I went in to the local shop to get a Shoei X-Eleven Kiyonari today. I had been previously fitted for a Medium size at that shop, but they happened to be out of stock. I went to the shop next door to see if they had one and they did - but they said I should be wearing a small, not a medium.

Now, I currently weara large RF-800 which is practically worn out but still fits decent (not super loose or anything, but can start to move a bit at high speed). The thing is, now I'm confused about whether I should be getting the medium or the small. With the new helmet, when I wear the large it feels perfect (therefore it's too large), when I wear the medium it feels quite snug, and when I wear the small it feels way tight, to the point of hurting my ears.

The salesperson said if it doesn't feel like I'm going to get a headache that I should wear the small, but bloody hell it feels too tight.

Any insight or recommendations would be appreciated.

 

Ok, first off a helmet shouldnt move around etc, from what you wrote above, id say your a M, should feel snug but not "hurt" or have pressure points anywhere? you should measure your head if uncertain, also leave on in the store for 10-15 min, you may look silly, but its better than trying on for a minute etc. Good luck

 

+1 ^^^ maybe a little discomfort at first, but i don't think it should "hurt"...

 

Helmet padding "breaks in" after time, so tight will become snug, snug will become normal, etc etc. I good solid feel is what you're looking for, but it shouldn't crush your face. At first, I bought a large helmet and it fit well... but as time went on, it still fits alright, but once the pads broke in, it didn't feel quite right to me anymore. I stepped down to a large. It was pretty snug at first, but after a month it was perfect.

I crammed my head in a medium once... squashed my face so much I couldn't hardly close my mouth (kept making a "fishy" face) and squeezed my head a ton.

Basically, get the one that fits snug, I would go with the medium from your statements. It needs to feel tight, it IS brand new after all... but if it actually squeezes so much that it hurts or is folding your ears up funny or something, it's not what you want.

 

Awesome thanks for that input. That's exactly what the small does to me - i make the fishy face, have to consciously try to keep my mouth shut & my ears feel folded at the top. Medium it is, and I think based on the advice from that shopkeeper, I won't go back to purchase the helmet off them, I just hope that other people haven't purchased a helmet too small from that shop and are still riding around now a month later thinking, "man, when is this thing going to mold into shape???"


peace.

 

on the size of the crash helmet, my advise is to try and find the right fit and not just your supposed size.

Allow for the padding to give and you will probably find that diffrent makes will fit you in diffrent size ranges. I know I am in an Arai a 56 but when I tried this in a Shoei it was very tight.

I think its trial and error but make sure what ever it dont move

 

Yea, i've tried on many different brands and Shoei seems the fit the best. The AGV feels really good too but I just couldn't find a design I liked.