Helmet has a Lifespan of 3 to 5 years

Contrary to common belief, motorcycle helmets were not made to last forever. Under ordinary circumstances, the shelf life of a rider’s helmet is only good for about five years. After that, the integrity of the item deteriorates and the safety of the rider is compromised. Of course you can still use them, but there's an increased risk in the event of a motorcycle crash.

There are two major factors that contribute to the helmet’s deterioration—the human element and the environment.

On the human factor, how the helmet is used (or abused) alongside the user’s body chemistry affects the integrity. This includes the severity of perspiration on the rider’s head. On the environment side, the damaging factors include ultraviolet rays, sun exposure, dust, rain, humidity and moisture.

And if the helmet is dropped by its user, it will most likely have micro damage on the shell. Oftentimes, the small cracks inside the inner layer cannot be seen by the naked eye. If this happens, the life of the helmet is shortened to one or two years only.

Also, the glues, resins and other materials that were used in making the helmet also deteriorate, resulting in the loosening of the foam and fabric lining. One of the symptoms of this is when you see some black flakes in your hair after removing your helmet.

With the riders’ safety always in mind, Motoworld Philippines initiated a safety awareness campaign dubbed as 'Trade to Upgrade' last year. Now it is bringing back the promo this weekend to encourage riders with substandard, old, or damaged helmets to visit its dealerships and trade their items for a new one.

Motoworld is offering discounts from 20% to 50% on brand-new helmets if you trade in used or damaged helmets, regardless of brand. The new campaign started today, October 14, and will end this Monday, October 17.

You can visit Motoworld's Facebook page for more details. If you think that your helmet is not safe anymore, don’t be hard-headed and avail of this campaign.