BigBikeBKK Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 anyone know the lifetime of a helmet in the UV rays of Thailand? Iv got quite a few 3-5 yo helmets in my garage, half and full face, and thought it would be time to scrap them for some non UV exposed new ones Thailand's not the only sunny spot where people ride motorcycles. I would trust that top manufacturers make sure that their helmets are UV resistant. Most manufacturers recommend replacing a motorcycle helmet after about 5 years. I'd certainly never keep one longer than that. And if I notice any deterioration in the fit or finish of a helmet I replace it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBikeBKK Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 anyone know the lifetime of a helmet in the UV rays of Thailand? Iv got quite a few 3-5 yo helmets in my garage, half and full face, and thought it would be time to scrap them for some non UV exposed new ones This is what the Snell Foundation says about replacement period for Motorcycle helmets: Why should you replace your helmet every five years? The five-year replacement recommendation is based on a consensus by both helmet manufacturers and the Snell Foundation. Glues, resins and other materials used in helmet production can affect liner materials. Hair oils, body fluids and cosmetics, as well as normal "wear and tear" all contribute to helmet degradation. Petroleum based products present in cleaners, paints, fuels and other commonly encountered materials may also degrade materials used in many helmets possibly degrading performance. Additionally, experience indicates there will be a noticeable improvement in the protective characteristic of helmets over a five-year period due to advances in materials, designs, production methods and the standards. Thus, the recommendation for five-year helmet replacement is a judgment call stemming from a prudent safety philosophy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katabeachbum Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 anyone know the lifetime of a helmet in the UV rays of Thailand? Iv got quite a few 3-5 yo helmets in my garage, half and full face, and thought it would be time to scrap them for some non UV exposed new ones Thailand's not the only sunny spot where people ride motorcycles. I would trust that top manufacturers make sure that their helmets are UV resistant. Most manufacturers recommend replacing a motorcycle helmet after about 5 years. I'd certainly never keep one longer than that. And if I notice any deterioration in the fit or finish of a helmet I replace it. There is no such thing as UV resistant plastic materials, fiberglass, polyester, epoxy, kevlar all degrade in the sun In addition there is pollution and some even install stickers on helmets, chemical reaction non tested and i m gonna clean up my garage when I wear a helmet, I want it to protect Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBikeBKK Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 (edited) anyone know the lifetime of a helmet in the UV rays of Thailand? Iv got quite a few 3-5 yo helmets in my garage, half and full face, and thought it would be time to scrap them for some non UV exposed new ones Thailand's not the only sunny spot where people ride motorcycles. I would trust that top manufacturers make sure that their helmets are UV resistant. Most manufacturers recommend replacing a motorcycle helmet after about 5 years. I'd certainly never keep one longer than that. And if I notice any deterioration in the fit or finish of a helmet I replace it. There is no such thing as UV resistant plastic materials, fiberglass, polyester, epoxy, kevlar all degrade in the sun In addition there is pollution and some even install stickers on helmets, chemical reaction non tested and i m gonna clean up my garage when I wear a helmet, I want it to protect UV Resistant, yes. UV Proof, no. Hence the recommended expiration date for motorcycle helmets. Dig? Edited February 22, 2012 by BigBikeBKK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katabeachbum Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 anyone know the lifetime of a helmet in the UV rays of Thailand? Iv got quite a few 3-5 yo helmets in my garage, half and full face, and thought it would be time to scrap them for some non UV exposed new ones Thailand's not the only sunny spot where people ride motorcycles. I would trust that top manufacturers make sure that their helmets are UV resistant. Most manufacturers recommend replacing a motorcycle helmet after about 5 years. I'd certainly never keep one longer than that. And if I notice any deterioration in the fit or finish of a helmet I replace it. There is no such thing as UV resistant plastic materials, fiberglass, polyester, epoxy, kevlar all degrade in the sun In addition there is pollution and some even install stickers on helmets, chemical reaction non tested and i m gonna clean up my garage when I wear a helmet, I want it to protect UV Resistant, yes. UV Proof, no. Hence the recommended expiration date for motorcycle helmets. Dig? Dig It was kinda to get off the track those loving their 5-7yo helmets cause they cost a fortune when they where new and carry a brand name. Now they are done. By UV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Semper Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 when I wear a helmet, I want it to protect "I ride without a helmet every day, simply cause I like it" Do you consult the fortune tellers what day it would be in order to use a helmet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaiChai Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 Most thai motorcycle helmets are next to useless anyway, a piece of thin plastic, often not fastened on. You are almost better wearing none. I disagree too. The polystyrene between the cheap plastic coating and your head is probably the item that will cushion your head and save your life. Its cheap but very effective material. What I think is more important is a decent fitting helmet; some of them feel that they will drop off your head without the strap. The ones that wrap around and cover your ears and most of the head are probably the best compromise in Thailand. Ok, we should be wearing helmets that also protect your chin, but they are so hot... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wana Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 (edited) Most thai motorcycle helmets are next to useless anyway, a piece of thin plastic, often not fastened on. You are almost better wearing none. I disagree too. The polystyrene between the cheap plastic coating and your head is probably the item that will cushion your head and save your life. Its cheap but very effective material. What I think is more important is a decent fitting helmet; some of them feel that they will drop off your head without the strap. The ones that wrap around and cover your ears and most of the head are probably the best compromise in Thailand. Ok, we should be wearing helmets that also protect your chin, but they are so hot... 3/4 face helmets are much more confortable and easier to breath but the chin bar adds structural stability in holding it all together i normally wear a 3/4 myself but i can see the design flaws every time i put it on .........frightening to think what would happen if it takes an impact on the chin /mouth /nose area you can bend the plastic visor with two fingers so imagine what a steel handle bar at high speed would do to it ........ Edited February 22, 2012 by wana Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBikeBKK Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 you can bend the plastic visor with two fingers so imagine what a steel handle bar at 200kmph would do to it ........ Crash going 200kph on a public road and it doesn't matter what kind of helmet you're wearing, does it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wana Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 you can bend the plastic visor with two fingers so imagine what a steel handle bar at 200kmph would do to it ........ Crash going 200kph on a public road and it doesn't matter what kind of helmet you're wearing, does it... actually it does ,100-150-200kmph you can break pretty much every bone in your body and survive to make a full recovery if you can manage to protect your head from SERIOUS BRAIN DAMAGE skydivers have been smashed into the ground from miles up when their parachutes failed to open and some of them have lived to tell the tale its not the exact same as a motorcycle crash but its reasonably similar to draw conclusions that a broken head means death more often than a broken body which can often be recovered from Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wantan Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 This is the impact to the brain WITH a helmet: And this is the impact to the brain with no helmet: Somewhere about half way up that spike is where permanent brain damage begins. And this is the impact to a floating brain with no helmet. Nature provides clever solutions for some Sorry, its a serious topic, i know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dezy1801 Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 a good read http://msf-usa.org/d.../helmet_CSI.pdf Do not argue with a fool. He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience I like that man cant agree enough with that statement one I will always remember. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UbonOz Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 I refuse to go on a motorbike. I go by car or walk. It scares me too much to think of the consequences in an accident. Only the other day I saw three young girls on a motorbike get clipped by a car running a red light. They were very lucky, half a second later and they would have been in a heap on the road, and they did not have helmets. Check out the statistics of the daily death rate on motorbikes in Thailand, it is something like 27 per day. Gives me the shudders to think about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UbonOz Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 Sorry to change the thread on another subject. Should really start a new thread, but it is relevant. SEAT BELTS IN CARS. Why oh why do they not wear them? Toddlers standing at the windscreen while driving. Scares me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madjbs Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 No, it's not relevant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wantan Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 I refuse to go on a motorbike. I go by car or walk. It scares me too much to think of the consequences in an accident. Have you ever tried to walk through a city like Bangkok? Or to drive bicycle? I guess its safer to drive motorbike without helmet than. No risk no fun. Sad but true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UbonOz Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 I refuse to go on a motorbike. I go by car or walk. It scares me too much to think of the consequences in an accident. Have you ever tried to walk through a city like Bangkok? Or to drive bicycle? I guess its safer to drive motorbike without helmet than. No risk no fun. Sad but true. Go to any hospital in Thailand and see how much fun the victims of motorbike accidents are having. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philliphn Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 NO NEVER, WELL HARDLY EVER!!! (singing).... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katabeachbum Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 when I wear a helmet, I want it to protect "I ride without a helmet every day, simply cause I like it" Do you consult the fortune tellers what day it would be in order to use a helmet? clever semper I ride my pcx around kata every day, without a helmet. I take my ninja650 up to +160kmh at least couple of times a week, wearing a full face and you where just using quotes to mix two posts to confuse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RED21 Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 I refuse to go on a motorbike. I go by car or walk. It scares me too much to think of the consequences in an accident. Only the other day I saw three young girls on a motorbike get clipped by a car running a red light. They were very lucky, half a second later and they would have been in a heap on the road, and they did not have helmets. Check out the statistics of the daily death rate on motorbikes in Thailand, it is something like 27 per day. Gives me the shudders to think about it. Amusing, someone who doesn't like motorbikes in the motorcycle section of the forums. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katabeachbum Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 Sorry to change the thread on another subject. Should really start a new thread, but it is relevant. SEAT BELTS IN CARS. Why oh why do they not wear them? Toddlers standing at the windscreen while driving. Scares me. you dont ride and you want seat belts, why dont you move over to the Motoring forum, for cars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Semper Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 when I wear a helmet, I want it to protect "I ride without a helmet every day, simply cause I like it" Do you consult the fortune tellers what day it would be in order to use a helmet? clever semper I ride my pcx around kata every day, without a helmet. I take my ninja650 up to +160kmh at least couple of times a week, wearing a full face and you where just using quotes to mix two posts to confuse No, I just don't know how to make a multiquote. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saengsureeya Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 Today I went for a ride on my scooter, no helmet. My wife was on the back, no helmet. My baby (4 month) was strapped to me, no helmet (can you even buy one?) We all had a very nice time, baby particularly likes looking around when we are driving. Welcome to Thailand. you can buy helmet for any size head. DON'T come on the forum saying your babe is dead cos of you eh. . He probably won't advertise that on a forum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
englishinsiam Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 everywhere we go we wear helmets. We use our seatbelts in the car. And my 5 month old son has never been in our motorbike. Just because Thais do it why should we??? Posted with Thaivisa App http://apps.thaivisa.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macknife Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 Bike slipped on gravel, only doing about 15-20kph on a scooter. As i fell on my side I felt my head bounce off the road. I was wearing a full face, so no damage to me at all, so i got up, brushed myself down and carried on. I dread to think what would have happened had i not been wearing the helmet. I don't think i would have been getting up so fast though. I will admit that sometimes i don't wear a helmet if just popping round the corner to the local 711. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wantan Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 (edited) Sorry to change the thread on another subject. Should really start a new thread, but it is relevant. SEAT BELTS IN CARS. Why oh why do they not wear them? Toddlers standing at the windscreen while driving. Scares me. you dont ride and you want seat belts, why dont you move over to the Motoring forum, for cars It may be not much fun to read such posts. But the forum is called "Bikes in Thailand" not "Riders (only) in Thailand". Maybe its offtopic to talk about "seatbelts in cars", but something like "i do not ride (on public streets / in LOS) because its too dangerous" fits perfectly to a bike-forum imho. And its understandable to avoid riding in LOS. But taxi is no fun imho Edited February 23, 2012 by wantan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brewsterbudgen Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 I would never dream of riding a motorbike myself as it's far too dangerous, with or without a helmet. But sometimes I have little choice but to take a motor-cy taxi (short distances only) and rarely get offered or wear a helmet. Isn't the lack of law enforcement and the absence of the Nanny State one of the reasons we like living here? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wantan Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 Isn't the lack of law enforcement and the absence of the Nanny State one of the reasons we like living here? There is much too much "law and order enforcement" in Thailand afaik. But sadly not always at the right place and the right people imho. Wearing helmets should definetly be "enforced" more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wana Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 Isn't the lack of law enforcement and the absence of the Nanny State one of the reasons we like living here? There is much too much "law and order enforcement" in Thailand afaik. But sadly not always at the right place and the right people imho. Wearing helmets should definetly be "enforced" more. there is a ridiculous amount of "police" for lack of a better word in Bangkok ,just this tuesday lad phrao had check points on nearly all the roads one of them was particularly evil, because it was right around where you can make a u turn and nearly all the bikes found themselves on the innermost two lanes looking fotr an opportunity to move left through larger traffic of course the police were aptly positioned to take advantage of anyone who didnt cut all the way left through 4 lanes of moving pick ups imediately to get as far left as possible into the "bike lane " so guess there were a lot of tea money collected that day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billd766 Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 We have a scooter for knocking about plus I have a Honda Phantom and a Yamaha Virago 535. Do I ever ride without a helmet? NEVER. You don't have to be stupid to wear a helmet, but you must be stupid if you don't. So none of you non helmet wearers have any family or friends who care about you should you get hurt. How sad. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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