Man! I was so careful for a year and 3 months with my new solid color Shoei RF-1000 and thought it would never happen. I was parking on an incline and stupid me I took off my helmet first before dismounting the bike. I have a bad habit of putting the helmet on the right mirror while getting on/off the bike, since its always pretty stable there. Well I got off the bike then the movement sent the helmet down towards the asphalt, top first. Smack! I then had to stop it from rolling further with my foot!
Now there's all these little white marks (I think its from the primer underneath)...I can live with retouching that...but I'm bummed now cause I heard people say once the helmet takes a hit, the whole interior/exterior something is compromised and you should not wear it anymore. I can't visually see anything from the outside besides the scratches, and taking apart the helmet to see anything has its limits... Or maybe we cannot see this kind of damage. I don't think I can dish out enough right now for another lid, but the bike is my main commute so I'm tempted to keep using it until otherwise. So mad at myself...What would you do?
That sucks, man! been there myself, before. I think that the proponents of replacing a helmet after even the slightest impact or accidental drop are way overcautious...I would (and have) say, just break out some pledge polish and a soft cloth to clean things up, touch up the paint if necessary, and carry on as normal. I don't believe that an accidental little boink would have much effect. your noggin wasn't in the helmet, it was hollow...so the EPS foam was not compressed.
Just say a solemnand heartfelt "aww, shit!", apologise to your helmet and you'll be all right.
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Although your HJC Helmet is constructed with the best materials available to offer a long-lasting product, it will eventually need to be replaced. Immediately replace your helmet if:
• It has suffered an impact. Your helmet is only designed for ONE impact. An impact may fracture the outer shell or compress the impact absorbing liner. You may not be able to detect this damage. Any impact in a crash or a drop from as low as 4 feet is enough to damage your helmet.
• The shell, lining, or retention system is damaged. The helmet shell, the impact absorbing lining, and the retention system must be in good condition to provide you with the most protection.
Even if your helmet has not been damaged, it needs to be replaced every 3 to 5 years depending on how much you use it. Over time, UV rays and adhesive and component aging will damage your helmet. Wearing a damaged helmet may increase your risk of serious injury or death in an accident.
If you are unsure if you need to replace your helmet, contact HJC America before using your helmet again.
Using Your Helmet Correctly
To reduce the risk of serious injury or death and to help prevent damage to your helmet:
• Never adjust your helmet accessories while riding – Only make helmet adjustments when stopped.
• Never drop your helmet – Dropping your helmet may crack the shell or damage the protective foam. The damage may not be visible. Your helmet is only designed for ONE impact. Refer to "Helmet Replacement for more information on what to do after helmet has been dropped.
• Never wear anything between your head and your helmet – This may reduce the effectiveness of your helmet.
• Never hang or hook your helmet on anything including mirror stalks, handle bar, or sissy bars – Doing so may cause damage to the helmet protective foam or liner.
• Never use insect repellent on or around your helmet – Insect repellant may damage your helmet’s visor, shell, protective foam, or other components.
• Never expose helmet to gasoline or gasoline fumes – Gasoline may damage your helmet’s visor, shell, protective foam, or other components.
- If you have any questions on what other substances may damage your helmet, please email us at info@hjchelmets.com.
That being said, I have dropped helmets then continued to use them for years without incedent, then again I could just be lucky.
Sorry to hear about your run in with gravity.
Thanks guys,
I went on a search to read about people dropping their helmets and there's many opinions....and even theories about helmet companies saying this and that so you can continue doing business with them...while I might not know what the real truths are regarding extent of damage and usability after dropping a helmet, I think that my helmet still has a lot of protective properties left. I guess tha will be some kind of risk...but are'nt we all taking a big risk to begin with by riding motorcycles?
i have to comment on this - it just doesn't add up (if you really think about it).
i've also been told that if a helmet takes any kind of hit (including being dropped) it should no longer be used. this is very similar to the cautions that accompany a new baby seat. both are (generally) made of some type of frangible plastic, and use foam as a shock absorbing material. i think the basic idea behind the replacement advice is that the safety of the protective device can be compromised by invisible damage, without this being evident by examining the device. but i think this is just overcautious bs.
first problem: both motorcycle helmets and baby seats are generally packaged in cardboard boxes with no significant padding. the boxes are usually not factory sealed, either. this means that a consumer can never know if their helmet was dropped before they received it. if the boxes were factory sealed at least damage to the cardboard box would be an indicator, but all of the new shoei's i've purchased have come in non-sealed boxes. i had to assume that they were in good condition because they looked like they were in good condition with no evident damage.
i just had a new rf-1000 shipped to me - the shoei box was in another cardboard box, but there was no padding anywhere. what are the chances that the helmet was handled gently the entire time that it was traveling from factory to distributor to warehouse to me? zero. my previous helmet was an x11 that i bought at a motorcycle shop - it was sitting out on a shelf until i took it home. i have no idea what may have happened to it while other people were trying it on. some shops (cycle gear) even accept helmet returns (which i assume they re-sell, so your 'new' helmet may have been taken home and dropped by someone else).
buying a new baby seat is the same - they aren't usually packaged with padding, even when they are shipped. when i fly commercial with my family, i check a baby seat for my daughter. every time i've gotten a baby seat back from an airline it has been somewhat the worse for wear... which is no surprise because baggage handlers toss around baby seats the same way they handle other luggage. plus, the baby seat may have heavy luggage dropped/piled on top of it. (now i have a baby seat i use just for traveling...) does this make them unsafe to use?
if helmets and baby seats were really so delicate that they should be replaced at the slightest whiff of any possible damage, they would need to be delivered in padded, sealed packaging. it would be pretty much impossible for anyone to travel safely with a baby. but the reality is that these are pretty tough devices, and any real damage is generally evident.
my last x11 took a real hit... while my head was in it... so i did replace it. if a helmet hits the ground while your head is in it, your head will compress the foam padding (which makes the helmet less effective for a future hit, so it should be replaced). but if you drop an empty helmet, the foam will not be compressed. the question then is whether the shell was damaged to the point that it would lose effectiveness (and crack open or be penetrated by a future hit). everybody must obviously use their own judgment in a case like this, but i think that if the shell is not obviously damaged (not dented or cracked, feels as rigid as when new) then it is fine. helmets are not completely rigid - they have some give, and any change in the feel of the material would really be pretty obvious.
the advice to replace any dropped helmet is good for the folks who are involved in making and selling helmets - it is conservative an profitable for them. but people using damaged helmets (or carseats) were really a serious problem, i think that some manufacturers would have taken formal steps to enforce the practice (like putting frangible damage indicators on the devices).
the advice to replace any dropped helmet is good for the folks who are involved in making and selling helmets - it is conservative an profitable for them. but people using damaged helmets (or carseats) were really a serious problem, i think that some manufacturers would have taken formal steps to enforce the practice (like putting frangible damage indicators on the devices).
+1 to this
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Well, fire the engines! Spur this iron space-pony on!
i have to comment on this - it just doesn't add up (if you really think about it).
easy there Columbo, easy j/k
I think the main idea is not a strong shell, it is a helmet's ability to absorb energy from the impact and preventing its transfer to the noggin. In modern helmets it's being achieved by the foam inside the helmet.
IMHO, as long as impact wasn't strong enough to flex the outer shell and affect the foam, it should be alright. But again, there is no way to see/check that inside foam is 100% ok.
Also, I think more people damage helmets by improper storage than anything or by cleaning it with Windex or any other ammonia cleaners. It is known that ammonia is invisible helmet killer
My Shoei X-Tec helmet is about 10 years old now, been dropped many times, twice from my bikes mirror. When I crashed at a track day last year is hit the ground and held up just fine. I took the liner out and inspected it, no cracks, everything is good to go.
I used to work in an automotive test lab. We typically tested components to establish failure points, then we would write reports and give out findings and report back to the design engineers of the product we were testing.
We would test things like shocks/struts, tires, wheels, seat belts, and I know we had a rig that did helmets.
This was over 12 years ago, I don't recall testing any helmets myself, but I can tell you our test rig was basically a plate of steel mounted to a hydraulic ram.
The Helmet would get mounted in a fixed position and take one shot from the steel plate on the hydraulic ram. Each angle required a new helmet, so if a company wanted 4 or 5 angles measured we needed 4 or 5 helmets to test.
I have no idea what the technical limits are/were for a pass/fail of a helmet, I can tell you at any setting that hydraulic ram was hitting the helmet with much greater force than could be generated from a 4 foot free fall.
I once watched one of the mods on this site who will remain un-named LAUNCH his Arai helmet off the seat his BORROWED GRAY SV650 while we were gassing up the bikes.
I always buy helmets with as much/many graphics as possible. Hides scratches and scars better than a plain one.
Only one sound worse than hearing you helmet hit the deck, and that is hearing your rifle hit the deck. Normally I take my helmet off and set it on the ground. Figure it can't fall from there.
Went in to strap mine on...somebody dropped it off the car hole freezer where it sleeps at night. Someone blew off telling me about it. Glad I got two......now I got one.
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i have 6 helmets...... a arai, a suomy, a shark, a agv, a gmax and no name cheapie i have in case someone needs to borrow one.....
if i drop one of them on the ground there is no way in hell i am buying a new one.... there is also no way you can tell me a 3 foot drop damaged that helmet other than maybe a tiny scratch or two....
if it is in a accident and smacks the ground... yes i would replace it.... but a simple drop like that.... no way....
remember... the helmet companies make money selling you helmets..... if i was selling helmets i would tell you that you need a new one every time you drop yours also....
Buying a new helmet... or paying for a new head injury... damn thats a tough one.
I agree that a slight fall is probably not going to cause complete failure. I also agree that helmet companies are trying to sell helmets. But I think the major issue is not selling more helmets, It's covering their asses when someone dies or is seriously injured by a helmet failure. All they need is one witness that the helmet was dropped one time before the accident and they're free of any lawsuits. I've dropped my helmet from short distances before and still wear it. Then again I ride without a helmet more times than I wear one.
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winter sucks.
Opinions are like assholes... and you're an opinion.
Went in to strap mine on...somebody dropped it off the car hole freezer where it sleeps at night. Someone blew off telling me about it. Glad I got two......now I got one.
Update: The culprit can't speak beyond an occasional "meow".
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Quote of the Year
"One would think that the Secret Service was smart enough to get serviced secretly."
I understand the importance of head protection, and have heard that if you drop the helmet then its worthless. Don't beleive it at all, My helmets been dropped so many times, has chipped paint, scratches you name it. It'll still protect my noggen though, whats it gonna do fall apart?
I dropped my rf-1000 only having for 3 months, boy I was pissed and worse it was matte black so theres no real cover up I can do to make it look good again.
Back on the dropping it and having to replace it, I think thats just a way to cover up there ass's , when I used to ride dirt bikes I would fall and bang my head all the time plus branches and rocks being flung from the bikes in front of me.
I say its fine until its so loose it doesent properly fit your head anymore.
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"You live more in five minutes on a bike like this going flat out than some people do in a lifetime" - Burt Munro
I was so careful for a year and 3 months with my new solid color Shoei RF-1000 and thought it would never happen. I was parking on an incline and stupid me I took off my helmet first before dismounting the bike. I have a bad habit of putting the helmet on the right mirror while getting on/off the bike, since its always pretty stable there. Well I got off the bike then the movement sent the helmet down towards the asphalt, top first. Smack! I then had to stop it from rolling further with my foot! 
j/k
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