Myths about 5 year helmet life

[Undinist]

I always thought that UV light was the reason we're supposed to replace our helmet after 5 years, but the experts at the Snell foundation have nothing to say about UV. Their justification for the 5 year rule is attached below. It's not very compelling. AFAICS, a quality helmet should stay strong for much more than 5 years IF you don't drop it or get solvents or petrol on it and you wash the lining now and then.

My helmet, a fibreglass Arai, is 6 years old but has spent half its life in a box. So I suppose it should be safe. I wish there was a way we could get them tested though.

[arry]

You say rule. They say recommendation

[ADSrox0r]

It's an arse covering exercise on the manfacturers' part. If a lid were to catastrophically fail due to weakening attributed to UV damage and they had not taken steps to warn of the possibility of this failure they would end up getting bummed in court.

Lids do not spontaneously explode and shatter after exactly five years. The reason it's a recommendation to replace is that it is a possibility that UV could damage it.

It's your noggin, do as you will. Me, after five years or thereabouts I start thinking about a new lid. That thinking process goes along the lines of, "Fuck me lids are expensive, this one hasn't caught fire...I'll keep using it for now"
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Current bikes: '08 VFR 800 VTEC(yo) , '07 ZZR1400 Winter hack: '95 Aprilia 650 Pegaso Currently lusting after: RC30

[Pete.]

My lids are usually scrap within 12 months never mind 5 years. I like to replace it just before winter so I get the benefit of a new visor. I know, I could just buy a visor but as I said the rest of it will be pretty mingin' dirty inside.
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a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good

[MarJay]

UV is more of an issue for the polycarbonate lids than the fiberglass. However, the glues are a major issue, and if a helmet manufacturer is saying that the glues degrade after 5 years, then I'd be happy to go with that. In fact, I'm pretty sure a helmet manufacturer could easily say that a helmet will only last 2 years and people would still swap. I hardly think a 5 year life is unreasonable.
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F; Cheap project: CBR900RR FireBlade
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[binge]

5 years is a reasonable time anyway. For what they cost.
I usually spend between £150 and £200 on my lids, depending on how much I like them.
Admittedly I still have my AVG from when I passed my test, and bought my NC29. That's getting on for 10 years now.

But then I have a Supermoto helmet, and an MX lid too. So they have all had 'average' amounts of use.

[The Tot]

If you're a tart and buy range topping Arais, then it's not exactly an insubstantial amount of cash to splash out on a new lid. My oldest Arai Corsair is 8 years and the inside has started to come apart (not the polystyrene, but the trim on the inside of the chin bar where moisture collects from breath and what not).

Newest one is 5 years old and is starting to come apart in places in non structural areas (like vents) where the adhesive has aged. Needless to say, both have seen all season use and maybe 50k miles a pop.

I doubt that the integrity of the composite shell has been compromised with age. The paintwork and clearcoat doesn't appear to be compromised and their lustre makes good living room ornaments.
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The Tot 2019 Z1000SX - 2007 R1
Never argue with autism

[toerag]

UV is not the only reason for the 5 year recommendation.

What you need to consider is the EPS liner, the bit that absorbs the impact instead of your skull.
Read what Arai product care says cleaning the lining and replacing your helmet, link.
Essentially over time the liner becomes brittle and loses its impact absorbing qualities.

This is further worsened by UV light.
UV is more of an issue for fibre glass than polycarbonate... read the UV section in this link but this is not specific to lids but I think still relevant.
Also consider how much UV light penetrates the shell of any given helmet?

[DrSnoosnoo]

Let's also remember about the amount of use a helmet sees.

Mine, is on 5 days a week, 2 hours a day for my commute (not including weekend jollies).

Others have theirs for a couple of hours at the weekend.

If my helmet still fits, I still wear it.

My current AGV is feeling worn, the cushion stuff isn't very cushiony anymore, maybe a wash will revitalise them.
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I'm Sam; Northern, Ginger, Lover
Did have: '95 ZZR600 '83 CG125 '97 ZZR1100 '15 Hypermotard 821 SP Do Have: '10 ZX10R

[stevo as b4]

Scared to type this after last time.
But thoughts on say an 8-10yr old helmet, that fictionally has been stored in a warm dry dark place, and has seen as little as 500-800miles a year, never dropped etc?

I think age related wear is unavoidable, and it's things like sloppy visor mechanisms and broken or stuck vents that will end many such lids life effectively.

degradation from skin/hair sweat is all possible, but any decent lid worth it's salt should be capable of being regularly washed out with shampoo/warm water etc?

[The Tot]

Any qualified chemists here willing to answer that question? Would be useful to have a theoretical scientific answer to that. As much as I shouldn't be wearing my Nakano rep anymore, it's still the most comfortable fitting lid out of my collection. But like Stevo implied, visor mechanisms and vents are what's letting the side down for my venerable Arai.
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The Tot 2019 Z1000SX - 2007 R1
Never argue with autism

[Ichy]

[Val]

[DrSnoosnoo]