Second hand helmets?

[Dan 4RR]

When I did my CBT test the instructor told us that we should avoid if possible not to buy a second hand helmet because the buyer may not know the history of the helmet and people could lie about it's past. Well, saying this my helmet came with my scooter so my helmet could be classed as second hand, but from viewing it looked quite good condition, no cracks, hardly any scratches, no damage to visor, etc..etc. But I obvisiously cant get inside the helmet (Well I could, but I wouldn't want to anyway) to see if there was any damage to the protection inside.

So does anyone here have a second hand helmet? Or if people should risk it and go for the cheaper option of getting a second hand one, etc ?

Thanks, Dan.

[JonB]

Nope don't do it. The polystylene type material inside the shell has been moulded for another head, in the event of the crashes there will be spaces within the interior and will not protect your head suffieciently.

Use your head and buy brand new.
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Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it?s worth.

[DanceLikeAMon...]

On my CBT the instructor showed us a helmet that was cut in half so that you could see the insides. It had been in a crash on a track day. From the outside it looked perfect, but inside all of the protective polystrene type stuff had compressed. This meant that all you had was a few milimetres of poly-carbonate protecting your skull from the tarmac.

It depends how much you value your brains. Personally I like being able to talk, think, walk, see... etc.

[mchaggis]

I'd never get one on principle. There's an old post of mine with pictures of what happens to the inside of helmets when you headbutt the ground and knock yourself out for half an hour.

You can get cheap and nasty helmets from £40, the Nitro ones. I was wearing one of these when I crashed, and it did work, in that I'm not dead. I certainly am not going to take the risk of having a helmet which could be pre-damaged.

They're not the best quality though (vents on mine broke on the first day of use), and have a horrible seam which acts as a pressure line across the front of your head.
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I must not be a troll...
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[Mister James]

I've got the Nitro 800v, which is fine and dandy. Came off last week and hit the back of my head on the ground at about 30 mph, didn't even hurt.

I bought mine for £115, it's about £70 in the sales at the moment, so you can get half-decent lids for peanuts if you look around.

As some other people have pointed out, it's stupid to try and save a few squid and put your life and well being at risk.

[simon1221]

i completely agree, you cannot put a price on your own safety, especially on your head!

Get the cheapest helmet that fits is usually the best advice, get the people in the shop to help you choose and to make sure that it fits you properly, of they dont help you then go spend your money somewhere else, it is really important that it fits you correctly

[mrchips]

Some shops sell half decent helmets for as little as 30 quid just because they are last years colours. My Shoei £250 was £130, and my dad got a £120 FM for £30.
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Northern Irish? www.nibikers.com

[MarJay]

[Dan 4RR]

[Rejimbo]

How about a helmet that you know for certain has never been involved in anything??? (i can guarantee it on mine )
isnt there something about the helmet moulding to your own head after a few weeks????
whats a good thing to get to stop your visor misting up?? at low speed mine is dripping

[Rob]

Helmets are designed to take one impact and one impact only, then they become useless.

That impact doesn't have to be from a bike accident, if it falls off a table, get dropped or anything that will give it an impact it will not protect you in an accident.

Don't buy second hand, but also saying that don't buy a new one without having it fitted properly also. If it doesn't fit you properly and you have an accident, you could get killed by the helmet.

It really annoys me when you see people locking their helmet to their wheels, they really don't know what is happening to it while you are away and you trust your life to that lid.

Buy new, doesn't have to be expensive but it has to FIT properly!
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Love is 1050cc

[The Tot]

Yeh, not much you can do with a 2nd hand helmet except to donate to first aid such as St John's ambulance, OR to give to a student to do his a-level project on (as HG did). I wouldn't take the chance. I dropped my lid from about a foot up onto the tarmac - bloody shouldn't try to put on winter gloves with one hand holding lid!, but anyway, i feel so much for replacing it, but it wasn't in a significant place, i.e side/cheek. Hope it'll still retain its protection characteristics.
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The Tot 2019 Z1000SX - 2007 R1
Never argue with autism

[T.C]

Around 80 per cent of riders killed in a motorcycle accident will have sustained major head injuries. Although there are likely to be other injuries as well, it is those to the head which are most likely to have led to the fatality. Head and brain injuries can be sustained even in low speed accidents, and although bike helmets offer good protection they are still no guarantee of your safety – but they are definitely better than just wearing a flat cap.




A crash helmet is the only item of protective clothing that must be worn at all times by UK law when riding a powered two wheeler. Until July 2000 all new helmets had to conform to BSI standard 6658–85 and carried either a blue type A or green type B kite mark. From the 1 July 2000 it has been perfectly legal to wear a lid purchased anywhere within the EU, providing it conforms to a similar European Standard, meaning it has a CE mark (EC22/05).




There’s no denying the value of a good quality bike helmet, with the risk of a fatal head injury being halved when a rider is wearing one. It is sometimes suggested that a helmet’s weight can actually increase the risk of neck injuries, but research has found no evidence to support this.




Of the two main types of helmet available, full face and open face, both have points for and against them. Ultimately, it really comes down to personal preference which you choose, with the most important consideration being its condition and the way in which it fits. It is an unfortunate fact that many riders, particularly the young and inexperienced, are riding with helmets that are poorly fitting and, in many cases, in a very bad condition (generally too old, damaged or worn out).




You should also only ever buy new helmets, not second-hand ones you don’t know the history of. Crucially, every manufacturer has its own idea of a standard head shape. It is therefore important that you try on a variety of helmets before you make a purchase. If your helmet does not fit correctly it can:




cause rotation upon impact, which may lead to a broken neck

come off in the event of an impact

cause excessive wind noise

lift at speed causing you to lose sight of the road.




When new, a full-face crash helmet should be a tight fit, even to the point where you are just about biting the insides of your cheeks. In addition there shouldn’t be excessive pressure on the forehead. A new crash helmet will mould to your head and will give by about half a size over the following weeks, resulting in a snug comfortable fit as opposed to a loose and noisy one providing no protection.




Generally you should try and apply the following basic rules when buying a new helmet:




Decide on the maximum budget you can afford. Although a cheaper helmet offers no less protection than a more expensive brand, the dearer helmets tend to offer higher levels of comfort and fit, better build quality and more features such as venting and quick release visors. Of course the extra money could be just going on an expensive paint job.




Try on a variety of sizes and makes until you find one that best fits you. A brand of helmet your mate finds comfortable may not suit you at all.




If you find a helmet on the dealer’s shelf that fits, ask if you can try one that is still in its box. It is possible that the helmet on the shelf has become misshapen after being tried on by too many people, and won’t eventually mould properly to your own head shape.




When the helmet is on your head, and without securing the strap, try and lift it off from both the back and the front. Also try and twist the helmet from side to side. If it fits correctly you should only be able to remove it with a degree of effort. If the helmet can be twisted or moved up and down easily, then it may be the wrong size or shape for your head.




With the helmet on and securely fastened, ensure that you can easily turn your head from side to side. Try the helmet out on your bike to make sure that its shape does not restrict your movement or vision, which can happen with certain riding positions.




A comfortable well-fitting helmet will give you good service and provide maximum protection when it is needed most. Don’t forget that your bike can always be repaired or replaced, your head is a dam sight more difficult to put right. Happy shopping.
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It is better to arrive 30 seconds late in this world, than 30 years early in the next

[Dan 4RR]

Ok, thanks for that insight T.C. I'm definatley going to get a new helmet now.

[steveh]

If youve got a 10 quid head, buy a 10 quid helmet.....

how much do you value your head?

Steve
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Current : 06 Zx10r, 07 Wr450f SM, 74 850 norton commando, 63 bsa b40, 1962 Triton 650, 67 Triumph Tr6r, 1955 Triton 750, 1978 TY250E.

[T.C]

[Kickstart]

TC

Have you got any pictures available of sectioned used helmets? Just wondering about seeing damage to the liner.

Also, to go with TCs post. Although different makes of helmet have different views of the shape of peoples heads, as I understand it some of the larger makes also vary the shape dependent on the market the helmet is being sold on (eg, Japanese market as opposed to the Italian market).

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[T.C]

[G]

[T.C]

[binge]

Its like putting your helmet under your moped seat. It gets pretty damn hot under a moped seat and on a warm day, If you put it under your seat the polystyrene will be cooked and go hard!

<|Binge|>

[steveh]

T.C all i was saying was that you shouldnt be looking for the cheaper helmet, get one that fits, and dont worry about the price, im sure that you wouldnt be worrying about how much you payed for a lid after it safes your life after slamming into a wall..

Steve
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Current : 06 Zx10r, 07 Wr450f SM, 74 850 norton commando, 63 bsa b40, 1962 Triton 650, 67 Triumph Tr6r, 1955 Triton 750, 1978 TY250E.

[pipnet11]

I wouldnt touch a second hand helmet! Dont know whats happened to them. Mine was £200, which was as much as I could afford at the time.
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I love the girls that do, I hate the girls that dont, I hate the girls who say they will and then they say they wont, but the girl I like most of all and I think youll say Im right, is the girl who says she never has but looks as though she might. - Max Bygraves

[instigator]

I was cynical about the idea going about that meant more money = more protection. So stuck with an £80 caberg j1+. Sure, its bloody noisy, but nothing that a pair of earplugs won't cure.

I could have afforded a better one, but to be honest, if my ehad could have fitted into a more expensive one, I'd still have gone for the cheaper!!!

[T.C]