revtothelimit - motorbike forum

Visonja wrote: Tue Aug 12, 2025 7:38 pm Yeah, I always check the date now. Had a “new” lid once that was already a couple years old when I bought it, and the foam felt noticeably stiffer than a fresh one. If it’s been sitting in a box that long, I’d want a decent discount at least.

Do you mean the impact-absorbing dense foam?

I'd be surprised if you could feel any difference in that between a 'new' new helmet and an 'old' new one.

Usually what happens is the comfort foam compresses with use and the helmet feels looser.

KungFooBob wrote: Wed Mar 05, 2025 8:44 am I don't necessarily agree with the five year thing, but I stick to it, cos who doesn't like a shiny new helmet every so often?

You are Bonnie Blue and I claim my soapy tenner

Every so often, not every 15 seconds.

If you're not using it every day, and it's stored somewhere it's not being hit by direct sunlight, wild temperature fluctuations etc., I think the 5 year thing is bollox.

Wear and tear I can understand, especially as the impact absorbing foam and polystyrene can be compressed etc. But just age alone? I tend not to agree. It's also a bit BS because on some helmets you can completely replace the comfort foam lining anyway (but not the 'main' polystyrene).

The polymers used in the structure of helmets are used in all kinds of other stuff too, if you have a really fancy supercar you might even have the structure of the car made from it! Do McLaren and Lamborghini say you have to replace the chassis of your car every 5 years?

I mean they probably do, but that's just so they can gouge their rich customers.

Mr. Dazzle wrote: Sat Aug 16, 2025 9:19 am If you're not using it every day, and it's stored somewhere it's not being hit by direct sunlight, wild temperature fluctuations etc., I think the 5 year thing is bollox.

^^^ This, absolutely. A courier's helmet in constant use, enduring wide swings of heat/cold, acidic sweat and humidity will be scrap in a couple of years. The same helmet, owned by a rider who does a couple of thousand miles a year tops, will still be fine after ten years or more.

Mr. Dazzle wrote: Sat Aug 16, 2025 9:19 am If you're not using it every day, and it's stored somewhere it's not being hit by direct sunlight, wild temperature fluctuations etc., I think the 5 year thing is bollox.

Wear and tear I can understand, especially as the impact absorbing foam and polystyrene can be compressed etc. But just age alone? I tend not to agree. It's also a bit BS because on some helmets you can completely replace the comfort foam lining anyway (but not the 'main' polystyrene).

This for me. I mean, I did buy a new helmet earlier this year but that was more that I could afford to and wanted to than 'needed' to - although I've owned both the older lids for probably 10 or more years, neither has been used much or often in full sunlight and stored in a bag in a garage (for most of the last 8 years for sure !! ).

If they feel loose, then they are too old! Or dropped (although I do still wear my green Arai which took a small hit to the back of it once - but I used to use that here as it was the only one that had a black visor !!)

I'm still gutted my mate refused to let me bring my 'corset' helmet that I was wearing when I crashed the TL - I'm convinced it would have been ok if I could have got it scanned, but she said she'd 'keep it safe' for me as I shouldn't wear it anyway. Can't see me getting that back now

The polymers used in the structure of helmets are used in all kinds of other stuff too, if you have a really fancy supercar you might even have the structure of the car made from it! Do McLaren and Lamborghini say you have to replace the chassis of your car every 5 years?

Well, I was always told that helmets deteriorate with uv/sunlight - guessing a chassis doesn't / shouldn't see much of that ???

I might be bothered about the 5 year thing with the sort of polycarbonate helmets we had back in the 70s (but I wasn't at the time).

Now? Nope. I did swap out my 2003 helmet after 5 years. But that was after I took a gouge out of the top of it with the garage door.

Noggin wrote: Sun Aug 17, 2025 8:17 am Well, I was always told that helmets deteriorate with uv/sunlight - guessing a chassis doesn't / shouldn't see much of that ???

That's why they paint them....

Mr. Dazzle wrote: Sun Aug 17, 2025 8:31 am

Noggin wrote: Sun Aug 17, 2025 8:17 am Well, I was always told that helmets deteriorate with uv/sunlight - guessing a chassis doesn't / shouldn't see much of that ???

That's why they paint them....

Which is why I take little notice but do store them out of sunlight

I remember when I started riding ('98) I was told we weren't supposed to put stickers on helmets in case the glue did something awful to the paint !!

If you ever crash in an Arai, they have a free scan service.
I've used it twice and both came back clear.
Nothing to stop you having an older Arai checked if you fib and say it's been in a crash.

I guess painting your second hand, open-faced lid with Humbrol enamel and drilling 3 small holes in it so you can screw a peak on or drilling 3 bigger holes for the 'press stud' fittings for a tinted bubble visor wouldn't be very popular in this modern age.

Noggin wrote: Sun Aug 17, 2025 8:17 am ... my 'corset' helmet that I was wearing when I crashed the TL - I'm convinced it would have been ok if I could have got it scanned,

If considering getting a helmet checked (only UK company I know of is the https://m.facebook.com/HelmetUK/ , Google lists them as 'temporarily closed), ask how they check and verify that the impact liner isn't compromised.

An inspection (X-ray, laser scan, whatever) of the shell isn't sufficient.

This pic is of a section of a helmet that had been SHARP tested (was on the stand at the 2023 bike show).

No visible damage to the shell - but look how the impact liner is compressed.

.

Horse wrote: Sun Aug 17, 2025 12:37 pm

Noggin wrote: Sun Aug 17, 2025 8:17 am ... my 'corset' helmet that I was wearing when I crashed the TL - I'm convinced it would have been ok if I could have got it scanned,

If considering getting a helmet checked (only UK company I know of is the https://m.facebook.com/HelmetUK/ , Google lists them as 'temporarily closed), ask how they check and verify that the impact liner isn't compromised.

An inspection (X-ray, laser scan, whatever) of the shell isn't sufficient.

This pic is of a section of a helmet that had been SHARP tested (was on the stand at the 2023 bike show).

No visible damage to the shell - but look how the impact liner is compressed.

.20231122_165614~2.jpg

The only reason I was thinking about it was that Arai (or maybe Shoei) had a stand at the TT grandstand a million years ago offering to check lids - absolutely no recollection of what they planned to check, but if I still had the pretty Shoei, I would be looking into it - but as I don't, I probably won't bother now!!

Horse wrote: Sun Aug 17, 2025 12:37 pm No visible damage to the shell - but look how the impact liner is compressed.

This is always a problem with structues like this, it's an even bigger problem on fibre reinforced composites (e.g. glass and carbon fibres, like lots of helmets use).

What tends to happen is the inside surface gets damaged, sometimes it sort of 'explodes off' on the side opposite to where the impact occured. It's a big problem on aircraft and the like 'cause you can't tell if something's been whacked but it might have a load of damage on the inside. Even various NDT methods struggle to detect it.

Many years ago I bought myself a lovely Arai helmet. I used it for a couple years, then it ended up not being used for 2-3 years. The next time I tried it on, it didn't feel right and seemed to have more wind noise.

After some research, I am of the opinion that helmets have a life of about 5 years once the "seal is broken". Ie, once it's been worn a couple times.

So for me, I'm not concerned about the manufacturer date, just when it was first used.

But maybe I'm wrong?!

The shell isn't a problem as long as it's not been dropped etc.
The issue is the polystyrene inner gets harder with age, so less able to absorb the shock of an impact.

But why worry?
It's only protecting your head.

ace llani wrote: Fri Oct 31, 2025 11:18 am The shell isn't a problem as long as it's not been dropped etc.
The issue is the polystyrene inner gets harder with age, so less able to absorb the shock of an impact.

But why worry?
It's only protecting your head.

Having worked in marketing for many years, it is not in the brands interest for it to last forever
Helmet manufacturers started out by talking about UV damage to shells. Which is odd as other composite items seem to last for decades.
I can fully understand if you use your lid day in, day out and sweat buckets then the acid may well affect to polystyrene core. However there was story done a while ago ( and I can remember the source, it may even be earlier in this post) which showed that 15 years old lids were just as strong and protective at 5 day old ones ...