According to the people at Cycle Gear, you are correct. They were telling me, recently, that the Air and the RF were quite different. I wrote off Shoei a year ago because I tried the RF and there was no way it would fit my head. So I never even tried the Air. We now know that was a mistake.And my experience was the opposite. I really wanted the GT-Air and stopped at the Shoei booth at AIMExpo last month to try one on. I was so disappointed that it didn't work for me. The rep got his specialist to measure my head, suggested I try an RF-1200, and it was exactly right. Wish it had the features of the Air, but one of the "features" was going to be a permanent headache and that was a non-negotiable negative.
I will add my experience for posterity. I've had a GT-Air in XL for two years. Perfect fit all over. My in-store experience said that the GT-Air and the RF1200 fit exactly the same,
Regarding drop down visor: This is a 'can't live without it' feature.
Regarding Pinlock: I leave mine installed 24/7/365 and would not ride without it. If I know I am going to ride at night (rare), I carry an extra, brand new shield/Pinlock with me and trade it out at dusk. For daytime riding, I am still on the original 2-year old shield and Pinlock insert without issue.
Max, why don't you use the spoon method to make the GT-Air have less pressure? The bright red spots on your noggin are the template for where to fix. You've already spent the money, other than minutely less protection and the effort it takes, I am not seeing a downside.
I have never noticed glare from my Pinlock but am on my 3rd shield/pinlock, [...]
Also, I love the drop down screen, never not have one now, too darn handy.
It would suck to have that helmet do that. I had an Arai of some sort I owned that made my forehead ache terribly. I spent $400 or so on it. Luckily I crashed heavily and ruined it, that's when I got the Neotec.
The Neotec fits, thank heavens because it's so expensive. I did get a do over on it when the bird kamikazi'ed me, but I bought another one just like it.
OK fine, story time.
When the bird hit me in 2012, I was on a road trip in Missouri and wearing full leathers, Neotec, road race gloves and boots. Not a scratch but tweaked my knee and ankle, took a bit but no big deal.
When I ruined the Arai, it was 2011 and I was on the way home from softball. Helmet, gloves, shorts and a tank top. DR650 had a flat front which felt funny but I thought I could make it home. When I put on the brakes approaching/entering a corner, it put all the weight on the front tire, which collapsed. Aluminum rims have poor traction and down I went. Luckily there was a guy behind me in a pickup with a ramp and tie downs and a cute daughter (who was unimpressed, other than of my luck in them being there).
They hauled me the half mile home, where my luck continued. My buddy was there and was adjusting the valves that Thursday night on my C10, in preparation for a big solo trip I was taking the next Friday. Buddy helped me unload, GF took me to the hospital to get all the gravel picked out and scrubbed (not as much fun as it sounds). Left 8 days later on a 6500 mile solo trip from Peoria to the Seattle area (much stuff in between), Olympic peninsula to the farthest northwest corner of the US. Then down 101/US1 to LA, then home. 11.5 days, much fun was had. Not fun was removing all the bandages and showering every night, then applying Neosporin and new bandages. Other than that, incredible adventure including a 1000 mile + day from Barstow CA to Fort Morgan CO, mostly slab. What a ride, the scenery between those 2 places doesn't really suck. 105F going through Vegas, but the scenery going through Utah made up for it. I had never seen Utah in person and because of what I saw, I have been back 2x and seen most of the national parks and monuments, I highly recommend all of them.
And that's how my Arai got ruined, it got banged up and I wore my previous helmet, which was fine.
I have tried messing with it over and over and can't seem to fix the problem. [...] That is where all the pain starts and radiates. And for that, I just don't know what else to try.
And a year later and I finally give up on the GT-Air. I simply can't tolerate the pain anymore. I bought smaller pads, thicker pads, added more padding that Shoei sent me in various places, nothing works. I absolutely love everything about the GT-Air, best helmet I have ever owned except I can't wear it. Tonight I pulled the Sena out of it and installed it on the old, crufty Scorpion EXO-1000.
I guess I will have to start a new search for a replacement. Since how it feels and fits seems to have no relationship to the pain it causes, I have no idea how I am going to find something, and I will be stuck with whatever I get. I am not opposed to trying a newer Scorpion, but nobody carries it, so it would be a completely "blind" mailorder transaction. The closest current match seems to be the EXO-T1200 but it looks like that is also an old design and being dropped. More importantly, there are reviews saying they changed the shape from the 1000, so I might be in the same boat as before; plus it is LOUD. Ug.
Motorcylegear.com has them on closeout for $149. http://www.motorcyclegear.com/street/closeouts/street_helmets/scorpion
2 1/2 years, >20,000 miles on my GT-Air now. Still very comfortable but the liner is wearing out. Starting to look thread bare on the bottom. Will probably be looking for something new next spring.
Wow- thanks for that (and the other) info! For that price, I might just try it for the hell of it.
Oddly, my head size is 57cm, which Scorpion claims is MEDIUM!!!! I ordered a large originally, and couldn't even get it on my head and had to exchange for an extra-large (which is perfect in the face and a little loose on my crown). I just called Scorpion and they said that the 1000 and before all ran quite small and the 1200+ are considerably larger and recommend I go with large (one size smaller than whatever before). They also say the shape has not changed, and is considered "intermediate oval." Shell sizes are XS-S, M-L, XL-2X. Pads are not sold separately but only as a liner kit. They also don't have multiple different sub-sizes like Shoei, and liners can't move between shell sizes. So with large, you can put in a Medium "liner" set but not an XL (Shoei has three sub-sizes for each helmet size, the included normal, and optional looser, and tighter; all can be mixed for crown and cheek). Unlike the EXO-1000/1100, they INCLUDE a DARK inner shield (instead of a stupid light smoke one that has to be immediately replaced).
Hmm
If you have never seen this, here is a good guide on different brands and how they fit. http://www.lidpicker.com/free-data
With the Shoei, you can buy replacement liners (cheek or crown pads), just the parts you need.
https://www.amazon.com/Shoei-GT-Air-Street-Motorcycle-Accessories/dp/B00CKI919G
https://www.amazon.com/Shoei-Gtair-Cheek-Pad-39Mm/dp/B00DQEJ91I
https://www.amazon.com/Shoei-Gtair-Cheek-Pad-35Mm/dp/B00DQEJ8DM