Hey all, just curious on your opinion on dropping a new helmet. This guy said that regulations state that if you put your helmet on your handelbars when your stopped and it drops, the helmet is destroyed and unuseable. Now I doubt that a $400 helmet will be unuseable if it drops 3 feet. Any opinions?

 

I'm with you ... That always sounded like a way to sell more helmets to me. But for $400, I can buy eight helmets :-)

 

Sounds like a load of crap to me. Who in the world would go out and buy a new helment after dropping the helmet 3 feet.

 

@ $400 bucks a pop,,,,,I'd get a helmit for my helmit.....there should be some spec's on it somewhere,,,Google,,,,I would say no way....

 

Can't say for sure. With dirt bike helmets, I used to throw mine way after one good impact crash. Concussions sucked when wearing the same helmet again.

After my second concussion, I started buying more expensive helmets alsoand it definitely helped alot.

I would think it's possible that street helmets could be the same. I hope I never have to find out the hard way though. I still felt more comfortable by investing in a high qualityShoei helmet and love it. I just hope it will do its job ifever required.

As far as dropping it, I would probably inspect it closely for nicks or cracked paint. You could also contact the dealeror manufacturer you bought it from to get a better opinion.

 

[sm=funnypostabove.gif]or a helmet for my helmit.

 

Yes, I've heard that too! If you drop the helmet and every 5 years it should be replaced. Sounds like snake oil salesmen tactic.

 

Hit the guy over the head with the helmet & see what breaks first.What is this guy a salesman or a comedian?

 

I found this on the web, the last paragraph has your answer.

How high up can you drop a motorcycle helmet from before it is deemed unsafe?





Answer
From the Snell website:
"Helmets are normally comprised of four elements; a rigid outer shell, a crushable liner, chin straps or a retaining system and fit or comfort padding. The rigid outer shell when present adds a load-spreading capability, and prevents objects from penetrating the helmet. It's kind of like an additional skull. The liner, usually made of EPS (expanded polystyrene) or similar types of materials absorbs the energy of an impact by crushing. The chin strap when properly buckled and adjusted along with the fit padding helps the helmet remain in position during a crash. Helmets work kind of like a brake or shock absorber. During a fall or crash a head is traveling at a certain speed. Since the head has weight, and is moving there is a certain amount of energy associated with the moving head. When the helmet along with the accompanying head impact an unyielding object; a rock, a wall, a curb or the ground the hard shell starts by taking the energy generated by the falling helmet (head) and spreads it over a larger portion of the helmet, specifically the internal foam liner. The foam liner then starts to crush and break which uses up a lot of the energy, keeping it from reaching the head inside. Depending on how fast the head is traveling, and how big, heavy and immovable the object is the faster the head slows down, and the more energy is present. In short everything slows down really quickly. A helmet will effectively reduce the speed of the head by breaking and crushing which reduces the amount of energy transferred to the brain. The whole process take only milliseconds to turn a potentially lethal blow into a survivable one."
Because of the different layers involved in how a helmet reduces the impact of an accident, coupled with the fact that the part that absorbs most of the impact is not even visible, a drop of anything higher than 1 - 2 feet onto a hard surface can, effectively, render a helmet useless as protection in an accident - even if there is no visible damage. [/align]

 

Yes, a drop of only three feet is likely to put a hairline fracture in the helmet breaching the integrity of the shell. A one hundred dollar helmet (DOT and Snell approved) once a year will last you four years.Will a four hundred dollar helmet last you four years?