[AlexB]

Just dropped my helmet (Arai Signet GT) from about 3 feet (tabletop) onto concrete/stone paving.

There are no visible cracks or major marks other than some minor pitting on the left side above the visor hinge.

I'm thinking it's OK to keep riding with it on... unless of course someone can convince me otherwise...

btw: I know what the 'smart' thing would be.. but the smart thing will cost me $350!!!

what does the Monster Board think?

 

[Duc_N_Har]

Gotta get a new one!!!
Or you could chance major head trauma?
It won't absorb the shock if you wreck , your brain will absorb it , which can lead to very bad trouble!

 

[Guest]

Helmets usually crush from the inside out. In other words, if there are no visible marks, the only thing you'd have to worry about is invisible cracks that could weaken the shell. If those aren't there, you're *probably*fine. The reason I brought up the inside out thing is that even after a light crash with my helmet it DEFINETLY gets replaced.

I guess the only thing for you to do now is decide how valuable your head is

 

[Guest]

do you know anyone with an x-ray machine? sneek it in to your orthopedic doctors office and see if the x-ray tech will take a picture of it.

 

[Duc_N_Har]

The xray will show all the cracks you cant see? I should try that with my helmet just to see .... I never dropped it . Or do they use a special xray machine that fits inside the helmet. I have access to a regular xray machine everyday.

 

[Norm]

The helmet is obviously junk & shouldn't be used. send it to me & I'll dispose of it properly. Is it a medium by chance?

 

[Guest]

DUCnHAR the wife says it might be translucent. they x-ray through fiberglas casts and don't see much of the cast, might have to adjust settings on machine. try it and see. if my wife gets a chance, she can x-ray one of my old dirt bike helmets and see.
will post results if this does happen.

 

[test-reg]

the word is if you drop your helmet get a new one. my friend took a chunk out of his Aria (fiberglass showing) and called them about getting it inspected. the tech he spoke to said all they do is visually look at it, and if there is no spidering and the fiberglass is intact they call it still usable.

i do think there could be a deformation of the styrofoam if the shell dented in during the fall. since you would not be able to see this there could be a lack of integrity if you hit in the same spot.

gotta say i don't really know the answer, just trying to give some food for thought.

i am getting my helmet X rayed in September since i have crashed against my basement ceiling.

 

[ScottRNelson]

I have an old helmet (RF-700) and a new one (RF-800). The old one was getting worn in the liner and doesn't fit quite as snugly, which is why I bought the new one. I wear the old one for short trips, typically under 10 miles, and when the helmet is likely to get banged around while I'm out. I wear the new one on all of the more serious rides.

The old one has never hit the ground with a head in it, but it's been dropped a few times and banged around quite a bit. There are small scratches and gouges in several places on it. I'm not too concerned with how well it will protect if I manage to fall off my bike while running around town. I know the foam padding will absorbe the impact and the hard shell should still work well for abrasion protection.

All I can say is be more careful with your helmet so that you don't drop it again, but I wouldn't buy another one just for that.

 

[test-reg]

OT, the people who are going to X ray my helmet teach radiology. they are interested in doing it to gain knowledge in plastics. since they are showing up sa replacement parts in the human body. yes, you are right, the translucent property is a problem. after this is done, i will post

 

[03monster800]

Someone told me that Arai drops there helmets out of a 10 story building to test them. They also said that the mandate is that they hold up to a 4 story drop. Arai does 10 stories just show how much better they are. So I would think 3 feet would be nothing especially with no weight (a head) in it. Im sure it just bounced up. I wouldnt even worry about it.

 

[Andrew_Cornett]

No reason to replace. I dropped a Shoei from the same hieght. I also crunched it in my rack on the ship I was stationed on a few time and still, except for a small chip in the paint the helmet is fine.

 

[ScottRNelson]

If you want to know how Arai (and everyone else) tests their helmets, check out the Snell Foundation web site: http://www.smf.org/testing.html. I can't imagine how dropping a helmet 40 feet or 100 feet proves much about how the helmet will protect you in a typical motorcycle crash.

 

[MonsterHooligan]

you can send it to Arai, and they will test it for free

 

[AlexB]

Thanks for all the replies. I'd be curious to see the X-Ray results if they come out too. Any chance someone could X-Ray those GS batteries (new ones and leakers) to see if there's any structural failure that causes the leaks? (not too sure about sticking a box full of acid in an x-ray machine.. I'd check on that before anything...)

I talked to a few more people yesterday and showed the helmet. They all agreed that the damage was only cosmetic, and since there was no weight (head) in it, the foam is fine.

I feel pretty confident riding with the helmet so I think I'll keep it. Sorry Norm!

 

[DaffeDuc]

DUCnHAR the wife says it might be translucent. they x-ray through fiberglas casts and don't see much of the cast, might have to adjust settings on machine. try it and see. if my wife gets a chance, she can x-ray one of my old dirt bike helmets and see.
will post results if this does happen.

 

[Duc_N_Har]

I can try it tommorrow at work, on extremity, but if you measure the helmet , the extremity setting don't go that high, unless you use the wall of the helmet for measurement and not the entire helmet? our normal extremity is KV- 54, MAs 1.7

 

[Guest]

I can try it tommorrow at work, on extremity, but if you measure the helmet , the extremity setting

 

[Duc_N_Har]

I'm a vet tech, we xray dogs and cats everyday, some days thats all we get done doing!! We do so many we can look at the animal and guess at the measurement without measuring.
I didn't get to do the helmet today, was really busy, I'll try tommmorrow.
That starting point is the usual setting for a average dog knee.