BigVeeGrin wrote:
what's the deal with life of a helmet? A mate once said you should replace them every four years or so - is that correct??
Al - if you read this wht speakers and set up have you got in the lounge??
Some people will argue this one but IMO they do have a shelf life to a max of 5 years IIRC.
The inner shell will start to break down & pull away from the shell.
* & **
It depends on how often you use it as well, if it's daily worn then the linings will take more of a bashing, if it starts to become to loose on your head, then it's time for a new one.
Any single drop or hard knock will mean you should replace it.
In an accident the inner shell absorbs the shock & in doing so pulls away from the outer shell. So next time it gets a shock it passes straight through & isn't absorbed as much.
*I had a nicely painted Arai helmet from about '89, it was not used much when new & spent from about 1990 till 2001 in a helmet bag in a cupboard so not in direct sunlight, I was going to use it again but on inspection the soft foam head lining had disintegrated. This made me wary of what else could have degraded so it went in the skip !
** Carl will be along shortly to tell you this is a conspiracy by the helmet manufactures to make you by more helmets! Don't believe it for a second...the tin foil won't do a lot at 70mph...

Making up since 2007, sometimes it's true...Honest...