Motorcycle Motorcycle Safety Helmet Motorcycle Helmets Helmet Safety used Helmets
Motorcyclists will argue until the end of time over the questions of helmets. Whether or not you wear one isn't the issue here. It is whether or not the one you are wearing is safe. How can you tell? It can be tricky but there are some things that should be lit up in neon as warning signs that a helmet is unsafe. Why is this important? If your helmet is unsafe, it is just as bad, if not worse than not wearing one at all.
One of the first things is that you should not purchase a used helmet. There are a couple of reasons for this. One, you don't know what the previous owner has put the helmet through. Were they in an accident and damaged the helmet so that it cracks like an egg when you need it to protect your head? Second, (and this is kind of a gross factor) anyone that has worn a helmet knows that your head sweats in them. If for what ever reason you don't believe this, explain why many helmets have vents to allow air flow into them. Of course you can take the padding out and clean it but it is kind of like wearing someone else's underwear. No matter how many times you wash them, it is still kind of gross.
The moral to this? Unless it is in the unopened box and hasn't been on a riders head, don't buy it. It may be perfectly safe but are your head and brain worth the risk?
Another way to tell if a helmet is unsafe is looking at the condition of the outer shell. If there are scratches, nicks, or god forbid cracks, the helmet is not safe. Most people don't realize this but a motorcycle helmet is not like a suit of armor. It can't take hit after hit. One time hitting the pavement and you need to get a new one to protect yourself.
Check the strap that holds the helmet on. If it frayed or otherwise in disrepair, the helmet has been used a lot. Since you don't know the "real" history, you don't know what it went through. Along the same lines, look at the hardware. While some helmets have plastic clips, most will have metal snaps and a metal "D" ring that you loop the chin strap through. This allows you to tighten it up as much as you need to. If the wind picks the helmet off of your head when you are riding, you need to tighten the strap. If the metal is showing signs of corrosion it usually means that the helmet has been in the weather a lot.
Many of us ride all year, even in the rain, what I am talking about is people leaving the helmet on the bike when inclement weather is happening. This will wear down all the components of the helmet. This of course will make it unsafe.
It is not always easy to tell if a helmet is unsafe. If you have ANY doubts, pass on it and get a quality one. Don't skimp on the price. In the case of your brain, it is always better to be safe than sorry. Think about it, how many combat troops do you see without wearing a brain bucket.
