Helmet help

I posted this up in the ATV thread, but it's pretty low traffic, and I'm hoping to go helmet shopping/testing Wednesday or Thursday of this week. Pardon the quick and dirty copy paste from the other thread, but I'd like to know if anybody has any recommendations on helmets that could serve dual purpose for my current SxS needs as well possibly Spyder use in the future.

So, I'm finally going to get off my ass and get a helmet. I've been delaying because of past experiences with helmets, and the mistake of online ordering.

Last helmet I had was a Shark S700 Legion (loved the look and internal sun visor), but the shape was wrong for my fat head. Side to side was good, but my brow and the back of my head were pinched. I couldn't ride my motorcycle more than about 30 minutes before I had to stop and get that helmet off my head. That particular helmet was listed as being good for an intermediate oval head shape. By all descriptions of the head shapes that SHOULD be what I need, but maybe I need a long oval. In the end I wound up getting rid of the bike and the helmet.

Now that I am enjoying the SxS so much I feel like I need to get a helmet. It'd certainly be better on the brisk morning commute type rides like yesterday. 40* is damn cold at 55 MPH! Commuting in the RZR is making me kinda miss the bike, but I never did like the lean of a motorcycle, so I am toying with the idea of a Spyder. I know, I know. It's an abomination, it's not a bike, blah blah blah. If it'd let me take some long open top rides and road trips, then I don't care what the stigma is. That said, I am struggling a bit on the helmet choice and where to go to try and get to try them on. The closest city that will have shops with helmets is going to be SLC/Northern Utah. Anyone have recommendations?


TLDR: I need a helmet for my RZR and possibly serving double duty on a Spyder someday. Shit luck getting helmets or hats that fit means I need a place to try on lots of styles and types. Norther UT is the easiest region to get to and I need word of mouth suggestions on where to go for getting my fat head in a lot of different helmets.

Places I know about are Rocky Mountain ATV MC https://www.rockymountainatvmc.com/ and Cycle Gear https://www.cyclegear.com/

Anyone have experience with either, or other places to go?

 

I've had good luck ordering with Dennis Kirk and motorsports.com
Stay away from icon products they a very cheaply made products.
My Last helmet was a suomy and has taken some abuse and is still holding up well.

:And bike bandit is another good place to order from.

 

Good info. Thank you. I was actually looking at an Icon Airflite because it's the long oval head shape and the only complaint I've seen is that it's loud. Looks neat, but that is secondary on a helmet. If I can, I'd like to get a modular to help with my claustrophobic tendencies.

My biggest issue is trying helmets on. I live in the middle of nowhere, and I bought my Shark online from Revzilla (good experience) and it felt good for the 5 minute test I did. Then I went riding, got bugs on it and such, and found that after 20-40 minutes my head felt like it was being crushed. At that point I couldn't return it, and didn't have the money for a new one, so I lived with it. I just rode in 30 minute increments, but that gets old. I'm really hoping to find a shop that has a huge selection of large and 2x helmets I can go through. If my head really is the long oval type, my options are going to be pretty limited.

 

My suomy is a modular, I like it a lot and was lucky to mail order and get a good fitting helmet.
Sounds like you're on the right path going to shops for a test fit.
I might suggest going to a bmw shop or somewhere that sells adventure bikes.

 

Good thought there. I hadn't even considered that different brands might be better tuned on the helmets. I know the easy/cheap route for a SxS helmet is the dirt bike route, but I wear glasses so the goggles side of things are a major turn off to me.

In the Rockies, most places sell a bit of everything. Dirt, adventure, cruiser, and touring all in one place. Unfortunately, most of the bike shops are small and dedicate the majority of their space to bikes, and far less to the gear.

 

I'm in the same boat as you, I live in the sticks and its a waist of the whole day to go to town for anything. That's why I order all my shit, I hate going to town!lol
Sounds like it's a trip to the big shitty or roll the dice with another mail order and hope for the best.
Just order a little extra larger than you think you will require, that way you could at least take up the extra space with a nice warm helmet sock or a balaclava?

 

Pretty sure you're a bit more isolated than I am, but my state does have fewer people than yours.

I have friends and family in Northern Utah, so making a trip to SLC or the cities north isn't completely terrible. I just don't know what shops are worth visiting and what ones are worth bypassing. My big thing is finding a good selection to sample, because I can order ANYTHING online if I don't care for the service in a shop. I need to find out definitively if I should be shopping intermediate oval or long oval, as going a size up for the wrong shape will create too much space on the sides and then the helmet may just be the thing that hurts me in a crash.

Size is pretty easy to get with a soft tape, but the head shape. That's a subjective and ephemeral thing. One helmet shape will be intermediate oval to one manufacturer and it'll be long oval to another. From what I've found looking, most of the Shark Helmets were round oval shapes, so maybe their idea of intermediate oval was just not quite what it should be and an intermediate oval from any other brand would have been fine. Not sure.

 

I'm jealous of your states population, for sure! Lol
Keep us posted on how the helmet hunt turns out, I'll stay tuned in.
Maybe someone else will jump in with some better info than I could provide.

 

From a fat headed rider...

Shoei has the best shape and sizing for our fat , round American heads. Was always my go to.
Aria always felt too shallow/short.
Shark has a different feel as you mentioned. Best venting though.
Suomy will fit snug so go up a size. Once I found the correct fit I had a couple of these.

Cycle gear does a fine job and was one of my sponsors when racing.

Test fitting is always a good choice.

a few old Shoeis. They always fit me like gloves.
These have all seen the deck...

 

Nice collection! Seems if my head were fat and round I'd have options, but as fat and long (hehehe) it's harder. (Again, hehehe)

 

sounds like Suomy may fit best.
Just don’t use their sizing charts.

 

I've never even heard of that brand. Guess I need to do some research on tonight's shift.

 

Another thing I should ask: Who are your trusted go to sources for helmet and gear reviews? I know that every retailer has their own reviews, but they are generally a laundry list of features, and sparse on criticism. They're trying to sell you something, after all.

I enjoy Revzilla videos, but the fit the above profile pretty solidly. Not much critical, and anything that is critical is quickly shooed away with "but this is not a reason not to buy" type of comments.

I find Ryan of "FortNine" entertaining, and I've seen him flat say things are crap. The only thing difficult for me is going to google all the weights and such because he is based in Canada and seldom uses units of Freedom. I even enjoy his shots at Americans and our culture. It's a good mix of informative and entertaining.

I've not delved too deeply into other reviewers, and I struggle to find any that I can read. It's all video these days.

Where would any of you recommend I seek out honest and informative reviews?

 

Always test fit, always. online ordering without a test fit almost never works out.

 

Yup. Learned that with the first one half a decade ago. I'm just trying to get guidance and opinions so I'm not walking in anywhere completely uninformed.

 

I did forget to mention AGV.
They have a good “oblong “ fit.

 

One of the most comfortable and quiet helmets I have ever worn is a Shoei Quest.

 

I still have a shoei and arai in basement I've posted a couple places to sell (because I no longer ride), but never got any offers. They are fantastic helmets. Had a suomy which I liked, before I wrecked with it in. Sure did it's job though, same with the shoei I wrecked in.

If you have a 10k-20k bike and a $100 helmet you're a moron. Not going to change my mind on this fact. Good luck with your hunt, imo go with one of the three listed brands above and you won't be disappointed.

 

Also forgot to mention, the higher end helmets actually get air in and out of the helmets. Trash helmet = trash airflow.

 

I have 5 Shoei helmets on the shelf and haven’t ridden in 6 years. Nobody wants a used helmet from Louisiana.