When should I replace my motorcycle helmet?

In this review, the Chap in the Cap at Motolegends tries to answer the oft asked question “When should I replace my motorcycle helmet?”. He looks at how a helmet protects you - the part played by the outer shell and by the eps. And he questions how you should decide when the time is right to buy a new lid.
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[@bsidethecside2283]

As a regular commuter it was 5 years absolute max to replace, now a leisure rider with occasional commutes, more like 7 . The hardening of the EPS was noticeable when I compared the new to the one destined for the bin (non-scientific fingernail test). Still, reinforced the decision to swap in my mind. Thanks for an open and honest discussion on this overlooked area. Too often commercial interests can get in the way, so good to see this being aired in a grown up fashion.

[@Motolegends]

We hope our video will help people understand and decide what is best for them. Thank you for the kind words!

[@RoeyHaviv]

Shrinkage can render a number of things ineffective :)

[@lsgettier]

Chemistry much? From Wikipedia, visited 07/27/2022-- Styrene (the "S" part of EPS), is C6H5CH=CH2. It is a polymer made entirely of atoms of carbon and hydrogen. Pentane C5H12 gas is used to expand it. Photo-oxidation is the major method of degradation of polymers. Hmmm. Unless one stores one's motorcycle helmet upside down outdoors in the sun and removes the fabric liner, it would seem that the action of light is minimal, and therefore photo-oxidation of the EPS liner is minimal. Sweat is composed mostly of water, with small amounts of urea, lactic acid, and salt. Urea is practically non-toxic, and dissolved in water (perspiration) urea is neither acidic nor alkaline. Hmmm. Since our atmosphere is 78% nitrogen anyway, how is this nitrogen-containing neutral (not acid, not alkaline) organic substance, dissolved in water, harmful to the EPS liner? Lactic acid is used to dissolve calcium carbonate mineral deposits. Hmmm. Polystyrene (a hydrocarbon) is not a compound containing calcium (a mineral). So how is lactic acid harmful to the non-mineral EPS liner? Shrinking of up to 5% per year? So, after 10 years, the thickness of the EPS liner could be REDUCED BY HALF? Wow. Have you seen that? Why not just measure the thickness of the EPS liner to see if the helmet needs to be replaced?

[@shardlake]

I have just ordered a new helmet, after realising mine was more than 23 years old... However, never been dropped, nor been in an accident and is stored when not in use in a wardrobe in its original bag and still looks great. Arai make them to last, one piece of trim had come loose, easily fixed.

[@drazenbabich]

I have 8 of them, from 4 to 22 years old. All stored carefully like yours when not im use. They a still check out and look and feel like the day I bought them. Milleage will vary for different people in different conditions and situations though. Cheers.

[@iancraig6070]

Many thanks for such informed technical information.Just wish I lived near to the shop.

[@ZediMaster]

Gr8 vid, Chris. Ride safe, god bless u.

[@user-cx2bk6pm2f]

A brilliant thoughtful discussion, as usual!

[@Motolegends]

Thank you for watching our video!

[@marcomadella863]

Thank you Chris that was very informative and sensible advice

[@Motolegends]

Glad it was helpful!

[@digger8180]

By far your best and more importantly regarding the safety aspect the most informative post you have made so far form those I have viewed. I hope the message gets across to people, the analogy comparison on price and equivalents should hopefully send the message. I applaud you for this one Chris. Well done sir, hat's off to you. If it makes the penny drop for even one young biker job done. 👍🏻

[@Motolegends]

Thank you for your message, we are glad we could help with this video.

[@zippitydooda9112]

thank you so much for these videos. A great resource.

[@Motolegends]

Thanks Zippity for the comments - glad you enjoyed the video.

[@GBMatthew07]

Wow what a great video I really hope that people take notice of what you said.

[@lukaszmura6328]

Love it. Great informative video 👍

[@Motolegends]

Thank you so much!

[@VTECheart]

very sage advice

[@berndbrckr]

Thank you again for a very interesting video 👍

[@petervautmans199]

I did 50k kms in 18 months commuting and decided to get an extra helmet in the blackfriday madness. The brandnew Neotec II has a snugger fit then the 50k kms Neotec 2 of the same size. Not much, but clearly notissable. After winter, somewhere between the 65k and 70k kms mark, I will start using the new one and keep the not totally "used" 2 year old one as reserve and pillion helmet.

[@itsallabouttheridekeepingi4449]

Fantastic knowledge, and as you say common sense , I can see what you say about hot 🥵 climates, in Australia in Summer in can be over 30 and over for most of the summer . Two other points 1. In humid conditions helmets will degrade sooner ( I had some new shoes in a box for 2 years years in Tropical 🏝 North Queensland) when I wore them the first time they fell apart . 2. In dusty riding conditions ( hot or cooled ) riding off road is WAY more physical so all the sweat and dirt and dust build up I would say would degrade a helmet ⛑ earlier more than likely.

[@kevskibiz]

Great advice 🤟🏻

[@neilmatthewmarks]

Bought a Neotec 2 from you a few months ago Chris. It was a correctly sized one (thanks to being properly measured by your staff) to replace the previously incorrect sized one I bought online. I got a great deal on it too. 👍

[@Motolegends]

Happy to help Neil - we pride ourselves on that service as you know.

[@chrisli7260]

Thank you 😊 Very useful information 👌.

[@Motolegends]

Thank you Chris!

[@mervharris5183]

Wow. Off to buy two new helmets after watching this. Being an adventure rider who gets pretty hot in the Aussie climate I have notice my helmets getting slightly looser which I think is caused by eps liner shrinkage from sweat. Or am I just after an excuse to buy a flashy new one. I think us nature age adventure riders are a marketers dream anyway! I find your observations without basis and using probity, excellent. Please open a store in Australia.

[@lionelseigneur6281]

Hello , what you said make complete sense, every manufacturer speaks about only one impact on the helmet, when you crash, your head and helmet could hit hard surfaces many times. It’s where, I think manufacturer should garantie there product, not just on one hit or a drop of six feet.

[@Dr.BenjiBuddy]

Ok, convinced me to get a new helmet. I'm a new rider and got a helmet from someone who got it somewhere cheap (he couldnt remember exactly where he got it, so this was a red flag). He only wore it once, because it was too small for him, but apparently it's 7 years old. I just checked the eps and it's hard as a rock.

[@windyrun7979]

Good video. When will you do a video on airbag technology/options?

[@UltimateDazzle]

Coincidence that you should be talking about this subject today as I have been trying to work out if we should replace my wife’s helmet next year. I even phoned Feridax about it! It turns 5 years since we bought her GT Air in January’22, & she didn’t come out for a ride (she only goes pillion) until the spring of that same year 2017 and since then we’ve done 3 longer 2 week tours- 2 in Scotland and 1 in Ireland, she’s also done 2 long weekends, 1 in France and 1 in Yorkshire. Apart from that there’s been just a few short rides of 1-2 hours, and they have been few and far between. We have a tour of Norway next July, I am going to replace my Neotec because it has had much more use but not sure about her GT Air, it would be just over 5 years never dropped, always stored indoors in its bag and box in a room temperature cupboard out of the light. What’s your thinking Chris @Motolegends?

[@danicooke346]

Love this channel. So much good information. What I have never understood is why the armor for your head (the helmet) is so different from the construction of the armpit in jackets and pants? Is it due to the sensitivity to deceleration of the brain, compared to other parts of the body?

[@MrCaptainstern]

Advances in self healing, high impact, polymer/polystyrene should soon be seen in market applications like this, but until then - great advice and article! ;)

[@kidpoker29]

I adore this guy lol he is a man of science

[@Spriterom]

I have an HJC RPHA 70 helmet. I have been using it for 4 years or so, so I started looking for some helmets. I tried on a brand new RPHA70 in the same size and man, you can tell that it was sitting really tight against my head. My current helmet is pretty loose and I am thinking it's getting to the point that is probably not as safe as it once was. Perhaps the EPS has shrunk and the helmet loosened up so much... And yes I have washed the liner a few times too to keep it fresh.

[@CODIEWRYDROP72]

Got 2 new lids from you guys on Wednesday, good price too!

[@Motolegends]

Thank you for shopping from us!

[@ElementOPain]

I live in a country somewhere in Southeast Asia where used helmets are a thing, even in Japan people can buy used helmets I believe, mainly Arai and Shoei, I saw a couple of times that people in Japan (Certain type of riders ofc) still rocking Snell 2000s helmets or even older than that (And again, Arai and Shoei) One thing why used helmets are a thing here in my country is that people treat it as a collectibles and I would like to argue that older helmets has better paint designs especially older Shoei and Arai, and also cheaper than the current models. Yours and F9's video gave me insights about helmet's lifetime, so I might need to avoid buying used helmets again though it is very hard to not to, I'll try to get a brand new RX7V or Quantic next time (I have Astral-X made in 2016 and Quantum-J made in 2013, I don't know the Europe name counterpart for those 2 helmets)

[@the.communist]

To replace a 100€ helmet every 3/5 years is acceptable but replecing a 500€ shoei/arai in that period time is throwing money away. More expensive than bike insurance

[@jjrider6758]

Arai must think that a completely unused helmet is not too bad because their warranty is 5 years from the date of manufacture for a worn/used helmet but 7 years from the date of manufacture for a helmet that has been sat unused on a shop shelf.. Personally (barring impacts or serious damage) I usually replace my helmet after 2 to 3 years for my 'everyday' helmet and 5 years for my 'best' helmet that I wear much less often..

[@jjnewman65]

A great watch You “Helmet” Chris ! (CiaC)

[@Motolegends]

Thank you for watching!

[@jjnewman65]

@@Motolegends Always enjoy your in depth reviews. Keep them coming. It was a shame you weren’t in the shop when I visited but a very helpful Saffer helped me drop £400 into your till. Merry Christmas 🎄 to you and your team .

[@williamcoulter5462]

MIPS from Bell is the best innovation for years but their helmets are way noisier than my Shoei without MIPS so is saved for my slower rides if other manufacturers used MIPS it would be a life saver as it lessens the impact on the brain by allowing a slight rotation of the liner on impact.

[@bikersquest]

I think the new testing standard involves something to do with head rotation, I hope so at least as the MIPS system does seem to be a good upgrade.

[@anthonybuckingham4646]

Thank you for a honest answer but I have a feeling my 34y old will still be stronger as most of the time it's been in its box 📦 that it came in. Love to here what people think

[@Motolegends]

As long as you never have an accident it will be fine.

[@anthonybuckingham4646]

@@Motolegends who made you the expert please tell how it could be weeker

[@jjnewman65]

@@anthonybuckingham4646 A 34year old helmet! . Have you not been listening at the back of the class. Pay attention!

[@Boxer1250RT]

With the same theory, Retailers like you must disclose when the Helmet was made and how long it sat at your Shop before selling it. So, if a Helmet is sitting on your shelf for 2 years, are you telling the customer they can only use that $700 Helmet for 3 years??

[@Motolegends]

Helmets are warranted to be protective for five years from the date of purchase, and the manufacturers have built in to that calculation a timeframe for getting it from the factory to the end user.

[@Boxer1250RT]

@@Motolegends With all due respect that's not true. I'd love to see you and the other Sellers disclose the Production Date to be more transparent.

[@fs_seven]

​@@Boxer1250RT In regards to Shoei's, they have a production date tag inside. Even has the name of the person who inspected it. I'd assume a respectable seller would manage their stock according to this premise. I buy my helmets from a reputable local seller and never ran into such an issue. I believe that's what Motolegends are referring to in the previous comment as well. I think I've seen this in Arai's too, but don't own any so can't confirm. So, the data is out there, its up to the consumer as well to support the brands that are transparent about it and perhaps question the ones that aren't (in fact, I think the EU could look into making this information mandatory).

[@paulsire]

I wore a helmet for about a year back in 2011, put it away in the attic. Took it out this summer and while the protective material in general kept its shape the materials were breaking down. 10 years imo is too long to hold onto a lid

[@Nelthalin]

I still have helmets from more than 10 year on the shelf but the material here does not fall apart. If they are safe well thats a other question but they are not coming apart. It would be interesting to have some used / aged helmets tested to see how much the difference is between the rest results when they where new.

[@pedrochaves4922]

👌

[@Motolegends]

Thanks so much

[@fasthracing]

For me I don't ride often but I change my lid every 7 years

[@krzysztofg2145]

I really like your comprehensive videos.. so much to learn, even after years of motorcycling. I have a question : what to do with a 10-years old, almost never worn helmet? My ex-girlfriend used it once or twice. Found it at home when doing clean-up. It was in a box all the time. Can I sell for a really low price? Or just throw it away?

[@panpestowski]

13:53

[@the.communist]

100£ a year buys me the yearly bike insurance. To throw that money yearly on a helmet i find it ridiculous

[@1teem]

So is it better to buy a 5 star SHARP (and rated green on all areas of impact) rated helmet like the HJC C70 for say £120 and replace every 2 years or upon any minor impact than to buy a £500 Arai/Shoei/AGV helmet which also has a 5 star SHARP rating but not rated "green" by SHARP on all areas of impact?

[@fasthracing]

Do racers wear £120 helmets?

[@1teem]

@@fasthracing I didn't say anything about racers as this video is addresses mainly everyday, commuter riders and so on. I'm not sure what made you assume my comment has anything to do with racing.

[@Motolegends]

I think you should watch our recent video about who makes the best helmet. The Sharp test is not really to be trusted.

[@1teem]

@@Motolegends will do, thanks!

[@fasthracing]

@@Motolegends Kind of my point too

[@ADobbin1]

Of course you were stone walled. They want to you buy a new helmet every 5 years. If they told you it was good for 10 to 15 years you know people would keep em for at least 20 before considering replacing. You can't run a business that way. So they slap a 5 year limit sticker on a helmet so you'll buy a new one in about 7 years. No I'm not saying they are good for 15 years. Couldn't they use ultrasound to see any damage to the eps?

[@Motolegends]

I think that if you actually watch the video all the way through, you will see that I have addressed these issues; and you would see that it’s not all about cynical marketing people. Helmets have a finite life, and personally I would question anybody would want to disregard the stated parameters. Brain damage is what we’re trying to guard against here, and it simply doesn’t make sense to take a risk. CP

[@helmetinspection]

We don't appear to be permitted to respond properly to Chris' comments about us.

[@Bennyboy12]

I’m hopeful my helmet will see me throughout my life time. By the way I don’t ride bikes or bicycles. Lol

[@CHOPPERish]

Thank you for the informative video. Shame on Brexit, I was ordering with you before and was more than happy. But thanks to Brexit and customs fee I‘m not your customer anymore, just a youtube-follower. 🤷‍♂️😏 But I‘ll come by next year on our way to or from Scotland. 😎

[@81722Les]

the reason why one should have @ least 5 helmets...

[@jeffestrada6857]

I think lot damage is the way people treat their helmets. Placing the helmet on the mirror of your bike or i have seen helmets even on foot pegs! How stupid can you be! Being outside in the sun certainly deteriorates the helmet. And the way you clean it plays its part. If you clean your helmet after every ride just with water, place it carefully on ground, treat it like an egg and not put the helmet outside in sun unnecessarily. Doing this i think will place the helmet up to around 10 years in my opinion before needing replacement. I treat ALL my helmets properly as above and makes many of my friends helmets that are abused look silly. I think most people are completely unaware how important the time frame the helmet lasts in almost entirely up to the user, except of course from actual damage from an impact or accident

[@user-cx2bk6pm2f]

Why do helmet makers not use a more robust material than styrofoam? Can we not find something suitably better in the 21st century? If you pour petrol into a styrofoam cup, it becomes sadly evident just how bad styrofoam is.. the cup disintegrates.

[@roadwarrior8560]

it's all nonsense, charging 4 or 500 quid for styrofoam enclosed in some fancy named shell or other, with a few holes in it for vents, I think any helmet that fits you will do ok, main thing is don't crash and then all it will ever be is an expensive hat to keep the weather off!! Talking of safety though I don't trust flip up helmets, you'll never see racers wearing flip fronts with micrometric fasteners, that tells you all you need to know.

[@fs_seven]

KLIM uses Koroyd instead of EPS, look it up.That said, EPS probably has some advantages over Koroyd, such as noise isolation and end user cost.

[@user-cx2bk6pm2f]

@@roadwarrior8560 Wait.. you worry about safety of flip up and micrometric, but suggest "any ol' helmet will do"? The converse seems true to me. Flipup and micrometric are fine for non-race use..but I'd rather have a shell that's been impact tested and design optimized for such

[@markkulyas2418]

You lost me on conspiracy theorist.

[@panpestowski]

Sooo, when should I replace my motorcycle helmet? ;]

[@Motolegends]

Hi Pan... erm...

[@kevinrobb86]

Nothing worse than a smelly helmet

[@fasthracing]

Smelly bush?

[@roadwarrior8560]

You should wash your helmet everyday if you can or at least after every ride.

[@roadwarrior8560]

How the hell does the eps slow your brain moving in your skull? it will cushion your skull against the impact of the collision against the outside shell of the helmet, will do this better if the helmet is a good fit. Cheap polycarb plastic helmets will crack more easily. if eps shrinks so much, surely in this day and age there is a better material to use than eps?? suppose if they used that though you wouldn't need or be advised to buy a new helmet every few years. This is like taking advice on the harmful effects of smoking from tobacco companies, vested interests my friends.

[@Motolegends]

The eps absorbs the energy that otherwise would be transferred directly back to the skull. This would send the brain flying across the skull and back. In terms of your rather crass comment about tobacco companies, you simply haven’t dealt with Motolegends.

[@UltimateDazzle]

@@Motolegends klim may well have come up with a superior answer in their helmets with the collapsing tubes?

[@petervautmans199]

@@Motolegends think of it as the canon shot in snooker, the middle ball does hardly move but does transfers the energy