Motorcycle Helmet Restoration/Rebuild Anyone know a place?

[Sootz]

Hey! Does anyone know a place/company/friend that can do a fix up and reline a helmet that I own? I have a helmet that is no longer in production but never dropped that I absolutely love and would like to take occasionally out but some of the plastic tags and the interior lining has become undone.

It's a SUOMY Helmet in particular. Any info would be really appreciated as this helmet and I have a long story together and I will find a way to fix it up no matter the length it takes to do so.

[Talon]

Not to be a buzzkill, but I would feel safer polishing the lid up and displaying it rather than wearing it on a ride now and again. After several years the EPS in the helmet breaks down. I have owned several Suomy lids and loved them (Spec 1R, Apex, etc.), but after five years I put them out to pasture. Not worth the risk of falling off and not having a helmet that is still up to the job of saving your brain.

[The Cheese]

Your best to put it up on a shelf. You don't say how old it is, but I suspect old enough to not use anymore. You will not find anybody willing to refurbish it. Least not legally, competently, or professionally.

I suggest reaching out to the manufacturer and asking them. I'm sure they will say the same.

[Sootz]

Definitely makes sense, wonder if theres a way to replace the entire helmet then and just keep the exterior design. Would be awesome to figure out. Thanks for the advice guys.

[Talon]

Definitely makes sense, wonder if theres a way to replace the entire helmet then and just keep the exterior design. Would be awesome to figure out. Thanks for the advice guys.

You could buy a plain helmet, preferably white, and have it custom painted or wrapped to match the old lid. I am looking into having a helmet wrapped as opposed to painted.

[6]

Definitely makes sense, wonder if theres a way to replace the entire helmet then and just keep the exterior design. Would be awesome to figure out. Thanks for the advice guys.

I'm wondering if you could replace the interior crush foam while keeping the shell. ..

This is probably something worth a Google as it's not a common thing to do, but I bet someone somewhere rehabs helmets.


Out of curiosity, whats it look like?


And not to be the devil on the shoulder... But... If it's never been down, been stored in decent conditions and was a quality lid, I would ride with it. ..

My main Street helmet is dated 2010 or so. It's not something I plan on bouncing off the pavement a lot. It's not a race lid.
.
I had a helmet I just had to retire. Dated 2019.

I crashed it 20+ times and a good bit of them where direct to the head (all under 40-50 mph) . I could absolutely feel the difference after the last few hits..

the day I went over the highside and bounced my head off the ground and stood up dizzy I knew it was time. I replaced it with an Arai dated 2014-15.. this one is better. .

Raci f Speedway you crash a lot. No one replaces a helmet every wack. A lot of us wouldnbe spending $400 a weekend... So it's a little different, but I can tell you with confidence they still work well old, and also after a few small wacks.

[Sootz]

You could buy a plain helmet, preferably white, and have it custom painted or wrapped to match the old lid. I am looking into having a helmet wrapped as opposed to painted.

Yeah, that’s a possibility. I think I realized I could just find a interior liner of the same model bike and just fix it up that way and still use this one. I personally don’t think you need a fresh helmet for a ride up to Malibu and the rock store. Hell, Harley’s just wear a bucket on those rides. I have a new 2022 Suomy for the track and if I want to go out racing. I was just hoping and wanted to reach out to see if there was anyone out there that specialized in helmets since this is one of those where I’d fix it up no matter the cost.

[Sootz]

I'm wondering if you could replace the interior crush foam while keeping the shell. ..

This is probably something worth a Google as it's not a common thing to do, but I bet someone somewhere rehabs helmets.


Out of curiosity, whats it look like?


And not to be the devil on the shoulder... But... If it's never been down, been stored in decent conditions and was a quality lid, I would ride with it. ..

My main Street helmet is dated 2010 or so. It's not something I plan on bouncing off the pavement a lot. It's not a race lid.
.
I had a helmet I just had to retire. Dated 2019.

I crashed it 20+ times and a good bit of them where direct to the head (all under 40-50 mph) . I could absolutely feel the difference after the last few hits..

the day I went over the highside and bounced my head off the ground and stood up dizzy I knew it was time. I replaced it with an Arai dated 2014-15.. this one is better. .

Raci f Speedway you crash a lot. No one replaces a helmet every wack. A lot of us wouldnbe spending $400 a weekend... So it's a little different, but I can tell you with confidence they still work well old, and also after a few small wacks.

This is it…if you’ve been to any LA rides and meetups with hawk members it might look familiar and you can guess who sold it to me. I agree with your post too, def rideable.

[Talon]

This is it…if you’ve been to any LA rides and meetups with hawk members it might look familiar and you can guess who sold it to me. I agree with your post too, def rideable.

The actual padding - crown liner & cheek pads - should be easy to locate. A quick Google search turned up this:
https://www.speedaddicts.com/motorcy...ner-10mm-large

[Henway]

EPS hates sunlight but that shouldn't be a huge problem inside a helmet. Exposing it to gas fumes and having it over your fuel filler, even when closed, isn't a great idea.
Compressing the EPS in any way permanently deforms it, so hanging it on your mirror isn't a great idea.
The replaceable pads sit on top of the EPS.
I buy relatively inexpensive HJCs and replace them when I go down on the track--fortunately it's been about a decade and 2 helmets since then. Arai's are fantastic but I treat it as a consumable and it's too expensive for a consumable for me.
YMMV.

[6]

This is it…if you’ve been to any LA rides and meetups with hawk members it might look familiar and you can guess who sold it to me. I agree with your post too, def rideable.

Dude..! I wanted that helmet SO BADLY!!

Suomy absolutely had the best graphics for a long time.. they where a game changer. I remember seeing them for the first time what I was at RPM in 03/04.

Dope lid

[6]

EPS hates sunlight but that shouldn't be a huge problem inside a helmet. Exposing it to gas fumes and having it over your fuel filler, even when closed, isn't a great idea.
Compressing the EPS in any way permanently deforms it, so hanging it on your mirror isn't a great idea.
The replaceable pads sit on top of the EPS.
I buy relatively inexpensive HJCs and replace them when I go down on the track--fortunately it's been about a decade and 2 helmets since then. Arai's are fantastic but I treat it as a consumable and it's too expensive for a consumable for me.
YMMV.

This is a debate I have with myself often. What's better, a 5 year old $600 helmet that is in good shape, or, a brand new $119 lid straight off the wall.

Normally I'll chose older quality (except when tech says no)... But I don't know for sure. I just trust nice things over new things most of the time. Does the quality counteract the age??? Who knows.

You are going to highside at 120mpb. You are going to wack your head... Not a choice. You have to take the hit to save your family..

You can have a 2015 lid. Anything you want to pick get a helmet that was $1200... Back then.

Or you can have a brand new $119 lid off the shelf with a picture of an evil jester on it.

What do you pick?

[Gondul]

So... FWIW, there is this study.
Granted these are bicycle helmets, but still made from EPS... "Based on these data, the impact attenuation properties of EPS foam in field-used bicycle helmets do not degrade with the age."

Do as you will...

https://www.helmets.org/helmetlineraging.htm

[Fastmongrel]

Helmet design has improved a vast amount in the last ten years. I would guess any modern budget helmet with the latest ECE (or equivalent) marks will be safer than even the most expensive ten years old helmet.

Personally I buy an ECE marked budget Polycarbonate helmet but replace it every couple of years or as soon as it gets even a small knock.

I have never understood people who wear old ratty or damaged helmets, unless they have a spare brain at home or like being fed through a tube.

[6]

I have never understood people who wear old ratty or damaged helmets, unless they have a spare brain at home or like being fed through a tube.

Because when you are broke and racing, you make decisions on the lesser of the evils. Or broke and riding, same deal less extent... Also some people are uneducated, and some people are just dumb.

Harley dealer by my mom sells $600 dome caps.... If you are very concerned with your hair, and nothing else above your neck matters, they may be for you.... People buy them... I find those people confusing... We all do things others don't get I guess.

In the world in which I exist risk is built in. A reasonably high risk threshold is imperative to do the things I like to do.

I do many things far more risky than wearing a 5 year old helmet. Or a pre crashed one. If I was going to try and take that helmet $ and invest it in safety then there are places it would make way more sense to put it than to invest it into replacing a helmet that is going to do its job well under all but the most extreme circumstance.

I could make lists, but trust me... Come take a look at my race set-up. My helmet isn't going to be the first choice for replacement.

Id argue that most people on here do something that involves more risk than riding with an old helmet. Eat McDonald's when you maybe shouldn't? Heart disease because of obesity is the leading cause of death in America... Old helmets lag far behind.

Reality is we all make choices on risks are worth mitigating to what extent. Id be willing to bet under scrutiny none of our risk management plans hold up to math and logic.