I tried on a couple of helmets in Hein Gericke and established a medium Arai lid fits quite nicely ... but they didn't have the colour I wanted

Presumably I can, therefore, purchase by mail order the same Arai model in a medium and be reasonably confident it will fit?

I know the sizing and fit varies between manufacturers (my Shoei is an XL, though I thinkit is a little oversized anyway) is it consistent across their model range? Could I happily buy any Arai in a medium and squeeze my bonce in it?

As a final tangent ... any thoughts on mail ordering? any risks of counterfeit or dropped or rejected helmets?

... and for those of you who've not read anything posted by T.C. who'd like a Shoei Syncrotec II in black XL, only a few months old, used a lot but not banged

I know the last time a bought a helmet I tried on two of the same type and size, and one fitted better. So from that experience I would say that you would need to try the lid on.

But then again I could be wrong - would not be the first time

Could they not order the colour you want? IMO that would be better than risking buying unseen as helmets are often non-returnable

Well they could ... at a Hein Gericke price. This was why I was asking the question, getting a £300 lid for £220 is no bloody good if it doesn't fit!

Actually, I think it is a discontinued model too. Arai Condor Starflag in yellow.

[img]http://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/show_image.php?product_title=Arai%20Condor%20Starflag%20Yellow&product_image=condor_starflag_yellow.jpg[/img]

youd thnik the same range/model would be the same across the colour schemes- at least they should be, personally i would want to try a helmet before parting with cash- just in case it doesnt feel right!

Don't do it.

I bought a new lid on Saturday and it was the same make as the last lid I had... but I needed a size smaller. I'm guessing that my head hasn't shrunk

I don't think I would buy a lid by post, having had a couple that "bedded in" too quick and then became loose I would want to try it and check the quality (feel) of the inside first. But with a major company there should be consistency across the range I would have thought.

When I bought mine I had tried the same helmet on in a couple of places, finally settled on getting it from the Honda Dealer in Glasgow only because the guy supervised me trying it on, checked the fit for me, then went and got a nice new boxed one out for me to make sure of the fit. He got my money.

i agree whole heartedly with TC, the number of kids who come in for CBT with the wrong size "free" lid, gloves & CBT deal with the new scooter.
its frightening.

Thanks guys, I thought it worth checking.

BTW, on T.C.s point about helmets having been backwards and forwards ... I'm surprised they are returnable! How could a dealer possibly be 100% sure it hasn't been dropped or anything either by the customer or in transit? Based on that alone I agree mail ordering is wrong.

So much for a bargain!

Omg Fazer, you gotten the hex off a witch doctor! 6 years time you will be buying barbies pink helmet!

I was always under the impression that mail order lids came direct from the manufacturer, but hey i've been wrong before and im kinda getting used to it now

Mail order lids generally come from the shop or nearest distributor. Maybe one advantage with Arai is that you can order different sized padding (at Arai prices).

i have a really big head.. i need tog et a special helmet

I'd mail order jackets/gloves/boots after I'd tried them on at a local dealer, but never a helmet. Like Benguin said how do you know if the carrier hasn't dropped it either on the way to you, or on the return from a previous person?

Surely it would be Ken's pink helmet...

I would never really bother with mail order, and that's not just for helmets either. Gloves, leathers, waterproofs need to fit just right and there's nothing worse than going mail order and finding the gloves are too stiff or the the leather trousers aren't flexy enough at the knees or the jacket pulls when you extend your arms forward. Seems like too much hassle if it goes pear shaped, so I'd be inclined to try at the shop before I buy.

Moreover I wouldn't trust half the couriers that deliver stuff to my house judging on past experience. If no one is in rather than take the item back to the depot and leave a card, they'll lob it over my back gate whether its marked fragile or not. So I certainly wouldn't trust one to deliver a helmet and hope it hasn't been kicked arould like a football

Interesting discussion for sure. It is my experience that customers are happy to buy helmets up to £100 online, however over that amount they like to try on. Same with clothing - textile jackets up to £80 sell ok online, but more than that and customers tend to visit. All purchases are covered by the DSR and all mail order/oline companies are legally bound to this, therefore leaving you at least 7 days to return an item for any reason.

How do you know the carrier has not dropped it delivering to the shop or it had a rough time in the warehouse, I bought a helmet from the USA by mail order and was impressed by the packaging. All helmets are boxed and if known make of good quality they will be packaged for transportation I tried mine before ordering and the fit was consistant and the price was halved.

Whatever you decide good luck.