When do you replace your helmet?

When/why do you replace your helmet? I presume that after a severe oopsie a new helmet will be in order, but what about when you have dropped it a few times, or maybe after 3 years you are tired of the graphics ... Maybe a new bike is a valid reason for a new lid as well

I heard that if you drop your helmet it may be necessary to replace it because it can loose it's ability to protect your head. Obviously depends on which part hits the ground. Maybe someone out there has more info on the lifespan of helmets and the damage a simple drop can cause

I agree - a drop of the helmet will create damage to the helmet you might not be able to see (the internal crumple zones do what they are supposed to do and loses the ability to do it again). It is therefore vitally important to take good care of your helmet and alway put it down in such a manner that it cannot possibly fall.

I have also heard that a helmet's lifespan is about 5 years. For what reason, I do not know. Maybe a marketing drive to get people to change helmets more often?

I would also like to know how often you guys replace the visor portion of the helmet. Does it also have a lifespan (may become hardened due to the elements, or something) ??

Rooikat wrote:I would also like to know how often you guys replace the visor portion of the helmet. Does it also have a lifespan (may become hardened due to the elements, or something) ??

I personally think that you only have to replace the visor if it starts to limit visibility, either due to scrathes or damage to the anti-fog coating on the inside. If one takes good care of one's visor and clean it with the appropriate type of cloth (to prevent fine scratches), and mild soap (not any type of detergent like Mr Muscle), and keep the helmet in it's bag when not used, it should last for a very long time

Please go to the link below for some interesting facts

http://www.buymotorcyclehelmets.com/infopage.asp?page=8&extra=1

Have just been to above link - obviously one cannot use a helmit forever - but i tend not to agree with the 2 to 4 years mentioned in the above link. With regards to the visor - just keep it clean as Andre said. Have been using my helmit and visor since 2004.

I wrote to Schuberth GmbH in Germany, the manufacturers of BMW helmets...

LATEST AWARDS

Schuberth helmets have scored best results in more than 30 international tests

My reply from them was....


Dear Les,

you have to change a helmet every 5-7 years.
When you have dropped a helmet you normally have to change it, because the shell can be brocken, which you does not see with normal eyes.


Mit freundlichen Grüßen/ Kind Regards

Schuberth GmbH
i. A. Stefanie Reichenbach
Service Center
Stegelitzer Straße 12
D-39126 Magdeburg
Telefon: +49-391-8106-233
Telefax: +49-391-8106-228
E-Mail: reichenbach@schuberth.de
Homepage: www.schuberth.com

Heard somewhere about a sticker you can put on helmet that will then indicate if it has been dropped severely enough to be replaced, don't know how it works, maybe just a rumour, but suppose htere could be merit in soemthing that distinguishes a fall from a FALL of the helmet ...

Bear wrote:I wrote to Schuberth GmbH in Germany, the manufacturers of BMW helmets...

I would rather believe an independent view from a body such as the bureau of standards because manufacturers and resellers will always like to sell you a new one

Tend to agree with Andre - obviously they have a vested interest in replacing on a short rotation.

Joe wrote:Heard somewhere about a sticker you can put on helmet that will then indicate if it has been dropped severely enough to be replaced, don't know how it works, maybe just a rumour, but suppose htere could be merit in soemthing that distinguishes a fall from a FALL of the helmet ...

Web page: http://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcycle-helmets/damage-sensor/

Motorcycle Helmet Damage Sensor

wBW Reviews Home

How can you tell when a motorcycle helmet needs to be replaced? Sure, there are the obvious signs, like when pieces of the liner start blowing in your eyes, or when the foam turns yellow, or when the chin strap starts looking (and smelling) like Swiss cheese. Yuck!

I'll never forget an email message to a motorcycle list I read once. This is a true story - the writer wanted to know when he needed to replace his disposable earplugs. He had been using them for one year and they were getting kind of crusty!

This is probably the same guy still wearing his plastic Sears helmet that he bought in 1972. An extreme case maybe, and motorcycle helmet shelf life is a debatable issue. But helmet technology has been evolving so rapidly that I'd say it's time to start thinking about a new one about every 3 years. Maybe less if you don't wear a helmet liner and you don't have a washable liner!

All kidding aside, those examples are the extremes and they're very obvious. What isn't so obvious is the internal damage a helmet might suffer from something as simple as a fall from a shelf, or off the seat of a parked bike (you don't rest your helmet on the seat, do you?).

Or have you ever loaned your helmet to a friend? How do you know what happened to the helmet when it was out of your control?

The Shok SpotR helmet damage sensor is a new product that can help you determine if your helmet has suffered any damage.

The device is only 4 mm thick and it weighs an imperceptible 7 grams (1/4 oz.). It's designed to be installed on the centerline of the helmet towards the rear. It has a sensor that turns red when the helmet experiences damage that could affect its performance.

The device is relatively inconspicuous, except for the "warning" sticker on the back. If it weren't for that sticker, and if the body of the Shok SpotR was made from a reflective material, you'd probably never know that it wasn't part of the helmet.

We decided to give it a try with a hardly-used HJC open-face helmet. We placed the Shok SpotR on the rear of the helmet per the instructions. The device has double-sided tape on the back, and it takes only a few seconds to peel the backing and attach it to the helmet.





We dropped the helmet from 2, 4 and 6 feet on to a bare concrete floor, directly on the top of the helmet. The shorter drops didn't affect the device, but the Shok SpotR activated when dropped from 6 feet. The Shok SpotR folks tell us that the device is calibrated for the weight of a helmet on a human head, so dropping an empty helmet probably isn't a fair test.

We're assuming that this distance might vary, depending upon the size, weight and shape of the helmet, which could affect the outcome due to the different mass and impact.

But the Shok SpotR worked as advertised. You would probably know if the helmet was dropped from, for example, a 6-foot high shelf, but perhaps not if the floor had a vinyl covering or something that protected the helmet from getting scratched.

Other than a couple of scratches on top and some damage to the Shok SpotR, you'd never know the helmet was dropped and it could easily be overlooked.

Shok SpotR suggests that the devices is also useful for a child's helmet, which could sustain damage or a fall and the parent would have no way of knowing if the helmet was damaged.

The helmet could be damaged directly on the Shok SpotR itself, but if the device was damaged enough for it to activate, then the helmet should be sent back to the factory for an inspection anyway.

If your helmet sustains damage, or if you're unsure of the helmet's ability to protect you, we recommend that it's sent back to the factory for an inspection. In the meantime, the Shok SpotR can act as a monitor to help you determine if your helmet has sustained enough damage to warrant further inspection.

By the way, the Shok SpotR is available through any motorcycle dealer that uses Western Power Sports Distributing, or through any Kawasaki dealer through Kawasaki USA.

@ Bear

Wow Bear. What a post I think it is a great idea to get one of these sensors. One never knows when your lid is no longer effective. By the way, talking about someone wearing a plastic Sears helmet, a friend of mine sometimes wears his army "derby" when biking

The SHOEI comes with a pamflet that says that if you drop the helmet, you should buy another one.

I think the moral of the story here is that you must protect your helmet with your life so that it can protect your life. Dropping it should be a worse sin that when you dropped your rifle in the army.

A helmet that gets taken off the shelf once a month goes through less wear and tear than one being used every day. Those that are looked after will last longer than the abused ones.

This is all quite simple. But when to replace a helmet is not that simple. Going for one every year could be overdoing it even if you use it every day. Keeping it until the padding is kept in place by some tape and glue is taking it too far.

Why do we not agree on once every two years then I can print out our decision and give it to my Minister of Finance to be implemented every two years?

Hope she is not reading this - otherwise your plan wont work.

Well put me on the list for chritmass. My minister thinks I am already crazy

Rather go for distance as a guide and not years, given the difference in frequency of use etc ... So maybe a lid every 40 000 kays

won't work for me.......

have to replace annually then

Will then have to replace every 2 years. Eventually comes back to a personal choice issue here.

Interesting discussion. The main thing is to keep the helmet clean, be ultra careful not to drop it, use the helmet bag all the time. I have one in my top box all the time and whenever I put the helmet in the box it goes in the bag first. I use Mr Min to clean the helmet and visor most Sunday evenings after a week of use. Was extremely annoyed the other day when the visor got hit by a smallish stone that hit with enough force to chip the visor. Luckinly not directly in my vision and I tend to look through the mark. I use an Arai which replaced my Shark which I had used for about 2 years.

No longer a paddle foot. Wha hoo.

Congrats Tony How far is the negotiation with the RT going

I am waiting for Piet. Sent him an email on Friday but have had no response back yet. Will keep on pushing.

Problem with e mail They dont have to reply. I imagine the same with a phone or letter.
Any case good luck