Troy Lee SE4 vs Bell Moto 9 Flex Carbon

Speeddemon73
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7/29/2016 4:55am Edited Date/Time 10/22/2018 7:02pm
Hey Guys,

I was in the market for a new helmet and tried on both of these helmets at my local shop. I thought I would give my opinion on both helmets in terms of their fit, feel, and function in hopes of helping people decide on a new helmet.

*Troy Lee SE4
The first thing that I noticed about this helmet was how light the helmet was. Seriously, it feels like wearing barely anything on your head. The next thing that I noticed is the amount of vents and exhaust ports on the helmet. The front of the helmet has huge intake ports and the rear has strategically placed exhaust ports that are placed right behind the crown of your head. The fit of this helmet is really snug and feels very minimalistic inside. By minimalistic, I mean that your head is not bombarded by an enormous amount of padding. The feel of this helmet I would describe as your head being supported rather than cushioned. The rear of the helmet feels as if someone was cradling the back of your head which I really liked. The nose of the helmet is not stubbed and does not create the feeling that you would crack your nose on the nose of the helmet. I did not feel any weird pressure points. The front of the helmet by my forehead was a little tight, but nothing abnormal. The eye port on the helmet is HUGE! It fit my OTG goggles perfectly. This is a major problem I have with other helmets. So if your wear large goggles or the newer goggles like the airbrake, this helmet fits those great. Overall, I really liked this helmet a ton.

*Bell Moto-9 Flex Carbon
Again, this helmet like the troy lee is very light and I do not notice this helmet on my head at all. The first thing I notice on this helmet that I really didn't like was how short and stubby the nose is on this helmet. The nose of the helmet feels as if I would crack my nose on it during a crash. Some people prefer this, but I do not. The fit of this helmet was very comfortable and I would say slightly better than the Troy Lee. No weird pressure points and it did not squish my head at all. The feel of this helmet is very plush. It feels as though someone wrapped a pillow around your head. It is very comfy to wear. I could fall asleep in this helmet. The downfall of this helmet for me is the eye-port. I tried fitting my OTG goggles into this helmet and it was a no go. The goggles hit the top bridge of the helmet and the side of the eye-port created pressure points on the sides of the goggles that forced the goggles off my face a bit on either side. If you wear a large goggle with a big eye-port, I would try the helmet first with your goggle before purchasing. I don't think larger goggles are going to work well with this helmet. Overall, I really liked the feel of this helmet, but the small eye-port and stubby nose deterred me from this helmet.

At the end of the day I put in an order for a new Troy Lee SE4 in the Team White colorway. I feel this helmet was the ticket for me. Both of these helmets are amazing and you can't go wrong with either. Both helmets were tested with my 100% Accuri OTG goggles. If you're looking for a new helmet I would seriously look at these two helmets. I will be doing an update review of the SE4 once it comes in and I get some rides with it.

Thanks for your time and hope this helps someone.

Steven \m/ -__- \m/
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22Ryann
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7/29/2016 5:03am
I just got myself a SE4 & am happy with it, fits great and a few things stood out to me once actually riding in it.

* Lightness was noticeable on bike, however i didn't really take much hype in when i was just holding it. When riding though i could feel it.
* Air flow was noticeably better than my previous thor helmet, didn't really even take much notice but when riding the cooling was much better and could physically feel it.
* Also i thought the viewing port was a little small but again when riding it felt much more open and my nose was protected.

Been very happy with mine.
Mini Elsinore
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7/29/2016 6:50am Edited Date/Time 7/29/2016 6:51am
Good stuff. Thank you for the reports!
CarlinoJoeVideo
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7/29/2016 8:09am
Thanks for the comparison. What's the price difference?
TeamGreen
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7/29/2016 8:20am
The same

Carbon Flex $649.95

SE4 $650 (all SE4s are Carbon)

The Shop

lostboy819
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7/29/2016 8:30am
Who did you order it from and how long until you get it ?
Speeddemon73
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7/29/2016 8:50am
I ordered my SE4 through my dealer and should be here next week.
TeamGreen
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7/29/2016 8:52am
Still wearing Helmet #13 since the launch ride at Pala in April.







Speeddemon73
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7/29/2016 9:37am Edited Date/Time 7/29/2016 9:39am
I will say this. The White "team" SE4 is not really flat white like the pictures portray it as. It is a sparkle pearl white and looks absolutely awesome!!!
KBOLTZ
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7/29/2016 1:04pm
Thanks for the review. I've been in the market for a new lid. It was nice that you pointed out the nose length. At the moment my 5 year old TLD helmet sits very close to my face and I don't like it at all. I feel like I could bust my teeth out. I'll definitely be looking into the SE4 for nose length based on your review. Thanks again.
lostboy819
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7/29/2016 1:28pm
I ordered my SE4 through my dealer and should be here next week.
Good to know they are not on back order. I am going to do some helmet shopping soon. Cool
Moto520
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7/29/2016 1:59pm
The SE4 is one of the best helmets I've owned in awhile. I always bring 2 helmets to the races so that I have a dry helmet at all times. Last race I brought my SE4 and the Bell Moto 9. The Moto 9 felt stuffy and didn't breathe nearly as well as the SE4. I never noticed it before until I had almost back to back motos. So.....SE4 is my vote.
731chopper
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7/29/2016 2:09pm
For anyone that is curious about what goggles fit in the Bell Flex, the Oakley Airbrakes do. They're a large goggle so I'm surprised you had issues getting your goggles to fit.

What I'm very curious about is the custom fitting that Bell now provides. My son doesnt have a uhh... typical... head shape so in a few years when I get him on a bike I'm probably going to go this route for him.
jl0822
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7/29/2016 3:21pm
dont mean to hi-jack your post speeddemon

currently ride with a shoei and im looking for a new helmet
i would love to get the bell moto 9 carbon or the se4 but unfortunately its out of my budget,
ill be purchasing two, for my dad and i

i see that the 2016 se3 carbon is for sale on most sites $349
also considering the moto 9 for $399

has anyone tried any of the two?
731chopper
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7/29/2016 4:10pm
jl0822 wrote:
dont mean to hi-jack your post speeddemon currently ride with a shoei and im looking for a new helmet i would love to get the bell...
dont mean to hi-jack your post speeddemon

currently ride with a shoei and im looking for a new helmet
i would love to get the bell moto 9 carbon or the se4 but unfortunately its out of my budget,
ill be purchasing two, for my dad and i

i see that the 2016 se3 carbon is for sale on most sites $349
also considering the moto 9 for $399

has anyone tried any of the two?
I had a TLD Air helmet last year which fits similarly to the SE3. It feels small when wearing it. Never wadded in it so I can't speak to the most important part of it. It had the best stock paint job ever - matte P51.
MXD
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7/29/2016 9:12pm
My local dealer can't get Troy Lee stuff. I really wanted to try on the SE4 but no go. So then they tried to get me a Leatt GPX6.5. The rep came in and they said "one of our good customers is interested in a GPX6.5 helmet but he'd like to try on a L and XL back to back to see which fits better". The rep told him to get payment in full and he'd send him both Otherwise he wasn't sending either. So, that was the end of that. My options are whithering away. I'm left with 6D, Bell, Fly and Fox.
Speeddemon73
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8/7/2016 4:09pm
I got my helmet in this last week and got to ride twice this weekend in it. First off, the fit of this helmet is much better than the dealer demo model I tried on. The padding in the helmet is much more plush and fit my head contours much better. Like I said before, the helmet is super light and when riding I don't even notice it is there. The only time I am reminded is when the nose bonks my neck brace when I look down far. The best thing about this helmet for me is the venitlation. This weekend it was 85-90 degrees with high humidity and lots of sunshine. Pretty much sauna weather and this helmet kept me cool. You can literally feel the air coming into the helmet and blow past your head and out the back. The feeling is similar to running your fingers through your hair. At the end of my motos I was not completely baked and exhausted sweating my head off. My head comes out of my helmet quite dry and honestly when I stop riding to take a breather, I can leave the helmet on and be very comfortable. I feel like I can ride much longer with this helmet due to how light it is and how much it keeps your head cool and dry during motos. I am really happy with my purchase and suggest if you are looking for a new helmet to try this one. I love mine. Oh and the helmet comes with a really nice padded troy lee helmet bag, extra painted visor, extra visor screws as the ones on the helmet are designed to shear off in a crash, troy lee stickers, and helmet ID stickers with spots to put your name, number, blood type, and emergency contact should paramedics need to assist you. I have not had to test the crash survival of this helmet and hope I never will have to. Again, I am really happy with this helmet.
dpingree101
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8/10/2016 4:20pm
From a safety perspective you can't buy a better helmet than the SE4. The SE3 and the Bell would be good 2nd, 3rd choices but... why would you buy anything less than the best when it comes to protecting your brain?? Spend the money here folks. I got to see all the third party testing results first-hand and there is a stark contrast between the SE4 and the others. Glad you like your Speedemon73
1
c0ncEpT
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8/10/2016 5:25pm
731chopper wrote:
For anyone that is curious about what goggles fit in the Bell Flex, the Oakley Airbrakes do. They're a large goggle so I'm surprised you had...
For anyone that is curious about what goggles fit in the Bell Flex, the Oakley Airbrakes do. They're a large goggle so I'm surprised you had issues getting your goggles to fit.

What I'm very curious about is the custom fitting that Bell now provides. My son doesnt have a uhh... typical... head shape so in a few years when I get him on a bike I'm probably going to go this route for him.
Good to know. My Spy Ace goggles don't fit in my moto 9 flex worth a shit. I actually broke 2 pair because they get stuck in the helmet. If I didn't get such a good deal on them I'd be furious.
Nellie12
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8/10/2016 5:59pm
From a safety perspective you can't buy a better helmet than the SE4. The SE3 and the Bell would be good 2nd, 3rd choices but... why...
From a safety perspective you can't buy a better helmet than the SE4. The SE3 and the Bell would be good 2nd, 3rd choices but... why would you buy anything less than the best when it comes to protecting your brain?? Spend the money here folks. I got to see all the third party testing results first-hand and there is a stark contrast between the SE4 and the others. Glad you like your Speedemon73
Are the results available to see? If not, why do you consider the SE4 better than the Bell and 6D?
usafwx
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8/23/2016 10:41pm
From a safety perspective you can't buy a better helmet than the SE4. The SE3 and the Bell would be good 2nd, 3rd choices but... why...
From a safety perspective you can't buy a better helmet than the SE4. The SE3 and the Bell would be good 2nd, 3rd choices but... why would you buy anything less than the best when it comes to protecting your brain?? Spend the money here folks. I got to see all the third party testing results first-hand and there is a stark contrast between the SE4 and the others. Glad you like your Speedemon73
Nellie12 wrote:
Are the results available to see? If not, why do you consider the SE4 better than the Bell and 6D?
Would like to know as well.
jasonv43
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8/23/2016 10:50pm
From a safety perspective you can't buy a better helmet than the SE4. The SE3 and the Bell would be good 2nd, 3rd choices but... why...
From a safety perspective you can't buy a better helmet than the SE4. The SE3 and the Bell would be good 2nd, 3rd choices but... why would you buy anything less than the best when it comes to protecting your brain?? Spend the money here folks. I got to see all the third party testing results first-hand and there is a stark contrast between the SE4 and the others. Glad you like your Speedemon73
Nellie12 wrote:
Are the results available to see? If not, why do you consider the SE4 better than the Bell and 6D?
usafwx wrote:
Would like to know as well.
You can put me on this list of people that would like to know.

Thanks.
chuckdavies
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8/24/2016 12:43am
The 3rd party test results were posted in the videos and part of the promotion when they were first being unveiled. Have a look through the TLD site.

I ran a moto 9 flex last year and its a great helmet, but picked up 2 SE4s recently and really into them. The cheek pad and liner material is better and the vents really help in the heat. Overall comfort is perfect, safety is proven to be the best, easier to clean than the bell (i hated the mud that got stuck in the mouthpiece on the moto 9!), and the styling of the TLD stuff is always second to none. Go for it!
Steely Dan
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8/24/2016 5:36am
I'll be in the Showtime Moto 9 Flex as soon as I get off my lazy ass and add it to my shopping cart. Was on the fence, but the whole Motorcycle-Superstore team had them on at Budds, and they sold me on it. I'll probably order from Motorcycle-Superstore, which I don't normally do, because Georgia Lindsay.
cjmx
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8/24/2016 6:05am
is the chin guard on the TLD SE4 really close to your chin? I've heard this was a complaint on TLD helmets.
usafwx
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8/24/2016 7:35am Edited Date/Time 8/24/2016 7:46am
The 3rd party test results were posted in the videos and part of the promotion when they were first being unveiled. Have a look through the...
The 3rd party test results were posted in the videos and part of the promotion when they were first being unveiled. Have a look through the TLD site.

I ran a moto 9 flex last year and its a great helmet, but picked up 2 SE4s recently and really into them. The cheek pad and liner material is better and the vents really help in the heat. Overall comfort is perfect, safety is proven to be the best, easier to clean than the bell (i hated the mud that got stuck in the mouthpiece on the moto 9!), and the styling of the TLD stuff is always second to none. Go for it!
Can you post a link, I searched and it didn't specify just said best performing in results. Im curious how the helmet and mips stack up against the 6d omni dimensional design.
Moto520
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8/24/2016 7:43am
The fit of the Bell is not even close to the fit of the SE4. The SE4 is lighter, more comfortable, and appears safer due to a larger hard foam insert under the shell. I have both and it's pretty obvious which helmet is better. I don't give a flying shit either way but this is my opinion.
usafwx
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8/24/2016 7:56am
I'm curious as opposed to the 6d. The 6d has been the safest and proven helmet, just generalizing that it performed best in tests dosent really say anything or substantiate those claims, not advocating just want the best shell on my head.
carl-h
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8/24/2016 8:33am
Does anyone have any opinions on the Leatt GPX helmets? I'm hoping to try one on Friday and if they fit I'll have one. Not sure if I'm going to go for the carbon or not yet. I'm not so keen on the colours on the carbon but may feel different in the flesh
8/24/2016 8:41am
Moto520 wrote:
The fit of the Bell is not even close to the fit of the SE4. The SE4 is lighter, more comfortable, and appears safer due to...
The fit of the Bell is not even close to the fit of the SE4. The SE4 is lighter, more comfortable, and appears safer due to a larger hard foam insert under the shell. I have both and it's pretty obvious which helmet is better. I don't give a flying shit either way but this is my opinion.
Fit is different for everyone so you can't say that.
Moto520
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8/24/2016 9:19am
Moto520 wrote:
The fit of the Bell is not even close to the fit of the SE4. The SE4 is lighter, more comfortable, and appears safer due to...
The fit of the Bell is not even close to the fit of the SE4. The SE4 is lighter, more comfortable, and appears safer due to a larger hard foam insert under the shell. I have both and it's pretty obvious which helmet is better. I don't give a flying shit either way but this is my opinion.
Fit is different for everyone so you can't say that.
I hear ya on that. I'll try to explain better (actually I could take pictures but seems like a lot of work). The liner on the Bell is very thin and you can feel the hard foam through the soft foam especially on the top of the head. The plushness of the liner does not compare imo. The facemask part is also very close to your face on the Bell. So close that my nose is just about touching the chinbar. The SE4 is a bit farther away and just seems to be designed a little better. The Bell seems like a $300 helmet (like a Fox V3, V4, etc) while the SE4 has the fit and finish of the higher end helmets (Arai Pro4, Shoei). You ever put a helmet or piece of equipment on and just know that it feels safer?

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