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Tell me, would it be a safety risk, and unwise to buy a Helmet that is 10 years old
even though it may be in near new condition, and being a Bmw Evolution System 4 ?
Is it true that a Helmet's shell will suffer detoriation in time without
any use, or could that be a Marketing ploy by manufacturers ?

boxertwinjeff wrote:Tell me, would it be a safety risk, and unwise to buy a Helmet that is 10 years old
even though it may be in near new condition, and being a Bmw Evolution System 4 ?
Is it true that a Helmet's shell will suffer detoriation in time without
any use, or could that be a Marketing ploy by manufacturers ?

Most everything I've read states that the adhesives and materials break down with time. Now if the helmet was unused and kept in a cool dark place It would be in better shape than one that was used out in the sun. I just bought a new HJC CL Max and the booklet says 3 to 5 years. I paid $64. free shipping, no tax. Kind of hard not to get a new one at that price when the safety rating is as good as the $700. helmet. I've been through 3 HJC's in a row and never had to replace the face shield, though I try to be careful not to scratch them up. I tour with a small can of Protect All and some soft cotton cloths. There was a report on helmets in Motorcyclist magazine a few years back where the $75. Pep Boys helmet tested best for crash protection.

I have a mild aversion to used Helmets. I think a lot of them have a tainted background.

Here is a securty camera shot of my Caburg being lifted off my bike.

bbelk wrote:Here is a securty camera shot of my Caburg being lifted off my bike.

Yeah - I get nervous about leaving my helmet un-secured by my bike. Riding without one would be very uncomfortable. Especially if I were on a trip.

Back in the day I was opposed to Helmet laws because without the laws I could leave my helmet on the bike. The kind of folks that would steal helmets, don't wear them. As soon as they passed the law (circa 1973) in Louisana, helmets that were not locked down disapeared.

Well now we have Craigslist. Shoie helmet - it was my girl friends but she quit riding - XXX-large.

is there such a thing as a good new sub or near 200 dollar full face helmet that is quiet and rates well... Everyone wants to sell me a helmet starting at 400 to 800 dollars...

A second inexpensive helmet which I could leave with a light lock would be nice.

Ridercam wrote:is there such a thing as a good new sub or near 200 dollar full face helmet that is quiet and rates well... Everyone wants to sell me a helmet starting at 400 to 800 dollars...

A second inexpensive helmet which I could leave with a light lock would be nice.

HJC. You will get a very good full face helmet in that brand for $200. I've never had to replace a face shield on an HJC. Most cheap helmets will include a easily scratched shield that will have to be replaced. Have you checked the cost of replacement face shields? It a conspiracy I tell ya!

My first helmet was a used lid made of aluminum. (I didn't know any better and it was 1961)

Do aluminum helmets go bad with age? I never found out as it was stolen off the bike in a upscale motel in the mountains. I hated riding to the next big berg to get another one.

Ridercam wrote:is there such a thing as a good new sub or near 200 dollar full face helmet that is quiet and rates well...

Scorpion

I've used Scorpion since 2005, and got my second one a few months before my crash (it survived). The EXO-700 model generally goes for $200-ish and the far and away the nicest helmet I've ever had. My first Scorpion replaced an HJC that was good, but suffered durability issues...paint easily chipped and trim items tended to come off easily.

Scorpion helmets tend to be thoughtfully designed and packed with great features. And yes, the anti-fog coating on their faceshields really does work and much better than I expected!

[quote="Duane Ausherman"
Do aluminum helmets go bad with age[/quote]

Actually, yes, they could. The styrofoam liner inside (normal) helmets, the stuff that actually absorbs all the energy of the impact to protect your head, ages and breaks down - leaving you with a helmet that looks the same, but no longer is as good at absorbing the energy of an impact. If one had an aluminum shell helmet with such a liner, it would actually "age out" just as fast as a plastic or fiberglass shell helmet.

An aluminum shell helmet from 1961 would probably have a leather liner and some kind of organic padding? Maybe this was some military surplus tank or flight helmet? If so, that material would break down over time too, so that its ability to protect, minimal to begin with, actually would deteriorate with age.