How do you dispose of old helmets?

Discuss anything about other motorcycles, accessories, riding gear and other motorcycle related topics.

Moderators: Whiskerfish, ascot, Forum Moderators

Post Reply

What do you do with old helmets?

Keep for display
1
17%
Repurpose (hanging planters &c)
0
No votes
Destroy or render unusable before throwing out
1
17%
Sit it out beside the garbage (if some idiot wants to take a chance they can)
0
No votes
You're supposed to replace helmets? I've been wearing the same one for decades.
4
67%
 
Total votes: 6

User avatar
Sidecar Bob
Honored Life Member
Honored Life Member
Posts: 7631
Joined: Sun Jun 11, 2006 10:14 pm
Location: Kawartha Lakes, Ontario

How do you dispose of old helmets?

#1

Post by Sidecar Bob »

Our helmet shelf was pretty full, with my current winter helmet, current main summer helmet, the matching woodgrain helmets Kay & I got for when she goes with me and the older winter & summer helmets that I kept as spares. And our son Matt's motorcycle and bicycle helmets that haven't been touched since he died 7 years ago.
It recently occurred to me that some of the helmets must be getting pretty old so I checked the dates and they ranged from about 20 years old (my old winter one that hasn't been off the shelf for years) to 10 years old (the GM55s that is more comfortable than any other helmet I've ever worn).

"They" say you should replace your helmet every 5 years, but that number is based on an estimate of how much wear & tear a helmet could possibly get in a year with a healthy safety margin added (largely to cover their butts). Some will tell you that the reason for replacing them every few years is that the materials & adhesives deteriorate and they no longer protect you but one of the snowmobile magazines actually tested an assortment of helmets from new to over 10 years old and in all sorts of conditions and found that age & state of wear had very little to do with the amount of protection afforded.
In other words, any helmet is better than no helmet but even knowing that it was time to slim down the collection and get some new ones. So my new HH65 and Kay's new GM35 should arrive today and I'll order a new Gmax modular snowmobile helmet in the fall for winter use (I prefer Gmax helmets because they really are more comfortable).

I'll keep my GM54S (current winter helmet) and GM55 (now old main summer helmet) as spares but I still need to dispose of 6 helmets. And the recycling program won't take them.

Googling dispose old motorcycle helmet found recommendations ranging from sell them to someone else (no, no, no, NO - if it is too old to be safe for you it isn't safe for anyone else either!!!!!) to displaying them on a shelf in your home (one guy posted a pic of 10 virtually identical plain black Shoei helmets on a shelf) (we are trying to get rid of old crap we no longer use so that's out) to turning them into hanging planters (I may do that with the woodgrain ones).

The last time I disposed of an old helmet I tried smashing it with a big hammer to make sure nobody could use it and IIRC I cut the straps off when that failed.
I put the first 2 of them in the garbage today after putting big holes in them with a step drill (quick, easy & obvious)

So what do you folks do with your old helmets?
Mr. Honda ('83 GL1100/Dnepr) summer How a motorcycle evolves thread
The Famous Eccles ('84 CX650EI/VeloUral) winter Never Ending Build (CX500forum)
Click: Colour schematics for all GL1000 & GL1100 and GL1200 standard models plus instructions on how to download the full size version
"A guy with two sidecars can't be all bad." - Cookie
Another guy with two sidecars..... Hmmmm... must be something to that....
User avatar
dontwantapickle
Silver Member
Silver Member
Posts: 946
Joined: Fri Oct 13, 2017 9:26 pm
Location: Colorado

Re: How do you dispose of old helmets?

#2

Post by dontwantapickle »

I keep them.
Except mine don't get displayed, just stuck in a box and put up on a shelf.
User avatar
5speed
Honored Life Member
Honored Life Member
Posts: 5311
Joined: Sat Jul 11, 2015 2:37 pm
Location: Nova Scotia Canada

Re: How do you dispose of old helmets?

#3

Post by 5speed »

when it comes time, I'm cutting the straps off and throwing them in the garbage..except for this one..
it's my reminder..all gear all the time.
Attachments
20170914_142053.jpg
20170914_142053.jpg (249.06 KiB) Viewed 529 times
1982 1100 standard. (sold)
1986 Yamaha FJ1200
2000 Yamaha Roadstar
1976 GoldWing. running but not on the road
1978 Goldwing. future cafe project.
2019 Can-Am ryker (boss's new ride)

2002 Shadow American Classic(sold)
1983 Shadow 500. (sold)
User avatar
Sidecar Bob
Honored Life Member
Honored Life Member
Posts: 7631
Joined: Sun Jun 11, 2006 10:14 pm
Location: Kawartha Lakes, Ontario

Re: How do you dispose of old helmets?

#4

Post by Sidecar Bob »

Just to bring this a bit of closure, I destroyed several of the old helmets and turned the woodgrain ones into planters. As I was hanging the first one a neighbour commented that she thought it was neat. I planted flower seeds in them so they won't look like much until they grow.
Helmet planter.jpg
Helmet planter.jpg (116.97 KiB) Viewed 479 times
And this is what our helmet shelf looks like now. When you enter the house from the garage you're on a landing with stairs up and down and this is over the stairs to the basement.
Left to right: my old summer helmet, my new summer helmet, Kay's new helmet, my old winter helmet.
Helmet shelf May 20.jpg
Helmet shelf May 20.jpg (84.14 KiB) Viewed 479 times
Mr. Honda ('83 GL1100/Dnepr) summer How a motorcycle evolves thread
The Famous Eccles ('84 CX650EI/VeloUral) winter Never Ending Build (CX500forum)
Click: Colour schematics for all GL1000 & GL1100 and GL1200 standard models plus instructions on how to download the full size version
"A guy with two sidecars can't be all bad." - Cookie
Another guy with two sidecars..... Hmmmm... must be something to that....
joecoolsuncle
Cast Iron Member
Cast Iron Member
Posts: 96
Joined: Fri Nov 18, 2022 6:33 pm

Re: How do you dispose of old helmets?

#5

Post by joecoolsuncle »

park em on fence posts, paint eyeballs on them. practice your marksmanship.
User avatar
LuckyEddie
Billet Alum. Member
Billet Alum. Member
Posts: 216
Joined: Mon Jun 22, 2009 7:42 am
Location: Middleville, MI.

Re: How do you dispose of old helmets?

#6

Post by LuckyEddie »

1977 Arthur Fulmer helmets.
1977 Arthur Fulmer helmets.
IMG_20230525_183220999.jpg (315.22 KiB) Viewed 428 times
Hanging around, waiting for the next ride..
LuckyEddie

1978 GL1000 Supercharged (Avitar)
1976 GL1000
1980 XS1100LG
1982 XV750J
1981 XV920RH
User avatar
ritalz
Honored Life Member
Honored Life Member
Posts: 4090
Joined: Sat Jun 25, 2005 10:22 am
Location: St Louis, MO

Re: How do you dispose of old helmets?

#7

Post by ritalz »

I give them to people who are not smart enough to bring one when buying a bike. It happens but local laws no longer require warring one.
Al

2003 Goldwing Daily Rider
1975 Goldwing 'Max'
1984 Goldwing New Bagger Project
1976 Goldwing 'Grocery Getter' Sold
1985 Goldwing Interstate 'NCC-1985' sold
1981 Silverwing Sold
1982 Goldeing Project Sold
1981 Goldwing Parted Out
1983 Goldwing Project Sold
1973 CB500F Long Gone
1966 CL77 First Street Bike
http://www.ngwclub.com/gallery3/index.p ... ans/ritalz
Post Reply
  • Similar Topics
    Replies
    Views
    Last post

Return to “General Motorcycle Forum”