How long do your helmets last?

[stwb1981]

hi mates not here to do any promotion or what....

just my own personal experience....

 

I owned quite a handful of helmet during my past 10 yrs of riding....

range from the

high range like Arai to

medium range like Caberg, Nolan, HJC, Rjays

entry range like MHR, PRO, GPR, Rtec, Hyper, Zeus....

 

All helmet will detoriate over time esp the inner cushion that is the 1st to "giveway"

Of course with TLC fr the rider, it can be made to last longer...

 

Let start with Arai...

it expensive, it light, it airy, it but it crap when coming to maintenance & durability of helmet...

maintenance of helmet like taking out the visor is quite a chore as all mechanism are plastic

i broke the mechansim b4 & gt to gt it replace at $35....

Durability like the rubber lining surrounding the helmet drop aft 6mths aft purchasing & storage in helmet bag for ard 3 mths + (touring helmet)

But Arai + points make up for the terrible - points it has...

 

When come to the entry range of helmet...

BEST choice will be MHR

Cheap, Reliable & Durable...

I been using them for many years....

my longest MHR $28 lasted me for 5yrs + & is now a 'decomm' spare pillion helmet

everything is still good ,cushion & exterior (less the straches)

 

Of course rule of thumb will be any helmet experience any hard impact MUST BE THROWN AWAY!!!

Safety 1st mates!!!

 

Also another way of maintaining the helmet will be to wash regularly...

the cushion for hygience purposes & to get rid of the smell (trust me on that u don't want to smell like **** when taking out the helmet)

the exterior for tat well maintain look (just use luke warm water will do)

 

Washing of cushion bring another problem...

Detoration of cushion....

U still need to wash but there is a gd way to cut down the washing times by wearing bandanas aka head scraf....

 

I been wearing head scraf aka bandana for the past 4yrs +

Bandanas help absorb the persipration thus making yr cushion less smelly thus reducing the freq washing thus cushion last longer...

Recushion is not cheap...

 

I doing a cmo for bandanas...

follow the link & find the advantages of owning one & it is really at a very attractive pricing

$8 per piece...

 

http://www.singaporebikes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=298081

 

Cheers!!!

 

Regards

Steven

motore Bici

[dragonforce]

salesman talk? if im a salesman, i will try to sell u a $100 helmet at $300 instead of asking u to buy a $500 helmet. hahaha

 

anyway, u r right.. of cos, in the end, buy the best that allows your budget allows to.

 

when it comes to biking.. these are my purchase priority.

1) buy a bike

2) make sure bike is all good and well (if buy 2nd hand)

3) invest in safety for self (protective riding gears)

4) invest in bike protection (raceshield, sliders, and stuffs)

5) then, lastly, performance upgrades.

 

he refers this as salesman talk cos it gives potential buyers an impression that the item they are buying is actually very cheap. for eg, buy a $600 phone, "sir! you use this phone for 2 years, 1 day only pay 80 cents! is like your morning cup of kopi!"

 

but bare in mind, we have ALOT of 'different cups of kopi' to pay for. it might snowball to an amount which we have difficulty handling. by then you wish that you didnt purchase some of these 'kopi'.

ok getting off topic here.

[haoKR]

so...get a cheap open face n change it every 1-2 yrs?

or get 1 ff

shagx.

[whyzee]

get a cheap FF n change it every 2 years.

 

anyway, dragonforce, u r right... if everyday drink 2x starbucks... of cos more siong than everyday 2x kopi from kopitiam ba.. so, bottom line.. guys.. just buy what u can afford...

 

n FF definitely safer than any open face.

[Pandoras Kitten 3]

The FF is worth the investment for more than just the protection; you tend to treat the heavier, larger helmet better, naturally, since it was/is an investment and unconsciously, remind yourself that having access to maximum acceleration and agility on two wheels is a form of responsibility.

 

The start of motoring culture?

[dark_angel]

No hard n fast rules,depends on ur preference n budget.

Got $$ can change anytime u happy, no $$$, use till really cannot liao then change.

 

Like got ppl drive BMW n ppl drive Picanto, does drive BMW= will not die in accident? of course not mah, it just increase ur chance of surviving a crash only...

[stwb1981]

No hard n fast rules,depends on ur preference n budget.

Got $$ can change anytime u happy, no $$$, use till really cannot liao then change.

 

Like got ppl drive BMW n ppl drive Picanto, does drive BMW= will not die in accident? of course not mah, it just increase ur chance of surviving a crash only...

 

Well said mate!!!

 

Well....

open face cheap & good & last lasting as wat i quote b4 will be MHR...

best value for $$$

Get the $55 model can last even wif trashing ....

Open face is more cooling but scarific on crash protection

+ can smoke...lol

 

FF is gd even those cheap cheap ones...

when involve in crash.. it protect way more than open face...

HJC is a value for $$ helmet priced at $100 with $50 trade in...

ventilation so so onli...

 

anyting cheaper will be open face liao or hunt the forum

 

With regards to the 2 type of helmets, storage is a consideration..

if gt box no issue lah

no box gt 2 hang on bike...

 

end of day...

give & take....

[Pandoras Kitten 3]

HJC is a value for $$ helmet priced at $100 with $50 trade in...

ventilation so so onli...

 

The promo @ Motoworld is still on? Might pay them a visit soon.

[stwb1981]

The promo @ Motoworld is still on? Might pay them a visit soon.

 

It seem to be an ongoing promotion...

I rem when they lauch the promotion till nw...

gt 2 batch gt snap up already...

 

Gd bargain...

but helmet dun suit my face shape...lol

[CoStar]

i've been using the same helmet since the first day i went for 2b lessons. 4 yrs ago. MHR TP type. dunno why but everytime i wash the lining and sun it dry it puffs out like new.

[QuaXum]

i buy the $28 MHR helmet from 219. everytime i feel like. ahah. its so cheap!

[haoKR]

i buy the $28 MHR helmet from 219. everytime i feel like. ahah. its so cheap!

 

hahas

[stwb1981]

Yup...

MHR darn value for $$$

 

the TP model i decomm le...

use also very long till cushion gone ...haha

 

As said why not wear bandanas to prevent helemt from smelling thus reducing the need to wash cushion so often thus extending the durability of the cushion...

 

Been wearing them for 4 yrs + liao...

mayb 1 of the reason why my helmet last longer??

Just sharing something Cheap & good...

 

Cheers!!!

[QuaXum]

MHR FTW! super comfy! even the $28 feeling like a $280 when worn. just that it looks damn plain and some people dun like the shape.

[stwb1981]

MHR FTW! super comfy! even the $28 feeling like a $280 when worn. just that it looks damn plain and some people dun like the shape.

 

true true...

it look like an egg...lol

mayb some decals will do the trick...

actually a gd base helmet for decals....

[crazydj]

It seem to be an ongoing promotion...

I rem when they lauch the promotion till nw...

gt 2 batch gt snap up already...

 

Gd bargain...

but helmet dun suit my face shape...lol

 

When you say dont suit your face shape, do you mean you feel like a fish?

 

Cause i feel the helmet squish my cheeks, make me open my mouth and make me pout my lips. Like a kissing fish.

[stwb1981]

When you say dont suit your face shape, do you mean you feel like a fish?

 

Cause i feel the helmet squish my cheeks, make me open my mouth and make me pout my lips. Like a kissing fish.

 

Partially mate...

some ppl face shape is round,

some is oval,

some squareish...

 

thus brands like Arai suit round face...

Shoei & HJC suit oval face

 

if the cheek pads is too "thick"

1 wta to 'soften" it will to be using your bloster & squeeze inside the helmet overnitz...

Feel the effect & squueze as long as u deem fit..

[crazydj]

I dunno my head shape leh...

[CSV]

The promo @ Motoworld is still on? Might pay them a visit soon.

 

i'm also thinking of going down to motoworld soon to trade in helmet.

 

maybe we should go together.

[livinouttabox]

Manufacturers often recommend that a helmet not last for more than five year (gathered from AGV manual). Shell starts to disintegrate overtime and might not save your delicate brains from a fall since impact shock transfer might not be effectively absorbed by the helmet. It only takes few hundred bucks to protect a head and thousands of dollars to rebuild a 'not-so-good' one.

 

If you can't afford adequate protection? You aren't meant to ride.

[Streetwise]

Own 2 helmets in the last 10yrs. Nolan N101 1st 5yrs...now using Nolan N102 for the past 5yrs...time to change.....as cosmetically some parts detiorating...other than tat....helmet still going strong.

[vyruz]

I guess the lifetime of a helmet depends on the life it leads - one used for daily riding (rain or shine) will degrade much faster than one used only for sunny Sundays. Mine is the latter and I expect it to last at least three years. Re the issue of OF or FF helmets, I was an immediate FF convert once I saw this study, showing the largest distribution of impact being around the chin area that would be unprotected in an OF helmet http://www.flamesonmytank.co.za/images/helmetDamage.gif Plus FF helmets IMO look much better than OF helmets.

[pakjohn]

I have a Scorpion EVO700 that's five years old. I buy two sets of helmet liners and one faceshield per year, the parts are available online, cheap compared to new helmet. Once a month I rotate the helmet liner and wash the removed one by hand in regular shampoo. Works great, stays clean and saves a bunch of money! You can buy new helmet liner for almost any helmet for about 35 sgd, just snaps in.

[icystalk]

Just wondering.. Wat do u guys do with the old helmet(s) that u no longer use? Keep it, throw it, or sell it? Especially for branded ones..

[Stoned]

I can share 2 experiences regarding HJC FF, which is why now i swear by it as a great value for money helmet.

 

First time, my 3 year old FS-Max accidentally rolled off my bike and onto the highway while i was wearing my raincoat. Kenna knocked by several cars, but the helmet was still in 1 piece. Not bad. Needless to say I discarded it to be safe.

 

I replaced it with the popular CL-ST, which I took to cambodia for a 4-day tour. Head-on collision on the second day with a scooter while doing about 60kph, scooter was doing at least 50. The impact launched me headfirst into a tree and after bouncing off the tree i found myself sliding face first in gravel. Other than a small 2mm cut on my chin, my head was alright. I would basically have been in the newspapers or disfigured if not for the fact that I was wearing a full face helmet. HJC apparently does the job right. Despite being cheap, it doesn't suffer in terms of quality.

 

My Gopro HD helmet cam was totally cool with the accident too. That's another tough little bugger for you.