The very helpful lady in the shop advised me that the medium sized helmet I thought was the right fit is probably a little too loose. She felt I could move my head too much to the left and right while she held on to the helmet. The small one felt VERY snug. In one helmet small size caused headaches while in others it just felt very very snug. In the helmet which didn't cause headaches it was a little hard to get the helmet on as the opening was slightly small. She said this was good because you don't want the helmet flying off. What do you guys think?
Different helmet brands seem to have slightly different shapes, a small AGV is different to a small Shoei. You can customise fit in most helmets with different internal pads,if it's a decent shop they will do this for you and don't forget the foam will compress a little as you wear it. Better to be snug than a bit loose at the beginning.
You really are new to bikes aren’t you. My Arai RX7V was tighter than a tight thing when I bought it a couple of years ago. So much so I used to struggle getting it off. Now, after a couple of years wear, I tend to have to use a thin balaclava so it feels tighter when it’s on. Plus it stops my sweaty head from contaminating the inside of the lid too.
I am a bit of a helmet whore, having a Arai, x light and a Nolan (same company), Shoei and Hjc all in different sizes and they all work in very different ways, for example my Arai works on my track bike(panigale) but is horrible on my road bike (s1000r naked) the Shoei works great on a naked road bike. But what works for me may well not work for you, helmet make, style, size and the bike you ride make helmet choice a very personal choice. I would try another shop to get a second opinion on sizing.
Personally I like to have fun whilst riding, if my teeth are cutting into my gums and my eyes are bulging this is not much fun for me, I choose a helmet that is comfortable (Shoei N2) I also eat fried food and don't exercise enough, reckless is me
In my experience, your head shape determines your lid. Ive an Arai head. But Shoei are top notch too. I once had a van run over my head, i kid ye not. Thus Arai for life for me. Im on my 10th. Been two wheeled for over 30yrs. Never tried an AGV but mates one looks the business. Theyre always tight new. They need to be snug.
Definitely should be tight when new, they soon loosen up. Made that mistake once before, lesson learned
As above comments have said, one brands helmet size and shape is hugely different to other brands, that's just life. You buy the best helmet you can which fits comfortably and correctly, you don't buy a helmet on brand or looks (to a degree) Example is that there have been many Arai helmets I've liked the looks of over the years, yet no matter how many times I've tried a refit they simply don't fit me right. Yet the majority of shoei, my main brand since starting riding, all fit perfectly. Arai fit flatter across the front of the face, agv tend to fit small overall, shark seem to fit similar to a shoei but not as plush, and hjc fit similar to the shark and feel maybe a tad wider, there's a few small bits I've learnt over the years but even those some might disagree with. don't skimp on a lid and don't stay tunnel visioned on one specific type. Try the top brands first, one of those will suit your head shape the best and go from there when picking design Oh and buy a fanny pack, all top riders wear them
On a side note, don't think all Arai's are the same, a rx7gp is a different fit to a Chaser for example.
IME it should be able to get on and off easily enough without a struggle yet a snug fit when done up. Snug, not tight. It definitely should not exert so much pressure it hurts your head and gives you a headache. It will not come off if properly fastened and secure. As El T said it should be a little tight when new as the foam will compress with use. I always wear a thin skull cap under mine, even in summer as it a) helps my head breath and b) keeps the inside of the helmet clean. IMO although you can remove and wash liners they are never the same afterwards. I mainly use one from CCC designed for rugger buggers available in any good sports shop. I've had Griffin (that's aged me!) Arai, AGV, and most recently Spada and HJC. IMO Spada fit me well and are extremely good value for money; I have an open face one which I use when nipping into town on the scooter. My current go to lid is a flip face HJC (IS-MAX-II). I never thought I'd get a flip face as, when I was younger, they were all worn by old men on BMW GSs, now I may be older and I don't have a GS but I tried one at a bike show and they are just so damn practical. In built sun visor, loads of ventilation when needed, flip the chin piece up as I pass through a village at 20-30mph giving me the benefit of an open face and the lack of claustrophobia and then snap it all down back into a full face as I exit the village and go back up to warp speed. And at c€200 and ACU Gold Standard rated, damn good value. As for sizes my Arai is L, my Spada and HJC are XL - go figure
Helmet fit is a bit of a lottery. A helmet that is snug in the shop will either become comfortable, or it never will. (No shit, Sherlock, huh?) I have an X-lite that was snug when I bought it over a year ago and I still cannot wear it for more than a couple of hours or so before I just have to stop and rip it from my head. After that amount of time I doubt if it will ever become comfortable. If you buy a helmet that is comfortable in the shop, you have to be prepared to renew the lining from time to time in order to maintain the fit, since it will probably become loose as the lining beds in.
I bought a Schuberth after being a Shoe user for years. Initially I thought I'd made a terrible mistake as it was so tight it would hurt after an hours riding. Following advice I use the back of a spoon to carefully compress the foam in the forehead area where I was getting the pain and this made a huge difference.
