Helmet Age & safety

[Ky. Rider]

Is there any truth to a helmet being unsafe after it is 4 years old? Was at a dealers today buying a shield and when I told him the helmet was 6 years old he said it was time to replace it and showed me a card attached to a new helmet that said safe life of 4 years. I bought a shield because my helmet seems fine and I have an intercom in it and not looking to replace it. It did get me thinking though. So, what's the scoop, anything to it or is it a company scam?

[mrc]

I just purchased a Nolan and I will check the paper work and get back to you.

[friesman]

Ive been told by the Motorcycle Safety instructors that I ride with that the life cycle of a helmet is 5 years (no more than that) or until it gets dropped just once from 2 1/2 feet high.

I guess over time the plastic deteriorates from sunshine, plus the interior shell breaks down from sweat and heat and just wont protect you any more.

 

brian

[mrc]

Comes with a 5 yr limited warranty from the date of purchase or 7 yrs from the date of manufacture. I would have to say it depends on the manufacture.

[flb_78]

The styrofoam inside the helmet will harden over time and become more brittle resulting in less protection in a crash. Press on the interior with your finger in a couple different areas to see if there's still some give in the foam. If you hear crunching noises, you're way past over due for a new helmet.

 

Also, dropping the helmet does not warrant replacement of the helmet unless you damage the shell.

[straycatt]

Well, this should be interesting.

 

Most hat manufacturers will tell you that after five years, the materials in their lids has become so degraded that it can no longer be warranted as safe. While studies may exist to back up this claim, I have not seen anything conclusive to this end.

I say that unless you store your helmet out in the yard hanging from a tree 24/7 it'll last a lot longer than 5 years.

 

They will also try to tell you that if you drop your helmet more than a few feet, replace it. I believe that as long as there was nothing in the hat when it dropped and there is no obvious damage, you're good to go.

 

Helmets, at best are an iffy solution to a complex problem and as such do a far better job of making their user feel safe than they do of actually making him safe.

If you feel safer replacing your hat every four years, by all means do so. But I feel there is nothing like planned obsolescence to perpetuate an industry.

[TIMEtoRIDE]

I bought a used helmet in 1983 - -if it were 8 years old then, it is 35 years old today.

The foam is still there, the shell has not cracked, and it's been painted!

 

I only kept it for auto-cross,

I have a new HJC for riding. My point- a 4-6 year old helmet won't show age deterioration.

[dragerman]

This whole helmet replacement thing seams like a big contradiction when you consider that there are still States that permit one to ride without a helmet... anything is better then nothing.

 

Having said that I won’t ride without a helmet however I would like to know how these companies formulate the expiry date. I agree with straycats comments and don’t think that anything magical happens to a helmet that’s been looked after to warrant its disposal after five years. Call me cynical but I have a hard time taking advice like this when I know the motivation is to sell on something else.

[hig4s]

dropping the helmet does not warrant replacement of the helmet unless you damage the shell.

 

A fiberglass helmet can have structural damage that cannot be seen after a drop, so it might warrant replacement even if the shell does not appear to be damaged.

 

Polycarbonate and Carbon fiber shells are generally fine as long as they look fine.

[bryan52577]

• Did you crash it? Replace!
  
• Did you drop it hard enough to crack the foam? Replace.
  
• Is it from the 1970's? Replace.
  
• Is the outside just foam or cloth instead of plastic? Replace.
  
• Does it lack a CPSC, ASTM or Snell sticker? Replace.
  
• Can you not adjust it to fit correctly? Replace!!
  
• Do you hate it? Replace.
   
  
• Just my
  
• Bryan
  

[Snaggletooth]

Dang! I guess my Vetter full face will get retired.

[dynodon]

Car helmets may be a little different, but at most tracks and with SCCA, a Snell helmet can be good for up to 15 years. The Snell stickers go in 5 year intervals, and you can be two stickers behind before you have to change. This is not at the pro competition level, not sure what the rule is there.

 

Generally I like to get a new one every 10 years though.

[Monty]

If it hasn't suffered a serious impact, then don't worry about it. It will still protect you. They are just trying to sell more helmets.

[BOO]

I believe in using a helmet when riding. I also believe in buying a good helmet, not the plastic kind you know for 29.95 and I also change helmet every once in a while more like 6 or 7 years. I don't have much of a brain but it's about all I got going for me.

BOO

[84xj1100]

friesman_1 - I am one of those motorcycle instructors that mentions the 5 yr life and 2 foot drop rule.

 

According to my research, although companies do indeed want to sell more, there is truth to the 5 yr lifespan of a helmet.

 

After 5 yrs of "normal use" the "nice fit" liner on the helmet will deteriorate with all the sweat, dead head skin/flakes, hair, etc and compression (helmet liner has compressed and shaped to your head).

 

The actual shock absorption component for the head in an accident (the foam between the liner and exterior shell) will also deteriorate natually over time and is accelerated by exposure to the items as the liner (sweat, etc). Another factor that most folks (particularly those who do it) don't realize, is when you shove your helmet down over a sissy bar or hang it from a rear view morror, an impression (foam may be compressed) can be left and that area is now comprimised.

 

The outer shell of a helmet is exposed to the elements which natually breaks it down. UV rays are apparently hard on the exterior. The other aspect is the drop. If it's dropped the exterior damage may not be very apparent however fibreous helmets are constructed like paper mache and delamination occurs thus creating a weakening of the shell that isn't at all visable. This I've seen in a helmet that was dropped then dismantled and used as a training aid.

[GaryZ]

I agree with a number of comments from both sides of this discussion. I would point out that all those saying that a helmet needs to be replaced after 4 - 5 years, or after a "drop", bring no evidence or specifics to their position. After 5 years is the helmet totally ineffective? 50%? 20% 10%?

 

Helmets are tested at simulated speeds well below the average speed of everyone on this forum. They are effective only to a point. Losing 10% effectiveness after 5 years seems acceptable to me when it is your favorite helmet that is full of electronic do-dads.

[Flyinfool]

I have to agree with Gary here.

I am sure that at 5 years the helmet is not good today and junk tomorrow. IF you had a good helmet to start with it will begin to have degraded protection at 5 years, but MAY take 10 years to degrade to the level of a new cheap helmit. I have no facts to back this part up but am only trying to make a point. I am sure that the helmet manufacturers will not release this info of just how bad is bad or what percentage of protection is remaining after X amount of time.

 

As far as dropping the helmet and damage. Back when I was looking for a good helmet for stock car racing where there is a good chance that you will be in wrecks often, it was explained to me by a Shoi engineer, that what happens in a drop or a bump is that the shell will deflect and cause the outer layer of foam to compress, the shell then pops back out with no sign of damage, but the foam liner is already compressed and no longer able to absorb the next impact that comes along. The only way to see this is to destroy the helmet to look at the inner layers of foam.

 

When I tried to order replacement parts for a 7 year old Shoi helmet, they would not sell me the new parts because the "helmet useful date" had passed and it should be retired.

[Midrsv]

I'll weigh in here a bit. As a packaging engineer I work with expanded polystyrene (EPS), Styrofoam and expanded polyethelene (EPE) on a daily basis as cushioning material. Most all helmets I've looked at seem to have EPS liners. That is the part that cushions the head on impact. From my experience I see no degradation in EPS parts over a 5 year life. I often test parts older than that. I really don't think dropping a helmet will effect the EPS liner unless there is something inside the helmet to compress the foam. I believe one person mentioned that the outer shell may deflect and dent the foam. I really don't think that would happen unless there is something on the inside to prevent the foam from moving with the outer shell. Solvents and UV are certainly harmful to the foam. But I don't think skin oils and dirt will have any effect on the performance. As long as my helmet shell is in good condition and it hasn't been dropped with my head in it I'll consider it good.

 

Dennis

[brainfart]

Many years ago the BELL helmet company had an ad campaign.......

i don't recall the specificis but hte tag line was somthing close to...

 

"if you have a $10 head then wear a $10 helmet, If your head is worth more - wear a BELL"

 

 

 

a few more thoughts about safety gear.....from my wife - an EMT...

 

"leathers are cheaper than skin grafts...."

 

"yes - it's close to 100 degrees and riding leathers are uncomfortable. However consider how uncomfortable a hospital bed can be......."

 

 

 

that being said - 90% of the time i wear a helmet. purchase a new one every 3 years or so. just because.......

[GaryZ]

"if you have a $10 head then wear a $10 helmet"

 

Professor Harry Hurt used to say this before his first major safety study in the '70's. After the study he said any helmet is better than no helmet and there was little difference in the effectiveness versus purchase cost. Recent studies in "Motorcyclist" have verified that little has changed.

 

I think the expensive helmet is usually more comfortable, has better features, prettier, and has more bragging rights ("bling"). Some will always claim the expensive helmet does a better job of protection. It is likely these nice folks are defending their choice of spending obscene amounts of money on a safety hat.

[Karl C.]

There can be structural cracks in a helmet that cant be scene with the naked eye. I saw a test on a helmet after a crash one time and they put the helmet under some kind of light and there were cracks all over it... needless to say the helmet did its job.. But I also feel that if a helmet cant withstand a couple of feet being dropped then it probably wasnt worth the money given for it.

 

That is what sux about society and life... we are taught to grow up and be honest, well how many companies, advertisers etc are honest...

 

I have to agree with others here that I will do what I feel is best, and right now I really feel like using the helmet I already have...lol

[cb1313]

I have been down (crashed) 3 times in 40 years. No knowing where my head was at these times I always replaced my helmet .... BUT... I do not replace a helmet from dropping it or I would have had 50 helmets by now.

I usally go for the $130.00 price and shop for the lowest price for the helmet I like.

I have an 8 years HJC Symax ? flipup full face that I am starting to wear because I just purchased a Kaw. Versys with a very little windscreen. I am not sure if I will get a new fullface.

 

Cb having said that I am now going to start looking a full face helmets to check the cost ????

[Dave3]

I just went down last week due to a screw in my rear tire. If I were not wearing a helmet, chaps and a leather jacket I would have been in the hospital. I got away with bruised ribs and a scrape on my knee as bad a s falling down playing with my kids. My helmet has several large scrapes in the side. I will be looking for a new one soon.

[Wolf]

No offense, but I see a lot of "opinions" and we all know what thet means. I see very few facts. Because I am not a helmet manufacturer, nor tester, I will side with 5 year plan. The cost of a new helmet is for me is around 125 for a half, and 350 for a full. I pland to ise it like my insurance policy. It will cost me so much a year to own the helmet much as the insurance policy does on a annual basis. I have no plans to ever use this policy, much like the helmet, but I will be glad that it is paid should the unfortunate time ever come to pass. Thats my .02 worth.

[BigBoyinMS]

Car helmets may be a little different, but at most tracks and with SCCA, a Snell helmet can be good for up to 15 years.

 

I guess helmets are like tires... MC helmets only last 1/3 as long as car helmets.

 

 

Many years ago the BELL helmet company had an ad campaign.......

i don't recall the specificis but hte tag line was somthing close to...

 

"if you have a $10 head then wear a $10 helmet, If your head is worth more - wear a BELL"

 

 

That sounds like the old Fram commercial... "Pay me now or pay me later." And we know what crap FRAM is.

 

Anyway, I've been looking for a new helmet for a while but I haven't yet found one that I want to be seen in. They sure have changed since I bought my last one. They make'em out of fiberglass now!

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