Helmets Long oval modular helmet selection

JakeS

Joined
Apr 29, 2013
Messages
26
Age
37
Location
Mass
Bike
ST1300
I am on the hunt for a new lid..
I would like a modular for the convenience of drinking (water) while riding and also for that nice burst of fresh air from time to time.. The over all convenience of it sounds nice.
I can't seem to find one for a long oval head. I currently use an Arai Profile and it fits perfect!!!
I have searched web bike world dot come and it looks like there is only a few that are oval-ish.
What are your suggestions? Maybe you had a profile and now have a modular? what is it?
I have tried on a few here and there but local places have slim pickings especially for sizes..
Thanks for the help...
Jake
 
Since you are wearing an Arai helmet, be aware that the modular helmets are heavier.

I like their convenience but do not like the weight.

You are a young , strong guy, weight may not matter.
 
I assume I am a long oval. The best fit I have found is Shoei Multitech (I have not tried their latest version). Almost all modulars are way to close in the chin area. Most were impossibly tight in the forehead (HJC and Nolan, as I remember)
 
I too have a problem finding a helmet that fits my head properly. Oval headed people must be rare.

Go to Revzilla, and watch there videos, on helmets. You can call and talk to them, and they are very helpful too.

My biggest problem is costs. I just don't have the money to buy those high dollar helmets. I need to find one that's CHEAP.

Good luck
 
I just took my first test ride today with my new Arai Signet Q (I know it's not modular). I've been wearing a top line HJC that has been really good except for a killer hotspot on the front/top of my noggin.. oddly it doesn't always bother me (wind pressure?)... anyway, have lusted for a top line helmet and finally got one. I was "L" in the HJC, and the Arai guy sold me an XL (interesting... I thought they tried to get you to squeeze in as small a size as possible).. and suggested the 12mm liner to fill in the face area. So I ordered the XL and the extra liner. Obviously fit is individual, but the stock 7mm liner is plenty snug, so I'll try to return the 12mm liner.

my first impressions on a fairly short ride of 1/2 hour or so are good. The helmet is quiet and comfy. the shield swap is a pain in the bum tho.. HJC is much easier. but so far so good, and it better be for the $$.

I'm not sure a great oval helmet exists in modular?

good luck -
 
one more thing, even though I just coughed up the dough for the Arai: I am not convinced that HJC's best lines are not just fine. it's hard to believe that those engineers can't figure out what the high $$ guys are doing... just sayin'
 
Check out the new HJC RPHA Max. I was in a shop the other day and they had these and I tried one on. It's more oval than the regular HJC helmets and seems to fit my head better than the standard IS Max, but it's significently lighter. Reviews tend toward the positive side as well.
 
drrod said:
I too have a long oval shaped head. I just got a Shoeu Neotec and it fits fine.
Rod
Click to expand...
What he said...
Shoei Neotech fits very well. It did cost twice the price of an HJC or Scorpion, and I'm sure the protection isn't twice as much, but the insides are more than twice as nice to have on my head all day.
 
http://ls2helmets.us/_live/
These are very nice helmets. Between the wife and I we own 4 of them.
I have found that the double X large is a very nice fit for a long oval head.
The helmets have an internal air bladder that you simply pump up for as tight a fit as you like. There is a quick deflate button right next to the pump button inside the chin bar. Give them a look. Find a dealer, try them on, and BUY !
 
I too use the arai profile that fits like a glove. Never had a helmet fit my noggin that well.

The only other helmet I tried that fit and was a flip up was the shuberth. But the cost was so high even over the arai helmets I dismissed it.
 
The scorpion Exo 900 and the Shoei multitec both seemed to fit me very well when I tried them on my oval head. The scorpion will be my next helmet purchase.
 
Web Bike World rates the Nolan N104 (newer style) as an Intermediate Oval shape - not Arai Profile narrow but narrower and longer than any of the HJS *Max or Shoei Neotec or Multitec. Under $400 too.
 
I went through that ordeal last fall. I have a definite "long oval" head shape. I've had about 6 helmets in the past (3/4, full, and modular) and they all required "Adjustment" so they didn't give me headaches from pressure points. Previous helmet was a Nolan N-100 (I think) about 10 yrs old. Liner worn out, all the rubber seals had dry-rotted, + 10 yrs of use. I had to do a lot of "adjustment" to get that one wearable.

I looked through all the info I could find and tried the 2 "most long oval" modulars that were available. I wear a 7-3/8 or 7? hat size. I started with a Lazer Monaco. The shape was good, but they build all their sizes with one shell. Once I managed to get it one (barely) I actually tore my earlobe trying to get it off, and that was flexing it apart as much as I dared. Could work for you if you wear a small, or maybe med size. HJC RPHA Max was next (I too was trying for a modular), but way too round for my head, even in XL it still had front-back pressure points and loose at sides. Ended up with a Shoei RF-1100 in Lg. Not exactly perfect, but better than anything ever tried before. Revzilla was very good about exchanging the first 2 (all for no shipping charge either way). I had to go with thinner cheek pads, and add a tiny bit of filler over the ear area under the liner to optimize the fit. I would have gone for the Arai Signet-Q, but the RF-1100 was on sale for $280 - the Arai would have been about $580. Have only had the new lid on in the house, but over an hour several times with no pressure points or headaches or neck aches.

There may be a modular out there that is a true long oval, but I didn't have the patience to try 20 helmets (nobody within 200 miles actually stocks decent helmets) via mail order. The RF-1100 was definitely workable, so I stopped there. Hope that helps - and is not too discouraging..
 
I went through that ordeal last fall. I have a definite "long oval" head shape. I've had about 6 helmets in the past (3/4, full, and modular) and they all required "Adjustment" so they didn't give me headaches from pressure points. Previous helmet was a Nolan N-100 (I think) about 10 yrs old. Liner worn out, all the rubber seals had dry-rotted, + 10 yrs of use. I had to do a lot of "adjustment" to get that one wearable.

I looked through all the info I could find and tried the 2 "most long oval" modulars that were available. I wear a 7-3/8 or 7? hat size. I started with a Lazer Monaco. The shape was good, but they build all their sizes with one shell. Once I managed to get it one (barely) I actually tore my earlobe trying to get it off, and that was flexing it apart as much as I dared. Could work for you if you wear a small, or maybe med size. HJC RPHA Max was next (I too was trying for a modular), but way too round for my head, even in XL it still had front-back pressure points and loose at sides. I could have tried the high end Shoei modular (NeoTech?) but was tired of the swapping game (although Revzilla was very good about it) and the cost was sort of out of budget. Ended up with a Shoei RF-1100 in Lg. Not exactly perfect, but better than anything ever tried before. Revzilla was very good about exchanging the first 2 (all for no shipping charge either way). I had to go with thinner cheek pads (thinnest ones that are "specified" for a Lg helmet), and add a tiny bit of filler (3 mm mid-density foam) over the ear area under the liner to optimize the fit. I would have gone for the Arai Signet-Q, but the RF-1100 was on sale for $280 - the Arai would have been about $580. Have only had the new lid on in the house, but over an hour several times with no pressure points or headaches or neck aches.

I bought a pinlock clear shield (standard one is plain flat), a pinlock dark smoke shield, and two clear pinlock liners. I'm hopeful it will be quieter than the old Nolan - that thing - even behind a windscreen - was noisy. Exterior gaps and seams and shield fit was bad. I could put my hand across the top front area and all the noise went away.

There may be a modular out there that is a true long oval (maybe the NeoTech?), but I didn't have the patience to try 20 helmets (nobody within 200 miles actually stocks decent helmets) via mail order. The RF-1100 was definitely workable, so I stopped there. Hope that helps - and is not too discouraging..
 
I also looked at a lot of Modulars last year but decided on the HJC RPHA Max. I had it narrowed down to the Nolan N104 and the RPHA Max. I too have a more long oval head shape. The RPHA to me had a better fit front to back. The N104 gave me a pressure point on my forehead. I base all my helmets on the fit of the Shoei RF1100, in a large fit me snug but had a good shape for me. The RPHA in a Large, is very similar in shape to the RF1100 with just a little more room all around. The RPHA Max is pretty much a perfect fit. It's also very light for a modular, has a small profile, has some of the best ventilation on any helmet I've tried, and very good visibility.

The Nolan had better visibility all around and ventilation was almost as good. If it fit me better, I probably would have kept it.
I defiantly recommend checking out both if you are looking at modulars.

Like Randy mentioned, the Lazer may be worth looking at. I wanted to try one but couldn't find one locally. I didn't feel like ordering one and possibly having to return it.
 
Try a Vega....the Summit series is a bit more pronounced long oval fit, and their newest, the Vertice, is lighter and is very quiet.
Have fun!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom