I wore a bunch of non-Shoei helmets when I was younger and poorer before splurging on an RF-700 back in the 90s. At the time, I bought it solely because it fit my giant head; I was tired of getting headaches on long rides from my other helmets. I quickly came to realize, though, that Shoei makes much nicer helmets than anything I'd worn previously, and that with the extra cost came extra quality.
Since then, I've always replaced my Shoeis with another Shoei when they'd wear out. I've had a bunch, and they've all been excellent (except the Z-II, which just had an awful shape around the jaw). This is the best one yet.
Most notably, the RF-1400 is REALLY quiet. It's especially good at filtering out high frequency sounds, while leaving others audible. Like all RFs, it seems optimized for an upright/forward riding position, so I sometimes catch a bit of extra wind noise when I'm sitting way back on my cruiser. But, I can adjust that with a slight tilt of my head (or just better posture). I've taken a few long rides so far without my earplugs, and my ears feel better having worn the RF-1400 than with any plugs I've ever tried. Plus, it's more comfortable and I can hear traffic/etc. around me better with just the helmet. It's truly joyful to ride with this well-balanced sound.
From reading the manual the inner padding is removable, too. I haven't pulled them out yet for fear of messing something up, but I'll definitely wash or replace them when they get grungy. Which they will - I'd love to wear a helmet liner to keep things clean, but due to my head size/shape I don't have enough room to spare.
On the down side, I find that the cheek pads are too tight for my face. I have a 60cm head, am relatively lean (6'2" 195 lbs) and am wearing the largest XXL model, but it still presses on my face quite tightly. It doesn't hurt, but neither is it comfortable. I see that you can replace the cheek pads with different sizes, but that the XXL already comes with the thinnest pads :( I'm hoping they'll crush down a bit with use.
The lens is nice, as expected. The new style quick-release is tough to use compared to the older models, but it works well enough once you get the hang of it. The lens also comes with some weird add-on anti-fog system that, after reading and experimenting with, I can say with confidence that I'll never use. The lens has some little studs for mounting that fog thingy that I wish weren't there; they just get in the way when cleaning. When this lens wears out, I'll see if I can get a normal one without the studs.
There's also some red fabric parts around the bottom edge of the helmet that spoil the look of the matte black shell (IMHO) - but, if the manual is correct, are actually important. Apparently by cutting through the red parts the EMTs can pull the rigid part of the helmet off of your head without moving your neck (as much, at least) if you've been in an accident. Hopefully I'll never need that feature but I'm glad it's there - and happy to have the bright red parts to let the EMTs know it's there, too.
This helmet is very expensive, but also very good. I think you can get equally safe helmets from other quality brands at a lesser price, so don't feel that you need to make a deal with the devil to get a Shoei if you're on a budget. If you have the means, though, you'll appreciate the quality of the RF-1400, especially on those long touring rides when you pull into the gas station and realize that your ears aren't ringing.
| Shell Type | Hard |
|---|---|
| Specification Met | ECE, DOT |
| Team Name | NON |
| Shape | Aerodynamic |
| Manufacturer | Shoei |
| Model | Shoei RF-1400 Helmet |
| Item Weight | 5.24 pounds |
| Product Dimensions | 11 x 11 x 15 inches |
| Item model number | 0101-0147-03 |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Manufacturer Part Number | RF1400 BGRY XSM |
| Special Features | Compact,Lightweight |
| Safety Rating | DOT Certified |
