Is buying a used helmet okay?

Well. heres the thing guys. Although i normally heed the advice of you guys straight to heart, I had to sort through all of the information given and i came up with the following.

THe biggest risk would be that it is old, crashed in, stinky, and nasty.

However, it is also agreed somewhat that as long as it is a quality helmet, that hasant been crashed, abused, worn a ton, that it would be okay.

So I went along my way and was looking at new helmets in the ~$70 range.

Then, I found one for sale that had gotten rave reviews, and was $270 new.

The seller, whom is an older gentleman, got the helmet from his brother, who bought an older bike, and bought the helmet NEW, but never got the bike to run, therefore never using the helmet. The seller however, tried the helmet, but found it to be too big for him and was just selling it so someone else could make use of it.

The way i figure, although it is a few years old, Its a better helmet than a 70.00 new one would be.

From all of the communication that i have had with the guy, he is a really cool, honest person who is really just trying to get it so someone else can actually use it. I figure in a year or two, I will be able to invest in a new helmet and then keep this one around as a spare/and for passengers. I'll be at a much petter point financially as I will have all the brake/valve/start up maintenance issues taken care of.

I'll post up some pictures when I get it, Its a Shoei rf-800, and I paid 40.00 for it shipped to my door. If it doesn't fit, theres no doubt in my mind that i can flip it and sell it, and probably make a profit on it if it sells for what the others have been going for recently.

Thanks for all the info though, i definitely did more detective work after i found out all of the hidden issues that used helmets can withhold.

Thanks again guys.

 

sounds like you got a bargain, good luck.

 

As "The King" would say, ...

"Sang-gue. Sang gue verra mush!"

 

I started working nights in a busy urban Emerg.Dept. 35 years ago.Gave away my first motorcycle (Suzuki 500 2-stroke twin.Phoned the friend from whom I bought the thing and told him that he could have it back gratis,but I wouldn't drive it over).
Lots of aggressive bicycle riding over the years,off road AND urban.Many crashes,many helmets.Only one concussion.
More recently,I did a stint as a nurse in a busy Traumatic Brain Injury(TBI) center.The thing about TBI is that you may have survived,but you're never going to be the same.(And I say that with affection and compassion.)
Decades later,I'm back on a motorcycle with a passion!!
Old helmet dated back to my Learn2Ride class 5 yrs ago.
Riding today 70 mph @ 35 degrees f.Blue sky,fresh air!!
New full face helmet!!

 

I bought a used helmet once.... every time I wore it I kept thinking...
I wonder if that last guy sneezed in here? Was he sick?
I wonder if he got buggers in here?
I wonder if he had bad excema or lice or some disease?
Just those questions are enough for me to NOT want to save a couple bucks!!

But then everyone is different, maybe those questions will never cross your mind..... but now they probably will.
Oh well.

 

I dont dig the USED, some guy rode around sweatin in it helmet, but The helmet he got wasnt that.
I guess there is a difference in pre-owned and used.
(or maybe I've spent waaay too much time reading ebay ads)
It had a previous owner but wasnt used.. hmm Well at least the PO didnt put pods on it

 

The used part only worries me when it comes to a crashed helmet. All the other stuff can be cleaned out/disinfected etc. It IS possible to crash and destroy the helmets' ability to take the next hit AND still make the helmet look like new. It's unlikely that a used helmet is going to be one such helmet, but it's possible. If the helmet is all one color (especially a dark color) and you can't find it listed anywhere in that style I wouldn't buy it. Original graphics/colors and you feel confident the seller is being straight-possibly a go.

It does sound like you got a good used helmet-those Shoei rf-800's are really nice quality buckets, and no metal bug gaurds to mangle your jaw.

 

Then, doesn't that rule out all the "new" helmets at the Dealer??

Or do only disease-free, freshly showered Bikers try on all those helmets?? 8O

 

that used helmet might have bad jewjew so you should always cover your head with tin foil and carry a chicken foot while it's on

 

plus the foil will keep the government from reading your thoughts

 

Another reason (besides price) that I try on helmets at the dealership or accessory store, then go home and buy a nice brand new one in the box, over the innanet.

 

Hey Fitz, just saw your shoutblock post......I imagine insurance will cover that, but if you need help finding some parts let me know and I'll look around this area, too.

Dave F

 

that used helmet might have bad jewjew so you should always cover your head with tin foil and carry a chicken foot while it's on

I LOVE IT!!!!

 

Oh, it will; and it's lucky I didn't pop the radiator or anything so I should just be happy that the VW isn't worse off. Gonna need a headlight, RF fender and maybe the bumper cover. It still drives fine.

 

Well! Got the helmet - 50.00 shipped to my door and includes a bnib clear shield - even though that the one already on it looks brand new too, lol.

Thats 82% off msrp AND includes an extra shield!

It looks and smells as described, pretty much like new, and fits like a glove!

Story told by PO is that his brother bought it new a while ago when excited to restore an older bike, which he never ended up being able to get running, therefore never using the helmet.

His brother then recently gave the helmet to him, but it was too big for him and he had no use for it.

Then he sold it to me

So even though the helmet is not "new" its damn near if you ask me.

Long story short, I'm satisfied, and next year or the year after, I'll drop some cash on a new one, when I wont have all these start up costs to worry about.

Thanks again for all the imput guys, It deff prevented me from just buying a random used one off ebay.

Plus! It smells good! Like that new helmet smell that I smelled when trying on helmets/sizes at the motorcycle shop!! So no jewjew for this guy!

I just wish i could trade on of the extra shield for a dark smoke one... cause to buy one is like 30 bucks - almost what i paid for the helmet AND two shields!

 

Awesome deal !!

I'm sure anyone here would have bought it.

 

I would never buy a used helmet, my head/life is worth more then saving a couple of bucks.
Leather Up has a some good deals on their web site, but always try on a helmet before you buy.

 

Resurrecting this thread. Saw this on Reddit.

"Always wear a helmet, folks", the title of the post read...

 

If you notice, the scratches run 2 different directions -
the face area took 2 hits.