Which in turn raises the question of how long are motorcycle helmets good for? What will happen after five years, will the helmet crumble to dust or something? So, I set out to find out why we are encouraged to replace our helmets after 5 years, and what I found was a whole lot of misinformation, disinformation, and hog-wash!
I think that replacing your helmet after a reasonable number of years is the sensible thing to do, but doing so based entirely on the number of years seems rather random.
Surely, how often a helmet is used and how it is stored when not in use should be worthy of consideration as well. It makes sense that the actions of pulling a helmet onto your head, grabbing and pulling the chin straps straight, then clipping it closed, followed by the process of undoing all of that when you remove your helmet, causes normal wear and tear.
But is that enough to relegate your helmet to the trash after only 3 or 5 years? What I found is that the main reasons given for replacing helmets are that the various components that make up a helmet can start to degrade. Okay, that makes some sense, but surely some of these degrading parts can be replaced.
None of the above are valid reasons to replace your helmet. In fact, some of them are blatantly wrong. The chin straps usually get a mention as a part for potential deterioration. So best you replace your entire helmet. Replacement chin straps can be bought at most places that sell motorcycle helmets. Actually, I had a chin-strap fail on me a few years back. Another good reason given for replacing your helmet is because after years of use sweat and other body fluids, hair oil, and cosmetics can deteriorate the internal components of your helmet.
Though they may be referring to bicycle helmets , why would bicycle helmets be any different from motorcycle helmets? But even with or without safety standards, guess what?
Comfort Liners and other types of liners are also replaceable! Why buy a whole new helmet just because your liner is smelly or a little tattered? Where is Myth Busters when you need them? Degradation of the EPS Expanded Polystyrene foam liner is such a common fallacy that no-one even bothers to contest the validity of the claim. The solution, replace your helmet! What a load of Bull!
Thankfully, this untruth about the EPS liner hardening due to evaporation can be disproven. A research article published in March , determined that the impact attenuation properties of EPS foam does not degrade with age. As the EPS foam liner does not degrade with age there is no need to replace it. Which is probably why you cannot buy replacement EPS liners. Last but not least is the outer shell of the helmet. Although there are numerous types of materials used for the manufacture of helmet shells like fiberglass, carbon fiber, and kevlar, by far the most common are thermoplastic polymers like ABS and polycarbonate.
At some point you will have to replace it but the question is when? How long does a motorcycle helmet last? The general rule of thumb is to consider replacing your helmet every years barring that the helmet has not experienced any accidents or significant impact. Most manufacturers and safety organizations recommend this especially if you wear your helmet consistently. However, there are a few other signs you should be paying attention to in order to help you determine when it is time to get yourself a new motorcycle helmet.
Let me clarify any misunderstandings or concerns. Many retailers may insinuate this scare tactic just to get more sales but it is simply not true. If you drop your motorcycle helmet, you do not need to replace it. You would have to drop your helmet from a significant height in order to damage it to the point that you need a new one. Motorcycle helmets and ATV helmets alike are very sturdy and robust.
However, this does not mean you should be throwing your helmet around. I recommend keeping good care of your helmet and storing it in a dry, cool area. Taking a look at the materials manufacturers use will help to give you a better understanding of helmet durability. The majority of motorcycle helmets and dirt bike helmets consist of an outer shell made from some type of durable plastic, fiberglass, or carbon. These compounds are some of the most robust materials found on this planet. They will last for years to come.
They are extremely durable and have proof of the utmost resiliency. A simple drop of your helmet onto the ground should not cause it to become damaged if it is made from one of these compounds. The interior helmet typically consists of dense foam to help absorb impact. If you dropped your helmet with something heavy inside of it, you may need to check the foam for deformation. The foam does a great job of absorbing and dispersing impact so dropping your helmet should not drastically impact the integrity of your helmet to the point that you need a new one.
You will also find some type of moisture-wicking lining inside your helmet as well. This lining will help absorb sweat and other moisture to preserve the integrity of the helmet. Unless you are filling your helmet with water and then letting it free fall from your roof, you do not have to worry about getting a new helmet if you accidentally drop it. Below I have listed 7 signs to look for that will help determine if you need a new helmet.
As a beginner rider, these tips helped me to know if I needed to replace mine. How old is your helmet? Like I mentioned at the beginning of this article, if you have worn your helmet for over 5 years, then it might be time to replace it. But why should you replace your helmet every 5 years? I tried on the XL and I can place my open hands in — sticking my left hand on the left side and right hand on the right side, simultaneously touching my ears — which I think means that the XL is too big for me — even though that helmet fits great front to back.
Hi Jon, Any compression of the foam will decrease its ability to absorb impact. However, I have pushed in some proud bits that hurt my head on some helmets. That is my choice and it is only in a couple of areas. I prefer comfort to distracting pain as a primary safety issue. Cheers, Mark.
When it turnes out that your head does not make a perfect match with LS2 helmets, you might want to try e. AGV, Bell or Shoei. Helmets only start getting comfortable after about 10, miles. New ones take too long to break in. The only helmets that I have found that are easy to get in, right out of the box, are the ones that stink like sweat. I like Icon helmets because I can actually see if they are used enough to put on and stay in.
Hydradry padding starts out a pristine white. The best hydradry padding will have turned a dark grey with highlights of yellow and brown from sweat and skin oils. Some guys stink more than others in their lids. They look so cool on the outside, and they feel and smell hot on the inside.
Albeit no different for me, I think you may want reconsider how you present your sweaty golden nuggets of, wisdom lol. I check the interior poly carbonate and Styrofoam by trying to press my thumb nail against the interior.
I think it should indent easily as your head needs to be able to be protected by something that will compress.
I think the five year replacement is reasonable but remember many helments sat on a shelf or in the box for multiple years before they were sold. Check the mfg date before buying. Took it back. I was given a AGV helmet with no to very little use was too small for me and has stayed in its helmet bag in a dark cupboard.
My wife has decided to get on the new bike. The helmet is 8 years old in perfect condition thoughts? However, eight years is still a long time and it may have been on the shelf a few years before that. Is there a sticker anywhere on the helmet that says year of manufacture?
If you were to do that, there is a chance that it may or may not work as it should during an impact. Hi Russ, Sad to say the lining will have deteriorated and made it useless. If you are lucky, you may be able to buy lining inserts that fit, but I doubt it.
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