Breaking in a helmet

[jrhoyt84]

Just got my new shoei in the mail. At the advise of the folks at revzilla, I ordered a small. My head size falls directly in between a small and a medium, but they said it would break in a bit and better to be on the small side vs the large side. So my question is, how long does it take to break in? The small in snug. Really snug. Would I be better off getting some different cheek pads and go from there?

[go4geoff]

Just got my new shoei in the mail. At the advise of the folks at revzilla, I ordered a small. My head size falls directly in between a small and a medium, but they said it would break in a bit and better to be on the small side vs the large side. So my question is, long long does it take to break in? The small in snug. Really snug. Would I be better off getting some different cheek pads and grind from there?

Sounds about right man. It takes a hundred miles or so on the bike to have your sweat and movements embed into the liner memory. You'll find it becoming way better fitting as your riding more and it slowly adapts to your head. I personally love shoei helmets and the way they fit. Always snug in the beginning for me, then when broken in it's the perfect glove feel. If you hit the pavement you're gonna be thankful your lid was a bit snug rather than too loose.

[jrhoyt84]

Yeah this might be too short. With the helmet on I can get my chin, lips to touch the inside of the helmet..

[Lildrumr]

Sounds like it's too small. Not suppose to touch your chin. Should have a nice even pressure all around your head and be tight but comfortable.

[twowheeladdict]

Makes me wonder if you need a more oval shaped helmet.

[jrhoyt84]

Sounds like it's too small. Not suppose to touch your chin. Should have a nice even pressure all around your head and be tight but comfortable.

 
From what I've read the rf1200 is a little bit shorter front to back. But yeah. Is this too short?

[jrhoyt84]

Makes me wonder if you need a more oval shaped helmet.

 
Kind of what I'm wondering also

[Lildrumr]

I tried on the RF1200 and the GT-Air and I believe you're right. The RF1200 is shorter. I am 5'7, stocky build and ended up getting a 2XL GT-Air. I guess I have a big head! LOL! But kidding aside. The test for me was with comfort. The XL gave me what felt like a developing migraine. None with 2XL.

[go4geoff]

@jrhoyt84 Yea perhaps an Arai helmet would suit you better. Shoei RF helmets fit a more round shaped head, where Arai is fit more for an oval shaped. I fit Shoei very well, and Arai is way too long for me to feel like it would provide protection. Should perhaps exchange your lid?
 

[duenan]

Do the dyno break-in where they run your helmet on the dyno.
 
Not funny? Fine, I'll see myself out.

[jrhoyt84]

The 1200 doesn't necessarily feel uncomfortable.. Yes it's snug but I would say it's a fairly even pressure all around. I wore the dang thing around the house for like an hour. (The wife thinks I'm loosing it). I'm just a little worried with how close it is to my chin. I wish there was a place that sold shoei around here so I could try more on. I take that back. The dealer I bought my bike at sells shoei, but they were absolutely zero help when it came to getting fitted for a helmet. So me not knowing anything at the time left the dealer with a large, which it waay to big. I got home, realized this, went back to the store the next day to exchange it, and they said nope. No returns on helmets. So eff those guys.

[bmwpowere36m3]

Basically you want it as snug as possible (even pressure all-around), without it being painful or uncomfortable. With time it'll only loosen up. However if it hurts now, it might be too small. As far as the chin bar being close… that's normal. If I pucker my lips, they'll touch the inside of the chin bar on my RF-1200. My previous RF-1000 had slightly more room in the chin area.
 
When I fit a helmet, I start by removing the cheek pads. Put the helmet on and try and run my finger around my temples to see if there any gaps between the upper pad and the top of my head. It should feel like there's pressure all around the top of your head. I also wiggle the helmet and it should pull my hair/skin. Wear the helmet inside for an hour or so… no pain, headache, hot-spots = good.
 
Next I put in the cheek pads and wear it again for an hour. This is usually an area, personally, I need to go down a size for comfort and reduce the chipmunk look. So with my RF-1200 in size medium, I ended up with the thinnest cheek pads Shoei sells and its comfortable, but very snug (helmet is still fairly new).

[bmwpowere36m3]

Break-in will depend on how much you wear the helmet… I'll say that my older Shoei only felt better and better with age. Its 5+ years old now, but when I put it on it feels just right. Time, heat, sweat… will break in the helmet.

[Lildrumr]

Yeah this might be too short. With the helmet on I can get my chin, lips to touch the inside of the helmet..

 
You don't want it easily touching your chin. Just imagine what wind pressure will do.

[topazsparrow]

Just went through this with a helmet I bought from CanadasMotorcycle.ca (like revzilla for canada).
 
Snug is GOOD. Just watch for areas of high pressure / hot spots. If it's a nice even tight pressure all over, then it's a good fit. If you wear it for 30 minutes and you feel like it's irritating your skin or is leaving obvious marks, it's probably the wrong shape for your head.
 
 
Cheek pads are thick and break in easy, it's the rest of the fit you should worry about OP.

[bigity]

The 1200 doesn't necessarily feel uncomfortable.. Yes it's snug but I would say it's a fairly even pressure all around. I wore the dang thing around the house for like an hour. (The wife thinks I'm loosing it). I'm just a little worried with how close it is to my chin. I wish there was a place that sold shoei around here so I could try more on. I take that back. The dealer I bought my bike at sells shoei, but they were absolutely zero help when it came to getting fitted for a helmet. So me not knowing anything at the time left the dealer with a large, which it waay to big. I got home, realized this, went back to the store the next day to exchange it, and they said nope. No returns on helmets. So eff those guys.

Does your chin touch it most of the time. I can jet me chin out forward and touch my helmet, but it has never touched just from normal operation, not even at 130+MPH 
Snug and too tight is suuuuuch a difficult determination. My helmet(different from yours) was very snug when I bought it. The head area lossened up, but the cheek pads never did and my front jaw aches after 30 min. I'm going to have to unstitch them and take out a little material. Buuuuut the next size up would have been too large after break in. 
 
I'd wear the helmet in your house for 10 or so total hours. All my helmets took a long time to fully break in.

[jrhoyt84]

I should clarify. My chin touches only if I try and jut it out. The helmet fits snug enough that when I have it on and try to shift it around it doesn't move. So I don't think I would really have to worry about it moving around in the wind
 
Who knew picking out a helmet would be such a pain in the ass

[GAZ]

I used this sizing guide when I purchased mine a few years ago:

 
I originally got a Icon Variant, but my head shape did not fit this. I ultimately settled for a RF1200. Mine was broken in after about a month of weekend driving. It did not loosen up all that much as it still remains a snug fit on my head with no pressure points and little movement. The best thing I can recommend is go in and try on as many as possible. Then you can search for a deal knowing its fitted correctly.
 

[Lildrumr]

Spot on @gaz!

[Beemer]

Depends on how much you use it. It could take a week or more but they're right and the really snug will eventually turn into just snug, which it should be but not restrictive or uncomfortable. You want that good snug, the kind that ..... never mind. 

[jrhoyt84]

I think what I'm going to do is go and try on as many as I can. Just so I have an idea of how the others fit. From the sounds of it either my 1200 is good, or I'll have to go with something like an arai

[ShiftHer]

It's incredibly hard to pick out your first helmet, JR. It really is something that you have to do in person, and with someone who actually knows how a helmet should fit. Both of those factors are really hard to find. The first helmet I bought was 2 sizes too big and the wrong head shape. :\\ I had to order thicker cheek pads and it was still too lose, but thankfully they were the air pump kind so that helped a little. The dealer I bought it from had the same return policy you encountered--once you handed over the cash, you were up shit creek. 
 
If the fit of the RF-1200 is okay everywhere except that you feel it's too short front to back, check out the Icon Airmada. I found the fit to be similar, but the Airmada has a lot more length in the chin. If you want to stick with Shoei, and don't mind a modular, the Neotec has a longer front-to-back profile. Another option, if you want to stick with the RF-1200 might be thinner cheek pads.
 
Personally, I like good snug fit. My test is I have to be able to open the visor without the action of doing so causing my glasses to be moved very much. Some people don't like their helmets to be that snug. If your head and face didn't hurt after an hour of wearing it, then I think you have the right size. 
 
I found this video to be somewhat helpful when figuring out how a helmet should fit:

 

[pineappleunderthesea]

When I got my Shoei I simply got a pair of thinner cheek pads.
 
As for chin clearance, I've heard that a finger should fit between chin and helmet. You don't want it too close in case of a crash, the helmet will smash into your teeth/jaw if you land face first.

[jrhoyt84]

Decided to send the shoei back and have an arai signet on the way

[bmwpowere36m3]

I'd have held on to the helmet, before getting the replacement... unless you fitted the Arai already.