Helmets Shoei RF-700 obsolete ?

disco1999

disco1999

Joined
Apr 23, 2006
Messages
3
Age
63
Location
Montreal, Canada
hi guys

I've bought a Shoei RF-700 about 11 years ago, and used it under normal conditions.
Today, the helmet still looks almost new, I've changed the lid once a while ago. My bike dealer says the Shoei should be thrown out after 5 years because it starts to deteriorate. I don't see any signs of deterioration inside and out. I love my RF-700 and don't feel the need to switch for an RF-1000 they haven't improved that much.

Any recommendations ?
 
The consensus seems to be if it's older than 5 years, replace it.

.....
Remember your helmet has a MAXIMUM 5 Year Effective Lifespan. Things like dropping 3 feet to a hard surface, chemicals ( body oil, gas fumes, etc.) being hit by debris at highway speeds cut the lifespan dramatically. The expanded poly-styrene material inside the helmet degrades over time and is less able to provide impact protection. If you or your loved one is using a helmet over 5 years old, please get them into a new one. Convince them to buy a new one or give them one as a present.
......

I'd say yours definitely should be replaced.

Pat
 
I had a 700 years ago and replaced it with an RF-1000 last year for many of the same reasons stated above. It may not look much different, but the 1000 is considerably lighter and has much better ventilation. Safety, ventilation, and weight would seem to be three pretty darn good reasons to upgrade IMO.
 
I've always wondered about this too. I've never heard anyone say different about the 5 year lifespan, though.

It's such an expensive investment to make every 5 years, but on the same token, I don't want to take the risks of using a deteriorated helmet when it comes to protecting my melon.

Damned if you do, damned if you don't
 
The shell may look perfectly new, but styrofoam liner will degrade over time. Five years is a rule of thumb, but a great example is an Arai which I purchased new in 1996. Gave it a custom paint job, wore it and maintained it with pride until I replaced it with my current Suomy two years ago (2004). At the time, it appeared to still be fully functional, but upon closer inspection (I generally take the liners out of my old helmets so that no one uses them after they've become unsafe and display them around my shop). As I was removing the liner, it was quickly apparant that the inner-most portions of the liner had degraded until it was nothing more than a powder being held together by the line. Had I needed to use the helmet for protection, I would have been in sad shape.

The conditiond of your helmet that you see with the naked eye may not reveal the actual condition deep inside the liner. Five years may not be exact, but I wouldn't take a chance on many more years than that.
 
Send it to Shoei. They will test it and send it back with their comments. I know they do this for an impacted helmet. Don't see why they wouldn't do it for an older helmet.
 
$2.69 per week is all it costs for the safety afforded by a $700 helmet over 5 years. It's even much less for brand new high quality helmets that cost less. If you cannot afford the price of less than a gallon of gas per week, you should not be riding.

There is no excuse my friend. Go shopping for a brand new helmet!



To put it another way...I (or anyone) cannot pass tech inspection at the track with a helmet older than five years or if it is damaged. The reason is safety, pure and simple. Go buy a new lid for the sake of your family, friends and loved ones. (not to mention yourself!)
 
I found cheap new Shoei RF-700. Looks good. Though, Don't know about year when built. So, is there any way to find it? I was looking for any date on my current helmet and couldn't find anything?
 
Afan said:
I found cheap new Shoei RF-700. Looks good. Though, Don't know about year when built. So, is there any way to find it? I was looking for any date on my current helmet and couldn't find anything?
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sometimes its embossed on the chin strap, a tag on the chinstrap, or sometimes on a sticker that might be partially obscured by the helmet padding inside the shell.

FWIW a mechanical engineer friend of mine told me many years ago that the degradation process mentioned earlier in this thread happens with the helmet just sitting in the box. He used the term outgassing, which refers to the fiberglass and other materials slowly degrading over time whether the helmet is being used or not.
 
Afan said:
I found cheap new Shoei RF-700. Looks good. Though, Don't know about year when built. So, is there any way to find it? I was looking for any date on my current helmet and couldn't find anything?
Click to expand...
I think the 700 was replaced by the 800, 900, 1000, 1100s and now the RF-1200 so that one might be out of date. Shoei suggests a helmet be retired after 5 years of use or 7 years after mfg date.
 
Yep, pretty obsolete. So is my RF1000 pretty much. Would love to get another 1000 new, but it would be too old, if I could even find one.
 
Just wonder... Many riders use their tires way after manufacturers recommendation of replacement, years or miles. Similar to some other "wear and tear items". So, I'm assuming very good helmet could/should "last" (do the job) even 7, 8 or 10 years? Of course if not dropped, hit, hard-scratched, or something like that...

Somebody said "... $2.69 per week is all it costs for the safety afforded by a $700 helmet over 5 years. It's even much less for brand new high quality helmets that cost less. If you cannot afford the price of less than a gallon of gas per week, you should not be riding..." I believe there are many riders who CAN pay $2.69/week for 5 years but CANNOT pay $700 at once. And "... should not be riding..." I'm not gonna comment.
 
Afan said:
So, I'm assuming very good helmet could/should "last" (do the job) even 7, 8 or 10 years? Of course if not dropped, hit, hard-scratched, or something like that...
Click to expand...

You do realize that helmet is from the mid to late '90s era, so its pushing 20 years old. there's probably a Snell sticker inside, see if it says S95, if so then it met the Snell 1995 standards back in the day.
 
Afan said:
So, I'm assuming very good helmet could/should "last" (do the job) even 7, 8 or 10 years?
Click to expand...

What is that assumption based on? Tire wear is hardly a corollary. If Snell DOT or Consumer Reports did testing on older helmets from different manufactures we'd actually have some data to digest.

Like expiration dates and Use By... dates some of this is somewhat arbitrary and since it's not exact there is probably some safety margin built into those dates. I'll tempt fate a little and use beyond 5yrs especially since I don't ride that many days a year. I'll poke the Styrofoam from time to time but make no assumptions as to the useful life span.

There are always "they have no business..." hardliners but if one can't afford the purchase price of an approved helmet they should be able to afford a couple $$ a day to save for Helmet Renewal Day. A approved life saving helmet doesn't have to cost $700. Not yet anyway.


dwalby said:
so its pushing 20 years old
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When I got my ST I had 8 helmets sitting on the closet shelf between 15 and 20 years old. ONE had the open-cell foam intact. I put this on to get to the dealer to buy a new helmet. The foam in the others crumbled to the touch and it there was no way to tell if the Stryofoam was up to snuff though it felt solid. I might strip them out for display (cool idea!). The "good" helmet was retired when the new Shoei was handed to me.
 
dwalby said:
You do realize that helmet is from the mid to late '90s era, so its pushing 20 years old. there's probably a Snell sticker inside, see if it says S95, if so then it met the Snell 1995 standards back in the day.
Click to expand...
I'm sorry, I wasn't clear. I didn't mean THIS helmet. My question was "in general". :)
 
ST Gui said:
Like expiration dates and Use By... dates some of this is somewhat arbitrary and since it's not exact there is probably some safety margin built into those dates. I'll tempt fate a little and use beyond 5yrs especially since I don't ride that many days a year. I'll poke the Styrofoam from time to time but make no assumptions as to the useful life span.
Click to expand...
This is what was I talking about. Some "safety margin". I know some people would eat something couple hours before midnight but will refuse to eat the same thing in the morning because it said "Use By today", if you know what mean. So, that was my logic to towards the helmets. If a helmet is well maintained, never dropped, I believe it should be ok one or two more years. Or, maybe better to say, you have year or two to shop for a new helmet.
 
wihardy said:
If you have a $10 head than by all means buy a $10 helmet and it will give it's full $10 to protect you. I'm guessing Your HEAD is worth more than that. We're all in this together ride safe.
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Could you please read my post before you post yours? When I ever mentioned $10 helmet? Or any cheap, low quality helmets? What's your point?
 
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