When Do You Need To Replace Your Motorcycle Helmet? | Sportbike Track Gear
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 21 ก.พ. 2019
- This is part of our "Truth About Motorcycle Helmets" series we have put together. All of the information in these videos is a blend of decades of personal experience, offering these helmets as a retailer and Q&A sessions with select helmet manufacturers intended to help you choose the best helmet for your budget and application.
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thank you for making this video! I try to tell all the time about having a helmet fit properly, and they look at me like i have two heads. its drives me crazy. I'm gonna share this video with them and hopefully they will start to listen. I lost someone over the summer who was a new rider and it came down to not having the right gear, and not having the skill. thank you for putting in the hard work not only to run your company, but also for making videos like these, and all the others. safe and happy travels and riding to you and the entire family.
You are welcome, appreciate the kind words and your support. STG is more than just a business to myself and my family, riding is a big part of our lives. Sorry for your loss, that is never easy. All the best to you and yours my friend! - Brian Van
Great series . Covers some points rarely considered .
Its sad to retire a pristine Arai that is past its use by date ( The build date has worn off the strap ) . I guess I can justify getting a new RX7 now though .
Love your videos! Keep up the great work!🤘🤘
Thank you for watching! - Van
Hmmm, gonna have to check the eps on mine. Tripped backwards on my driveway apron while getting off bike and smacked back of head on concrete pretty hard. Damage was only to diffuser on exterior, so I dismissed it at the time, but would likely have caused a concussion at the minimum.
Another great one. You'd assume alot of stuff like this is common sense but unfortunately far too many don't have this information. I love your videos like this, I share alot of them to newer riders or other riders I know that are misinformed. Being able to simply share a video like this instead of having to take the time to explain it myself to them is so much better, especially when explained in a much better fashion than I would be capable of or as efficiently.
I admit that I even made a few bad purchases in my first few years of riding, alot of the typical mistakes that less savvy, newer riders do, especially when they aren't mentored by an intelligent, experienced rider. I was never the one to go with improper fitting gear, or no gear but I did make the mistake for a long time of trying to buy higher end gear at clearance prices, which meant it was often older inventory. Even alot of "experienced" riders I have known, with decades of riding experience, aren't always as savvy as you'd think. I didn't learn about the 5 year rule until years after my first streetbike, even though I had come a long way and been through multiple msf riding courses as well as thousands of miles a year over 5-6 years riding, I just then learned about that helmet requirement when looking into my first track day. Just about every track I've reviewed of their safety requirements, requires a full-face helmet less than 5 years old from manufacturing date.
Still to this day, after 16 years of riding since buying my first streetbike, I still encounter seasoned riders that claim to have never heard of the 5 year standard.
Even worse is how often I come across the guys that are wearing a helmet far too big. Just looking on social media you will see motorcycle pages with riders selling a helmet that is an XL for example and new riders that are less than 5'9 and barely weighing 150lbs soaking wet, thinking they should be wearing an XL or XXL. You can easily tell their head is no where near that big, they should be in a MD or smaller, yet they buy XXL and even bigger some times as if they have this massive fat melon like they are 6'5" and 300lbs haha. Not to even get going on getting the wrong head shape and wondering why their helmet has such uncomfortable pressure points.
Thank you for watching and the kind words! - Van
Awsomeeee info once again! Love ittt!
P.S. nice watch Van!
Thank you for watching! This is one of my favorite watches, love the Invicta brand. - Van
@@sportbiketrackgear hellll yeaa! 100% support STG
i have learned so much from this channel. keep up the great work!
If a helmet was never dropped, never in a crash, does not smell like a hoagie, used by a rider living in an area that has a winter where they cant ride 5 months out of the year, I think the born on date does not mean much. Afterall, the helmet did pass a snell test when it was made and I really do not believe in today's age that helmets are "improved" to any great level anymore. Helmets have plateaued in safety in my opinion. Now if the helmet is handled rough, used just about everyday, then yeah, 5 years down the road it might be time to replace it. The amount of use a helmet gets I feel has more weight as to when it should be replaced than the date of manufacture. Of course the helmet maker's want you to keep buying new. Greed is alive and well.
I agree with you on several points, totally disagree on greed being the reason for the 5 year rule. IMO helmet manufactures have to establish some sort of reasonable date of replacement for a number of reasons. 1) your idea of "good condition" may be very different from another riders (we have people returning exhaust systems because they thought they would be receiving a whole motorcycle right now), 2) I feel this might also be done to help insulate from unwarranted litigation from riders crashing in old helmets that should not have been used. etc...
End of the day we all have the choice to use the helmet as long as we feel fit, that said we are also responsible for that choice. - Van
@@sportbiketrackgear Is there a "test / spec" pdf anywhere that gives details of how helmet manufactures came up with the 5 year rule? How did they determine, well its been 5 yrs, time for a new helmet. Even though everyone's ride time in that helmet is different. I agree with your good condition statement. Everyone seems to think what they have is the best out there. I see this in cars all the time. People selling cars say good condition and in reality it is a POS.
@@Boobtube. 5 years is the standard because that's when the new Snell ratings come out. If a helmet from today sat on the shelf for 20 years it'll be just as good in 20 years as it is right now. Of course the Snell 2040 helmets would likely be marginally better, so if course you would have to consider that, but honestly there's no difference.
It's all based on litigation. Industry standard is 5 years to knock out a great majority of lawsuits. They're still out money to fight you, but not for your doctor bills.
At least you're not in a race car. NHRA requires new seat belts every two years.
The foams and plastics degrade through loss of plasticizer and in UV light over time. Just like tires go hard by just sitting, helmet foams go brittle just by sitting.
Exactly 5 years isn't written in stone, but somewhere in that range is a good rule of thumb to remain at peak safety performance.
@@abelbabel8484 I do not store my helmet in the sun, so when it is not used, uv light is not degrading anything. So, again, goes back to how often it is used. Foam pads can be replaced in my helmet, so what warrants replacing entire helmet?
Had to come watch this video, was out riding this weekend and at a gas stop my helmet fell off my rear footpeg and put a couple of dots in the paint on the helmet. When I herd it strike the pavement my heart sank.
Very important to understand the basic shapes of the helmets... designed to fit oval...round etc to avoid pressure points.... another great video STG.
To be fair almost every helmet sold here in the US is now intermediate oval in shape. Arai has a couple of purpose built variants but everyone else is aiming for intermediate oval. - Van
@@sportbiketrackgear okay cool...prob true here in Canada now too...only mentioned it as a few years back I purchased an Arai helmet that seemed to fit well....but after riding more than about 1/2 hr I'd get nasty frontal headaches....replaced it with a Shoei same size = no prob.... came down to difference in shape.
Can you do a review on the ixon vortex 2 one piece race suit cheers top reviews.
excellent info!!!!!
Thanks for watching! - Van
I just replaced my 10 years old xspirit 2. Hearthbreaking but is visible that all the inside materials are starting to deteriorate.
Awesome video! I had no idea of the five year rule, I have a lot of helmets to retire.
It should be noted that the info on all of the helmets that I checked regarding 5 years is:
It is not 5 yrs old, it’s 5 yrs of use! Big difference there. What if a helmet sat in a warehouse for 8 months before shipping to the country of sale, then got held up at the border for a few month, its now almost a year since the dom sticker got put on, so there’s only 4 yrs left ?
What if it doesn’t sell for 12 months, now we have 3 yrs left before we retire it. No ones gonna toss a helmet after 3 years, if they are- I’ll take the fckr!
Anyway great info Brian, love the videos
In racing most all of the organizers will not allow a helmet more than 5 years from it's build date pass tech inspection. For this reason the build date is more important for riders competing in events like this. For street riders I feel the clock really starts ticking the first day the helmet gets used as long as the helmet is not already 4 or 5 years old (this does happen) before it gets ridden in for the first time.
Thanks for watching! - Van
Also, most racing organizations will inspect your helmet before each race. If your helmet is over 5 years old, you will fail inspection and cannot race. I learned this the hard way in Texas CMRA.
If you are racing you need to be prepared to present a helmet inside of 5 years for sure. - Van
I remember seeing an Arai video interviewing the owner of Arai and he said specifically that dropping the helmet won't damage it. Obviously he doesn't mean dropping it from 100 floors up but you get the point.
Small drops (falling from the seat of your bike or a similar height) when the helmet is not being worn typically will not do any damage. For the EPS to be compressed there needs to be a head in the helmet. - Van
yea I watched that video the other day. It was a Jay Lenos garage video about helmets.
Started riding 2 weeks ago. I just dropped my helmet today. The helmet was sitting on my ninja 400 seat n it fell as I was trying to fill up the tank. Do I need to replace the helmet? It’s a shoei nxr2. I also seen that video but the video is 9 years old. Is there any recent videos of knowledgeable people with opinion on this matter?
@@AA-jx5fv if there's nothing inside a small drop like that won't hurt the helmet besides cosmetic scratches. There needs to be something heavy inside like a head for the eps foam to compress. It's the compression which absorbs impact forces and also ruins the helmet for further use.
Your helmet I would say is absolutely fine to use
Great video!
Thank you for watching! - Van
Were all of these wrecks you had on these helmets on the track or road and track?
4yr old RF1200 and even after cleaning the padding its still a smelly one lol. Good reason to look for a new one for this year!😁
Nobody wants to ride in a helmet that smells bad! - Van
That’s a great helmet. You should just replace the liners. I did that for less than $50. I have the Blue Dominance helmet and the graphics are awesome.
Hey van. Huge supporter here, love what you guys are doing. I just recently bought a Bell Race Star and the first time I went out with it, it got pushed off my seat by a huge gust of wind. It fell about 3 feet onto asphalt. The shell has a few dings. One of them goes past the paint exposing the shell, but its not visibly crushed or cracked. The EPS looks untouched. If it were a cheaper helmet I’d replace it, but this race star cost me damn near $1000 after tax and shipping… I’d like to get some use out of it if I can, but I’m not willing to compromise on safety either. Based on my description, what would you do?
Thank you for watching and the kind words. For liability reasons I can not tell you what to do. What I can do is tell you what I have done in a similar situation myself. Over the years I learned the lesson you have now learned which is NEVER LET YOUR HELMET SIT ON THE SEAT OF YOUR BIKE! In my case I continued to use the helmet because I did not feel the shell was compromised.
When a helmet falls like that there is no weight inside the helmet so the EPS is not compressed. The EPS works of the shell to manage the energy in a crash for the rider. For this reason you should not ride in a helmet that has had any significant impact while being worn. - Van
If you take care of your helmets, store them properly, clean them after every ride, keep them out of the sun when you can, I don't believe any helmet ever needs to be replaced. Of course, after a crash, it should be replaced. That goes without saying.
Ever is a very long time IMO. While I personally do believe a helmet over 5 years old that is in good condition still has what it takes to protect a rider from impact I would not recommend anyone even consider using a helmet more than 9-10 years old (I personally will not go over 5). There are various adhesives used when building a helmet that seem to loose their strength over the years. I have seen things like the gasket around the bottom of the shell, the chin bar eps, etc... come loose on a few of the super old lids I have in my collection.
End of the day this is a decision only the rider can make. - Van
Totally agree with Van. I kept mine 7 years. And I felt really bad about it. But I was confident that it would do the job. But bro never is a long time. But I don’t judge u, do what u feel safe for you. Just to tell u my friend had an accident and had a head impact in a helmet of 12 years old. And the helmet save his life. So really I don’t know what to say I guess whatever the years helmet will still be better options than no helmet at all. But personal feelings. Like Van I think u should stay under 8 years max. Don bargain with your head, will never worth the price.
In Israel we have a saying - "If there is a doubt; There is no doubt"..
I like that and agree 100%. - Van
Great vid. This might be a dumb question, but what do you guys do with your old helmets? Keep them for nostalgia? Chuck ‘em in the trash? Just curious. Thanks.
I keep the ones that have good memories attributed to them for sure. Too many to keep them all now. - Van
When r u going to have a shop in Minnesota
I like Michigan way too much to leave my friend! - Van
4:54 - "...the understood industry standard of 5 years and done." SO... it should be perfectly acceptable to demand a refund of 1.67% of the MSRP (100% divided by 60 months) for every month a helmet is beyond the date of manufacture when we receive it, since the industry themselves have decided it will be worthless in 5 years whether you use it or not and the clock starts ticking the moment it leaves the assembly line. That's about $17 a month for some of the finest lids from Arai with the fanciest graphics. YES!! 👍
Let me know how that works out for you. As stated in this video my opinion of this is it being more of a way to cover your ass when considering all the variables when assessing the "condition" of a helmet that has been in service. End of the day as an individual you have the freedom to wear your helmet as long as you choose. - Van
What about the helmets produced like 5 years ago but unused? waited in store to sell. Sometimes there might some good deals about old but new helmets on stores. For example I just bought Scorpion Exo 1200 Air for like 90$ (there was only 1 left so they priced that low) from respectable store as brend new. I feel confident because I'm not a racer and I never go over 70-80mph on a bike as a casual rider but some people like "it's done even it's unused" but that doesn't feel right to me.
For me personally I would feel comfortable using the helmet under the conditions you described. - Van
@@sportbiketrackgear oh i'm glad, thank you for reply and for all these helpfull videos :)
I have that first Arai helmet. It's been retired.
I love that Hopkins Monster Helmet! - Van
I see many retailers offering discounts on helmets 4-5 years old. My question would be, are those safe to buy, and use, being that they are unused, or does the 5 year rule apply to all helmets, whether new, or used?
Yes I feel like they are still safe. I spoke with multiple helmet manufacturers and they all indicated the older helmets (within reason and especially those that were never ridden in) still pass the certification. - Van
@@sportbiketrackgear Thanks!
@@sportbiketrackgear so is it more like 5 years of use instead of since manufacture?
I can’t find any people talking about expiration dates if the helmet is new and no one‘s ever used it but it’s already pretty close to the expiration date (say four years old). That should still count as an aging helmet even though it hasn’t been used I just want to hear opinions on that but I can’t find any. I’m just not sure it’s worth it for me to buy another helmet that’s only going to give me an extra year longer than the helmet I currently have
If you have a helmet such as the one that you are describing above it is logical to assume the helmet will be capable of protecting you if it needs to. Only the rider can make the determination as to whether they believe the helmet is capable of protecting them if it is older than the five years. Over the years I have known many riders using helmets far older than five years as long as they were in good shape. - Van
I have a scorpion exo2000 air track bought it new last year 2018 but the build date inside the helmet is 2015 so does that mean I'll have to replace it after only 2 years?
No
Guys,correct me if i wrong ,pls . Is that a 5 years to replace helmet base on "date of made " tag inside or a first day i actually use it ?
If you are racing and the helmet has to pass tech inspection it will be 5 years from the date it was built. For street riding some of the brands will begin the warranty period on the date it was sold with a max of 7 years. IMO the second scenario is a reasonable approach for a street rider (or any rider who does not have to get the helmet past tech inspection) as long as the helmet is in good condition. Personally I do not use helmets that are more than 5 years from the build date as I prefer to error on the side of caution and I love a new helmet! - Van
@@sportbiketrackgear Thanks you so much , Van ! I'm a street and local rider in town . I agree with you that nothing last long forever especial helmet , 5 year is a acceptable to change a new helmet , worth it .
Looking for you guy new videos 👌
I’m sorry I’m convulsed, why you didn’t let the second helmet go although the eps is white?
Well I’ve just had a small accident, and I’ve checked my AGV K6 helmet, the exterior is like nothing happened, and after I watched this video, I checked the eps and found little white area( much less than your first and second helmets) so I don’t know if I should replace it or not!!
If you can see any damage to the EPS you would be best off replacing the helmet. This is a choice only you can make and accept responsibility for IMO. Personally I would error to the side of caution with a helmet. - Van
I just bought brand new shoei gt air but I found the manufacturing date was 2016, it is 2020 now. Is it legal for store to sell this as a new helmet?
It is not illegal to sell a helmet with an older build date. If you want the latest possible build date the best way to get that done is to buy the newest graphic in the model you are interested in. - Van
My helmet didnt come with the motorcycle in the advertisement. Can i return it?
Whatever tickles your pickle...
What if you purchase a helmet from a dealership that is past the 5 year date code? Is it their responsibility to check these things when a new rider makes a purchase?
If the date code is important to you that is a question you need to ask when you are purchasing. We have customers ask frequently when purchasing from us what the date code is or which helmet do we feel would be the newest. To be fair we sell far too many helmets to check the codes on all of them. - Van
So , I order a new lid an it’s guaranteed to be new ? Has it sat on a shelf for years ?
Do not order a closeout if you want a new date code. If a super fresh helmet is important to you I would order the most recently released graphic. - Van
@@sportbiketrackgear Thanks for the response.
Shouldn’t a close out state the manufacturing date in the description somewhere? I mean , there’s no way to verify if ordered online . Is there a “rule of thumb “ for a helmet to be classified as a close out by manufacture date solely or is it more often governed by sales etc ?
I’m seeking a new Arai signet x , Arai told me there new model year is about 2 years out yet .
Should I wait to get the next generation? My helmet is 7 years old , never damaged and only sees the sun when it’s on my head .
Peace
I really don't understand how people wear arai helmets? The visor is so so small i feel like there would be almost zero perfial vison.
I have to say I disagree with this. IMO the field of vision with the current Arai helmets is excellent. - Van
What model helment was your son max wearing ?
When he first started riding he wore Arai. Over the last three years we have switched to Shoei and he has been wearing the X-14. - Van
Yeah, that’s me, bought a to big one..
Happens all of the time. - Van
Lynyrd Skynyrd............... LoOOooOOOooOOOL X1000
Helmet integrity inspections have changed for the better - helmetinspection.co.uk
You should be selling this to the helmet manufacturers and not the end use. I do not see many riders willing to send their helmet in for you to scan personally. - Van
@@sportbiketrackgear we're getting good uptake from the consumer, but obviously, we'd love to have the dialogue with the manufacturers.
IMO... If you have a $10 head, wear a worn out $10 helmet!😊😅😂
There are a lot of ways to save money, cheap helmets is not one. - Van
5 year expiration date on helmets is a ploy by helmet manufacturers and businesses for people to keep spending money on helmets. Come on, this ain't peaches in a can, give me a break! Styrofoam (EPS) doesn't rot away, I mean that's the reason why manufacturers in anything including fast food restaurants are getting ride of styrofoam packaging because they don't deteriorate like other materials. That's just my take on it.
It is more about risk / liability management for the helmet brands than it is selling helmets. Riders are not forced to replace a helmet over 5 year old (there are exceptions to this if you are racing etc...) and are free to use them as long as they choose to. There are too many variables for the helmet manufacturers to recommend using a helmet longer than 5 years IMO.
While I agree a helmet over 5 years old in good condition is capable of protecting a rider (this is my personal opinion) the condition of the helmet is a massive variable. There is no true measure for condition, all personal perception. End of the day do what you feel is right for yourself. - Van
It's got to fit to the border of pain? If your helmet is uncomfortable, you are probably not giving your full concentration to the road Some people also wear balaclavaa which will also change the fit Can't agree on everything you say.
Yes on the border without crossing over it. Especially when new the helmet needs to be tight to allow for the change in fit after it breaks in a bit. Best practice before ordering a new lid is to take a good measurement and check that against the size chart for the helmet you are interested in. - Van