HELMET STORAGE WARS

[Adamc]

AGE RELATED REPLACEMENT FOR HELMETS

As stated in my earlier posts; the main manufacturers recommend replacing any lid after 5 years.
OK if we accept this then the suppliers should permanently mark the helmet on the outside of the shell with a date of manufacture.

I just bought two brand new SHOEI Neotec 2 helmets together with SENA SRL-MESH intercoms.

Whilst pulling back the interior padding of the lid, ready for the intercom install, I discovered a manufacturers sticker:

Date of manufacture is 26/04/2022, meaning this spanking new lid is already over 1 year old!
(Its a SHOEI lid Inspected by an ARAI.... Irony?)
Although not a permanent mark, as the sticker can be peeled off, its also hidden behind the inner padding

Kinda supports my previous statement about dealer stocks being heavily discounted to clear.
Buyer beware!

Ads.

 

[ckahleer]

Enjoy the 4 years you have left.
If the 5 year expiration date was was clearly marked on the helmet, I dought Shoei would sell many helmets.

 

[gggGary]

I'm fairly fond of my head but think 10 years of moderate use stored cool and dry is a reasonable helmet lifetime. It's like canned beans, are they inedible after the expiration date?

 

[jetmechmarty]

I'm fairly fond of my head but think 10 years of moderate use stored cool and dry is a reasonable helmet lifetime. It's like canned beans, are they inedible after the expiration date?

Stored in a damp garage, I think 6 years is what you get. Eventually, the decay is obvious.

 

[ThatXS650Guy]

I finally retired my Quiet Ride after 6 years. I liked it and would buy another, but they have been OOS for months. Time to upgrade...

 

[RC4MAN]

It's been my experience in 50+ years of riding that the things that fail on a quality laminated construction helmet are padding, not the shell, not the styro liner.
Not sure about the rest of you but the oils in my skin cause open cell foam comfort padding and the rubber used for neck liner to deteriorate.
Back in the 7o's my brother and dad both bought cheap "Wally world" type $30 helmets, with a plastic shell and had me paint them to match their bikes.
My brother returned quickly from a ride during which he developed nervous hives and rushed home to get in a bath to calm them, he stopped in the front yard stripping his helmet and clothes as he rushed for the front door and threw the helmet on the ground, grass covered dirt, the helmet split up the side about 6"
Polycarbonate also degrades from paint and oil.
I've always bought Bell Star's, I currently have 3 Snell 2005 and 1 Snell 2015. I would trust any of them with my life, though every couple years I need to change the comfort padding as it goes away.

 

[jetmechmarty]

I do believe this Zamp helmet saved my bacon. I hit hard enough to lose consciousness. It was a fairly new DOT half helmet that happened to fit my head very nicely.

 

[gggGary]

the oils in my skin cause open cell foam comfort padding and the rubber used for neck liner

That's a thing for me also Even my leather jackets rot at the neck.

 

[Adamc]

SHOEI SONICS.... Or was that SENA sound?

Installed the dedicated SENA Mesh intercoms into the new Shoei helmets.

A bit of a faff to be honest as instructions were crap.
But perseverance and a bit of dexterity, and all came good.
End result was impressive, with great integration between lid and intercom system.

End result is very much a Shoei Factory fit.

You then have to pair the intercom with your mobile device.
Which fails time after time! More perseverance, and YouTube instruction, it eventually connects.
Then more frustration updating the software; Aaaarrrgh!!

An hour later I have a working system.
Bench (Head) test with the mobile phone link and music is coming out!
Sound quality is very good (compared to other systems I tried before).
Harmon Kardon speakers and microphone seem to do a great job; and plenty loud enough, even with ear plugs.

Now just need to install the one in Mrs.C helmet!

These will only really be used when out on the GS Beemer when touring.

Need to do a linked rider / pillion / other riders test, and a road test of the Sat Nav functionality.
Overall I'm impressed so far.
(Apart from the frustrating set up!)

Ads.

 

[Adamc]

SHOEI SONICS.... Or was that SENA sound?

Installed the dedicated SENA Mesh intercoms into the new Shoei helmets.
View attachment 249276
View attachment 249272
A bit of a faff to be honest as instructions were crap.
But perseverance and a bit of dexterity, and all came good.
End result was impressive, with great integration between lid and intercom system.
View attachment 249273
View attachment 249274
View attachment 249275

End result is very much a Shoei Factory fit.
View attachment 249277
View attachment 249278

You then have to pair the intercom with your mobile device.
Which fails time after time! More perseverance, and YouTube instruction, it eventually connects.
Then more frustration updating the software; Aaaarrrgh!!

An hour later I have a working system.
Bench (Head) test with the mobile phone link and music is coming out!
Sound quality is very good (compared to other systems I tried before).
Harmon Kardon speakers and microphone seem to do a great job; and plenty loud enough, even with ear plugs.

Now just need to install the one in Mrs.C helmet!

These will only really be used when out on the GS Beemer when touring.

Need to do a linked rider / pillion / other riders test, and a road test of the Sat Nav functionality.
Overall I'm impressed so far.
(Apart from the frustrating set up!)

Ads.

Bloody hell @gggGary do you have an 'auto like' function?
I only just posted that!

 

[Adamc]

Bloody hell @gggGary do you have an 'auto like' function?
I only just posted that!

Maybe not then....... Ha Ha

 

[gggGary]

I've got a Shoei GT air II and added the sena. Almost never use the Sena even when a bud had a sena on our Lake Superior trip. Too much of a PITA to sync charge etc. Really like the helmet though.

 

[gggGary]

My Ulysses came with a "period" Buell jacket and helmet, probably 20 25 years old now. I replaced the foam crash pads in the jacket that were crumbling and wear it. The helmet is a wall decoration. Seems like at about 10 years old helmets are going past their wear by date. I've retired 3 or 4 that I basically wore out in the last 20 years.

 

[yellowdog]

I've still got the Agv Ago helmet I bought 2nd hand in 1975,alas it is now only the shell that's left the padding disintegrated many years ago ,I've kept it for sentimental reasons as it was the first full face I owned. That's it in the photo after its 2nd repaint .

 

[arcticXS]

Stored in a damp garage, I think 6 years is what you get. Eventually, the decay is obvious.

I am also convinced that the environment it is used in plays a part in degradation. Riding in really hot climates where you sweat a lot must be more problematic than riding in moderate temperatures, say 15-20 C.

 

[verndawg]

Most plastics degrade with time, regardless of the environment. In the rock climbing world all of your safety harnesses and ropes that are life important, have a 5 year limit. Even if it has been sitting on the shelf it will lose enough strength that it cannot be counted on. I'm not going to test my old helmet, I'll buy a new one.

 

[arcticXS]

Most plastics degrade with time, regardless of the environment. In the rock climbing world all of your safety harnesses and ropes that are life important, have a 5 year limit. Even if it has been sitting on the shelf it will lose enough strength that it cannot be counted on. I'm not going to test my old helmet, I'll buy a new one.

A 5 year replacement interval seems a bit rigid. UV radiation, chafe and wear and tear does affect rope, slings and other plastics. Sitting on a dark room at 20C and 50% relative humidity will affect plastics minimally.
A common brand of industrial hardhats Peltor ( subsidiary of 3M) has a device called a "uvicator", which is a red thermoplastic disc with progressive thickness. The thinner section degrades faster from UV exposure, and gradually turns pink. When the entire disc is pink, the hardhat is at the end of its lifetime. See attached pic of my own hardhat. However, the hardhat itself is also made from a thermoplastic material, so is UV sensitive.
Fiberglass/ carbon fiber/ kevlar Composites are a lot less UV sensitive, especially when painted.

 

[40north]

There are several beanies on our shelf...German Army, Brand X, and some I do not remember...they say the laws will soon change and permit Sikhs or whoever wears a funny topper, can ride without the hard thing. So, how does cotton weather? And leather? I don't worry about it.
When I was manufacturing weirdingmodules I used to stamp the expiration date so people would throw them away and buy new ones they did not need.

 

[Mailman]

You mean it’s time to retire my 1972 Buco helmet?


Just kidding…. Nice helmet Adam, and an interesting thread.
In the 70’s and 80’s all I wore were Bell helmets. When I started riding again in my 40’s, I went back to the brand I knew, another Bell helmet, but this time flip front with a built in sun visor ( where were these in the 70’s! )

Since then I’ve gone through three HJC flip front helmets with built in sun visors. I have found them to be wonderfully comfortable to wear.

In fact when I sold my old Suzuki V-Strom , the guy that bought it, was on older fella who was getting back into riding and he had no riding gear yet. He said he would buy the bike if I threw in the helmet! I did, then bought another exactly like it. By the way, I always buy white helmets, not because I love white, but for the extra bit of visibility it gives me.

 

[40north]

I thought about the visibility... I never thought to buy a white one though. In actual road conditions I jink the bike around in a way to catch the caged fellers eye... I worry though, now that everybody wants to call the cops on each other, some cat might think I was intoxicated... loud pipes help too, and hand signals... I hope the religious exception law passes, then I'll join the church of snoopy or some-such. It's unclear however if one must actually wear the funny cloth headwrap, or if it's ok to just buy a membership card and ride with naked-dome... or mouse-ears... Best! 40 N