BC Sport Bikes Forum banner

Helmet Woes

2K views 18 replies 13 participants last post by  maninblack 
#1 · (Edited)
So i remember reading about helmets expiring and how the liner and sometimes the shell can decompose over time, thus needing replacement. So i look at my helmet and its about 6 months shy of its five year expiry date? So whats the deal with this? Will my helmet spontaneously combust after this. How does a liner/shell decompose over time? Does it oxidize? Do i have to vacuum seal my helmet in the off season to prolong its life. My helmet is in mint condition and it seams like its barley been worn over the course of its life. Any comments. I'm sure theres been a post on this before i'm just a relative newbie. Thanks guys. Peace.
 
#2 · (Edited)
5 years.

You can keep wearing it after that, there's probably a good safety factor built into that number (like its still good to 7.5 years, or 50% extra)

They do improve the construction, so if you have a 7 or 8 year old helmet, even if it were somehow magically preserved, a newer helmet would take advantage of advances in construction and materials.

Snell updates its standard regularly, I think the latest is Snell2000.

You'd probably be just fine still wearing your old helmet thats 4.9 years old for little while.. But I wouldn't. I need what few brain cells I still have.
 
#5 ·
The date has nothing to do with the helmets. It is like the 10 year limit on propane tanks. It is there so that if they change the regulations within 10 years everyone will have the new stuff. It has nothing to do with how old the tank itself is. The 5year limit on helmets is there to make sure that nobody is riding with a helemt certified as being safe in 1942.

-Sandworm
 
#11 ·
Good old Pete said:
just like milk if it expires toss it. The same goes for Kawasaki's.

I have a Kawasaki, but it expires in year 2088, should I give it to my grandson or should I just toss it?:laughing
 
#12 ·
PeteDawg said:
So i remember reading about helmets expiring and how the liner and sometimes the shell can decompose over time, thus needing replacement. So i look at my helmet and its about 6 months shy of its five year expiry date? So whats the deal with this? Will my helmet spontaneously combust after this. How does a liner/shell decompose over time? Does it oxidize? Do i have to vacuum seal my helmet in the off season to prolong its life. My helmet is in mint condition and it seams like its barley been worn over the course of its life. Any comments. I'm sure theres been a post on this before i'm just a relative newbie. Thanks guys. Peace.
maybe this might explain a bit better. Its from a guide about used bikes, and why not to buy a used helmet, but the bit about EPS is relevant:

Furthermore, EPS becomes more brittle as it ages, and old/brittle EPS has only a small fraction of the original impact absorption abilities. And since you may not know when the helmet was made (who cares when the previous owner bought the thing), you don't know how "fresh" the EPS is. The EPS layer in helmets is also highly vulnerable to ultraviolet and chemical damage -- if, for example, the helmet's owner was in the habit of resting the helmet on the bike's gas tank, gas vapors from the fill cap have attacked and compromised the EPS lining. Or if the helmet was left out in the sun a lot, it could also be damaged from the ultraviolet component of sunlight. Arai (a leading helmet manufacturer) cites acidic sweat as a leading cause of premature EPS degradation. The EPS can also be compressed if the helmet is habitually rested on pointy objects like mirror-stalks or handlebars. The bottom line is, despite what the owner says, you do not know what condition the EPS liner is in, and the EPS liner is the vast majority of the helmet's crash protection.
It's not worth the risk. Yes, in some cases, you can send the helmet back to the manufacturer to have it X-rayed. But that will only tell you if the EPS liner has been compressed, not if it has been chemically damaged. Since you'll never know for sure, buy yourself a good quality new helmet from a good quality manufacturer, and stay away from used helmets.
 
G
#13 ·
I'd say toss it if you have money coming out of your ass. If its a quality helmet it should be fine untill you physically hurt it...if there reeally is a material degradation in play i dont believe it can be nearly as short as 5 years....has to be a BIG safety factor built into it so i wouldnt worry at least for a couple of years
 
#14 ·
Greeneyes said:
I'd say toss it if you have money coming out of your ass. If its a quality helmet it should be fine untill you physically hurt it...if there reeally is a material degradation in play i dont believe it can be nearly as short as 5 years....has to be a BIG safety factor built into it so i wouldnt worry at least for a couple of years
Ya, if they say 5 years, I'd say its probably good for 7 years.
 
#15 ·
thanks for the info guys...this is exactly why i'm gonna be a materials engineer....develop me some kick ass EPS that resists chemical and ultraviolet impacts.
 
#16 ·
Having a Materials Engineering degree, I concur with what CDG said. In effect, the chemicals in the oils you produce combined with the UV that permeates through the foam will make it more brittle. The degradation is "measured", and the effective protection lifecycle of the helmet lasts about 5 years. This is not without the factor of safety (read:fudge factor) applied.

:thumbup
 
#17 ·
I'd say get a new one. You've used this one for a long time and it's time to treat yourself to a new one. They say 5 years but that is probably averaged depending on how much you actually wear it. Oils, fumes, etc. will degrade the foam over time and your safety is at stake.

my helmet instructions say not to wear it more than 5 after initial use and not more than 7 years after the manufacture date. Your helmet is the second most important piece of safety equipment you have. Any money you spend on a new helmet is definately justified :)
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top