Fat head - Arai, Shuberth or Shoei?

[mister.koz]

Right so i've saved enough dosh to burn a pile on a helmet, i've been looking at the arai rx-7 GP helmets, partially because i know they are good but mostly because 2 or 3 of my mates who are QUITE experienced with wearing and scraping helmets reckon they are the ducks nuts.

I've tried and tried but i can't seem to get my fat head into the rx-7 XL helmets, partially a padding thing but also a length thing. Nowhere i have looked in hamilton has an XXL and everyone tells me that the XXL's are just the XL's with a different set of pads that give more room.

I have a shoei head, the xl's fit me really well and i have had one before. I am lookin at a couple of designs and colours because plain black is from my old bogan days and i am over them.

Hamilton motorcycles have a green shuberth in M which wont fit but i have heard really good things about the quietness and the quality of these helmets.

My old shoei (multitech) and my kbc helmet (face folding) are quite loud and the silence will be grand on those longer rides or rides that are gusty because i am prone to earaches and i have found that the quieter the ride, the better i can concentrate (no aftermarket pipe on the zx10r) the added concentration means i can focus and therefore ride better .

So questions:

• Does anyone here have any experience with the shuberth helmets?
• Does anyone here have an arai XXL and wont fit an XL
• Any other suggestions for helmets of this level?

[Hitcher]

If you can wear an XL, you're not a "fat head".

The Shoei XXL is the same shell as the XL. That's why it is an extremely snug fit for the fuller-headed gent and the internal forehead padding requires some "work" with a carpet knife and a large blunt object to get the fit right.

The only manufacturer I have discovered who uses a different shell for their very large sizes is HJC but then only in their CL-SP range.

There is a very strange rumour going around that manufacturers are stopping doing their very large size lids because Dot Snell told them to. I am very wary of any "intelligence" that NZ distributors promulgate and don't believe this latest one for one moment.

Money no object, the only two manufacturers who do proper very large helmets are Shoei and HJC. Nothing else even comes close. Trust me on this.

[mister.koz]

If you can wear an XL, you're not a "fat head".

The Shoei XXL is the same shell as the XL. That's why it is an extremely snug fit for the fuller-headed gent and the internal forehead padding requires some "work" with a carpet knife and a large blunt object to get the fit right.

The only manufacturer I have discovered who uses a different shell for their very large sizes is HJC but then only in their CL-SP range.

There is a very strange rumour going around that manufacturers are stopping doing their very large size lids because Dot Snell told them to. I am very wary of any "intelligence" that NZ distributors promulgate and don't believe this latest one for one moment.

Money no object, the only two manufacturers who do proper very large helmets are Shoei and HJC. Nothing else even comes close. Trust me on this.

Hey hitcher,

Yeah thats that i thought about the fat head thing... It could be more of a "long head" or simply that i need to put the Arai on while standing on one foot, pointing my nose north and chanting aum but i would rather not have a "ceremony" to put my helmet on!

I like the Shoei range and the xl does fit quite well, i guess this is more a question about the Shuberth helmets..

[mister.koz]

PS. typo they are SCHUBERTH noth shuberth.

[NZsarge]

Yeah as well all know, fit is first and foremost, after that if you have the coin i'd go the Arai RX-7 GP coz they are sexy as hell, i'd sell Hitcher's soul for one.... In frost black I reckon.

[icekiwi]

PS. typo they are SCHUBERTH noth shuberth.

After the bin I replaced my Shoei xr1000 with one of these.....
Blaardy awesome...quiet,comfortable,never thought i'd be into a drop down sunvisor but love it now i'm used to it..
Only downside is the clip in strap as I prefer the D buckles.

Hows that new beastie going,we should hook up for a ride sometime.

[mister.koz]

After the bin I replaced my Shoei xr1000 with one of these.....
Blaardy awesome...quiet,comfortable,never thought i'd be into a drop down sunvisor but love it now i'm used to it..
Only downside is the clip in strap as I prefer the D buckles.

Hows that new beastie going,we should hook up for a ride sometime.

Cool, thanks man yeah i prefer the buckle too... The schuberth dude is passing through at the end of the week so i will post my findings here's hoping the will fit!

[Mystic13]

Take the Schuberth for a test ride. They only seem to come up quieter under testing on naked bikes. With a windscreen on a sport tourer they can be bloody noisey. I wouldn't buy a Schuberth again on my experience with one. I enjoy the flip down visor but overall the helmet isn't worth the $$. The Shoei and Arai look like much better value for money. I'm binning my Schuberth and going Shoei.

[mister.koz]

Take the Schuberth for a test ride. They only seem to come up quieter under testing on naked bikes. With a windscreen on a sport tourer they can be bloody noisey. I wouldn't buy a Schuberth again on my experience with one. I enjoy the flip down visor but overall the helmet isn't worth the $$. The Shoei and Arai look like much better value for money. I'm binning my Schuberth and going Shoei.

Sweet, noted will bring the 10 in for the test ride cheerz!

[Hitcher]

It's a schame Herr Schuberth doesn't make helmets in large sizes. Afterall Herr BMW doesn't either. Presumably Chermans don't have large heads. I guess businesses can't be blamed for avoiding the outlands on the bell curve.

[mister.koz]

It's a schame Herr Schuberth doesn't make helmets in large sizes. Afterall Herr BMW doesn't either. Presumably Chermans don't have large heads. I guess businesses can't be blamed for avoiding the outlands on the bell curve.

Same with arai will see on thursday friday about head size i am just hoping for a good fit & feeling cause the shoei is really quite good on that front.

[Hitcher]

the shoei is really quite good on that front.

Note that the Shoei sizing is different for their flip fronts -- an XL in a flipper is a size smaller than a "normal" Shoei XL.

[Owl]

Try a different model Arai! The Corsair is a "relaxed round oval" whereas a Viper GT is a "long oval" and better suited to longer heads. The Chaser might suit you with an "intermediate oval", so it has more room front to back compared to the Corsair.

[Big Dave]

Try a different model Arai! The Corsair is a "relaxed round oval" whereas a Viper GT is a "long oval" and better suited to longer heads. The Chaser might suit you with an "intermediate oval", so it has more room front to back compared to the Corsair.

I wear an XL - I've just changed over from a Arai Viper (Union Jack) to a Chaser (Phil Read.)

I find the Chaser more comfy than the Viper, but I'm not sure I had the optimum cheek pads in Viper either.

[Cheshire Cat]