Shoei RF-1200 Motorcycle Helmet Review

The Shoei RF series keeps getting better and better. We (and just about everyone else in the world) loved the RF-1100, but man, the new Shoei RF-1200 motorcycle helmet is an outstanding unit.

Of course you’re always worried that ‘updating’ a product will ruin it when you’re dealing with successful units, but that fear of a worse product does not last long when you see the new iteration.

There is a lot of new stuff going on with the helmet. The shape is really different, they’ve made changes to the shield and shield mechanism, the insides are quite a bit different, and the ventilation you won’t recognize.

shoei rf-1200 motorcycle helmet mat black side.

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However, they’ve managed to pull off pretty much everything they were trying to do. They’ve really rounded this helmet off to being a really polished, quality, compact unit that doesn’t have any stray ends. Even small things like a bit of wind that might catch your helmet when you turned your head in the RF-1100 has been remedied with the new one. It’s that kind of attention to detail that you’ll see throughout the helmet, and we appreciate all the little upgrades they’ve given it.

They’ve done a few things to get the helmet down another 2 oz from 3 pounds 10 oz to 3 pounds 8 oz. Things like material and compact shape, plus they’ve actually cut out a bit of the actual helmet around the neck. This has a few other good effects, too, which we’ll chat about in a minute.

Before we get too deep, lets just remember safety for a second. It’s a DOT approved, Snell approved helmet and was only released last year, so you’re getting a really safe helmet with the newest data and technology going into this thing to keep you safe, which is the entire point of a helmet. Rest assured that you get all the comforts of this helmet without sacrificing safety.

The fit is pretty much the same as the RF 1100, which is an intermediate to long oval, so longer back to front than wide. If you’ve tried on the old model and it fit, you can probably guarantee the new one will fit. Of course they come in sizes extra small to double extra large, so there are an enormous amount of sizes for just about anyone to find a good fit.


shoei rf-1200 motorcycle helmet black/yellow back.

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Again, they seem to have snugged everything up. You feel more closed, compact, comfortable, safe, and stable in the helmet than in previous models and even compared to other manufacturers. Getting in is a breeze but is definitely snug. We said before they had cut away a little bit of the helmet, well part of that is to ensure an excellent fit getting it on and off and adding comfort to the area when you’re riding.

The inside is a really great improvement. It had good wicking material before, but that material has been improved, and a lot of thought has gone into placing materials where sweat is more likely to be and collect. Therefore, you’ll find slightly different materials around your hair line than on the very top of your head, as there is a delicate balance of comfort and wicking moisture.

Cheek pads can now be removed in a hurry with the emergency cheek pad removal system, and of course you get your standard chin curtain in there which you can remove.

Ventilation has changed, too, and you’ll notice that you have a lot of options to close all the vent and control just about everything. This leads to the possibility of a really quiet ride if everything is closed up. The chin vent is full open, half open, or closed, and that will vent right onto the shield. There are the two chimney vents, of course, but also a new one right between those two vents to give you even more ventilation versatility.

Just like the rest, the point of the rear vents, which are now controlled with a switch, is to suck the warm, wet air out of the helmet. With improved ventilation and the ability to control all the ports, you’ll find the right set up and should have no troubles getting comfortable.

Speaking of venting onto the shield, the shield is brand spankin’ new. It’s an upgrade on the one that was on the previous RF helmet, so it’s UV resistant and really heavy duty, but it’s got some upgrades. Pinlock posts come standard, and in fact if you purchase this helmet, you’ll get a Pinlock lense, Max Vision, included. That’s really slick, so you don’t have to worry about fogging up because the Pinlock obviously will create a double layered window barrier to block that fog that can build up and make it hard to see. (There is an available ‘transitions’ Pinlock lens that actually gets darker with the sun and then goes back to light when you leave the sun – you’ve probably seen the glasses lens commercials like that. [easyazon_link cloaking=”default” keywords=”Shoei Pinlock CWR-1″ localization=”default” locale=”US” nofollow=”default” new_window=”default” tag=”tbfili-20″]Click here to see what other lenses are available on Amazon[/easyazon_link].)

You’ll also notice a more rigid and effective seal around the shield. They’ve really put together an awesome package here that will prevent nature from infiltrating your helmet no matter what the conditions are like.

shoei rf-1200 motorcycle helmet black red decals top.

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A few final things on this Shoei RF-1200 motorcycle helmet…it’s really good. It’s premium, definitely, but it’s an amazing choice if you’re looking at getting into the higher end helmet market. You can also check out the Arai Vector-2, for sure, but we really like that this model is a bit newer and you get all the benefits of a ton of R&D. It’s great for pretty much all situations, no matter how hard core or day-to-day you ride. There’s a load of colors and different designs, and if all of that doesn’t do it for you, here’s the straw that’ll break the camel’s back:

There are cut outs for ear piece speakers which can be either used to easily fit an ear piece or can be filled with foam (and held in place by a snap) if you’re not using it. Such attention to detail, right?

Users of the helmet love it. On Amazon, Motorcycle Superstore, and on other motorcycle gear sites, owners give this glowing reviews – it’s one of the highest rated helmets overall that we’ve looked at. Have a look at it over on Amazon, they usually offer one of the best prices.

If this amazing helmet doesn’t do it for you, check out Helmet Advisor for more choices.