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Yeah, I just ordered a Shoei RF1400 to replace it, but I'm keeping the Bell as a backup. I hate to get rid of it, it's brand new. And as far as the Mfg expiration date.........nice little con to buy a new helmet every 5 years.
Materials change with time and environment. We are not "helmet engineers" and cannot tell you how your helmet would perform in a crash. As a mechanical engineer with some polycarbonate material analysis experience not related to motorcycle helmets, I understand the reasoning behind the replacement interval - the materials lose ultimate strength with age, heat, and, more significantly, UV exposure, making the material more prone to failure at lower impact forces.
It's a carbon fiber helmet kept in it's bag in a controlled environment.
I think Brandon said it best......... "We are not "helmet engineers" and cannot tell you how your helmet would perform in a crash."..the information is out there for all of us to research and draw our own conclusions..at the end of the day it's your head and your decision and have to ask yourself
Personally I wouldn't worry too much about it. If you crash bad enough to where that helmet needs to be at 100% of it's effectiveness when brand new, you'll probably die of internal or other injuries. Helmets add some protection to your head, but really not that much. If you ride in a state where they are required the helmet will keep the cops from stopping you. Fulll face helmets are great for keeping road grime of your face, and they're great in the rain if they don't fog up. In my opinion helmets expiring are like most other things these days. They take a good idea to an extreme, to where it becomes overkill. Sure the foam and glue inside deteriorates over time, but the stuff that's supposed to be protecting you from brain injuries is styrofoam. The same stuff that you get hot coffee in. The outer shell can stop things from piercing the helmet, but what are the chances of that. They're great if you slide on pavement, but they really can't do much if your head impacts something straight on. It's about money! The DOT standard is a joke! Manufacturers self test and sell whatever they can make a buck on, then tell you you need to buy a new one every five years. 90% of motorcycle injuries are to the extremities. It's about money. I'd rock that cool old Bell and not give it a second thought, but I'm just a 75 year old guy who has ridden since I was twelve and very rarely wears a helmet at all other than on cross country trips.
Everything on the helmet will last forever if not used, except... the closed cell polystyrene liner which is designed to absorb the impact.
Polystyrene dries out over time and hardens, losing its impact absorbing capability.
If left unused, it'll dry out in about 5-7 years. If in regular use that process is accelerated through skin oils, hair care products, and heat and the polystyrene layer dries out in 3-5 years.
If you're wearing a helmet to keep bugs out of your face and/or hair, you can continue to use the helmet indefinitely. It will continue serving that purpose.
If you're wearing a helmet to protect your head in a potential crash, follow the manufacturer's guidelines like you would with your Harley. Your bike can easily ride on the same oil for 10,000 miles, but the chance of engine failure increases as the oil gets older and loses its lubricating properties. You want to change your oil before problems can arise. The same should be true for your helmet.
Since there are still states without mandatory helmet laws, there's no way to enforce helmet shelf life. Also, some helmets may have value for collectors because of their design or history. If selling old, potentially unsafe helmets would be illegal, you could get in trouble for selling a collectable helmet from the '60s.
Wondering what the other Helmet companies states in regards to replacing their helmets?
Shoei, Arai, Caberg, AGV, Shark, HJC, Schuberth, and Superseer all recommend replacing your helmet 5 years after purchase, or 7 years after manufacture, whichever comes first.
Originally Posted by Northside
Personally I wouldn't worry too much about it.
...
I'd rock that cool old Bell and not give it a second thought, but I'm just a 75 year old guy who has ridden since I was twelve and very rarely wears a helmet at all other than on cross country trips.
I'm sure you can assess the value of helmet safety advice from someone who admits to rarely wearing one.
Last edited by Bloody Marvelous; Jul 12, 2021 at 12:43 PM.
Just read an article where EPS was tested and lasted 15-30 years in the soil with only minor degradation.
Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) is essentially inert. There have been multiple studies of EPS in the soil for 15 to 30 years demonstrating only minor degradation of the EPS foam. EPS foam is expanded using steam. It is the entrained air that provide the insulation value in the material. EPS is a plastic and aside from contact with hydrocarbons or exposure to UV from sunlight, it is relatively unaffected by other naturally degrading processes.
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