Modern Vespa

so after reading reams of posts about helmets and how to choose one, i went out shopping. i think i've tried on 50 helmets so far: 3/4, FF, modular, open w/shield. nothing is working for me.

i think i'd like a FF for the chilly months but they all make my head look gigantic. like a bobblehead. they fit fine on the inside but when i look in the mirror, the overall dimensions have increased by at least 6 inches and i look out of proportion.

do you all have this problem. are there no stylish, reasonably sized helmets out there for girls on the smaller side? i'm getting frustrated!

I have the same problem. Two suggestions.

1. Can you fit in a youth XL? That will have a smaller shell size.

2. Look for helmet manufactures that use 3-4 shell sizes, rather than those that use only 1 or 2. You'll have to pay more for those, but you will be much happier with the fit. And you won't have to carry around the weight of a big shell made to accomodate an XL head stuffed with enough padding to make it fit an XS.

I am watching this thread because my wife wears an XXS helmet and I plan on buying her one in the next year or so. Funny because I wear a XXXL. I remember seeing something on shell sizes but cannot remember where I saw it.

good idea about the XL youth helmet. i hadn't thought of that.

are there any specific manufacturers that vary their shell sizes?

I think Shoei does on their higher end helmets like the RF1000.

Really? Me too. XXXL HJC FF.

Not to hijack your thread WKRP, but ummgood, what helmets have you found work well with the XXXL head? It was a pain in the arse finding the one I have now and I want some options...

I use the AGV S4 and I'm really happy with the small shell size and understated looks:

http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/1/1/38/6991/ITEM/AGV-S-4-Helmet.aspx

I wear a XXXL, also. They are hard to find, too.

I agree with finding a youth or child sized helmet. I also thought that women's helmets were smaller, but after thinking that through it didn't make sense.

i didn't know there was a such thing as "women's" helmets. i figured they were all unisex except for the girly graphics, which i don't like.

[quote="anthony"]I use the AGV S4 and I'm really happy with the small shell size and understated looks:

http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/1/1/38/6991/ITEM/AGV-S-4-Helmet.aspx[/quote]

thanks for that link! i think i will try to find them locally to try one on.

If i were with you in person, i would tell you that if your face is bigger than your hand, you'd need a size bigger helmet.

Then you'd hold up your hand to your face, and i'd smack you in the hand so it hit your nose.

then i'd say "ha! gotcha!" or "boom goes the dynamite"

You'd probably be pissed a little, but deep inside you knew it was a good joke.

With jokes like that you should maybe switch over to riding 4-strokers...
Because I think the 2-stroker fumes are getting to your brain!

anthony, does that AGV helmet come with a dark or clear face shield?

I haven't been looking long. I think also it depends on what shape your head is. I have a ZR1 Jimmy Retro but it feels too wide. I also tried on a RF1000 Shoei which was nice and fit really well but I got sticker shock a little.

I don't like the idea of buying a helmet online and not being able to try it on first. In November they are having a motorcycle show in Houston I am going to just to try on helmets. (I heard this is the best place to find a helmet if you have a large head). Maybe they will have one near you.

http://www.motorcycleshows.com/

Also Marcster gave me this web site which has a really good search feature which will let you display only XXXL helmets.
http://www.revzilla.com/

i hated the way i looked in a helmet at first, but eventually decided to work the bobblehead look rather than fighting it. oddly enough i find i look less like a giant cotton bud in a FF - i've got a shoei multitech and once i get a jacket on, the overall effect is kinda sharp. well, until i flip up the face shield, and then i look about 6' 4" tall.

wkrp,

Comes with the clear, but you can order a tinted visour. I'd suggest getting the light smoke. I bought the dark smoke visour but it's impossible to attach it -- the colour is so dark that you can't see how to latch it on.

The helmet is actually not nearly as shiny as it appears in the pics -- it's a lovely matte finish. Here's a more accurate pic.

You really can't judge how a helmet looks in the mirror - they all look goofy that way. Try to imagine what it looks like to spectators when you go whizzing by on your bike. Not so goofy.

ok ... so after more reading and from the advice here, i tried on the shoei RF1000 today. it wasn't too bad but WOW the price. i also tried a fullmer S1 that was ok and on sale for less than $100 which made me suspicious.

i guess the FF will just take some getting used to. i know that i wear a size small in most helmets and i'll keep looking. next i have to find a place in denver that carries the AGV.

I have the Shoei and have gotten used to the space-girl look. I feel safer in it and it is very comfy on long trips.

three questions about the AGV S4:
does anyone have pictures of them wearing it?
does anyone in denver know of a place that carries it? i wanna try it on.
will it fit in the pet carrier?

TIA!

Hence the part about thinking it through...

However, I did find a XXXL FF Helmet in pink when I was looking for one to fit my big bucket...I was like, "Who the hell would wear this?" It just seemed a little odd.

I was just thinking that women's bike accessories are pretty big business, so maybe someone would sell "Ladies helmets." But again, after thinking it through it didn't make sense.

I had sticker shock a lot. I keep looking at helmets that cost $400-500 and I was kept thinking, "My head isn't worth that."

I ended up with an HJC that was about $170 on sale from $300. I'm pretty happy with it. It is FF. I wanted modular but none of them fit my HUGE head and I didn't trust ordering one.

Google Leslie Austin Texas.... A local celebrity around here.

Alright that was frightful. I don't get how you have a beard and cross-dress. However, I've only done it for Halloween and I pretty much go all out.

...I have pictures. How fun would it be do dress in drag and ride a vespa?

I bought an ultra cheap helmet for my MSF class not knowing if I would enjoy riding or even end up buying a scoot. So when I looked at the Shoei which was the only helmet they had in my size I tried it on and was also a little shocked by the price. I actually bought a cheap 60 dollar helmet to take the class in and am using it now.

Now that I know that I love my scooter and will be keeping it awhile I definitely wouldn't think twice about spending 300-400 on a helmet. I just want to try on some others to make dead sure before I spend that kind of money I know exactly what will suit me best instead of buying the only thing I can find that fits me.

When I was reading about the XXXL helmets one site talked about the motorcycle show I posted above being the best place to try on helmets as most of the brands are there and they bring all their helmets to try on. I am hoping I will find what I like and what fits at that show and take good notes so I can either buy there or shop online when I get home.

Perhaps there will be one near you you can try on helmets at?

as far as i can tell, the international motorcycle show is skipping denver this year. ah well.

I bought my first helmet in '85, with my first motorcycle. It was a Bell, something like $350, which was a lot of money back then. It was so expensive I figured I'd hold onto it, even after the bike got stolen a few years later.

When I bought my Vespa, I thought, hey, I already have a great helmet. Wrong answer. Many of the foam parts had turned to a black molasses-like substance. Very scary.

So then I decided I'd forget about looks, and go for cheap safety. I'll replace that helmet after 2 years, no matter what. My old Bell still looks spiffy, but wouldn't be much help if I really needed it in a crash.

You might consider the wisdom of frequent replacement, and weigh that against the value of not looking dorky.

i think i've decided on the AGV S4 in red/white. in my hunt, all the helmets that have fit me well have been size small. does anyone know if the AGV runs true to size? i read a review somewhere suggesting that they run small.

there doesn't seem to be a dealer in denver where i can try one on so any help would be great.

good choice. I'm very happy with both my AGV's (Dragon + Miglia) and as for Fulmer... I have a beef with them since a Fulmer FF on my head exploded when I hit the street going about 7mph.

I wear a Z1R full-face helmet, size XL. I tried on a AGV XL at my local Vespa boutique and it was much smaller. So I would have to agree with your surmise.

wkrp,


Unfortunately, my camera is down right now so I can't take a pic for you.

I find they fit pretty true to size. They may feel tight at first b/c of the plush padding, but then it'll loosen up as the padding compresses over time.

Found this pic online.

Exactly what I thought about being frightful when I moved here.

I wouldn't dress in drag you thought Leslie was frightful!

That is too bad I am looking forward to going.

Wkrp,

I have a smaller head too, and besides the bobble head look the extra weight was playing havoc on my neck, shoulders and back on long or windy rides.

I got an HJC CSY solid in white youth sized L/XL which after a year seems to do nicely. The helmet isn't expensive about $100.00 and is very light.

Good choice, safety wise. The AGV S4 scored exceptionally well in the Sharp helmet tests.

http://sharp.direct.gov.uk/search/results/?sort=manufacturer&dir=asc&manufacturer=3&model=c506d0d8acfd54ae0c3c8b3e79799741&type=0&rating=0&size=0&price=0&x=27&y=7

I've been very happy with my XXXL Scorpion EXO-400. And New Enough carries a nice selection.

[quote="Scooterdoodle"]I got an HJC CSY solid in white youth sized L/XL which after a year seems to do nicely. [/quote]

i was looking into youth helmets when i was told at a shop recently that they're only rated for people 100 pounds and under. maybe he was just trying to sell me a more expensive adult-sized lid. any truth to that?

thanks for the pic anthony. i found it here: http://www.motostrano.com/agvs4here.html

Thanks I'll check that out. I just tried on a XXL ARAI and it felt so nice. I guess the shape of that helmet fits my head the best before I was trying on XXXL because my head is too large front to back and the ARAI helmet was longer in that dimension so I fit in the XXL. But at $475 dollars it is a huge investment.

I have read that before now that you mention it (as far as weight goes and youth helmet use) not sure if there is any truth to it tho? Good luck on your search - I'm loving my new Roof helmet as it fits really good.

I have a Z1R helmet size S, and I think maybe I just look like a booble head.
Though I prefer to think I look more like Speed Racer.