Product Evaluation
PRODUCT EVALUATION
FEATURES
THE BELL MOTO STAR: FULL COVERAGE FOR MX
No matter how good a rider you might be, a portion of your riding time will be spent following another rider. And if you happen to compete off-road, by now you've probably sampled a fair share of rocks, dirt and assorted bits of debris thrown up by the machines in front. Motocross might be the best example of this phenomenon; the knobby tires churn up whatever they pass over and send it with missile-like force in the opposite direction. Riders plowing headlong into the spray virtu ally double the force of impact, which is generally on the front surface of their bodies and bikes. Boots, leathers, chest protectors, gloves and a helmet provide a good guard against the hazard, but the face has been somewhat overlooked until recently.
While flat track riders have to con tend with some pretty mean dirt spray in competition, they can get away with using a full-coverage helmet or full snap-on face shield without problems. But the rigors of off-road events have usually caused fogging and ventilation troubles with set-ups like these, and goggles have been the preference over snap-on or flip-up shields.
With goggles, the standard Bell Star won’t work without cutting away the window opening. The Bell Star 120 will, but leaves some face exposed. And then there’s the open face helmet, which accommodates goggles and a variety of the now popular face shields. Only the shields don’t really provide strong facial protection in the event of a get-off that lands the rider on his puss.
The answer has been a tough one for the Bell people, but with lots of research and time in the project, along with the help of World Motocross Champion, Roger DeCoster, they’ve come up with one we think about does the trick.
It’s the new Moto Star, a blending of the advantages of full facial protection with good ventilation and provision for goggles. The “port” area of the helmet gives the rider full vision to the sides and front, but the frontal piece slopes upward and downward to give protection to both the nose and chin in the event of a fall or from flying debris. Woods riders will also appreciate the protection from branches and limbs in the midst of an enduro.
The Moto Star weighs slightly more than the Star 120, is made from fiberglass and features an inner liner of polystyrene bead for impact absorption. All the goggles we could get our hands on fit the new Moto Star, and we found it quite comfortable in a variety of conditions. Some riders used to an open face helmet may balk at the prospect of a full-face, but we feel the extra protection is worth a few minutes of getting accustomed to the new model.
The Moto Star is available in head sizes from 6-3/4 to 7-7/8 and comes in traditional white or a spiffy MX yellow. It passes the tough 1970 Snell Foundation requirements, which means it’s technically for off-road use only. The bureaucrats say it’s too good for the street. Whatever they say, we say the new Moto Star is a worthwhile investment at $69.75, and for that Bell even throws in a Duckbill visor. We welcome the new Bell Moto Star to the world of motorcycling.
YAMAHA COMPETITION FORK BRACE FOR 1975 250 and 400 ENDUROS
There are plenty of products and accessories for motorcycles available these days that are nice but not really necessary. Yamaha’s Competition Fork Brace, made especially for its two largest enduro models, is one of those items. While the brace is made from the finest quality materials and installs easily in minutes, the Yamaha forks don’t flex and, hence, really don’t require the added support. But as you can see by the photo, the unit is attractive, and that’ll be enough to justify the $19.95 price for many riders. You can find it at any Yamaha dealer.
