South West Bikers | Motorcycle Forum

Hi all, heard quite a bit about the importance of changing your helmet after 7 years. So I had a look in mine to see how old it was eventually found the label, but where it should say, year of manufacture it's blank.

A letter in a bike magazine a guy said he bought a new helmet only to find it was manufactured two years ago even though he bought it new from the store.

Any ideas how I find out when it was manufactured?

It's not so much of an issue anymore dependant on what material there made of.

It's quite difficult to find out without ages of Googling hoping someone has posted something similar.

What helmet is it?

I must say that this is a conversation that raises its self every now and again and I think that i started a conversation on this one going back about a year ago. Long and the short of it there does not seem to be any hard and fast rules. Basically it is down to the ware and tear / usage of the helmet.

If you commute on a daily basis and in all weathers your helmet is going to get a lot more abuse then the Sunday afternoon rider that just goes out for a blast, so your going to want to change it more regularly.

Personally I am a Sunday morning / track day rider and my helmet is (from the outside) in tip top condition and cleaned after every ride and stored in a wardrobe when not in use so would probably last for years more to come..... however i just don't want to chance it. It has given me 5 years and for me its time to change it. I don't want to risk my skull on "It should be ok" for me 5 years is long enough and the main foam protection is not going to be as good as the day it was taken out of the box so time for a new one.

for me if you think you should be changing it, you probably should be changing it

Bear in mind boats and surfboards etc. are made of fibreglass and carbon using lower tech than bike helmets ( only talking decent quality helmets, not Box, Aldi et al ) these sit outside in all weathers but only begin to delaminate ( break down ) if they sustain damage and get water ingression, I repair boards and boats over 20 years old and can be still solid laminate. Also high density foams will only begin to break down if damaged or exposed directly to the elements. Unless you are racing or use your helmet on a daily basis in all weathers for extended periods the 7 year guide is only that, a guide. If we all kept our helmets for their real lifetime then sales would be reduced dramatically and they wouldn't stay in business.

Don't panic but change it if you don't feel happy or fancy a change ;) .

20+ years ago, the "replace your helmet every 3-5yrs" guidance came in because the thermoplastics used for the outer shells were not terribly UV stable, and became brittle with exposure/use. Modern materials are far better, and as mentioned will no doubt be fine for a decade or two.

However ........

The linings are still mostly made of closed cell polystyrene or urethane foam. This does age in use. The liner compresses with use, possibly imperceptibly at first, but over time it results in the helmet become a little sloppy, a bit more roomy around the ears, easier to slip on and off. That compressibility is what cushions your bonce in an accident, so to lose it means that shock/trauma is passed to the skull quicker and easier.

Thanks for all the advice, my helmet looks as new, and doesn't get worn everyday and lives in its bag in its box when not in use. So I'll leave it another year or two.

Just for ref its a Shoei XR1100