Oh my goodness... dropped bike on helmet.

[crackrock]

I feel so stupid this morning.

I was trying to start my bike and it didn't work... so I put my helmet on the ground, sit on the bike, remove the stand... try to start it...  does not work.  Forget the put back the stand, lock the handle bars, drop the bike on the side... on my brand new helmet.

I picked up the bike instantly... but the helmet is scratched.  I guess I will need to buy a new helmet... or maybe the damage is not so bad?  The two horizontal white lines are not related to this accident.  It is the result of the flash on the helmet shape.

[Bluesmudge]

That's a pretty big bump to your helmet and it probably compromised the safety of the internals. I would get a new helmet and ride real safe while you wear that one.

[Kasumi]

I never understand this, helmets stand up to alot. All it is polystyrene, a bump to it doesn't make it inoperable. Its like if you drop your helmet some people go spend another £300 buying a new one. If it cant stand a small drop more than once then whats going to happen when you land on the road and bounce? Is it a once only thing? Hit your head once and then hope to hell it doesnt bounce and hit the ground again cos ur buggered.

If it was actually mishapend as in the head itself or the shell was cracked. A small bump no thanks.

[crackrock]

Yeah I think I will just try to forget about this and keep wearing it.  The damage does not look too bad.  It looks worse in the picture than in real life.

What a way to start the day...  Then went at the post office to pickup a replacement for boots bought from newenough (they first shipped me the wrong size) and had to pay duty fees again...  Maybe I should have stayed in bed this morning.

[FreedomAlive]

how'd your bike hold up? did the helmet break its fall?

[crackrock]

The bike is fine.  It did not get damaged and already had scratches due to the previous owner dropping it, so it doesn't bother me.

I have learned a lesson and will always make sure the kick stand is down before getting off the bike.  As a new rider, I guess some mishaps are to be expected.

[Darkmyst]

My understanding is that the "I dropped it it's dead" idea behind helmets is crap and that they're fine from a few feet drop or whatever because there really isn't that much force behind the impact, just the helmets weight.  I personally would -not- trust a helmet that my bike fell on.  Thats a lot of weight and force on the helmet.

[sblack]

A small bump no thanks.

I wouldn't regard a bike falling on a helmet to be a small bump and not having a head in it is going to cause more damage to the helmet as the head would actually provide some support to the helmet. The only way of really having an idea of the damage to the helmet is with some sort of X-Ray as it's the damage to the styrofoam inside that matters most. It works by compressing and slowing the impact more gradually like the crumple zones of a car. Once it's compressed it no longer works so that's why helmets are regarded one accident items.

[ohgood]

My understanding is that the "I dropped it it's dead" idea behind helmets is crap and that they're fine from a few feet drop or whatever because there really isn't that much force behind the impact, just the helmets weight.  I personally would -not- trust a helmet that my bike fell on.  Thats a lot of weight and force on the helmet.

i always figured the manufacturers made up this feeling of 'dropped helmet = new helmet time'.

there is the thought though, that all it is, is some styro glued to a shell, and you really really want that styro to stay in place when you crash. if it's been dropped or hammered on, maybe the bond is weakened.

<shrug>

[spc]

Yeah, I'm not seeing there being any appreciable damage given the situation.  For the internal styrofoam to compress it would need force from 2 sides...........there wasn't a head in the helmet so it was only met with a momentary application of force from one side that was most likely completely dissipated by the outer shell and it's contact with the ground.

[coll0412]

ARAI actually put put a helmet tech note, and metioned that if you drop your helmet the inner styrofoam is fine. The outer shell could be damaged, and you should check to see if its cracked on the outer shell. My guess is that your helmet is fine, but depending on the manufacturer, you can send it in and have it inspected.

[shiznizbiz]

+1 SPC.
some oen paid attention in science.

[Darkmyst]

Yeah I think I aw some video of an Arai guy saying the dropped stuff was fine if the outside seemed okay.  As for this situation, yeah the outer shell took all the force not the inner styrofoam but I personally still wouldn't but my life on it.

But then, I only paid $75 for my helmet (Yay sales!) so it's not that huge of a monetary loss to me.

[sblack]

SPC, you raise an interesting point. The force acting on the sytrofoam will change greatly depending on whether there is a head in the helmet or not. It still has to absorb the same amount of force regardless though. Now with a head in the helmet the absorption the helmet will perform as designed, compressing in the plain between the impact and the head and dispersing the force in the plain perpendicular to that. Without the head in the helmet there will be flex in the plain that is designed to compress and any compression will happen in the plain that is designed to spread the impact. Being fairly brittle i suspect the flexing is likely to cause cracking and splitting of the styrofoam and that will probably be what the main damage to the internals will be. Whether this damage is any better or worse than if a head is in the helmet i don't know but i still expect there to be damage. If you want to test the theory out get a styrofoam esky and drop you bike on it.

[Teek]

But... it's already got a bullet hole in it!   

[Jackstand Johnny]

Get a new helmet dude.

[Esteban]

Depending on your head size, the AC-12 for $99 is a steal...
http://www.newenough.com/closeouts/bargain_basement/hjc/ac_12_axis_motorcycle_helmet.html

Approx 400 lbs on a helmet can't be good...  Honestly, better safe than sorry in this case.

[crackrock]

Depending on your head size, the AC-12 for $99 is a steal...
http://www.newenough.com/closeouts/bargain_basement/hjc/ac_12_axis_motorcycle_helmet.html

Approx 400 lbs on a helmet can't be good...  Honestly, better safe than sorry in this case.

It is quite a deal... but it's on closeout because the only sizes left are XS, XL and XXL.  I take medium.

[trumpetguy]

Yeah, I'm not seeing there being any appreciable damage given the situation.  For the internal styrofoam to compress it would need force from 2 sides...........there wasn't a head in the helmet so it was only met with a momentary application of force from one side that was most likely completely dissipated by the outer shell and it's contact with the ground.

+1  I have to agree with spc on this one.  It's the styrofoam you're really worried about.  If you are anal-retentive, buy a new one, but judging from the fact that you posted here rather than just went out to buy a new one, I'm guessing you're not!

Ride on, dude.