Change your helmet after 5 years ....... why?

[Pbassred]

Why? seriously, What happens after 5 years? Why 5? not 4 or 6? Is it miles dependent? or actual time? What causes it? what gives out?  Is this marketing or in there any hard science?  As a Manufacturing Engineer I have come across a wide range of materials and I can't come up with a logic that explains it. 

 

Motorcycles magazines and web sites seem to quote each other as an established fact, but attempts to explain it are a bit of a stretch.  "Its to do wit hair oils", or "UV light" or the best one:- " Every time you put it on you stretch it a bit".

 

There have been Fiberglass powerboats for 50 years. Carbonfibre composites have been used in aircraft for nearly as long. Both of those live in more harsh environments than a Shoei bucket.  What about the EPS or as we used to call it polystyrene foam? This stuff is hated by the environmental lobby because it NEVER breaks down.

 

This is not about being cheap or about denying that technology upgrades with time.  If I spend £500 on a lid is it really trash in 5 years? Could I spend that money on other safety upgrades?  If they don't really degrade, is it all a scam and we are throwing helmets into landfill? If the helmet companies were taxed on that they would probably be motivated to find a solution.

Edited February 26, 2022 by Pbassred

[keith1200rs]

I don't know the answer but the padding in my wife's helmet started to fall apart after 30 years so she had to buy a new one. It had been sitting in a cupboard for ages, so not affected by UV light.

 

I only change mine when there is a good reason. My latest change was to get a flip-front, not due to the old one being 15 years old.

[Mr Fro]

I suspect the "5 year rule" is based on typical use fatiguing tests on the shell. I've got a lid that must be approaching 20 years old that I would wear as it's spent most of it's life in a wardrobe. I think my current one is 6 or 7 years old and I have no concerns.

 

Degrading due to UV is tosh however stretching the liner I can see as a reasonable argument. When I buy a new helmet it feels mega tight and by comparison, the old one feels as loose as a hookers vag.

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

I read something about this a while back, similar to the myth that tyres have to be replaced every 5 years. I think the advice was that with modern lids the only bit that degrades is the foam padding so they don't fit quite as well. The outer shell and polystyrene impact absorption are very stable and will last quite a long time.

 

You can buy replacement padding and liners for some helmets. I have a couple of Caberg Dukes, both the same size, the older one has certainly worn to a looser fit over five years. But the cost of replacing the lining is about two thirds the cost of a new helmet so on that basis I'd buy new rather than refurbishing it. If you added the price of a new visor and pinlock then buying new is a no brainer.

[Bender]

There are helmet inspection places now which will inspect your helmet and give you a report on it. 

 

 

I believe @Six30and @Stu offer this service in the carpark of ull cinieworld every other Sat night  

 

 

It's probably down to average use and the impact of said use on the interior padding as much as anything. 

 

 

[KiwiBob]

I would think that the amount of use and abuse a helmet gets is more important than its age!

 

I'm sure a well looked after helmet worn once a week will last well more than 5 years.

 

If its worn all day, 5 days a week and chucked around when you take it off then you probably need to change it earlier than 5 years!

 

 

[Davidtav]

I’m sceptical about this as well. I can understand that a very old lid needs replacing. But the five year thing sounds like marketing tosh to me. My lid is three years old. I can’t see any degradation on the liner. Or any other degradation either. It still fits snugly. Can’t imagine it will be in any different in a couple of years … of course this is often countered with “how much is your head worth” which is a powerful argument. But I’m still not convinced there is very much science behind it

[MikeHorton]

My hjc flip front had daily wear and after 3 years the padding was pretty well done for. As said the cost of replacement can be quite high and hence a new helmet it is. Its a shame really I'm sure the padding is priced as such so you buy a new one. I do like to maintain and reuse stuff but manufacturers can make it quite hard 

[manxie49]

I've asked the same question myself.   My Shark helmet lasted 8yrs, the helmet still looked in good condition but the foam interior started falling apart, probably something to do with a lot of wet weather riding and the interior constantly getting wet. Whenever I took the helmet off it looked like I had a bad case of dandruff! My wife has currently had her Arai helmet for 6yrs and it's perfect.

[Bianco2564]

This is Arais' take on it.

https://www.whyarai.co.uk/news/index/view/item/400000-uk-motorcycles-wearing-helmets-that-need-replacing/#:~:text=At Arai%2C we place a,this is purely age related.

 

Never knew about the date code on the d ring, checked mine out ;O06 ,June 2015 so its time is almost up according to their standards. I will replace it with another Arai when I'm ready but am comfortable with it for another year or so.

[Fleck]

Treated myself to a new one a couple of years ago, bought it in 1994 and it shrank or my head is growing, was splitting my skull getting it on

 

Went for a shark modular, very nice

[MikeHorton]

Just come back from buying my wife a new helmet. She found the Vemar eclipse really comfy 

[Six30]

56 minutes ago, MikeHorton said:

Just come back from buying my wife a new helmet. She found the Vemar eclipse really comfy 

theres a joke in there somewhere...

[Six30]

7 hours ago, Bender said:

There are helmet inspection places now which will inspect your helmet and give you a report on it. 

 

 

I believe @Six30and @Stu offer this service in the carpark of ull cinieworld every other Sat night  

 

 

It's probably down to average use and the impact of said use on the interior padding as much as anything. 

 

 

 

[fastbob]

After five years , on the stroke of midnight ....

[skyrider]

2 hours ago, Six30 said:

 

yep that's what Arnie said

[geofferz]

14 hours ago, skyrider said:

yep that's what Arnie said

'I lied' 

[DJP]

I think the old polycarbonate shells used to go brittle back in the day. I dunno if that's still a thing but personally, it's a bit academic for me since I use my "Lid" for every day commuting and after a few years they get tatty - visor mechanisms get loose, straps start to fray, the lining goes baggy and bits of foam start falling out etc. etc. so mine wear out around the 4 - 5 year mark anyway.

[MikeHorton]

2 minutes ago, DJP said:

I think the old polycarbonate shells used to go brittle back in the day. I dunno if that's still a thing but personally, it's a bit academic for me since I use my "Lid" for every day commuting and after a few years they get tatty - visor mechanisms get loose, straps start to fray, the lining goes baggy and bits of foam start falling out etc. etc. so mine wear out around the 4 - 5 year mark anyway.

I'd agree with that my hjc went the same way but daily wear I couldnt complain