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Replace helmet every 2-4 years?!?
- Thread starter OfficerImpersonator
- Start date
108625
New member
What?
bikerfish1100
New member
he said: "EARPLUGS ARE A REQUIREMENT FOR ME!"
J
johnborsellino
Guest
I just bought my first full face helmet
I just picked up my first full face, a Schuberth C2 at Louis in Stuttgart
at a discounted price. I can't wait to get back home and try it out. I have been riding since 1984 with half helmets! 
I just picked up my first full face, a Schuberth C2 at Louis in Stuttgart
at a discounted price. I can't wait to get back home and try it out. I have been riding since 1984 with half helmets!
M
mikea
Guest
$300 for a helmet every 5 years?
My head ain't worth it.
My head ain't worth it.
podsobinski
New member
Recommendations
All these are just recommendations based on averages of averages. Amount of riding, habits, weather etc. all play factors. Wear it as long as you feel comfortable with it and it works, the difference in safety would be so small it is not worth continuely contributing to the helmet/retail motorcycle industry. Like, your suppose to bring your BMW in for a full service every 6,000 miles for $400 to $600, yea right.
gpodzo
All these are just recommendations based on averages of averages. Amount of riding, habits, weather etc. all play factors. Wear it as long as you feel comfortable with it and it works, the difference in safety would be so small it is not worth continuely contributing to the helmet/retail motorcycle industry. Like, your suppose to bring your BMW in for a full service every 6,000 miles for $400 to $600, yea right.
gpodzo
stkmkt1
New member
In the MSF class I took back in May, the teacher used this example as to why you should replace your helmet every 4-5 years. Go to Walmart, Kmart, or wherever, buy a cheap styrofoam cooler and set it in your garage for a year or two. After that, buy another cooler similar and set them side by side. Now feel the difference. See how easy it is to break the two-year old cooler vs the new one. And that is after just two years.
Surely you all have seem an old styrofoam cooler that is very old. It just crumbles. Do you want that protecting your head? As others have stated, not only does the styrofoam breakdown over time, but the overall safety of helmets increase as new designs and engineering takes place.
So throw those old helmets away. If not, certainly do not think you you are protecting your head. The plastic of the helmet is there only to protect the styrofoam from the elements, and provide some structure to attach the shield. And of course, provide a little marketing magic as well.
Surely you all have seem an old styrofoam cooler that is very old. It just crumbles. Do you want that protecting your head? As others have stated, not only does the styrofoam breakdown over time, but the overall safety of helmets increase as new designs and engineering takes place.
So throw those old helmets away. If not, certainly do not think you you are protecting your head. The plastic of the helmet is there only to protect the styrofoam from the elements, and provide some structure to attach the shield. And of course, provide a little marketing magic as well.
kbasa
Well-known member
For me, they just don't fit right after 4 years. They get loose and noisy, so I replace them.
kbasa
Well-known member
$5/month.
akbeemer
SURVIVOR
What we need is some sort of innovative, exciting, artistic, humorous, sustainable, sensitive, inexpensive, safe and non-fattening thing to do with old helmets. Out there somewhere is a person with the solution to our problem. You know the type; the guy or gal that always comes up with the counter-intuitive, yet effective solution to the problem. More likely and artist than and engineer. It is difficult to trash a helmet that you've come to love. Perhaps helmet totem poles?
marchyman
Cam Killer
A helmet lasts me about 50,000 miles or about 50 months. Unless I do something stupid like put it on my mirror stalk where it can get lifted off by the winds at Ubehebe crater then dashed to the ground where it can bounce several times.
An interesting helmet discussion. Here's a dissent on a couple items.
Not a fan of internal sun visor a least as implemented by Nolan. It has a large notch out in the middle that makes it worthless because dealing with glare requires lowering it too far to offset that stupid notch. The gradient shields on a Shoei are better IMO.
I've got a pair of Shoei RF1000s and they are very quiet while looking over the top of the shield on my RT. Much better than the Nolan for reasons of aerodynamics and fit IMO. No earplugs required (I have run OSHA style hearing protection programs so know what levels need protection) and it is easy to converse using a couple Bluetooth devices or make a phone call. Call listeners are unable to tell I'm on the bike.
The Nolan ratchet closure for their strap is useful and worthy of emulation by others.
My current inventory is 7 helmets of 4 brands for use in various track cars and on my bike. I have the ability to regularly compare them against new models and am not a 5 yr fanatic but do dump them when any deterioration is apparent. Amount of use and storage conditions are key. Heavy use in hot weather has killed some in 3 years and others are OK at around 6-7. Not inclined to try for 10 - too many destructive components from internal combustion in modern suburban atmosphere, especially in a garage or home heated with older oil furnances. The cheapest one (HJC) is nowhere near a match for the more expensive ones in construction quality and features.
Haven't sprung for an Arai yet, however. And the very lightly used Nolan 103 could be sold to an interested party (W, L, with bluetooth stuff built in).
Not a fan of internal sun visor a least as implemented by Nolan. It has a large notch out in the middle that makes it worthless because dealing with glare requires lowering it too far to offset that stupid notch. The gradient shields on a Shoei are better IMO.
I've got a pair of Shoei RF1000s and they are very quiet while looking over the top of the shield on my RT. Much better than the Nolan for reasons of aerodynamics and fit IMO. No earplugs required (I have run OSHA style hearing protection programs so know what levels need protection) and it is easy to converse using a couple Bluetooth devices or make a phone call. Call listeners are unable to tell I'm on the bike.
The Nolan ratchet closure for their strap is useful and worthy of emulation by others.
My current inventory is 7 helmets of 4 brands for use in various track cars and on my bike. I have the ability to regularly compare them against new models and am not a 5 yr fanatic but do dump them when any deterioration is apparent. Amount of use and storage conditions are key. Heavy use in hot weather has killed some in 3 years and others are OK at around 6-7. Not inclined to try for 10 - too many destructive components from internal combustion in modern suburban atmosphere, especially in a garage or home heated with older oil furnances. The cheapest one (HJC) is nowhere near a match for the more expensive ones in construction quality and features.
Haven't sprung for an Arai yet, however. And the very lightly used Nolan 103 could be sold to an interested party (W, L, with bluetooth stuff built in).
35634
Mars needs women!
I just picked up my first full face, a Schuberth C2 at Louis in Stuttgart
How can I order a new C2 Schuberth ?
Jack
crazydrummerdude
advrider.com
I've had my helmet for 5 years now. It's my first street helmet, so my dumb___ probably abused it a bit too much back in the day.
I don't know when I'll have the funds, but I know my next one's going to be a white Arai XD, unless someone convinces me otherwise. I want a visor (but with a shield, not goggles), and I want a white one. I wish it was a little cheaper.
I don't know when I'll have the funds, but I know my next one's going to be a white Arai XD, unless someone convinces me otherwise. I want a visor (but with a shield, not goggles), and I want a white one. I wish it was a little cheaper.
crazydrummerdude
advrider.com
[hijack]
BTW: I had a doctor visit a week or two ago. On the pre-appointment ailment questionaire, it said: "Mark all of the following that you've experienced in the past 6 months: [ ] nausea, [ ] diarrhea, .......blahblahblah........ [ ] increased hat or glove size."
Increased hat or glove size!
Doctor, I've got a problem...
[/hijack]
M
mymindsok
Guest
IMO, five years is about the "safe useage"period for most, if not all helmets.
The crash protection aspects of the foam does degrade over time, whether we think so or not. Think about this.... If the the manufacturers could sell "The last helmet that you'll ever need." don't you think that they'd do so?
Technology marches on. Thats wht even though I have the best heln=met that Shoei builds, I'm considering buying the latest RF-1100.
Whats you brain worth? The descision is yours!
The crash protection aspects of the foam does degrade over time, whether we think so or not. Think about this.... If the the manufacturers could sell "The last helmet that you'll ever need." don't you think that they'd do so?
Technology marches on. Thats wht even though I have the best heln=met that Shoei builds, I'm considering buying the latest RF-1100.
Whats you brain worth?
The descision is yours!
88bmwjeff
SF Bay Area
Whats you brain worth?
We talking what my brain's worth to me or to the scientific community? I think the values different depending on from who's perspective. Just don't ask any of my old girlfriends. I don't want to hear what they think it's worth.
To me....it's worth the cost of a new helmet about every five years. Unfortunately, I haven't found a new one yet, and my helmet's five years.
None of my helmets (4) are 5 years old. I wanted a helmet the had a retractable sunshield and bought a White HJC IS-MAX Sat at the Helmet Shop in Daytona. I tend to wear different helmets depending on the weather hot/cold/rain/sunshine. I figure the sunshield will get plenty of use next year traveling to the Rally at Redmond, OR. I favor a 3/4 helmet in hot/humid weather around town and use a modular helmet when traveling. Cedar chips in a mesh bag and Fabreeze are used to deal with helmet odor and Woolite to wash the linings that are removable. Wearing a helmet when on a MC makes sense to me as does the practice of replacing it every 5 years. Think of it as a new farkle for your head.
Ride Safe
Ride Safe
