Nolan N91

[RedNigel]

Santa visited me by way of Italy this year. Dropped off a platinum silver N91.
I have only spent about an hour in the helmet thus far, so I wouldn't call this a bonafide review.
Fit and finish seem to be top shelf, especially the paint job.
The helmet is a bit quieter than my older lid, but still requires earplugs.
The absence of dedicated ear cutouts is making the liner pretty snug around the ears and just in front of my ears below the temple, but I am hoping the break-in will take care of that. (I have wide jaws)
I had a rash after wearing the helmet, but I am hoping its because I had just shaved off 2 weeks' beard growth plus the snugness was a factor. ( I hope I am not allergic to the liner!)
It is a Large, and I hope I breaks in right...I would hate to change it for XL and have it end up loose.
Internal visor is similar to the Shoei, in that it slides up and down rather than pop closed with a bang like my HJC
I wish it would come down just a millimeter or two lower
Comes standard with pinlock insert which I may try as it fogs readily when cold

I will post a more informed review in a few weeks

 

[RedNigel]

George
I did two 30 min stints, but I could have done an hour, I suppose. If it loosens the 10-15 % I have heard mentioned as normal loosening, I should be OK

 

[EX Winger]

Once you get used to the Pin Lock, you will wonder how you survivded with out it, at least that has been my experience both with the Multi tech , and the C-3 Schuburth.

Eldon

 

[RedNigel]

OK
I wore the helmet for another 200-odd miles on Saturday and its just not going to work.
Two issues:
A: the lack of ear cutouts is definitely a problem for me. I can only tolerate it if I don't wear earplugs, which is a non-starter
Somehow, the pressure on my ears from the liner is greater when I wear earplugs
After about 50 miles, all I could think about was stopping to get it off
After the third stint, all I could think about was how much my ears hurt
B: The helmet itself is too narrow at the jawbone for me. When I bit down I could feel the shell of the helmet flexing.
I am wondering if all flip-ups narrow at towards the bottom
Its a shame, because I actually think the helmet was the right size, but the design doesn't work for me.
Revzilla is going to send me an XL just to see what happens and if it doesn't feel right, I will return it.
It's possible that the Nolan isn't for me

 

[EX Winger]

If you can return it and not ake a beating on it , that would probably be the best. Bt if you are stuck withit, or decide y ou really like it other than the issues with your ears perhaps that is solvable. If you are careful with a carving knofe, like exacto etc you may be able to perform surgeryon the areas for your ears, and with a dermal you may be able to sand/grind off enough material tha it will not be pressing aginst y our chin.

Have you tried a shoie Multitech? or the Neotech which is supposed to replace it. I had the same issue with the neotech that you mention with it being too close to my jaw, but my Multi Tech I wore for several years and it is still my back up for when I ride a bike with radio systems etc such as the HD , or IF on a Wing etc. My new shcuberth that I purchased in Denver in 2012 took quite awhile to break in, the top of it seemed to have a ridge in it that created some pressure on the top of my head. a lot of massaging it with a soft ball and wearing a bit more padding in a skul cap pretty well eliminated that. I tried to go the cheap way to a new hemlet in 2005. I bought a new HRC?? which was supposed to be a secondary line of shoie. It felt good for a couple of hours at the dealership, then I paid for it and they installed a pair of head set ears. I wore it home and it felt good. I left then next morning for eastern ID , UT , and NV. I was about 40 miles from home when it started hurting me a little, another 20 miles and I like you couldn't stand it any more. I found a safe spot to remove it from my head, and get my old Schuberth conept out and put the NEW thing in travel bag. When I arrived in Vegas I pulled the com system out of it and gave it to my son, or grand daughter.

After I came home I ordered a shoie multitech that was a great fit and required no modification even with the head set installed in it.

This is just my experience over the last 9 years of wearing this type of flip hemlets. I will continue with this style as it is ey on me and y glasses , and if I need to eat of drink something quickly at a fuel stop , etc it works the best saving me removing hemlet and then putting it back on again

Eldon

 

[RedNigel]

Revzilla is sending me an XL at no charge just so I can see if the Nolan runs small
If the XL doesn't feel just right, I will return it and think about some alternatives
There's no rush
I still like my old helmet, which is only two years old

 

[EX Winger]

That is good. I hope it works out for you.

 

[coaster]

I cannot wear a Nolan, tried one once, could only wear it for an hour or so before it would start hurting.

The shape of my head does is not compatible with a Nolan.

I will stick with HJC hardhats, they work for me.

 

[RedNigel]

I cannot wear a Nolan, tried one once, could only wear it for an hour or so before it would start hurting.

The shape of my head does is not compatible with a Nolan.

I will stick with HJC hardhats, they work for me.

If the XL they send doesn't feel just right, I will try an HJC SymaxIII or Bell Evo Revolver; two helmets I can actually try on locally
If I don't like that, I will stick with a full face helmet
Im not going to pay $600 for the Shoei, even tho I know it will feel good

 

[RedNigel]

So Revzilla got my helmet back yesterday and promptly sent my wife an email scolding her for not returning the protective film that goes on the face shield.
They are sending me an XL, but I kind of have a gut feeling it isn't going to work.
I have been doing some contingency window shopping locally and have been able to rule out the Bell Revolver EVO, badly as I want to like it.
I have tried on the SYMAX III but it lacks a chin curtain, something I have become attached to having
I tried the RPHA Max and am undecided
I have also thought about sticking with a full face helmet
Right now you can get a Bell RS-1 for $199 (50% off) if you aren't particular about the graphics available. Very comfortable helmet
BTW, just as a side note, the Bell Vortex is Snell rated at $179 and WebBikeWorld loves it. They say its heavy and loud, but at $179 and Snell rated, a better helmet than many of the name brand top shelf offerings.
Before I give up and go full face I am going to try the
XL N91 that's en route
An N104 if needs be
Take one more look at the SYMAX and RPHA Max
If those don't work, I will go full face one more time with either a Bell or the HJC IS-17, which is the next iteration of my
IS-16

 

[Rob]

I wear an N90 and I tried on I think an N104 at Whitehorse Gear one day (or it might have been an N103) - and it fit completely differently than my N90 iirc. Mentioning this only to say that all Nolan helmets are not necessarily the same fit. So if the N91 does not work out, it's possible the N103 or N104 might fit a lot better, who knows. Good luck though!

 

[Warren]

Finding riding gear that will fit can be a royal pain. I have been lucky that just about every M helmet I have purchased fits me well but riding pants are another story. They are either too long or too short or too tight or too loose. Evertime I buy a pair I know I am going to have to pay another $20 or more for alterations.

 

[Comanche]

I wear an N90 and I tried on I think an N104 at Whitehorse Gear one day (or it might have been an N103) - and it fit completely differently than my N90 iirc. . .

Hmmm - interesting, Rob. I too have an N90 and like it a lot - enough to buy another Nolan. I was thinking of the N104 as I like the bigger eye port. I just assumed that it being a Nolan, it would fit like the N90.

Thanx for that!

 

[RedNigel]

I guess I got lucky with my current HJC. I didn't know about helmet shapes then. I simply bought it based on features, appearance and most of all, price point.
As it happened, the helmet was a perfect fit and I still like it
The only helmet so far that has come close to feeling like the HJC is the RS-1, which is a $400+ lid that can be had for $200

 

[RedNigel]

Update and FYI
The N91 in size XL arrived today and it's just not going to work for me. First of all, the XL is just too big, and I knew it might be. But the real deal breaker is the liner. By design, it does not have ear cutouts and even in an XL it hurt my ears.
So if you have sensitive ears and are interested in a Nolan product, the N91 is not for you.

 

[charlie b]

Thanks for the report.

I have largish ears and having them 'smashed' all day is a recipe for pain. No ear cutouts means I won't buy it. My old Shoei and the HJC both work fine. I did have to cut the foam on the Shoei to fit my headset. And the HJC had a hotspot on my forehead. A little foam work took care of that.

I am hoping the Lazer Monoco will fit me well. If not then I may try the LS2 lineup. Their new modular meets Snell 2010 standards.

 

[Bear]

Hmmm - interesting, Rob. I too have an N90 and like it a lot - enough to buy another Nolan. I was thinking of the N104 as I like the bigger eye port. I just assumed that it being a Nolan, it would fit like the N90.

Thanx for that!

Nolan has the strangest sizing. My 103 is a Medium and I can't even get into a 104. The Large is tight and the XL fits fine. I wear my Bell Revolver the most. I also have an HJC Open Face and an HJC Modular (Very old one)

 

[RedNigel]

Nolan has the strangest sizing.

I don't want anyone to get me wrong about the Nolan N91
It is a great helmet and the large seemed to be a good fit.
My problem was the purposeful omission of ear cutouts by Nolan. Supposedly a measure to facilitate eyeglass insertion.
I really wanted to keep the helmet but it was a no-go
Every modular I have tried on has at least one thing about it that is a deal breaker.
N91 hurts my ears
N104 internal sunscreen doesn't come down far enough
Symax III no chin curtain
RPHA Max, too ugly
Revolver wrong internal shape
Shoei Neotech...perfect but too much dinero
The only one that feels good is the Shoei, which is just too dear at $600
Maybe if i wait someone will come up with a modular I like and am willing to pay for