Following is a list of all of the
motorcycle helmets reviewed on webBikeWorld.com grouped
by shape. Over the past 10 years, we have
developed a subjective classification system for helmet
internal shapes. Finding the correct shape to
match your head is crucial for both safety and comfort.
The so-called "best" helmet in the world is worthless if
it doesn't fit, and sometimes a less expensive helmet
will fit better than a helmet costing several hundred
dollars.
Finding the "perfect" fit is sometimes extremely difficult; for
example, if I didn't try an Arai Quantum II, I would have never known that it is
the perfect match for my head shape. I was fortunate to find a very
knowledgeable sales person in a well-stocked Arai dealer, who helped me find the
correct fit and then swapped out the cheek pads to custom tailor the fit even
more.
Our 7 subjective helmet fit shapes run from narrow to round,
with a "neutral" shape in the middle. A "neutral" shape is a bit of a
compromise; i.e., it is designed to fit a majority of head shapes.
It's
assumed that head shapes very roughly follow a standard distribution and, when
plotted, probably follow a "bell" shaped curve. Of course, this
is only a supposition, but it's based on a detailed study of motorcycle helmet
fit, evaluating over 120 helmets and discussing the topic with hundreds of
motorcycle riders over the past 10 years. Frequent webBikeWorld visitors
know that we sometimes use this analogy to describe helmet fit, and our 7 helmet
fitment types were derived from the Gaussian function:
Image courtesy Wikipedia. Edited by webBikeWorld. More on the
Normal
Distribution.
Shape Designations:NA =
Narrow; MN = Medium Narrow; SN
= Slightly Narrow; N = Neutral; SR
= Slightly Round; MR = Medium Round;
R = Round; UNK = Unknown.
Notes:
a.
*The AGV Ti-Tech XXL size is
equivalent to a size large in
other helmets, in our opinion.
b.
The Vemar VSREV has a
different internal shape than
any other helmet; we're calling
it the "Round Oval"; see the
review for more details.
c.
Unconfirmed and possibly not
correct.
Actual recorded weights
using Polder electronic scale,
claimed accurate to 1 g or 0.125
oz.
