Bell Launches Custom-Painted Helmet Program

Bell Helmets partners with German helmet customization outfit to offer bespoke-painted helmets to the general public.

In today’s motorcycling climate customization has seemingly hit an all-time high. The aftermarket sector is booming, customs shops are flourishing, work is aplenty for bespoke paint and design artists, and even big-name manufacturers are offering factory custom versions of existing two-wheeled offerings (like Triumph’s recently unveiled TFC Thruxton). So it doesn’t come as much of a surprise to learn Bell Helmets has introduced a custom paint program.

In order to deliver this new service the Southern California-based helmet purveyors have joined forces with Helmade. First founded back in 2015, the German paint and design firm is comprised of several of the world’s most renowned bespoke lid artists. Despite only existing for less than half-a-decade, Helmade’s impressive list of clients ranges from Formula One drivers to TT and MotoGP pilots (and friend of ESR and 2013 AMA Superbike champ, Josh Herrin).

What makes Helmade’s offerings so special is the company’s uncompromising pursuit for quality, acute attention to detail, and its professional handmade touch. Prior to leaving the shop in Frankfurt, each and every helmet is carefully sanded and prepped by hand before masking is laid down — supposedly accurate to within a millimeter! Next each custom-selected color — available in matte or gloss — is individually lacquered, before each separate layer is applied, during which time Helmade adheres to a precise drying time to ensure each unit is damn-near perfect. These aren’t random Etsy artists with cheap EBay airbrush kits. These are the f****** crème de la crème of the bespoke helmet world.

In an effort to make custom painted helmets available to a wider audience, Helmade has developed what is reportedly the world’s only online helmet design studio. Though this nifty online tool has previously been available on the Helmade website, the service can now be found on Bell’s website as well. Whether or not you’re in the market for a one-off liveried lid, I still recommend spending some time on the Bell or Helmade site configuring a helmet or two, as it’s actually pretty fun.

The online software allows users to pick from one of many base designs that can each be further customized, with users able to select different colors (base color, secondary, third, etc) from a range of different types of hues including “Soft” (aka pastel; “Bold” (bright); “Basic” (what it sounds like); (metallic) “Flakes”; “Effect” (neons and mettalics); and “Gradient”.

Once an order is placed Helmade says delivery time is within 3-4 weeks which is actually pretty impressive considering the amount of work it takes to create each helmet. While Helmade undeniably does some pretty stellar work, it doesn’t come cheap. The bespoke paint work costs around as much as the helmet itself. This isn’t necessarily a bad deal, though it’s clearly aimed at a more affluent demo. 

As of the time of writing, Bell is offering Helmade’s customization service for the majority of its lid lineup, including best sellers like the Star and (and Race Star), Custom 500, Bullitt (and newly released Bullit Carbon), Qualifier, Moto-3, and Moto-9. This means whether you’re a casual scooter pilot, a hardcore track-day enthusiast, a dirt junkie, or a combination of all three; Bell and Helmade have got a custom painted helmet with your name on it…literally. The online design tool lets users add custom script in one of several colors and fonts.

It is important to point out that Helmade’s customization tool — while impressive — is in reality more of a template-style setup where users can plug in the colors and details they desire. While Helmade does offer a decent amount of these templates, it’s still a far cry from traditional bespoke helmet painting that requires meeting with an artist, kicking ideas back and forth which lead to a genuinely bespoke offering — not that different from getting a tattoo.

To configure your own bespoke lid you can click here to checkout Bell’s customization tool, or you can click here to checkout the Helmade site.