06, available up to 3XL.

Race and track

• Race Star DLX Flex: the dedicated track day helmet. A 3k carbon shell with Flex™ Energy Management, ProTint™ photochromic shield with Class 1 optics, Magnefusion™ magnetic cheek pads and communication system compatibility. Certified DOT and Snell M2020. Available across five shell sizes.
• Pro Star: the FIM-homologated race helmet. A TeXtreme® carbon shell with Flex™ Energy Management, Velocity Flow Ventilation™ and Panovision™ shield with Class 1 optics. At 1275g the lightest full face in the Bell range. Certified ECE 22.06 and FIM 02 for professional competition use.

Heritage and retro full face

• Moto-3: a faithful recreation of the original Bell motocross helmet from the late 1970s. Lightweight fiberglass composite shell, EPS-lined chin bar, removable antimicrobial liner and secure 5-snap visor. Available in classic solid colours and graphic options. Certified DOT.
• Bullitt GT: café racer-inspired styling with fiberglass and carbon composite shell options. The Bullitt GT range includes solid, graphic and special edition variants, all built to current safety standards. For the full retro Bell range, visit the retro motorcycle helmets category.

Dual sport

• MX-9 Adventure Mips: a crossover full face designed for riders who split time between road and trail. For the full adventure helmet range and detailed model information, see the adventure motorcycle helmets category.

How Bell Full Face Helmets Protect You

Full face helmets protect areas that open face and modular helmets leave exposed. The chin bar accounts for a significant proportion of impact zones in real-world motorcycle crashes, and a full face shell addresses this directly with a continuous structure from the crown through to the chin. Bell full face helmets add two further layers of protection on select models: Mips® C Solution for rotational energy management on road helmets, and the proprietary Flex™ Energy Management System on race and track day models, which uses three calibrated foam layers to respond to impacts across a range of speeds rather than optimising for a single scenario.

Certifications

All Bell full face motorcycle helmets carry at minimum DOT certification. The Lithium range and Moto-3 carry DOT; the Lithium Mips and Lithium Mips+ carry both DOT and ECE 22.06. The Race Star DLX Flex meets DOT and Snell M2020. The Pro Star is certified ECE 22.06 and holds FIM 02 homologation for professional competition use.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a full face helmet?

A full face helmet is a motorcycle helmet that covers the entire head, including the chin and face. Unlike open face helmets, which leave the lower face exposed, or modular helmets, which have a hinged chin bar, a full face helmet has a fixed, continuous shell from the crown to the chin. A visor or shield covers the eye area and is replaceable. Full face helmets are the most protective option for road and circuit riding because they eliminate the exposed areas that account for a significant proportion of impact zones in crashes.

Are full face helmets safer, and do you need one?

Full face helmets offer more comprehensive protection than any other helmet style because the chin bar and continuous shell cover all impact zones, including the lower face, which is left exposed by open face and modular designs. Research into motorcycle crash data consistently identifies the chin and lower face as common impact areas. Whether a full face helmet is necessary depends on how and where you ride: for road riding, touring and circuit use, a full face is the recommended choice. For low-speed urban riding, an open face may be adequate, though it provides less protection in a crash. For off-road riding, a dedicated motocross helmet with an extended visor and goggle system, rather than a face shield, is designed specifically for that environment.

Are full face helmets safer than modular helmets?

In general, yes. A full face helmet has a fixed, uninterrupted shell that covers the chin continuously, while a modular helmet has a hinged chin bar that, even when closed, introduces a mechanical joint into the structure. Full face helmets are therefore considered the more protective option for high-speed road and circuit use. Modular helmets offer the practical advantage of being able to open the chin bar without removing the helmet, which is useful for touring and commuting. Bell offers a small selection of modular helmets for riders who prioritise that versatility. For maximum protection at speed, a full face remains the stronger choice.

Can you wear glasses with a full face helmet?

Yes, several Bell full face helmets are designed with eyewear compatibility. The Eliminator specifically includes an eyewear-compatible fit, with a shell and liner profile that accommodates standard glasses frames without pressure on the temples. The key is to put the glasses on after the helmet and to choose frames with thin, flexible arms. Rimless and thin-frame glasses are generally the most practical option. Riders who prefer not to use glasses inside a full face helmet can look at models with an integrated internal drop-down sun shield, such as the Lithium Mips+, as an alternative to prescription sunglasses.

How should a full face helmet fit, and how tight should it be?

A correctly fitted full face helmet should sit level on your head with the top of the visor aperture just above your eyebrows. It should feel firmly snug on all sides, with no pressure points and no ability to rock independently of your skin when you grip the chin bar and push. The cheek pads should press lightly but not cause pain. Some initial snugness in the cheeks and crown is normal as the liner compresses with use over the first few hours of wear. A helmet that moves on your head is too large. If you are between sizes, take the smaller size and check whether adjustable cheek and crown pads are available for that model before sizing up. Bell full face helmets are available across up to five shell sizes on select models, ensuring the fit is proportional rather than compensated by padding alone.

What is the lightest full face motorcycle helmet in the Bell range?

The lightest full face motorcycle helmet in the Bell range is the Pro Star, which weighs 1275g in size M. Its TeXtreme® carbon shell is the same material used in Formula 1 and aerospace applications, and the construction prioritises weight reduction without compromising the ECE 22.06 and FIM 02 certifications it carries. The Race Star DLX Flex, built on a 3k carbon shell with Flex™ Energy Management, weighs 1540g in size M and is the lighter option for riders who need Snell M2020 certification alongside DOT approval.