Is my helmet still safe?

[Grashopper]

A flying stone (stupid thing!) on the road took a 4x7 mm chip out of my helmet, see pic below.

Now I'm unsure if it is still safe or if I should replace it.

[cynna]

if in doubt chuck it out

helmets are relativley cheap and supposed to be replaced every couple of years

[BuzzardNZ]

Looks ok to me but then again I'm no expert.

cynna makes a good point though, even just for peace of mind.

[ruaphu]

Crikey not sure anyone would be keen to say if safe or not over the net eh.

Looking at the pic, hard to tell really, might have damaged the moulding or foam underneath. Bottom line, it's your call and your head. Only you can decide what is safe for you. If in doubt consult a bike shop or supplier for what checks you could carry out.

Here's a link from u tube on Arai helmets with J Leno, it has a bit about damage etc, might be useful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ovd3KGu6BgU

[nerrrd]

Do you want a new helmet? If so it's as good an excuse as any...

There's a Jay Leno/Arai video link someone posted on my helmet thread, which totally blows away my dropping-the-helmet-on-concrete excuse, dunno if this would be the same.

But it's your head, so up to you really...my guess would be it's just chipped the paint off, the shell should still be OK.

ARRRGH already mentioned above, too slow, bloody smartphones!

[Grashopper]

if in doubt chuck it out

helmets are relativley cheap and supposed to be replaced every couple of years
It's not yet a year old though :( Feels like such a waste to replace it.


Looks ok to me but then again I'm no expert.

cynna makes a good point though, even just for peace of mind.
Yeah, was thinking about that. Would be good not to have to worry about it anymore, but as I said, the thought is on the back of my mind that I'm throwing a perfectly fine helmet away.


Crikey not sure anyone would be keen to say if safe or not over the net eh.

Looking at the pic, hard to tell really, might have damaged the moulding or foam underneath. Bottom line, it's your call and your head. Only you can decide what is safe for you. If in doubt consult a bike shop or supplier for what checks you could carry out.

Here's a link from u tube on Arai helmets with J Leno, it has a bit about damage etc, might be useful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ovd3KGu6BgU
Will have a look at the link when I'm home. Thanks


Do you want a new helmet? If so it's as good an excuse as any...

There's a Jay Leno/Arai video link someone posted on my helmet thread, which totally blows away my dropping-the-helmet-on-concrete excuse, dunno if this would be the same.

But it's your head, so up to you really...my guess would be it's just chipped the paint off, the shell should still be OK.

ARRRGH already mentioned above, too slow, bloody smartphones!
Hmm, a quieter helmet world be nice, but otherwise I really like it.
I suppose, even though I like it and I don't want to throw it away if it is still good, there is still the chance that it might be not as safe anymore. Lol, I knew that before I posted, but you guys telling me that, too, helped making the decision.

[SMOKEU]

It looks fine, so you might as well keep using it.

[willytheekid]

Thats fine...its just the exterior shell*, that will not effect the structural integrity of the helmet :niceone:

...but as many have said...if your not comfortable with it, or worried...chuck it!



*Its actually the interiour that is the most important part of a helmet...hence they recommend replacing your helmet every two-three yrs - ever noticed that a new helmet is "tight/Snug"...then months on it has "moulded" to your head?...thats the interiour padding and, most importantly the shapped foam under the exteriour shell, compressing and shaping to your noggin (and its the reason why you DONT lend your helmet out to mates)...that compression continues over the use of the helmet...hence they advise a new helmet every three yrs or so, as this compression has effected the impact resistance/absorption of the foam type inner shell.


ps...I feel your pain...i ruined my fav AGV lid last yr...interiour was also damaged in the process....into the bin!:facepalm:

[BigAl]

+1 to what Willie said, a stone chip should not affect a helmets integrity.

Just bung a sticker over it, unless it is a composite mould but looks like fibreglass.

[BuzzardNZ]

Yeah, was thinking about that. Would be good not to have to worry about it anymore, but as I said, the thought is on the back of my mind that I'm throwing a perfectly fine helmet away.



You could buy a new one and keep that as a spare for the odd pillion, no need to actually chuck it out.

My spare has a hole in it due to a high powered air rifle pellet :2guns: ( no one in it at the time ) and it's about 20 years old plus it's been in an off! ( with me in it )

[Madness]

me spelly bad un k!

You're not wrong Willy.


That's fine... its just the exterior shell*, that will not affect the structural integrity of the helmet :niceone:

...but as many have said... if your not comfortable with it, or worried... chuck it!



*Its actually the interior that is the most important part of a helmet... hence they recommend replacing your helmet every two-three years - ever noticed that a new helmet is "tight/Snug"... then months on it has "moulded" to your head?... that's the interior padding and most importantly the shaped foam under the exterior shell compressing and shaping to your noggin (and its the reason why you DON'T lend your helmet out to mates)... that compression continues over the use of the helmet... hence they advise a new helmet every three years or so as this compression has affected the impact resistance/absorption of the foam type inner shell.


ps...I feel your pain...i ruined my fav AGV lid last year...interior was also damaged in the process... into the bin! :facepalm:

[actungbaby]

A flying stone (stupid thing!) on the road took a 4x7 mm chip out of my helmet, see pic below.

Now I'm unsure if it is still safe or if I should replace it.

seems its around the visor area . if its just paint it should be okay . but like the others say

its really your safety if you have serious dobts it be better to ride feeling confident as thats what

its all about

[BuzzardNZ]

You're not wrong Willy.

Hey madness, just noticed your signature +1 on that shit! you gonna buy a Shorai? Ed says it doubles up as a helmet too, anything for a drug induced sale i guess!

[Madness]

Hey madness, you gonna buy a Shorai?

I'd rather crash start my 1200cc fuel-injected bike than buy a Shorai. I'm considering an Ultrabatt though, they sound like the ducks nuts and the local agent isn't a fruitcake.

[awa355]

Several comments about helmets should be replaced every two years. Why then does my $700 HJC come with a 5 year warranty?

Many many years ago a group of us young buggars were standing outside the local bike shop one Friday night. A helmet rolled off a seat and hit the ground. One expert in the group started mouthing off about 'if that was my helmet, I would go straight into the shop and buy a new one."

I thought, you lying buggar. You would pick up the helmet and hope like hell it was okay, like the rest of us.

If a helmet was rended unsafe after a free fall of 70cm, why would you expect it to protect you in a 100kph impact?

[jorge84]

I'd be more worried about the ten cent piece embedded in your helmet just next to that wee chip

[hayd3n]

looks fine to me , but then again im no helmet salesman

[pritch]

If a helmet was rended unsafe after a free fall of 70cm, why would you expect it to protect you in a 100kph impact?

The answer to your question is that the outer shell of a helmet is designed to absorb shock in a similar manner to an egg shell; it works once - and once only. Having hit concrete from a height there is no knowing whether the shell has retained its integrity or not. Time to change, the guy was probably right.

Unwise to park a helmet on a bike seat because of this.

Arai give a five year guarantee, I'm quite happy to use them for that. I had a BMW helmet, nothing wrong that I could see, but it was way past its use by date so out it went. Similarly with the Shoei that I was wearing when I hit the deck, it had road rash so it had to go.

A work colleague once asked me where he could get a helmet really cheap.
I gave him the usual spiel, "If you've got a ten dollar head, wear a ten dollar helmet."
"It's not for me, it's for the missus."
Oh, that's OK then :whistle:

[nerrrd]

The answer to your question is that the outer shell of a helmet is designed to absorb shock in a similar manner to an egg shell; it works once - and once only. Having hit concrete from a height there is no knowing whether the shell has retained its integrity or not. Time to change, the guy was right.

You might like to take a look at this video (also posted above), the gentleman from Arai appears to disagree with you on this point (starts aroung 7:15 I think), dunno maybe it's Arai specific.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Ovd3KGu6BgU&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DOvd3KGu6BgU

But I guess a new helmet is probably still the only way to be 100% sure.

[bosslady]

I'd keep using it, personally.

[haydes55]

I vote to keep using it. Although in my experience with dirt helmets with chips, the clear coat peels off around it easily and I'm sure the UV damages it further over time.

Although it might just be more dirt sand blasting the chip that made it worse?

Either way she'll be right but start saving for a new one cause I wouldn't trust it after UV damage or if the chip starts growing.

[Berries]

Several comments about helmets should be replaced every two years. Why then does my $700 HJC come with a 5 year warranty?
I hear you. My marriage was for life. What the fuck is all that about?

[pritch]

You might like to take a look at this video (also posted above), the gentleman from Arai appears to disagree with you on this point (starts aroung 7:15 I think), dunno maybe it's Arai specific.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Ovd3KGu6BgU&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DOvd3KGu6BgU

But I guess a new helmet is probably still the only way to be 100% sure.

That was interesting. It may be a Snell testing thing rather than an Arai thing, the Snell testing regime required a stiffer shell than others.
There was considerable discussion about this on the Web.

Also, I thought the Arai rep's comments re paint were informative. The Arai has a fibreglass shell, some of the helmets with plastic shells used to be accompanied by advice that no paint or stickers be applied. Solvents could degrade the plastic over time.

Still, I don't think I'll park the helmet on the seat.