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Helmets -super long oval heads w/ protruding alien forehead

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Kentsuarez
Two Stroke Sniffer



Joined: 05 Jun 2004
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PostPosted: 12:55 - 05 Jun 2004    Post subject: Helmets -super long oval heads w/ protruding alien forehead Reply with quote
Hi, I'm an alien being with a second alien Shocked living inside my protruding forehead.

I've never found a full-face helmet that didn't leave red marks on my forehead. I'm only 61 cm, but can't find a helmet. I'd appreciate advice from anyone with the same problem. I will consider only full-face and flip-ups. Composites ok, plastics ok, noisy ok, I don't care -- I just want to get rid of this forehead pinch at any cost!!!

To avoid the back and forth "tried this?" - "Yup",
here's what I have tried and found uncomfortable:
Zeus XXL 508W
VR-1 XXL
Penguin's largest (all)
Nolan x-lite 901 XXL
M2R XXL
Arai Signet XL, Shoei XL

Here's what is being shipped to me as we speak:
Arai Renegade XXL
Caberg Justissimo XXL
KBC VR-1 Euro XXL
Wolf XXL
Roof Bumper XL
Roof LeMans XXL
Roof Boxer XXL

And here's what I'm trying on at the shop next week:
Shoei X-11 XXL
IXS XXL
AXO XXL

OK, first person to recommend any helmet (any not on the list above) which turns out to be the perfect fit for me gets a free pizza and beer via Paypal. Really!

Kent the Alien Shocked
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Never found a helmet that fit well.
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Kickstart
The Oracle



Joined: 04 Feb 2002
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PostPosted: 14:21 - 05 Jun 2004    Post subject: Reply with quote
Hi

How about getting a custom made helmet? Some companies have made them. Think Cromwell used to make them (not sure if they still do).

Failing that speak to the Arai importers (not just a local dealer). They can probably put you in contact with their race support guys who might well be able to modify a helmet to suit you.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing
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Kentsuarez
Two Stroke Sniffer



Joined: 05 Jun 2004
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PostPosted: 17:50 - 05 Jun 2004    Post subject: More info anyone? Reply with quote
Kickstart wrote:
How about getting a custom made helmet? Some companies have made them. Think Cromwell used to make them (not sure if they still do).


Great idea. Does anyone else out there have more specific info on custom jobs? I asked Zeus, and they said it would cost US$3000 just for them to tool the mold, but that's for a high-volume, production-line steel mold for injection molding plastic shells. I imagine it would cost less if I mailed a plaster cast of my head to someone who built a liner on top of that, rigged up a quick female, injected an EPS shell, then hand-laminated a kevlar-carbon-fiberglass outer shell atop it. Heck, I've even begun toying with the idea of doing it myself -- has anyone else done this or got any suggestions on what to do or not do?

Kickstart wrote:
Failing that speak to the Arai importers (not just a local dealer). They can probably put you in contact with their race support guys who might well be able to modify a helmet to suit you.


OK, I'll try to track someone down. Good tips, thanks! If anyone else has any, please keep 'em coming. Whatever I find out, I'll try to share back with the bike community through this and a couple of online mags.

Last stupid newbee Q - how do I add pictures from my hard drive to a message (like snapshots of helmets)? Thanks!
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Ade067
Scooby Slapper



Joined: 21 Apr 2004
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PostPosted: 19:47 - 05 Jun 2004    Post subject: Reply with quote
I had a similar problem to you and I've now got a Shark S500 Tuning which is still a little tight but it is brand new so I'm hoping it will give a little once I've worn it more.

As for posting pics I'm not sure if you can upload from you're HD but it may be just as easy to link directly to the pic from the site you're getting it from Smile
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Gti
Bendy Groupie



Joined: 07 May 2003
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PostPosted: 20:07 - 05 Jun 2004    Post subject: Reply with quote
Christ mate. Why don't you just go into a bike shop and try on everything they have........It's bound to be quicker and a hell of a lot easier that way.
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Kentsuarez
Two Stroke Sniffer



Joined: 05 Jun 2004
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PostPosted: 06:32 - 06 Jun 2004    Post subject: uploading pics Reply with quote
Ade067 wrote:
I'm not sure if you can upload from you're HD but it may be just as easy to link directly to the pic from the site you're getting it from Smile


OK, first, how do I do that? On the Message Body line that you see below the subject line while posting a reply, there's a button Img* which I assume means image, but when I click it it just puts a "slash img" in square brackets - what do I *do* with that to get an image in? The URL button does the same thing, but I have no idea how to USE it. This newbee would appreciate a kind soul's patient explanation.

But some are not pics from a site, they're from my digital camera! For example, if I have a custom painted helmet or gear that I want to show you, how do I insert that pic in my post?


Also, "hot-linking" to a site, I'm told, eats up that site's bandwidth to continually access that item from that site, and is considered rude. I don't know, that's just what I'm told.
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Kentsuarez
Two Stroke Sniffer



Joined: 05 Jun 2004
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PostPosted: 06:55 - 06 Jun 2004    Post subject: Bike shop? yeah, right Reply with quote
Gti wrote:
Christ mate. Why don't you just go into a bike shop and try on everything they have........It's bound to be quicker and a hell of a lot easier that way.


Because the shop owners freak out when my forehead opens up to reveal a mini-me speaking to them.



Of *course* I have already done that, a hundred million bloody times. Every goddamn helmet in the entire bleedin' city!!!!! (not angry at you, mind you... but imagine my frustration, nine years of hunting)

They are primarily full of cheap little plastic half-hats that are suitable, in my opinion, for wearing while you're sitting on your riding mower. The plastic full-facers aren't much better. And they run up to about 59cm max, all wide to round. I'm 61 VERY long oval. The damn things just don't fit.

Go into a bike shop and try on everything they have? I have gone farther than that. I have travelled to the farthest shops in the capital city. I have made repeated long-distance phone calls to distributors and manufacturers. I have travelled to meet with representatives of a couple of local helmet companies. I have called the damn GOVERNMENT to complain that it's pretty hard to comply with helmet laws if distributors and retailers don't stock helmets that fit people.

I'm sure there are helmets that will fit me. But not around here.

Heads here in Taiwan run very very very (did I mention very?) round, not even slightly oval. Cheekbone and facial shape are dramatically different from mine as well. I have a normal W. European face with a long oval shape as measured at the headband cross-section, plus a protruding forehead, a classic egghead scientist look, plus I wear glasses. All the helmets here are too damn small. Most of them I can't get on past my temples. If I can get them on, they ride entirely on my forehead.

Shops here don't stock a variety of helmets to fit everyone's needs. They stock only the helmets that will sell best. XXL's are very rare. Even moderately oval helms are rare. Long oval helms, forget it!

I have explained to them that if they just carry one or two ovals like an Arai Signet GT, they'll still sell, because a certain subset of the population, chiefly foreign English teachers, NEEDs them. But the shop owners couldn't give a *&^%.

The sales staff for the manufacturers Penguin (=Fulmer) and Zeus have not been responsive so far either, even when I explain how two shell shapes will help them capture greater export market share. It's absoF*kingLutely infuriating. But I'm going to try to get ahold of their R&D and management staff, and explain the problem. AGAIN. I'm getting lots of practice saying "circumference" and "oval" in Chinese. Smile

I am willing at this point to order helmets BLIND, without having tried them on, if you can recommend anything, perhaps based on a alien friend of yours who also has a very long head and is happy with his whatever brand. Thanks!
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Kentsuarez
Two Stroke Sniffer



Joined: 05 Jun 2004
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PostPosted: 08:32 - 06 Jun 2004    Post subject: Baby Shark Reply with quote
Ade067 wrote:
I had a similar problem to you and I've now got a Shark S500 Tuning which is still a little tight but it is brand new so I'm hoping it will give a little once I've worn it more.


Thanks! I like the Shark RSR Racer in Red or Black, and am VERY keen on getting hi-flow ventilation since I live on a sub-tropical island with low-speed traffic, but there's no way I can wear a 61cm, their largest. I'm 61cm but generally find that I need a helmet made for 63-64 cm in order to accommodate the Alien Head Syndrome. Laughing

I have already written to Shark begging them to make a larger helmet, and asking if they will make custom helmets, but have not yet heard a reply.
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Flip
Super Spammer



Joined: 28 Feb 2004
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PostPosted: 13:15 - 06 Jun 2004    Post subject: Reply with quote
Have you tried surgery to remove the offending mini-me?
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Kentsuarez
Two Stroke Sniffer



Joined: 05 Jun 2004
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PostPosted: 14:08 - 06 Jun 2004    Post subject: surgery Reply with quote
flip wrote:
Have you tried surgery to remove the offending mini-me?


Neutral

I will consider surgery on the helmet - like, rip out the liner, rig a hot knife, and skim some EPS off. Problem is, that's a key impact zone, right up top in front for when you fly over the handlebars. So I'll try getting the right helmet first.

I'd be fine if I were in London or New York, with decent helmet shops. But all the shops here in Taipei carry crappy little round helmets, most of which wouldn't pass DOT. Even the Shoei, Nolan and Arai here only go up to L or XL.

Mail order on these brands is a pretty big roll of the dice...
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Kentsuarez
Two Stroke Sniffer



Joined: 05 Jun 2004
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PostPosted: 05:07 - 20 Jul 2004    Post subject: Shark helmet Reply with quote
[quote="Ade067"]I had a similar problem to you and I've now got a Shark S500 Tuning which is still a little tight but it is brand new so I'm hoping it will give a little once I've worn it more.[quote]

Well, the Shark is plastic, only goes up to 61cm, and is French (three negatives). I'll risk shipping helmets untried, to me here in Taiwan, but only if they run up to about 64cm stated size (at which size they are generally still tight on my forehead), and/or are composite. Just kidding about the French bit. I really like my Roof Boxer.
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Kentsuarez
Two Stroke Sniffer



Joined: 05 Jun 2004
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PostPosted: 05:10 - 20 Jul 2004    Post subject: SUCCESS! Reply with quote
Well, FYI for anyone still reading this thread, I have found a way to deal with hot spots: a Tippi hot wire foam cutter. Had to up the voltage, create a shallow curve in the wire cutting blade, and managed to shave off a bit front and back, then sand and burnish it smooth.
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