GoldOxide_imp
Road warrior
I would say I am a HJC customer, but I do have Arai and now Klim and there are no regrets. I would not regularly replace with Klim or Arai, but now it is harder to just ignore them.
Helmet warning
- Thread starter Mixagon_imp
- Start date
the Ferret
Road warrior
ok funny story .. tonight I had to run over to my son's house, so naturally I grabbed the bike. It's only 4 miles to his house. Because it was really hot and humid I got my white HJC Open face helmet with the little curve smoke visor out of the closet so I could enjoy some air. Going "retro" as it were.
On the way over there I thought about this thread. When I took the helmet off over there I saw little white bits of Styrofoam. I started looking for the date to see when it was made. 2003! Definitely over 5 years old lol. When I got home I pulled the bike in the garage, ripped the visor off, walked over to the trash can and threw it in.
I need to check a few more helmets I have in the closet. I have a feeling tomorrow I will open up some shelf space lol.
I did check my primary helmets, my white HJC modular's and they are good with 2017 build dates. So I have one more year with those.
On the way over there I thought about this thread. When I took the helmet off over there I saw little white bits of Styrofoam. I started looking for the date to see when it was made. 2003! Definitely over 5 years old lol. When I got home I pulled the bike in the garage, ripped the visor off, walked over to the trash can and threw it in.
I need to check a few more helmets I have in the closet. I have a feeling tomorrow I will open up some shelf space lol.
I did check my primary helmets, my white HJC modular's and they are good with 2017 build dates. So I have one more year with those.
PowerDubs_imp
Road warrior
Popgun- what washer? Even better if you can tell me the model #.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
GoldOxide_imp
Road warrior
For that fleeting moment Ferret, the helmet looked great on ya.The ferret_imp said:ok funny story .. tonight I had to run over to my son's house, so naturally I grabbed the bike. It's only 4 miles to his house. Because it was really hot and humid I got my white HJC Open face helmet with the little curve smoke visor out of the closet so I could enjoy some air. Going "retro" as it were.
On the way over there I thought about this thread. When I took the helmet off over there I saw little white bits of Styrofoam. I started looking for the date to see when it was made. 2003! Definitely over 5 years old lol. When I got home I pulled the bike in the garage, ripped the visor off, walked over to the trash can and threw it in.
I need to check a few more helmets I have in the closet. I have a feeling tomorrow I will open up some shelf space lol.
I did check my primary helmets, my white HJC modular's and they are good with 2017 build dates. So I have one more year with those.
Lord Popgun
Road warrior
I wanted an old school washer so went with the Speed Queen Classic, Model TC5003WN. Buy once, cry once.PowerDubs_imp said:
Here is a link to it at the local dealer I bought it from. They aren’t really discount though.
Speed Queen® TC5 3.2 Cu. Ft. White Agitator Top Load Washer | East Coast Appliance | Chesapeake, Norfolk & Virginia Beach
michael1954
Been there
At least yours did not fall to dust like my Shoei did. I have one old helmet, an HJC modular from 2003 or 2004. I do not wear it, but its insides still look almost new. So much for the high cost of the helmet meaning it lasts longer.The ferret_imp said:ok funny story .. tonight I had to run over to my son's house, so naturally I grabbed the bike. It's only 4 miles to his house. Because it was really hot and humid I got my white HJC Open face helmet with the little curve smoke visor out of the closet so I could enjoy some air. Going "retro" as it were.
On the way over there I thought about this thread. When I took the helmet off over there I saw little white bits of Styrofoam. I started looking for the date to see when it was made. 2003! Definitely over 5 years old lol. When I got home I pulled the bike in the garage, ripped the visor off, walked over to the trash can and threw it in.
I need to check a few more helmets I have in the closet. I have a feeling tomorrow I will open up some shelf space lol.
I did check my primary helmets, my white HJC modular's and they are good with 2017 build dates. So I have one more year with those.
GoldOxide_imp
Road warrior
Although most helmet liners are washable these days, the materials do take their toll (or are engineered to eventually take their toll) when chronically exposed to the proteins and uric acid excreted by the human head.
Stichill
Road warrior
That helmet is (was) a good look on you, ferret!
the Ferret
Road warrior
:rofl: very 70's old school.Stichill_imp said:
GoldOxide_imp
Road warrior
:rofl: very 70's old school.The ferret_imp said:
"Chips" old school?
emptysea
Road warrior
I wear a Shoei helmet and my wife wears an Arai. We both assume 5 years of wear. We don't wear the more expensive helmets because we think they protect us better -- we assume that any helmet badged with a Snell or ECE rating is no better or worse than any other helmet similarly certified.
The $75/year (per helmet) premium we are paying is for the comfort of the helmet, not for the safety of it. I wanted a more aerodynamic helmet (Shoei X14) because I don't have a windscreen and I thought it would help reduce wind-lift while riding at highway speeds. My wife wanted a very quiet helmet with great ventilation and opted for the Arai SomethingICan'tRecall. For us, it's worth the extra cost, but I understand that others might have a different opinion.
I keep my old helmets (I cut the strap off of them) for display in my garage. Sometimes, I'll put mc related stickers on them, but my brother is an artist so I"m thinking of having him paint a couple of them for me. Incidentally, none of them have disintegrated yet, but then again, I haven't tried to wear them either.
The $75/year (per helmet) premium we are paying is for the comfort of the helmet, not for the safety of it. I wanted a more aerodynamic helmet (Shoei X14) because I don't have a windscreen and I thought it would help reduce wind-lift while riding at highway speeds. My wife wanted a very quiet helmet with great ventilation and opted for the Arai SomethingICan'tRecall. For us, it's worth the extra cost, but I understand that others might have a different opinion.
I keep my old helmets (I cut the strap off of them) for display in my garage. Sometimes, I'll put mc related stickers on them, but my brother is an artist so I"m thinking of having him paint a couple of them for me. Incidentally, none of them have disintegrated yet, but then again, I haven't tried to wear them either.
Stichill
Road warrior
My first helmet, Arai Vector 2, is now 9 years old. I was keeping it around as a backup, but now it's going in the rubbish bin.
Makes me wonder. Surely, if all that’s disintegrating is the lining, it could be replaced? Or is there disintegration in the harder structural material?
GoldOxide_imp
Road warrior
I reckon most are referring to the open cell foam padding. The superstructure ought to be intact (assuming no impact events). One might be able to source some new padding, but the helmet interior will become "customized" and could be an unintended liability. Might be easier to simply replace the entire unit.Cormanus_imp said:
Ah. That makes sense.
Mixagon_imp
Running like a top
Thread starter
That was my first thought but I doubt there would be much saving against a new helmet if it was even possible to obtain a new lining.Cormanus_imp said:
Also what came to mind was how some plastic goes very brittle with age, not the same material as helmets but buckets seem to split and crack quite quickly even if not used.
jtopiso_imp
Been there
That was my first thought but I doubt there would be much saving against a new helmet if it was even possible to obtain a new lining.Mixagon_imp said:
Also what came to mind was how some plastic goes very brittle with age, not the same material as helmets but buckets seem to split and crack quite quickly even if not used.
Not only that, but also that for helmets, the answer will probably be "nobody knows" (except of whatever says the manufacturer of material's life expectancy)
As far as I know, old helmets are not tested, so they are not certified. Also, there are different technologies and materials used on different helmets, so there is no general answer: How fast or slow the shell will degenerate is an unknown.
GoldOxide_imp
Road warrior
I don't think, for example, Arai fiberglass-based shells degrade. Not sure about older (and maybe current) generation polycarbonate shells though.
The other thing to consider are the rubber-based components like seals, and the vinyl wraps around the straps and mouth guard area, if applicable. I had the vinyl strap wraps crack and crumble with bits of black clinging to my mug. Again, another helmet area heavily exposed to skin protein and uric acid excretion.
The other thing to consider are the rubber-based components like seals, and the vinyl wraps around the straps and mouth guard area, if applicable. I had the vinyl strap wraps crack and crumble with bits of black clinging to my mug. Again, another helmet area heavily exposed to skin protein and uric acid excretion.
jtopiso_imp
Been there
Honestly, I don't know. Fiber glass is only part of the composite. The other part is usually epoxy resin, which is very tough.GoldOxide_imp said:
Mixagon_imp
Running like a top
Thread starter
Well, having fully checked my other 3 helmets they are all suffering from the same under lining degrading foam with dust everywhere.
Picked out 3 choices of new helmet either 2 hjc models or 1 caberg as possible buys and went out to buy one but non of my size of any helmet in stock in my three local shops, none on line either. Its a delivery/supply problem maybe covid and brexit related.
So as temporary fix I've scraped all the old foam out and fitted new foam in one old helmet, took me 3 hours but it feels ok and I can still ride until I can get a new helmet.
Picked out 3 choices of new helmet either 2 hjc models or 1 caberg as possible buys and went out to buy one but non of my size of any helmet in stock in my three local shops, none on line either. Its a delivery/supply problem maybe covid and brexit related.
So as temporary fix I've scraped all the old foam out and fitted new foam in one old helmet, took me 3 hours but it feels ok and I can still ride until I can get a new helmet.
Similar threads
