DO HELMETS HAVE AN EXPIRY DATE ?

[bassasdaindia]

 

 

I dont know, good question, maybe check on-line what the manufacturer suggests. I didnt know M/cycle helmet's had an expiry date, I looked in my AGV now but I couldn't see any, although if its a tag its possible it fell off. My AGV is probably 7 years old now, I had the inner lining replaced at a local motorcycle helmet manufacturer somewhere out near Carnival City, he did a great job and it only cost about 500 bucks, but he never mentioned anything about replacing it.

 

I understand they both work in fairly harsh conditions so I wouldn't really have an issue with it, I figure they know more about it than me, but if its true, one would have thought they would make a bigger song and dance out of it and kind of make users aware, I mean its a super way of getting someone to buy a new helmet, but I dont know, I have been riding M/cycles and Bicycles for more than 30 years now and I cant remember ever seeing an ad or an article saying change your helmet after XYZ time and giving some real Bona Fida reasons for doing so.

 

It would be interesting to hear from a manufacturer or a manufacturers distributors dont you think.?

 

motorbike helmets definitely have an expiry date,I looked at my shoei helmets expiry date today.

 

that is what got me thinking about the bike helmets,the motorbike helmet material goes brittle over time and it looses it's ability to cushion the impact.

[TNT1]

Ok,so i know that motorbike helmets have an expiry date stamped on the inside of the helmet. (normally 5 years from date of manufacture)

 

 

Um, not quite. Same as with bicycle helmets, expiry is a function of usage.

[Christopher Brunsdon]

motorbike helmets definitely have an expiry date,I looked at my shoei helmets expiry date today.

 

that is what got me thinking about the bike helmets,the motorbike helmet material goes brittle over time and it looses it's ability to cushion the impact.

 

Marketing hype.

 

We discussed this last year (and the year before). The protective layers do not degrade over time (my boet in law is an engineer who gave me a very technical low down on the story and he is also a biker)

 

Where the 3/5 years comes from is that people tend to drop and knock their helmets and this will cause minor fractures over time. It also depends on the individual.

 

The actual rule should be replace after every major crash as you don't always see the damage.

[Christopher Brunsdon]

yes they do.

 

It's usually when the next lightest one comes out.

 

+1 Very true

[TNT1]

Marketing hype.

 

We discussed this last year (and the year before). The protective layers do not degrade over time (my boet in law is an engineer who gave me a very technical low down on the story and he is also a biker)

 

Where the 3/5 years comes from is that people tend to drop and knock their helmets and this will cause minor fractures over time. It also depends on the individual.

 

The actual rule should be replace after every major crash as you don't always see the damage.

 

Nope. The real reason, and it is a real reason, for motorbike helmets, is that the padding that makes it fit snuggly does get compressed. While this wont stop you getting protected, it will make the helmet move around, and in an accident, this will result in injury. Hence, it's not a number of years, but a number of hours of use.

 

Also, if you drop your motorbike helmet, it wont damage it. It is designed to absorb impact with a head inside it. With no head in it, it suffers no damage other than cosmetic. If you believe otherwise, that , is marketing hype.

[Capricorn]

Marketing hype.

 

We discussed this last year (and the year before). The protective layers do not degrade over time (my boet in law is an engineer who gave me a very technical low down on the story and he is also a biker)

 

Where the 3/5 years comes from is that people tend to drop and knock their helmets and this will cause minor fractures over time. It also depends on the individual.

 

The actual rule should be replace after every major crash as you don't always see the damage.

 

CB: get your boet to post up, or transcribe his argument for me please. I'm always interested in a fellow pencilhead's rationale. Been trawling the interwebs, and there seems to be various angles on what exactly deteriorates over time.

[Caerus]

Nope. The real reason, and it is a real reason, for motorbike helmets, is that the padding that makes it fit snuggly does get compressed. While this wont stop you getting protected, it will make the helmet move around, and in an accident, this will result in injury. Hence, it's not a number of years, but a number of hours of use.

 

Also, if you drop your motorbike helmet, it wont damage it. It is designed to absorb impact with a head inside it. With no head in it, it suffers no damage other than cosmetic. If you believe otherwise, that , is marketing hype.

 

I think he was referring more to bicycle helmets, but I can see the problem with the motorbike helmets, so what of the outer casing, can't you just get the padding replaced?

[Capricorn]

This is a very interesting read: clickety click

[bassasdaindia]

This is a very interesting read: clickety click

 

from the article,MET reckon 8 years

 

We are often asked 'For how long is a helmet safe?', or 'how often should I replace my helmet?”' Until now it has been difficult to find any reliable figures to help answer these queries. MET have now developed a series of tests which are conducted on aged helmets to determine a 'best before' date (unless the helmet is involved in an accident. In that case it should be replaced immediately.). The results indicate that, if used properly accordingly to our owner manual, our helmets will still do their job up to eight years after they have been made. Not only is that good news for the customer, it’s great news for the environment!"

 

so therefore does a helmet have a lifespan ?

[GrumpyOldGuy]

I think he was referring more to bicycle helmets, but I can see the problem with the motorbike helmets, so what of the outer casing, can't you just get the padding replaced?

 

You can certainly get motorcycle helmet padding replaced, I've had it done, there is a helmet manufacturer in the East, actually near Carnival City, call themselves Lafe I think, cant remember, but they replace the padding and its good as new. Buffed all the scratches out my visor as well, great guy, never stops talking so be prepared to spend time.

[Big H*]

In the case of Garfield2010....... The great predictor, he needs a new helmet everytime his head swells up!!!!!

Edited February 27, 2012 by eccentric1

[Christopher Brunsdon]

CB: get your boet to post up, or transcribe his argument for me please. I'm always interested in a fellow pencilhead's rationale. Been trawling the interwebs, and there seems to be various angles on what exactly deteriorates over time.

 

OK, I see my post was misleading - I meant the protective foam. My boet in law gave me the low down on the manufacturing methods used, the difference between a motorbike helmet and cycle helmet foam and the max speed these helmets are designed to protect you against - for him the world is about energy and energy transfer.

 

I think TNT nailed it good by saying we should look at amount of hours used

[Christopher Brunsdon]

Nope. The real reason, and it is a real reason, for motorbike helmets, is that the padding that makes it fit snuggly does get compressed. While this wont stop you getting protected, it will make the helmet move around, and in an accident, this will result in injury. Hence, it's not a number of years, but a number of hours of use.

 

Also, if you drop your motorbike helmet, it wont damage it. It is designed to absorb impact with a head inside it. With no head in it, it suffers no damage other than cosmetic. If you believe otherwise, that , is marketing hype.

 

I don't go with the theory of the bumps, should have made it more clear in my post. But +1 on the fit part - my wife damaged my motorbike helmet after she put it on (she has a thick mullet of hair )

 

I believe the same principles apply to all helmets, if you crash it, replace it and if it no longer fits snug, replace it. Its a small price to pay for the well being of your head.

['Dale]

In the case of Garfield2010....... The great predictor, he needs a new helmet everytime his head swells up!!!!!

 

BOOM!

[Shebeen]

This is a very interesting read: clickety click

 

awesome analysis...just amazing that there has never been some independant study on this. such a crucial health issue and no organisation saw value?...can't just leave it up to MET