It’s the age-old question, where do you put your motorcycle helmet when you have reached your destination? Is it safe left on your motorcycle?
You have three choices: 1, carry it around with you. 2, leave it on your motorcycle. 3, carry it on your back in a rucksack.
A rucksack is the best option. Carrying the helmet by the straps is fine for a quick trip to the bank, but anything else can be cumbersome.
Can you leave a helmet on the motorcycle?
Yes, if you have a lock for your helmet, that’s even better. If you leave your helmet on your motorcycle when parked, you have three main problems.
- Your motorcycle helmet is an expensive piece of riding gear. Some helmets are 700 pounds plus, so to have your helmets stolen from your motorcycle is a significant blow. Your helmet could be stolen in major cities, crime rates are soaring, and opportunist thieves will steal anything they can get their hand on.
- If you leave your helmet on your bike, anyone can mess with it and inadvertently knock it to the ground. If your helmet falls to the ground, it’s no big deal in terms of the helmet’s structural integrity, but your helmet will be scratched, spoiling the look of the helmet.
- Leaving your helmet open to the elements is not a great idea. It’s getting further exposure to UV. Sun rays. If it rains, the interior padding could become soaked, making your helmet almost unwearable for the rest of your journey. It also leaves the padding in the helmet open to dust and debris in the atmosphere.
So you can leave your helmet on your motorcycle and run the risk of having it stolen or knocked to the ground and damaged.
The loss of a helmet valued at more than 700 pounds will bring you back into sharp focus of just how valuable and expensive this piece of riding kit is.
Where can you leave your helmet?
If you are not prepared to have your helmet stolen or damaged, then your options of leaving your helmet with your motorcycle diminish significantly.
So, your only option now is to carry your helmet with you, which can become burdensome, not because of the weight but because the bulk and awkward shape make carrying a helmet a chore.
If you are heading to the supermarket, you could ask the reception counter if there is one to hold your helmet until you finish shopping.
If you visit a restaurant, they will certainly have a secure area to accommodate your motorcycle helmet.
The best option for carrying your helmet around is to place it in a rucksack; there are purpose-designed backpacks with straps to secure your helmet. This is by far the best way to carry and take care of your valuable helmet.
What is the useful life of a motorcycle helmet?
This is a controversial subject. The recommended life of a helmet is 5 years; the question is, why is 5 years the magical time to change your motorcycle helmet?
According to Snell, glues and resins are affected by environmental conditions such as solvents in the air and petroleum products that cause the helmet to degrade.
However, with advanced composite technologies and adhesives that can withstand enormous impact forces, it seems like this judgement is based on conjecture rather than empirical evidence.
Given the potential misinformation, who has the basic right to make such a call knowing it is based on a possible whim of fantasy to support the industry rather than protect the rider.
If you have taken good care of your motorcycle helmet and show no signs of degradation, it could last a lot longer than 5 years.
However, in the event of an accident, your insurance company may want to see you have a current spec helmet?
What do you do with old bike helmets?
Recycling a crash helmet is a tricky proposition due to the amount of different composite materials used in the manufacturing process.
In an age where recycling and reuse are the buzzwords of the day, what are the realistic options for your old motorcycle helmet?
It seems awesome fun to keep the helmets and almost keep a historical record of your motorcycle riding. It may seem mundane now, but if you are young, you will look back in a short twenty years and possibly say, did I used to wear that!
Suppose you don’t have space for such folly. In that case, you can refer back to the manufacturer, who will have a fund set aside to recycle the helmets manufactured by the company (if it’s based in Europe).
Is it bad to drop a motorcycle helmet?
Yes, it’s bad news to drop your motorcycle helmet and may result in you buying a new helmet.
However, motorcycle helmets are designed to take severe impacts, so dropping your helmet from hand height onto asphalt should not be a big deal.
No doubt the surface finish of the helmet will be damaged and scratched, but as long as there are no visible cracks, you should be ok.
Some riders hate the thought of scratches on their helmets, while other riders view a few battle scars as patina, making the helmet look used.
Is it bad luck to put your motorcycle helmet on the ground?
It’s always surprising to find out that motorcycle riders are so superstitious. There are many superstitions, but none suggest putting your helmet on the ground is terrible luck. However, if you drop your helmets, you could be in for some bad luck.
The saying goes, “As goes your helmet, so goes your head”, meaning you could be heading for a collision, and you are going to hit your head on the asphalt.
Fortunately, it’s all superstitious nonsense, or is it!