Helmet Selection between Boston and Providence

[dankatz]

Ive had great fitment with Shoei, Suomy and Scorpion.....Shark feels like shit, Arai just does not fit me.

I suggest trying the Suomy before you buy anything

Since Arai makes different models for different head shapes and has the 5mm adjustments in the liner built in I don't understand this. I have a very long oval head and the Arai Profile was the only Arai that fit me well. My friend has a rounder head and uses the RX-Q.

Overall, I would not buy Arai again. I hate their shield changing mechanism and honestly like my old Shark RSX much better.

[jwm2k3]

Since Arai makes different models for different head shapes and has the 5mm adjustments in the liner built in I don't understand this. I have a very long oval head and the Arai Profile was the only Arai that fit me well. My friend has a rounder head and uses the RX-Q.

Overall, I would not buy Arai again. I hate their shield changing mechanism and honestly like my old Shark RSX much better.

I've tried every shell Arai makes. I've tried interchanging interior pads. I've gotten an Arai to actually 'fit' me properly, but it feels like shit compared to Shoei.

I want Arai to work for me and I get to a point when trying them on that I say its ok, fits proper....but then I try on a Shoei right after....Shoei wins hands down. EVERY TIME.

Its not the same fit or feel.

**Add to this that the Arai shields are not my favorite and my money goes to Shoei....like 5 times now.***

Please read: I'm not degrading Arai. I like their lids....its just I've come to the conclusion every time that it doesn't fit me the way I want it to.

[jwm2k3]

Add to this I just put on my new Shoei X12 for a street ride yesterday after wearing my Suomy for the last year on the street...

I love the Suomy, but good god the X12 is an AMAZING lid...

[Jewcati]

Add to this I just put on my new Shoei X12 for a street ride yesterday after wearing my Suomy for the last year on the street...

I love the Suomy, but good god the X12 is an AMAZING lid...

See.... I guess it is just totally subjective, because I had the x-12. Loved the look and the fit, but it didn't vent at all on the track. Was a bit heavy, but I got used to that. But I couldn't do anything about the heat

[AEG]

Since Arai makes different models for different head shapes and has the 5mm adjustments in the liner built in I don't understand this. I have a very long oval head and the Arai Profile was the only Arai that fit me well. My friend has a rounder head and uses the RX-Q.

Overall, I would not buy Arai again. I hate their shield changing mechanism and honestly like my old Shark RSX much better.

The RX-Q fits me very well, but I also hate the shield changing mechanism. I thoght I am the only one with two left hands, who struggles with the visor every time I need to insert it. It feels like I am breaking or going to break something inside that I can't see. I watched the youtube video where someone replaces the Arai sheild in a few seconds without taking the helmet off and still sitting on the bike. To me it looked like a magic trick

[Petorius]

Here is an update:

Adrenaline Cycles and GBM had the best selections that I was able to find in the Boston - Providence area. I was able to fill in the gaps at an awesome shop in Dallas that I visited during a work trip. I spent probably 4 hours total trying on helmets, I tried all the middle- and high-end race/sport helmets from AGV, Arai, Bell, HJC, Icon, Scorpion, Shark, Shoei, and Suomi.

In the end I went with the Bell RS-1, due to both fit and an incredible closeout price from Riders Discount ($180 for the Hi-Viz Emblem graphic). The MFG dates on the ones I received (I bought 2) are Jan 2013 and May 2013. Not bad. The runners up were the Arai Corsair V, which felt incredible but is too much $ given how much I have been crashing recently, and the Scorpion EXO-R2000, which I would have purchased if I was not stuck between two shell sizes with my 58.5 cm head. The Scorpion has what appears to be a gimmicky little pump feature to inflate the cheek pads and adjust the size, but I actually found that it works very well.

Also worth noting- Bell cheek pads fit me differently than anything else I've tried, with more pressure back around the actual cheek bones, rather than lower into the cheeks themselves. This threw me off at first, but after I let one sit on my head for a few minutes it really grew on me.

[duganc1717]

Here is an update:

Adrenaline Cycles and GBM had the best selections that I was able to find in the Boston - Providence area. I was able to fill in the gaps at an awesome shop in Dallas that I visited during a work trip. I spent probably 4 hours total trying on helmets, I tried all the middle- and high-end race/sport helmets from AGV, Arai, Bell, HJC, Icon, Scorpion, Shark, Shoei, and Suomi.

In the end I went with the Bell RS-1, due to both fit and an incredible closeout price from Riders Discount ($180 for the Hi-Viz Emblem graphic). The MFG dates on the ones I received (I bought 2) are Jan 2013 and May 2013. Not bad. The runners up were the Arai Corsair V, which felt incredible but is too much $ given how much I have been crashing recently, and the Scorpion EXO-R2000, which I would have purchased if I was not stuck between two shell sizes with my 58.5 cm head. The Scorpion has what appears to be a gimmicky little pump feature to inflate the cheek pads and adjust the size, but I actually found that it works very well.

Also worth noting- Bell cheek pads fit me differently than anything else I've tried, with more pressure back around the actual cheek bones, rather than lower into the cheeks themselves. This threw me off at first, but after I let one sit on my head for a few minutes it really grew on me.

I bought my wife and myself Bell RS1's recently and we are very happy with the purchase, seems to be great helmet for the $$$. FYI not sure if it was mentioned earlier in the thread, but cycles 508 in Brockton as a pretty decent stock of helmets and is a bell dealer, I bought our helmets their for short money. Also if you have not yet invested in the transition shield do so, well worth the $$$.

[Garandman]

I was just at Cycle Gear Woburn MA and they have a lot of helmets, but most of them seem to be their Bilt brand.

I've tried every shell Arai makes. I've tried interchanging interior pads. I've gotten an Arai to actually 'fit' me properly, but it feels like shit compared to Shoei.

I want Arai to work for me and I get to a point when trying them on that I say its ok, fits proper....but then I try on a Shoei right after....Shoei wins hands down. EVERY TIME. //

I have a "Shoei head" also and wore them from 1980 to a few years ago. The only Arai that fits like a Shoei is the Signet-Q, which is what I have. I find it more comfortable, quieter on the highway and to have better ventilation than the last Shoei I had. But just bought a Shoei MotoX helmet because I'm sure the Arai would not fit.

[abeer]

I was wondering where I could try some Bell Helmets actually.

I really am an Arai head, always wore Quantums or RX's until recently getting a deal on a Schuberth C3-Pro.

I was disappointed by how poor the Schuberth and Arai Quantums perform under Sharp testing however. Now I'm thinking of going with a Shoei X12 or RF-1200 (assuming it tests as well as the RF-1100 which has a perfect 5 star rating)
http://sharp.direct.gov.uk/

[duganc1717]

Cycles 508 has Bell, Arai, Scorpion and Shoei on the floor. Check there website it shows them also having AGV, HJC and Nolan, make sure to checkout the open box buys on the website too.