would you buy a 2nd hand Helmet?

AMCQ46 · Post by **AMCQ46** » Mon Jan 30, 2012 10:09 am

Just interested on the various views on this. .... would you or would you not?

Having spend a fotrune on a new helemt at the bike show in November I was moaning about the fact I was writing off the investment in the last helmet [a top of the range Shoei x-spirit Kagayama replica] , and all the visors [clear, smoke and black] and pinlocks [one clear, 1 photoreactive] etc, so the obvious answer was e-bay!

So I looked at what bundles to split it into to get as much back as possible, and decided to sell the Black race visor and the photoreactive pinlock individualy, then see what I could get for a 4yr old helmet with the clear & smoke visors as the last bundle.

the good news for me is that I got :
Â£20 for the black race visor , I think it cost me Â£35
Â£39 for the photoreactive pinlock which cost me Â£45
Â£155 for the helmet with 2 visors and a clear pinlock and spare larger cheeckpads [I bought the helmet in Japan, so I got it for Â£300, but with the other bits it would be close to Â£400 in total].
So a happy scotsman

But Would you buy a 2nd hand sportsbike helmet unseen, and not knowing if the last owner was a careful owner or a bullshitting salesman? I know I wouldnt, it just feels like an economy measure that cant be justified...........not for road or track bike use.

I have bought 2nd hand helmets when I started trials riding, but the speeds are much lowers there, and I might buy a road helmet if it was less than 1yr old, and I knew the owner and its history [but that is a big might!].

Am I alone here? e bay is full of them, and people are buying!

lloydie · Post by **lloydie** » Mon Jan 30, 2012 10:37 am

I have in the past but only from a collector new/unused (bit like the mrs shoes and hand bags )
But that was 15 years ago and I had a Yamaha t80 at the time and just starting out on bikes .
But with the speeds and modern traffic that I see today I only buy new and the best I can afford

Sorry officer
The voices made me do it

MacV2 · Post by **MacV2** » Mon Jan 30, 2012 10:48 am

When you buy a new helmet there is a certain amount of bedding in whereby the helmet liner moulds to the shape of your head.

As all our heads tend to be a different shape, then the answer has to be no I would never buy a 2nd head helmet for any reason! If it doesn't fit correctly then it isn't going to help you in the event of an impact.

Add to the fact that any impact will have an effect on the impact absorption of the liner come the next impact & you have no idea whatsoever of how said used helmet has been treated during it's lifetime.

I was always led to believe that helmets only have a life span of 5 years or so as the impact absorbing polystyrene shell breaks down over that period.

It amazes me when you see people riding around in clearly very old & battered helmets that have seen far better days !

You only get given one head, it needs protecting at road bike speeds. Lets face it you can die from a head injury having just fallen over let alone bashing ya noggin on tarmac at 70mph (or + if on a private road of course.)

2nd hand helmet? No thanks.

Que jokes about another man's helmet, please form an orderly queue behind Mr Mons.

Fireman on a Storm · Post by **Fireman on a Storm** » Mon Jan 30, 2012 12:22 pm

Crash helmet NO

Mans helmet NO NO NO

Phimosis · Post by **Phimosis** » Mon Jan 30, 2012 12:42 pm

2nd hand cricket box...maybe......crash hat....nope.

geodude · Post by **geodude** » Mon Jan 30, 2012 12:42 pm

AMCQ46 wrote:happy scotsman

Is that an oxymoron?

I'd buy a hat 2nd hand from someone a knew well but I wouldn't feel comfortable buying one off the bay of e.

hellride · Post by **hellride** » Mon Jan 30, 2012 1:25 pm

No, never! Why?
Because, you NEVER know if the helmet has been dropped. A store near me has the policy, if you drop a helmet you buy it. It can look allright with no scratches or marks but...
A dropped helmet is not something I would use. Not even my own.
And as someone wrote, a new helmet "molds" itself after the users head. And therefor it will not protcect YOU as a new one would.
There are plenty of good helmets on the market that aren't top of the line (expensive), like mine for instance, HJC fg-15 kynee silver. Cost me around 2800 sek (Â£265 I think).
You just dont need a Shoei x-spirit or a AGV Rossi replica. They're cool helmets but a cheaper helmet does the job just as good...

...in most cases. There are always some that are crap

pinkyfloyd · Post by **pinkyfloyd** » Mon Jan 30, 2012 2:30 pm

in a word?

Image · Post by **Image** » Mon Jan 30, 2012 2:43 pm

I've always bought 2nd hand helmets off ebay because I can't afford new, but I only buy the ones advertised as never used or worn once etc. You can get a quality lid like an Arai as good as new and not worn in for as little as Â£60. That's a saving of about Â£300. Just got myself an AVG for Â£51 and it's new in the box (unwanted gift) and mint condition. I guess in answer to your question, there's 'used' and there's 'used'.

AMCQ46 · Post by **AMCQ46** » Mon Jan 30, 2012 5:04 pm

I did give the helmet a very thorough polishing before I sold it.........nothing worse offering a soiled helmet

I would have worn it for at least 1 or 2 more years if I didnt have the cash to burn on a new one, and I know it was never dropped, so I dont feel bad about selling it, but I do wonder at people who will buy such important safety equipment unseen......with a helmet, if it has a defect, you wont find out till you need it, and then it is too late.

geodude wrote:
AMCQ46 wrote:happy scotsman
Is that an oxymoron?

its a relative term.........I am more happy than a Scotsman who hasnt got Â£200 quid .........

aces-high · Post by **aces-high** » Mon Jan 30, 2012 5:51 pm

Image wrote:I've always bought 2nd hand helmets off ebay because I can't afford new, but I only buy the ones advertised as never used or worn once etc. You can get a quality lid like an Arai as good as new and not worn in for as little as Â£60. That's a saving of about Â£300. Just got myself an AVG for Â£51 and it's new in the box (unwanted gift) and mint condition'.

Yes cos everyone on ebay tells the truth!!! Thats the problem with second hand lids they can look mint but still have hidden flaws that would only become apparent when your head is split open. I would only ever buy a second hand lid from someone I knew that had got it from new and that I trusted ( with my life!

)

Image · Post by **Image** » Mon Jan 30, 2012 6:29 pm

You can tell immediatly if a helmets been worn a lot or not.

aces-high · Post by **aces-high** » Mon Jan 30, 2012 6:43 pm

Image wrote:You can tell immediatly if a helmets been worn a lot or not.

Yes you sometimes can , But you can't tell if its had a structural damage inducing knock just by looking. Some lids like my own have got scratches and marks and might not look the best, But I know it's not been dropped. Some can look perfect yet have been dropped/dented pre-compressing the foam on the inside and you would never know!
Sure some people will have genuinely perfect lids to sell for whatever reason and someone can get a great deal. But not everyone is as honest as you and I

and
That's not a risk I'd be willing to take.

Kev L · Post by **Kev L** » Mon Jan 30, 2012 6:44 pm

I'm not judging at all, but the helmet does'nt need to have been worn to be damaged. One drop onto a carpeted floor will compress the liner but is unlikely to damage the shell to give a visible indication. I can understand the temptation to buy a quality helmet at a bargain price but, and it's a big but, unless you have removed it from the box in the shop how can you be sure it hasn't been damaged?
Playing devils advocate how many ancient Simpsons, FM's etc do you see being used just as a means of placating the law, with very little protectionn value?

Image · Post by **Image** » Mon Jan 30, 2012 6:48 pm

All the above can also be said about a bike!

VTR1000.ORG