Bilt Adventure Helmet Report

I tried one on at Cycle Gear, and it fit well. It's very well padded, internal sun visor. (I'm a big fan of those) It has good ventilation, as loud as any of these types of helmets are. It has a longer beak than my FLY helmet. On the FLY, my nose touches the inside of the helmet. Maybe my beak is too big.

The peak is not adjustable, but it didn't seem to catch the wind any more than the FLY or my Joe Rocket DS helmet. Optics through both the clear and the tinted visors are very good. The clear visor seals VERY well. I like that. It does not have slots for goggles. I don't know who makes it for them, but it has a little ICON like spoiler thingy on the back of the helmet.

It lists for $199. I got it for $99, and I think it is a good $99 helmet.

Pictures:

I was going to make fun of the Bilt brand but they did get one thing right, an idea I had when the XD first came out... put the retractable sunscreen in a dual sport helmet. Just watch, soon enough all ds helmets will have this. Pretty cool (but its still a POS Bilt, lol).

Nolan makes one (X-lite X-551), too but it's only sold overseas AFAIK.

I think someone over here sells it - can't recall who now.

I was looking for a DS type helmet with the sunshade and I found the Nolan but it was $$$. Went with an Acerbis in the end - I did get it from the UK but, again, I am pretty sure you can get them over here. Great helmet by the way - so nice to just flick up the shade when go into deep shade in the woods from bright sunshine.

When I was shopping for a dual sport helmet almost a year ago, I ended up going with the AFX FX-39. Only change I made was to add an anti-fog insert. Not bad. Pretty comfy, ventilation is OK (really only noticed if I was riding when it was 90+ out). I bought the black helmet & installed a black visor on it, looks badass. But frankly the black shield is not very practical if you ride at night, or even at dusk. I like the fact that I don't need to pack sunglasses when I'm on the bike. But changing the shield out everytime the sun goes up or down is ridiculous.

I like the idea of the clear shield & the tinted sun visor. Best of both worlds.

Wondering if anyone has used both the Bilt with the FX-39? How do they compare?

I went down to the local Cycle Gear and tried on several Bilt street helmets. I wear an XXL, and every one of them was too small. A couple of months later I was ordering some stuff from motorcyclesuperstore.com, and decided to order an HJC CL-16 in XXL, figuring I could return it if it did not fit. Turned out to be one of the best fitting helmets I've ever owned.

Not an issue. I bought the Shark Vision-R a good three months before it was sold in the US. I got fucked in the ass on the conversion rate, but I got the helmet.

Is that a dual sport helmet?

Everything I've ever bought at CG had to be purchased a bit larger than I typically buy. I'm 6'1", about 230 & needed an XXL jacket. Typically I'd fit in an XL. Same with gloves from CG. I can only imagine helmets would be the same.

Questions:

1. Now that you've had it for a while, what do you think?
2. How is it on the highway at speed?
3. Is the sun visor dark enough? It looked a little light when I tried it on.
4. Any quality issues after 1 month?

Any other

G19Tony, You mention that the Bilt helmet doesn't have slots for goggles, can goggles still be worn with the shield up or does the shield interfere? I would like to be able to wear goggles most of the time but use the shield in the cold or rain, will that work?
Thanks,
Bruce

+1

I don't know the answer to that question, as I don't wear goggles. I suppose you could, but you would have to remove them completely to lower the visor.

1. I think it is a good road helmet, and that is what I've been using it as. I will use my FLY when I go to the dirt.
2. I've had it up to 75mph on my Versys, and it did fine.
3. The sun visor is dark enough for me. I live in sunny Las Vegas.
4. No quality issues as of yet.

Was the $99 a web promo or in store sale? Website still shows $199.

The manager quoted me the wrong price, but honored it when I came back to pick it up later that day. Cycle Gear has always had good CS.

Rumor has it next weekend it will be $99 again.. (thats what the local CG guy told me)

I was just at my local Cycle Gear for some gloves and saw this helmet. Flip-down visor! I tried on my normal large and found I needed an XXL. It fit well on my round head and felt comparable to the AFX 39 I tried on at another bike store. It's $199.00 now (Louisville, KY) and will be on sale for $100.00 in the next week or so. Also a customer service guy tried one on at the same time with goggles. We found the windscreen flexed enough to allow the goggle strap to fit under it, and it still seemed to seal down as well. The windscreen did not touch the goggle strap when it is up.

Looks just like the Sparks Nexus dual sport helmet with the addition of a tinted visor. I tried one on at cycle gear today and it felt like a quality product but I didn't see a SNELL sticker, only DOT. I'm not sure if that should matter I would feel more comfortable if it had both certs.

I see this helmet is on sell for $99. I am pretty seriously thinking of buying on as I like the tinted visor. My eyes are very sensitive to bright lightand with winter coming along the sun is alot lower in the sky for a much longer amount of time. How are the sizes compared to say, the AFX39??

I just stopped in Cycle Gear last night on my way back fromt he hardware store on the TW200. I tried this helmet on and a Medium fit pretty tight, but the large fit well. He said they were still $199 until Thursday, and then he could sell me one for $99. It looks to be as good quality as the FX-39 I tried on at the little store in Tellico Plains a few weeks ago. I was going to buy the FX-39, but now I'm leaning towards the Bilt. It's a nice helmet, at least on my initial assesment.

I'll have a better review after next week. I am planning my first off-road adventure since I was a teenager. We are riding from Sylacuga to Mt. Cheaha on the Skyway motorway.