03-01-2024, 07:28 AM
I received the helmet, and its colors really stand out in person. It did look to be an open box item in that it had some gooy smudge on the side of it, but it wiped right off.
I was excited to try it out...a bit tight going on, quite snug all around, fairly tight at the cheeks, but no immediate discomfort. But then I tried pulling it off...ouch! That pinched the cartiledge on the backside of both ears...I mean, it was a struggle! Tried it 3 or 4 times more over an hour. Going on, it's tight, then plop! it's on. But taking it off was downright painful. I tried moving it this and that way figuring a better angle would help, but nope...my wife even commented looking at the backs of my earis...'do that a few more times and you're gonna get blisters!'...Strange.
I've had 2 Shoeis before, both medium. Over the years when at a mc shop, I've tried on this or that new Shoei helmet and just recently tried on a Shoei RF-SR...always medium, always a nice, how-you-want-it-to-be-tight, but no real burning areas, goes on / off tight, but with no struggle. Their larges were always too big. But this was way different. I measured the distance of the interior opening front to back, and the new helmet was 3/4" shorter than the other two. This was the hard shell part, not any padding that compacts over time. I didn't even bother wearing this one for more than just a few minutes...my ears still hurt a little from 2 days ago.
Talked to a Cycle World guy today, and he said they made this model with a tighter opening so that wind noise is reduced. While there, I tried on a plain RF1400 in large, and it came off a lot better, but it's also a less snug. It's not sloppy loose, but not sure if a large would suit me. The CW guy looked to see if they could order a large for me, but nada...only XL. The place I bought it from told me the medium I ordered was their very last one. I think I've seent 1 or 2 available in large...but not at the price of the medium...I thought I had one at $470, turns out it wasn't available, found the medium at $510...but now I see a few larges at $575...it's spiraling in the wrong direction, and much more now than my desired range of $300-350.
Might have to try the HJC...the i71 felt nice and I kinda like the Iorix white-orange at $270. Disappointed, but what to do?
I was excited to try it out...a bit tight going on, quite snug all around, fairly tight at the cheeks, but no immediate discomfort. But then I tried pulling it off...ouch! That pinched the cartiledge on the backside of both ears...I mean, it was a struggle! Tried it 3 or 4 times more over an hour. Going on, it's tight, then plop! it's on. But taking it off was downright painful. I tried moving it this and that way figuring a better angle would help, but nope...my wife even commented looking at the backs of my earis...'do that a few more times and you're gonna get blisters!'...Strange.
I've had 2 Shoeis before, both medium. Over the years when at a mc shop, I've tried on this or that new Shoei helmet and just recently tried on a Shoei RF-SR...always medium, always a nice, how-you-want-it-to-be-tight, but no real burning areas, goes on / off tight, but with no struggle. Their larges were always too big. But this was way different. I measured the distance of the interior opening front to back, and the new helmet was 3/4" shorter than the other two. This was the hard shell part, not any padding that compacts over time. I didn't even bother wearing this one for more than just a few minutes...my ears still hurt a little from 2 days ago.
Talked to a Cycle World guy today, and he said they made this model with a tighter opening so that wind noise is reduced. While there, I tried on a plain RF1400 in large, and it came off a lot better, but it's also a less snug. It's not sloppy loose, but not sure if a large would suit me. The CW guy looked to see if they could order a large for me, but nada...only XL. The place I bought it from told me the medium I ordered was their very last one. I think I've seent 1 or 2 available in large...but not at the price of the medium...I thought I had one at $470, turns out it wasn't available, found the medium at $510...but now I see a few larges at $575...it's spiraling in the wrong direction, and much more now than my desired range of $300-350.
Might have to try the HJC...the i71 felt nice and I kinda like the Iorix white-orange at $270. Disappointed, but what to do?