Own a cheap helmet? Throw it away right now!

So here is one for the cheap helmet......
32 years ago I was riding a customers bike testing out the repair, while flying down a path that I was unfamiliar, I hit a stump, when powering into the stump to try and get out of the mess I got myself into ha-ha, I got thrown into the bars and hit myself so hard in the nutz that I knocked myself cold. While being ejected and thrown like superman as I was out cold doing about 80mph through the air, I landed on the jaw of my helmet. Thus shattering it into pieces. After the 4 days of reconstructive surgery and 160 stiches inside my mouth, I was told by the reconstructive surgeon that if the defective helmet would not have shattered She would not have had to put my face back together as the impact was hard enough that my neck would have snapped. My helmet had a hairline crack on the side that I was unaware of. I always check my helmet each ride and I always wear a quality helmet no matter what happened in the past as well a Leatt brace and other Leatt gear.

But this was one instance that a cheaper helmet saved a life I still get to ride because of it.

Went riding with a headache (100 miles to get there) had a slow crash. It hurt so bad I will never ride with a headache again. I've hit the ground maybe 3-4 times with My Helmets but have hit branches more times then I can remember with My Helmets some so hard that I don't know how I didn't fall off. Some of those were off Jumps out in the woods. THIS IS 40 plus years of riding/racing off-road.

Rainerio said:

Went riding with a headache (100 miles to get there) had a slow crash. It hurt so bad I will never ride with a headache again. I've hit the ground maybe 3-4 times with My Helmets but have hit branches more times then I can remember with My Helmets some so hard that I don't know how I didn't fall off. Some of those were off Jumps out in the woods

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Sucker for punishment or what. Give the head a rest. Glad you ok

Since we're on the topic of safety gear, I have to put this public safety message out there... it does you no good unless you actually wear it! As witnessed by this story (link below) that happened to my son and I last weekend...

A parent's nightmare

hooter said:

Since we're on the topic of safety gear, I have to put this public safety message out there... it does you no good unless you actually wear it! As witnessed by this story (link below) that happened to my son and I last weekend...

A parent's nightmare

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So glad you posted this. I watch parents and their children ride regularly without helmets and in flip flops sometimes. It just makes me sick to watch the parent teach their children that this is ok.

Funny as chatting about this, my neighbor is just getting home from the hospital for a roll over on their side by side. The young girl is ok, but I never see them wear so much as a helmet riding around the property. Kind of scary to think it just takes a second and it can be over.

The goggle thing is something that I do regularly but after watching this they will always be on

Hooter,

Not on topic but looks like we have the same Wolfman bags I just bough mine last month and they have been the greatest thing yet, Keeps the weight off my back.

Glad your boy is ok, Mine took a huge spill last weekend trying to clear three downed trees all at once around 50kmh, He got sore ribs even with all the gear on, but I bet his goggles were on his helmet....

FE350 said:

Hooter,

Not on topic but looks like we have the same Wolfman bags I just bough mine last month and they have been the greatest thing yet, Keeps the weight off my back.

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Yeah I have all my tools and spare parts in there (and a first aid kit ). Before I got them, I was lugging all that stuff around in my backpack.

FE350 said:

Glad your boy is ok, Mine took a huge spill last weekend trying to clear three downed trees all at once around 50kmh, He got sore ribs even with all the gear on, but I bet his goggles were on his helmet....

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Show him the video! Our job as parents is to protect them until they finally learn that they are not invincible... hopefully they don't learn it the hard way...

FE350 said:

After the 4 days of reconstructive surgery and 160 stiches inside my mouth, I was told by the reconstructive surgeon that if the defective helmet would not have shattered She would not have had to put my face back together as the impact was hard enough that my neck would have snapped. My helmet had a hairline crack on the side that I was unaware of.

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I have an earlier model Arai and the chin piece is held on with four screws so that it will tear off in a bad impact. I always liked that idea. I had thought that when I renew my helmet (Arai don't make that model anymore.) I might buy an open face Arai and put the chin piece onto it. Otherwise I've thought of drilling a few weakening holes where the chin piece meets the helmet on a conventional full face.

My helmet is way overdue for replacement, I crashed in it last week and hit my head on the road, not hard enough to knock me out, but enough to give me a five minute headache. I thought it could do with a bit more padding. I also questioned why Leatt doesn't do body armour style shorts. My padded shorts and the hip pads in my Klim's just didn't cut it. Bitumen is hard.

How long do you keep your helmets before you replace them if not damaged ? Told 5 years is normal. Has anyone had there helmet refurbished by the manufacturer ? I've had one maybe two Concussion. In U.S. told if you have had a concussion take a brake for at least 3 hours before go back out riding. Check with your doc. For any other symptoms.

Hoosaberg said:

I have an earlier model Arai and the chin piece is held on with four screws so that it will tear off in a bad impact. I always liked that idea. I had thought that when I renew my helmet (Arai don't make that model anymore.) I might buy an open face Arai and put the chin piece onto it. Otherwise I've thought of drilling a few weakening holes where the chin piece meets the helmet on a conventional full face.

My helmet is way overdue for replacement, I crashed in it last week and hit my head on the road, not hard enough to knock me out, but enough to give me a five minute headache. I thought it could do with a bit more padding. I also questioned why Leatt doesn't do body armour style shorts. My padded shorts and the hip pads in my Klim's just didn't cut it. Bitumen is hard.

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The jaw on my helmet broke away and was what saved my life, but it was a very high speed impact and direct. It caused extreme facial injury and allot of piecing me back together, four days to be exact, I would be concerned about a jaw breaking away at lower impact as the jaw tore my skin and mouth area off my skull, so something to think about prior drilling. Oh and BTW it was a Arai helmet purchased around 1980 era.

FE350 said:

The jaw on my helmet broke away and was what saved my life, but it was a very high speed impact and direct. It caused extreme facial injury and allot of piecing me back together, four days to be exact, I would be concerned about a jaw breaking away at lower impact as the jaw tore my skin and mouth area off my skull, so something to think about prior drilling. Oh and BTW it was a Arai helmet purchased around 1980 era.

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yeah, I do come up with some dumb ideas.