When to replace a motorbike helmet FAQs

If possible, take your helmet to your council waste disposal site and put it in the general refuse bin. Or put your old helmet in the dustbin at home on the day when waste is collected. It is important not to leave your helmet anywhere that it might be found and used again. Do not pass your old helmet on to a friend, family member or to anyone learning to ride. Do not sell it or give it to a charity shop. Your helmet is for you alone. There is no process for recycling helmets in the UK.

Even a small drop can have unseen consequences that mean your helmet is no longer as safe as it was when new. Helmets are designed to absorb the shock of an impact, saving your brain from damage. A helmet that rolls off a sofa and onto a carpet is likely to be ok. A helmet that falls off the seat of your bike and hits the pavement is not likely to be ok. Imagine it’s your bare head in each case. Your head will bounce unharmed on carpet, but you could be badly hurt by hitting your head on the pavement, even at low speed or a short height. Even if there is not a mark on the exterior of the helmet, cracks in the hard shell of the helmet may not be visible, or the padding inside could have been affected by a fall. If you were to have a crash while wearing this damaged helmet, it simply may not protect your head in the way it is intended to. This is a big risk to take. Our best advice is that if a helmet has fallen onto a hard surface, it should be replaced as soon as possible

The date of manufacturer is marked on all new helmets sold legally in the UK. This is important information because a helmet could have been on the shelf in a shop for two years, in which case you would need to think about replacing it within 3 years. Y

ou can check the date of manufacture, it is normally on the outside of the helmet, or on a label on the chin strap, or the date may be on a sticker inside the helmet, under the lining.

Helmets deteriorate with age, regardless of use. The protection they provide will decline with time. For this reason, helmet manufacturers recommend that riders should replace a helmet after 3 to 5 years. If you wear the same helmet frequently, you should think about replacing it sooner, simply because of general wear and because the lining will compress over time, making the fit looser, which reduces the protection afforded to your brain.

Helmets are made of a mixture of composite materials; they have metal bits that can rust, plastic parts that crack, fabric that frays, and foam that crumbles with age. Helmets are just like shoes: you can put them away in a cupboard, and take them out five years later, never worn, looking like new, but they fall apart the first time you wear them.

We are not aware of independent tests to say how long a helmet should last, but the helmet designers and helmet testers agree that the best general advice is to plan to replace your helmet every five years, or sooner.  New helmet designs offer new features that could make your riding experience more comfortable, enjoyable and safer.

It is worth asking what the warranty if for a new helmet: many brands now offer five or seven year warranties.