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Helmet help


engian

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I recently purchase a Shoei X11 helmet to replace my Arai Signet GT. I had a number annoyances with the Arai (parts breaking, difficult to remove face shield, fidgety vent levers, the face shield wouldn't seal when closed), so I looked to other manufacturer's helmets.

 

The short point to this is that the Shoei doesn't fit me perfectly (the Arai, with a little use of a spoon to make a little forehead clearance fit as if it were molded from my head - perfect). I tried the Shoei on for about 30 minutes at the dealership and it seemed to fit very well. Now that I've ridden with it I've found that it doesn't fit perfectly. Front-to-back and along the top of my head it fits very well. The cheek pads, of which I bought the wider 39mm ones, also fit very well. But... along the sides of my head there is a little clearance. Where this really presents itself is when riding at speeds above 50mph and I turn my head just a little off-axis (a little to the side, left or right) from straigh ahead. The helmet shifts a small but noticable amount. Once it has taken a "set" to one side I can continue to move my head further to that side with no additional movement (or annoyance). The real stinker is that while facing straight ahead it moves one side to the other (left, right, left, right...). Really annoying.

 

I happen to love ALL the other aspects of the helmet - the venting is outstanding, the vent levers work wonderfully, demisting is excellent, the visor seals very well, and the eye opening is much better (for me) than the Signet GT. I really want to keep this helmet, but I need to learn if there is anything I can do to solve the side-to-side issue.

 

Do any of you know of a solution for this? I know that helmet fit is paramount to safety, so I don't want to do anything that would jeopardize my head in an accident.

 

Help.

 

Many thanks,

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Sounds to me like you have a long oval head just as I do. I'm told there is no other helmet that will fit a long oval head well except the Arai Signet or what is now the Profile. I dislike all the things about my Signet that you spoke of not to mention it is very noisy and does not vent too well but at least it does fit.I will probably replace it with the long oval Profile when this one needs to be replaced. If you find another helmet to fit a long oval head I would be interested in knowing but good luck. thumbsup.gif

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Billy, the X11 is actually quite "long oval" shape.

I used to think I'm for ever stuck with Arai helmets until I got the X11 I use now.

That helmet fits my head even better the Arais. This is actually the first helmet ever that I use in size M, so far I've always had to wear a size L.

I've found the perfect helmet for me. Too bad it's one of the most expensive ones around...

 

--

Mikko

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I'm having a little difficulty understanding your dilemma. There is "rocking" and there is "rotation." If the helmet fits fine front-to-back, then it should not rotate, but it might rock if the side fit isn't snug enough. If it is rotating, then the front-to-back fit is incorrect.

 

Basically, with the X-11, you have a helmet whose interior can be custom-fitted. Shoei has optional interiors for this helmet that will take up the side slack you're experiencing. Give them a call at 714-730-0941 and ask them for assistance. Just be sure you can accurately describe whether it's rocking from left to right, or rotating from left to right. If you need help understanding the difference, a sailboat rocks, a Lazy Susan rotates.

 

Hope this helps.

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Fernando,

 

I guess I described it in two ways, creating some confusion. It slides left to right at the top of my head, but not lower, at the cheek pads. It doesn't slide front to back at all.

 

Your lead was good. Dop! (in my finest Homer Simpson) I should have thought to give Shoei a call. I, thus, have now called Shoei and spoke with a tech guy named Patrick. He said there were a couple of things that could be done. The first, which he said cures almost all of such movement, is to order the smallest helmet liner, and replace mine with it. BTW my helmet is a large. He said it will fit fine; it is made with thicker pads all the way around, and should make it snug on the top of my head. It sounds like this might cause some discomfort while the very top pads break in, but I'll give it a try. He didn't say what the next step was, so I'm curious as to what it may be...

 

We'll see how this goes.

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