Helmets going bad?

fallenarch

THE SLOW RIDER
Registered
Anyone ever heard that helmets lose strength over time and should be replaced every 6-10 years?
 
Yes... I've heard and read several articles about it. most riders don't or may not even be aware but technically U should replace them and closer to 6 than 10 years :whistle:
 
I've always been told that the EPS liner can break down over time, so I try to avoid using a helmet that's more than 5 years old. Either way, I usually end up wanting a new one before that time comes.

Here's Shoei's policy:

Your Shoei helmet is covered under warranty for five years from purchase date or seven years from the date of manufacture, whichever comes first. The warranty covers all manufacturing defects. Please note that damage caused by the consumer, (i.e. dropping the helmet), etc., is not covered under warranty.

My RF-1100 was manufactured in 2010. I bought it on closeout in 2012 so it's still covered until 2017, but I'll probably replace it next season.

Maybe this season if the spirit moves me. :laugh:
 
Like drug and food expiration dates, my bet is that they are actually geared toward more profit for the manufacturer. Got bounced out of tech last trip to the drags for expired seat belts. Meanwhile, In the army we humped with 40 year old parachute harnesses.
 
The materials/glue that hold a helmet 2gether will degrade over time.... the heat, sun light, rain etc. will all contribute to this.... not a gimmick or sales ploy thats a fact. should you run out and buy a new helmet every year? No... but if your riding around wearing a 10 year old helmet that's seen rain/sun been bounced around a few times etc. do you really think it will hold up and absorb an impact the same as a helmet that hasn't been put through those years of wear n tear??
 
Dang! I spent all my Busa money this year already on leathers and the Sena stuff, now I have to buy a helmet too?!!!!!
 
The rule of thumb is every 5 years. Most track orgs will require that the helmet be 5 years or less old. If you really want to keep the helmet, a lot of manufacturers will test/check the helmet however, most recommend a new one.
 
Like drug and food expiration dates, my bet is that they are actually geared toward more profit for the manufacturer. Got bounced out of tech last trip to the drags for expired seat belts. Meanwhile, In the army we humped with 40 year old parachute harnesses.
a helmet is not food or drugs. there are a lot of variables with that. how often ones rides, climate, where the helmet has been stored, etc. but the foam will harden with age. if the foam does not compress under impact then its virtually useless, otherwise might as well wear a helmet made of solid wood.:banghead:

the warmer the temps the quicker the helmet will degrade. there are no definitive studies that show a helmet is suddenly no longer useful after three or five years. one thing I am sure of tho is a 25 year old helmet that has 10,000 hours on it being used in southern Arizona in the desert heat is still far better then no helmet at all......:whistle:

I guess the real question is how much is ur head worth? its not like u can conduct a test to verify its usefulness. the only test will be ur head smashing the pavement at 70 mph and its either gonna work or it aint.
 
If you've got a $20 head, wear a $20 helmet! I replace mine every 3 years usually, since I drop them from time to time and the chips make me nervous!
 
I "retire" my helmets after 5 years of use.
Having said that, I occasionally wear them out even my 15 year old shoei.(25mph roads or lower only)
 
It's a myth, no crash, fits good, was not baked in the oven = all is good, wear it.
 
I don't buy into the 5 year replacement thing. If you take care of your stuff it will last much longer.

My scorpion has removable liner parts which I wash every couple of months in the summer. I can then look at the foam and see if it has degraded. I never hang my helmet on my bike or let it bake in the sun. It always goes with me and is stored inside the house when I'm not using it. I think that adds considerably to the life of a helmet.

I did try on an ICON Airframe graphite helmet yesterday and I was very impressed with the amazing lightness. It was like I wasn't wearing a helmet at all.

Now there's a reason to replace a helmet!
 
I usually get a new one every two to three years for one reason or another, but if you ever drop a helmet from say waist height to pavement you should seriously consider replacing it.
 
I buy a new one every year. each year there is usually somthn better then the year before. ppl will spend $3000 on a vacation in one year. thats like 6 years of new helmets every year so two each his own.... I vacation riding my Busa blasting down the hi way....
 
I replace mine about every 4-5 years or anytime the helmet has had a fall of 3' or more to the ground, thankfully I have not had to replace a helmet due to crashing in many years, but after any crash absolutely retire that helmet as they are designed for one crash only.
 
Back
Top