Why do you need to replace your helmet after appox 5 years?

[iggy69]

Hi all,

Since everyone seems to be convinced that you've got to change/upgrade/dispose a helmet that you've been using for over 5 years, I wonder if any of you actually know why. I cannot find any specific and convincing information on why do we need to do that. Just a thought really. I have been riding with my Arai Viper for over 5 years now and I'm thinking of something probably cheaper but claimed to be up to to the most demanding tests (by SHARP) by the way but having looked at the flimsy construction I'd rather stay where I am and so don't really feel the need of changing it. The only need seems to be driven by the helmet manufactures, you may guess why. But back to the point.. Can anyone tell me why is this, in my opinion, stupid idea of changing your helmet after 5 years or so...does it disintegrate? really?

[MR_W]

According to my local bike shop the glues breakdown over time hence why you replace as the interior joins weaken. In regards to the truth behind that, I guess there is something just how much

[Joeman]

I think it's an historical thing, and its not in the retailer's or manufacturers interests to dispell the myth.

Two points to consider.

Helmets do not carry an expiry date, meaning that if helmets were to degrade through normal use no manufacturer would dare release a helmet without an expiry date in fear of lawsuits when old helmets failed.

Second point, UK sales of goods act states items must be fit for purpose and last for a reasonable amount of time which is generally accepted as seven years.. So if they became useless after 5/years we could all get free helmets for life!!

[MR_W]

I think it's an historical thing, and its not in the retailer's or manufacturers interests to dispell the myth.

Two points to consider.

Helmets do not carry an expiry date, meaning that if helmets were to degrade through normal use no manufacturer would dare release a helmet without an expiry date in fear of lawsuits when old helmets failed.

Second point, UK sales of goods act states items must be fit for purpose and last for a reasonable amount of time which is generally accepted as seven years.. So if they became useless after 5/years we could all get free helmets for life!!

 

Had a feeling there was some cobblers in what I was told.

Not telling gf though, otherwise I'll be on the same design for decades.

[CrookzV4]

Thought it was to do with break down of material, affected by how it is stored.

[JRH]

With the cheaper "plastic" moulded helmets in the 70's 80's these were supposed to be affected by UV. Don't know if this still applies to the modern composite materials.

[Bigralphie]

They will quote 5 years life as the worse case IE you wear your lid everyday ,clean sparingly and leave out in the light when not on your head

UV light will degrade the lid over time but time is the major factor if you store your lid in its bag out of the light and clean contaminates off the shell that will extend its life

Normally what degrades its the Polystyrene foam liner inside the helmet and so its ability to adsorb impact ,eventually it will crumble

I look to change at about 6/7 years but I take all the padding (and clean it ) and check how the foam is looking during winter

[Gin]

I had also heard it was to do with every day knocks and tumbles.

Even putting your helmet down on the same table after each ride will add a small amount of damage that will add up over the course of 5 years.. *shrugs* Make of that what you will but I tend to think that several years of the lid maybe rolling on it's side, being wedged on handlebars/wingmirrors, having gloves shoved into the cavity, carrying by the chin strap/ chin guard would weaken it over time.

I've been riding 7 and a half years now and had 3 helmets haha, one change through crash damage and one because I just found a Shoei I fell in love with

[iggy69]

Thanks for your thoughts though I think ageing of the Polystyrene foam is a myth as the material is not degradable, well ok, very slow biodegradable. I can see a bit of logic in those little impacts you expose your helmet every day and the glue issue here might come to play, you never know what's being used. In terms of UV, other than graphics damage it doesn't sound convincing (integrity wise) unless your lid heats up to 100C.

Don't get me wrong guys, I'm not that tight but after 5 years (almost 6) for now I feel my lid is in a good shape, it's been well looked after..

[soll]

Thanks for your thoughts though I think ageing of the Polystyrene foam is a myth as the material is not degradable, well ok, very slow biodegradable. I can see a bit of logic in those little impacts you expose your helmet every day and the glue issue here might come to play, you never know what's being used. In terms of UV, other than graphics damage it doesn't sound convincing (integrity wise) unless your lid heats up to 100C.

Don't get me wrong guys, I'm not that tight but after 5 years (almost 6) for now I feel my lid is in a good shape, it's been well looked after..

 

surely having a legitimate reason to go spend money on new Kit is reason enough.... its a valid excuse when it comes to explaining why to my missus, and getting access to the funds.

problem is i have 3 years to go with this lid, think i need to "drop" it before MCN show so i can get another "cheaper than retail" helmet

[JRH]

Thanks for your thoughts though I think ageing of the Polystyrene foam is a myth as the material is not degradable, well ok, very slow biodegradable. I can see a bit of logic in those little impacts you expose your helmet every day and the glue issue here might come to play, you never know what's being used. In terms of UV, other than graphics damage it doesn't sound convincing (integrity wise) unless your lid heats up to 100C.

Don't get me wrong guys, I'm not that tight but after 5 years (almost 6) for now I feel my lid is in a good shape, it's been well looked after..

 

surely having a legitimate reason to go spend money on new Kit is reason enough.... its a valid excuse when it comes to explaining why to my missus, and getting access to the funds.

problem is i have 3 years to go with this lid, think i need to "drop" it before MCN show so i can get another "cheaper than retail" helmet

 

You could do it now and go to the Excell show in Feb.

[Glorian]

Might look into new helmets.. Maybe a flip up one would be a nice change.

[MarkDev]

Hi, The inside padding does deteriate over time, might be down to continual use and the oils in our skin, however I have just replaced my lid after about 12 years, the foam had started to crumble and the glue holding the lining fell to bits. Stored in the bag that came with it, visor replaced a few times, cleaned inside and out occasionally. I was doing about 10K a year when I brought it, a Caborg flip up design.

Have fun.

M

[oldie59]

I think it comes down to how the helmet is treated over the years it is owned, plus the materials it is made of. The various materials used in their construction do break down over time and crash helmet cost has also got to play a part, I wouldn't expect a helmet costing 20 odd pounds to last as long as one costing two or three hundred pounds or more.

[TC1474]

Having been a consultant to a number of helmet manufacturers as well as a member of the BSI committee on helmets, I have a little experince in this area.

A good well maintained helmet should dependant on use, last about 5 years, however this rule is dependant on a number of factors.

If you are a high mileage user, or you perspire a lot, then you may need to consider changing it more regularly, say every 2 – 3 years as the degradation of the liner will be accelerated.

A polycarbonate shell does not (and never has) degrade and is not affected by UV. BSI placed about 50 helmets on the roof of their building for about 4 years and then tested them every few months as part of their research. No degredation was ever found in the shell, and in fact at one point there was even talk of the cheaper polycarbonate helmets becoming the type A helmet because of the consistancy of manufacturing. It was dropped though when the abrasion tests were done, although the levels of protection remains as good as the more expensive helmets.

Although the general rule is about 5 years, it could last 7 or 8 years depending on the amount of use it gets, how it is looked after and providing it continues to fit well.

So the stories about a helmet only being good for a couple of years is 100% a myth

 

I think it comes down to how the helmet is treated over the years it is owned, plus the materials it is made of. The various materials used in their construction do break down over time and crash helmet cost has also got to play a part, I wouldn't expect a helmet costing 20 odd pounds to last as long as one costing two or three hundred pounds or more.

 

A £20 helmet can and does last as long as a £300+ hat. It will be just as safe as the more expensive helmets, the biggest difference is that you do not get fancy materials or paint jobs whch go into most of the more expensive hats. The materials have to comply with EC22/05 (as opposed to the old BD6658-85 spec) and when you see the polycarb helmets being made, you would see that the standard of manufacturing and production is just as good as the more expensive helmets

Some of you would not think twice about spending several hundred pounds on a hat. I can take you to a factory in China where the shells of a certain well known brand are produced in their thouands for about 50p a shell but they retail for about £500+ once they have been fitted out, but because they have a brand name and cost a lot, everyone thinks they have to offer ultimate protection. Price snobbishness I think its called.

[Gin]

Thank you very much for this TC as I've always bought AGV and Shoei maintaining that I like my head in one piece and not concussed thank you very much..

It's good to know how much goes into all helmets as it will affect how I recommend helmets in the future

Personally I love my Shoei for the location of the vents, the way the chin guard and nose guard fit my face and most of all the fact that the sun visor doesn't make my eyes strain, as the world looks 'warped'. (I get Migraines anyway so this was a massive factor in getting a new helmet..)

But I guess these reasons are why I paid £X for it as well as, as you said, buying the name..

[Stu]

TC

What is your take on the sharps tests?

When it all first started there was a bit of controversy over it as they way they where tested was nothing like what happens in an accident!

Some people swear by the sharps testing me I'm sat on the fence!

[TC1474]

It's good to know how much goes into all helmets as it will affect how I recommend helmets in the future

But I guess these reasons are why I paid £X for it as well as, as you said, buying the name..

 

At the risk of repeating myself from previous threads, to coin a phrase, Fit, Fit and fit again. It does not matter how much or how little a helmet costs. A well fitting £30 hat will offer a darn sight more protection than a poorly fitting £500, but also bear in mind that most fatalities are caused by a broken neck (common fatality caused to wearers of flip front helmets) and if you hit somethng hard enough, it won't matter what you have on your head as there is no protection as such against diffuse fracture to the base of the skull (Broken neck)

[TC1474]

TC

What is your take on the sharps tests?

 

Honest answer? Total waste of space and time.

[Gin]

I think adding to that as well, I've had a helmet which after 45mins - 1 Hour of riding would start to give me a headache due to excess pressure on the forehead.. I know I sure as hell wasn't riding with my full mind on the road while this was the case!

My current helmet however I can wear on a 6 hour trip and only have my ears ache slightly, which in all likely hood is just in need of a good pair of ear plugs for constant road roar

One of my closest friends swears by Scorpion for their inflatable neck / jaw padding whereas I prefer the solid padding in my current Shoei with quick release pull tabs for use by paramedics in an emergency..

Swings and roundabouts and what ever suits the individual!

[TC1474]

I wrote this a couple of years ago, but it is still relevant. I hope it helps you. My apologies to anyone if it appears I am teaching you to suck eggs, but even experienced riders and dealers get it wrong.

Hands up all those who don’t like or disagree with the compulsory wearing of crash helmets? Unfortunately, 80% of motorcyclists killed on the road suffer major head injuries. Head and brain injuries can be caused by low speed accidents, and although modern motorcycle helmets will offer good protection against such injuries, as in all things, there is no guarantee.

In the UK, the only piece of equipment that must be worn at all times when on a motorcycle is a crash helmet, and until July 2000 they had to comply with BS6658-85. After this date new legislation was introduced where under the rules of self certification a new standard of EC22/05 was introduced so any helmet (which is the majority of them now) carrying this mark together with the CE mark would be perfectly legal to wear in the UK regardless of where they were purchased.

All crash helmets are constructed basically in the same way depending on the materials used.

A shell can be constructed from in the main, Polycarbonate (plastic), Fibreglass, Kevlar, Carbon Fibre or a combination of these materials mixed together to produce what is often referred to as a dual- laminate or tri-laminate construction, however, the helmet manufacturers being the clever people that they are, come up with new and inventive materials all the time. The shell is then lined with a polystyrene type liner for shock absorbency which in turn is covered by a foam liner to aid wearer comfort. The securing strap is normally of a nylon type construction attached to the shell by rivets and can be secured to the head by either a double D ring or safety belt type fastener (which I will talk more about later).

Research has shown that the effectiveness of motorcycle helmets has reduced the risk of fatal head injuries by around 50%. It has been suggested that the extra weight of a helmet actually increases the risk of neck injury, but the research has found no evidence to support this. Full face helmets are generally regarded to offer greater protection against facial and chin injuries than open faced helmets, but this may slightly increase the risk of injury to other parts of the head. In the case of a hinged style of helmet which many manufacturers now offer, there is evidence that the protection offered against chin impacts is inadequate, but more worryingly, riders who suffer chin injuries frequently suffer fractures to the base of the skull – the most threatening head injury.

Still with me? Then read on!

Many experienced riders (and often, dealers are also to blame) will say that only the most expensive helmets will afford the rider the highest levels of protection, and on this basis they will suggest that to get the maximum protection it will cost them several hundreds of pounds, well I am sorry to disappoint, but the key to maximum protection is the fit of the helmet regardless of price. Whether a rider spends £500 on a crash helmet of £50, it matters not as they all have to offer the same levels of protection. What is important is getting a helmet that fits correctly and fits the shape of the riders head, and as the saying goes, a £50 helmet that fits correctly will be far more protective than a £500 helmet that fits badly and it is unfortunate that many riders are using their machines with very poorly fitting helmets and in many cases helmets that are also in very poor condition.

Every manufacturer has their own idea of what is a standard head shape. It is therefore important that a variety of crash helmets are tried before a purchase is made simply because if the helmet does not fit correctly it can:

Cause rotation upon impact which can lead to a broken neck.

Come off in the event of an impact.

Cause excessive wind noise.

Lift at speed causing the rider to lose sight of the road ahead as he/she attempts to look through the chin bar rather than the visor aperture.

A crash helmet when new should be a tight fit even to the point where with a full face style helmet, you are just about biting the inside of your cheek, and there should not be excessive pressure on the forehead. A helmet will mould to the contours of your head and will “Give” by about half a size over the first few weeks, therefore what started off as a tightly fitting helmet will soon become a comfortable snug fit, whereas if it is a comfortable fit at the start, it will soon become loose, noisy increase the chance of it becoming detached from your head in a collision and therefore offer far less protection.

As a general rule, and wherever possible a few basic rules should be applied when looking to purchase a new helmet:

• Decide the maximum budget that you can afford.

• Generally speaking, you get what you pay for, but the level of protection remains constant regardless of price.

• A dearer helmet although offering no better protection, will afford better levels of comfort, afford less wind noise (providing it fits correctly), have better fittings and have a better overall build quality.

• Try on a variety of sizes and makes until you find the helmet that best fits your size and shape of head.

• If you find a helmet off the shelf that fits, ask if you can try the same size that is still in its box. It is more than likely that the helmet on the shelf has been tried on by many people and the interior may have become misshapen. A fresh helmet straight out of its box will provide you with a more accurate fitment guide.

Once you have found the helmet that best suits your requirements, without securing the straps, try and lift the helmet off your head by asserting pressure to the chin bar and to the rear of the shell. Also twist the helmet from side to side. If the helmet fits correctly it should remain on your head and only be capable of being removed with a degree of force. If the helmet can be tilted easily, then it may be because you have the wrong style or make of helmet, it may be the wrong size or even the wrong shape in which case you will need to try another make or size.

Once you have found the correct size and shape of helmet and with it securely fastened, make sure that you can easily turn your head from side to side. Many riders find that their head movements are restricted for all sorts of reasons, not least of which is because the style of helmet they are considering or have purchased is wrong for the type of bike they ride or any one of a combination of reasons mentioned previously.

I mentioned earlier about the securing straps, and this is an area that can and does cause problems. Shoei were one of the first if not the first to introduce the seat belt type fastener, and this found favour with many riders as they found that their helmet could be secured with a gloved hand. Over time, many other manufacturers followed suit, but what often is not realized is that over time these straps will stretch and so they cease to be properly secured to the head. If you do have this type of safety catch, then make sure that you check the tightness of the strap on a regular basis, the last thing you want to do is put a loose strap to the test. With a double D fastener of course, the strap is tightened every time the helmet is put on, and personally I prefer this peace of mind even though it may not be as convenient as the safety belt type fastener.

Once you have made your purchase, there are a few general rules that will ensure that you maintain the maximum levels of protection and comfort from your new hat:

Firstly, never loan your helmet to anyone. We are all different in terms of shape and size, and having spent time bedding a new helmet in and getting it to mould to your shape, someone else wearing your helmet could spoil that as they can push it out of shape.

Secondly, never leave it on the saddle or handlebars of your bike. If it falls off, there is no telling what damage you may have caused, and even though it may appear to be perfectly OK from the outside, you may have compromised the shock absorbency of the liner, and the only way this can be checked is either to send it to a specialist helmet technician or send it back to the factory as they are the only people who will be able to return it back to its original accredited CE state in the event that it is OK.

If you do drop it, or you are involved in an accident, I would also advise that it be changed regardless of whether any damage is apparent. Unknown to you, the polystyrene liner may have been bruised or damaged on impact and the shock absorbency of the liner may have been compromised, is it worth taking the risk?

A good well maintained helmet should dependant on use, last about 5 years, however this rule is dependant on a number of factors. If you are a high mileage user, or you perspire a lot, then you may need to consider changing it more regularly, say every 2 – 3 years as the degradation of the liner will be accelerated. It is worth checking to see whether your riding kit (particularly your helmet) can be covered under your house contents insurance. If it becomes damaged, you can arrange a new helmet quickly and without any financial outlay and thereby ensure that maximum protection is maintained.

[Hoggs]

I mentioned earlier about the securing straps, and this is an area that can and does cause problems. Shoei were one of the first if not the first to introduce the seat belt type fastener, and this found favour with many riders as they found that their helmet could be secured with a gloved hand. Over time, many other manufacturers followed suit, but what often is not realized is that over time these straps will stretch and so they cease to be properly secured to the head. If you do have this type of safety catch, then make sure that you check the tightness of the strap on a regular basis, the last thing you want to do is put a loose strap to the test. With a double D fastener of course, the strap is tightened every time the helmet is put on, and personally I prefer this peace of mind even though it may not be as convenient as the safety belt type fastener.

 

I had a seatbelt style in my old ("cheap" aka unbranded) helmet and I hated it! I found it difficult to open and was forever faffing about with trying to get it to the right tightness. Would always go for the D ring in future. The guy on the Shoei stand that I bought my new (expensive AKA branded) helmet from said he's had a lot of people who won't buy them with the D rings because they are "too difficult to use"

 

Secondly, never leave it on the saddle or handlebars of your bike. If it falls off, there is no telling what damage you may have caused, .

 

I always used to leave my hat on the seat of the bike until I did my DAS and the instructor gave me a right shouting at for the reasons you mentioned!!

[Gin]

Great post!

Really good information in there..

In the same line is "Not shoving your gloves in your helmet" Which I am guilty for at times

When I see people put their helmet on the ground on its side or on its 'roof' it makes me physically cringe!

[Stu]

awesome post

can't beat double D

the missus wanted an easy fasten helmet as she struggled with double D!

her new one has double D she has since got used to it