It’s no coincidence that Bell is both the first name in speed and the first name in helmets. Born in the 1950's California hot rod and racing scene, Bell founder Roy Richter built an entire industry anticipating the unmet needs of those with a speed-hungry disposition. People wanted to drive fast … he corralled all the go-fast parts he could find into the world’s first speed shop. They wanted to race … he built them race cars. And when the need-for-speed started to reveal some grim realities, Roy did something about that too and Bell Helmets was born.