Helmet life?

[ogden]

Originally Posted by arenalife

A brief googling says Arai's recommended lifespan for their helmets is 5 years in accordance with Snell Memorial Foundation Guidelines.

Yes, 5 years of use.

A helmet that's been sat in a box in a cupboard for five years is completely different to a helmet that's been used day-in day-out for five years. If you bought a lid that'd been in a warehouse for two years unopened, would you stop using it after three?

The rule of thumb saying "don't buy a used lid" is a perfectly valid one, and certainly one I always follow myself, but there's no reason a lid that's a few years old is inherently dangerous.

[yorkie_chris]

Theres a possibiliy that the foam is degraded by trace chemicals in the air, IIRC this can make some plastics brittle. This would not be good.

Ask Arai about it.

Originally Posted by ogden

Yes, 5 years of use.

A helmet that's been sat in a box in a cupboard for five years is completely different to a helmet that's been used day-in day-out for five years. If you bought a lid that'd been in a warehouse for two years unopened, would you stop using it after three?

The rule of thumb saying "don't buy a used lid" is a perfectly valid one, and certainly one I always follow myself, but there's no reason a lid that's a few years old is inherently dangerous.

What ogden said


I work in hg (hein gericke) and iirc arais rule of life on their lids is 5 years life IF its been worn ALL the time, it should be fine if its be stored in its box in a cupboard, phone arai up and ask them
They have a "birth date" so arai can trace where it was made/when/who made it etc.

Plastic materials have additives called plasticisers, these slowly escape the material over time, changing the properties of the material. As an example, look at an old flexible power lead, they become brittle and no longer flexible and the insulation can crack. This is probably why they say 5 years, and whether its being used or not doesnt change this.

Originally Posted by ogden

The main question is whether or not the helmet has been in or out of a box since it was new. If it's not been exposed to UV light (ie. in a cupboard, box, whatever) then it won't have degraded nearly as much as if it'd been sitting on a shelf in a shop.

The man to ask is Lozzo, he knows this stuff backwards.

Thanks Ogden.

I wouldn't use it. The shell will be starting to deteriorate by now, and would have been after about 6 to 7 years - also the foam liner will be hardening up to a point where it won't be as efficient at absorbing the knocks. You won't know this until you put it to the ultimate test though. Arai say 5 years max for one of their helmets, and that's for the latest ones that are made using better materials and construction methods than older types. In reality it'll be safe for 6, but Arai have to play safe.

Take it back to the guy who sold you it and ask for your money back as he's told a porky or two.

A new Arai Condor only costs 200 quid in plain black, why play with your life when a top quality helmet is that affordable. Never ever buy a used helmet, not even from someone you know and trust, it's just not worth it.

Out of curiosity:

What was the impetus to buy second hand?

[yorkie_chris]

Originally Posted by Kinvig

What was the impetus to buy second hand?

Usually "it wer cheap"

[ogden]

Originally Posted by Kinvig

Out of curiosity:

What was the impetus to buy second hand?

From the OP's other thread: "It's one I got for my g/f so she can go pillion."

So, basically, it was only meant to protect a woman's head, so not worth the price of a new one.

Originally Posted by ogden

From the OP's other thread: "It's one I got for my g/f so she can go pillion."

So, basically, it was only meant to protect a woman's head, so not worth the price of a new one.

ROFL

It used to bug me when blokes wearing all the Dainese or A/stars and Arai gear would come into HG when I worked there looking for kids gear. They always went for a 40 quid helmet that didn't fit the poor mite, with the explanation, "it's only for the kid"... 'the kid' being probably the second most precious thing in their life, after their fully blinged R1 or Blade.

[yorkie_chris]

Ah but they're only on it occasionally, which means any off is only going to be a small one