THE ESSENTIAL LIFESPAN OF MOTORCYCLE HELMETS: WHEN TO REPLACE FOR SAFETY

Riding a motorbike is a unique, exciting experience in its freedom but, with every speed, comes responsibility – especially when it comes to your safety. Now, if the motorbike rider needs to be protected from every side, one piece of equipment that the rider cannot go without is the helmet. Not only is it a sign of the rider’s personal protection and responsibility, but it is the law in most countries of the world. The question is: how long is a helmet safe? Understanding the lifespan of a motorcycle helmet and knowing when it’s time to change your helmet can mean the difference between life and death on the road.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT HELMET: MORE THAN JUST A FASHION STATEMENT

Sure, choosing a motorcycle helmet involves a quest for the right colour and style – like, I want black, or green, or this cool open-face… But first and foremost, the helmet has to work. Research doesn’t need to exhort you to ‘save lives’ by wearing one – the life-saving stats are clear-cut: rider fatalities go down ‘x’ percent with mandated helmets. In the US, a helmet has to pass FMVSS No 218 to be legal, and the DOT (Department of Transportation) label on your helmet means you can be assured of compliance. It doesn’t matter if it’s a full-face, an open-face, or a modular helmet; if you’re shedding blood, your priority has to be safety features, rather than what looks good.

UNDERSTANDING THE LIFESPAN OF YOUR HELMET: SIGNS IT'S TIME TO REPLACE

Still, although helmets don’t come with an expiration stamp like a carton of milk, the next best thing is to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. And it appears all manufacturers recommend replacement after a period of time, usually five years, regardless of how the helmet looks from the outside. The basis of this average five-year timeframe comes from the normal wear and tear on the helmet’s materials, which impacts the helmet’s ability to perform its function. And helmet use plays the biggest role in determining how long a helmet will last, either because of friction from frequent use or exposure to elements, not to mention any kind of drop or impact.

The Critical Five-Year Mark

The five-year replacement guideline tends to make good sense if you take into account the fact that a helmet’s integrity degrades over time from typical use and abuse, as well as changes in technology and standards of safety. A helmet that might have offered the best in protection then might now fall below newer, higher standards of safety.

After an Accident: Immediate Replacement is Key

Post-crash however, the decision to replace a motorcycle helmet is a no-brainer. Invisible impact damage can make a helmet’s structure less effective to absorb another collision.

Advances in Helmet Technology: Carbon Fiber vs. Polycarbonate

Today, some helmets even come with carbon-fibre construction that makes them last seven years rather than the five years recommended for their polycarbonate counterparts. A regular rider might want to swap out his or her protective headwear more often than every five years, however.

THE TELLTALE SIGNS OF WEAR AND TEAR

Even if you’re still inside the five to seven-year rule, some signs mean it’s helmet shopping time. Wear to the liner, looseness suggestive of a degraded fit, or exterior damage – these are the things to stay on top of.

A SENSE OF SAFETY: THE NON-NEGOTIABLE ASPECT OF MOTORCYCLE RIDING

The crux of the ‘helmet lifespan’ debate, as many believe, comes down to this: above all, a return to self-responsibility for your own safety and the safety of fellow riders. To wear, check, and replace your helmet regularly is to accept the ‘committing to safety’ mindset that can improve riding from every lane.

WRAPPING UP WITH A THOUGHT ON "SENSE"

I use sense here in its more abstract sense of understanding or awareness. Sense of safety, sense of responsibility, sense of riding community: these are all key. Being seen in a helmet, whether or not that helmet is new, communicates volumes about your sense of duty to your own safety and the safety of the community that rides with you. As you are zipping along on thrill and adrenaline, sense is what keeps you alive to ride another day.