bell motorcycle helmet restoration

Q:How Can I Tell If My Helmet Has Been Damaged? A:If at any time you are unsure or have questions about your Bell helmet’s condition, you can send it to Bell for a free inspection. Our technician will thoroughly inspect your helmet, note any damage found and make our recommendations on whether the helmet should continue to be used. for more details on this free service. Q:What Kind of Warranty Does My Helmet Come With? A:Any Bell helmet determined by Bell to be defective in materials or workmanship within one (1) year from the date of original purchase will be repaired or replaced, at Bell’s option, free of charge when received at the factory freight prepaid, together with proof of purchase. or refer to your helmet owner’s manual. Q:How Can I Obtain Replacement Parts For My Helmet? concerning replacement parts or any questions you may have concerning Bell products. Q:Can I Use My Bell Bicycle Helmet for Other Sports/Activities Besides Cycling?

They can damage a helmet so that its protective capabilities are significantly reduced.
2008 ducati 848 motorcycle for sale Q:How Often Should a Helmet Be Replaced? A:Bell has a general recommendation of replacing your helmet every three (3) years. for information on a free inspection. Q:What Do I Do If My Helmet Becomes Damaged? A:Helmets don’t last forever. If the helmet is visibly damaged (cracked outer shell, crushed or cracked foam liner or any other damage) don’t use it. Some or all of the helmet’s protective capacity is used up when impacted, and the damage to a helmet is not always visible. Q:How Do I Store My Helmet? A:After each use, allow the helmet to air dry and then store it in a cool, dry place where it won’t get damaged. Note: excessive heat can damage your helmet. For example, in direct sunlight a dark gear bag, the interior of a car, or an automobile trunk can get hot enough to cause heat damage (damaged helmets will appear to have uneven or bubbly surfaces).

Therefore, when not being used for a period of time we recommend that the helmet be placed back into its box or case and stored in a cool, dry place. for information on a free inspection. Q:How Do I Take Care of My Helmet? Helmets are made of materials that can be damaged by many commonly available cleaners. Petroleum based solvents or cleaners are especially dangerous. They can damage a helmet so that its protective capabilities are significantly reduced. Many times this damage is not visible. For best results, clean the helmet using a soft cloth or sponge, warm water and mild soap (such as a mild dish soap). We get inquiries from day care centers or from people who share their helmets, and are concerned about lice infestation. Here’s a simple, effective way to get rid of them: Step 1 – Do not use spray of any type Step 2 – Place the helmet into an airtight plastic bag for 48 hours. Then, remove the pads and use a soft cloth or sponge, warm water and mild soap to clean the surface.

Step 3 – Discard the pads and plastic bag (keep bag out of reach of children due to suffocation hazard) and visit your local Bell dealer for replacement pads. Q:Does Bell Have a Crash Replacement Program? A:Bell is interested in your safety and in advancing our state-of-the-art in head protection. If your helmet is involved in an accident you may be able to get a credit toward a new helmet from Bell by doing the following: a. Your damaged helmet b. A copy of your dated cash register receipt c. A letter describing your accident (in as much detail as possible) Bell Sports – Consumer ServiceCrash replacement program is available to U.S. customers only. Customers outside the U.S. should call 800-456-2355 or e-mail us for information on the crash replacement program applicable to them. Remember: NEVER wear a helmet that’s been involved in an accident.Bob Weber had a small but simple plan. He wanted to design a safer helmet for dirt bike riders.The Brea-based entrepreneur ended up disrupting the $250-million-a-year motorcycle helmet industry and igniting a debate over head injuries that could have much broader impact.

Weber's company, 6D, already has an admiring imitator in Bell, the leading U.S. helmet company, which has released a new model in direct response to 6D's ground-breaking design.In what 6D calls the first comprehensive revision to the motorcycle helmet in half a century, the company installed a movable interior liner that absorbs and disperses the energy of a crash, much the way an automobile's "crumple zones" do. After two decades in the power-sports business, Weber — a veteran racer, rider and industry executive — had come to believe that motorcycle helmets, counterintuitively, were too strong. Designed to protect riders from the most catastrophic crashes, the helmets were actually too hard to protect them from anything else.His 6D helmet instead aims to protect riders from far more common concussions and brain injuries that can occur in lower-speed accidents. It could have implications well beyond motorcycling, as the new head-protection technology migrates to other sports — particularly football, where a debate is raging over how to protect players from concussions.

Bell acknowledges that its new Moto-9 Flex helmet was inspired by the innovation at 6D, which released its Advanced Impact Defense helmet in 2013. Bell's parent company, Fenway Partners, through its subsidiaries Riddell and Giro, may soon incorporate the same new technology into football, bicycle and snowboarding helmets, according to Bell. "Did they drive us to build a better helmet? Absolutely!" said Chris Sackett, Bell's vice president. "I definitely want to give them credit. It got us thinking."Their thinking led to a competitive helmet — at a lower price. The 6D helmets start at $745. A Bell Moto-9 Flex costs $649. An equivalent Arai VX-Pro4 runs about $600. But an entry-level off-road helmet from HJC could cost less than $100.Weber said 6D welcomes the competition, even from industry giant Bell."They've got way more money and bigger distribution capability and more marketing funds — and they priced their helmet $100 less than our helmet," Weber said. "But the helmet industry has been asleep at the wheel for years about this issue.

So I welcome them to the market."Weber said 6D has plans for an expanded product line, possibly into other sports, but declined to elaborate.The head-protection industry is big business. There are currently an estimated 10 million to 12 million motorcycle riders in the U.S. About half of all U.S. states have mandatory, universal helmet laws — though most require helmets for children and young adults.The numbers go up dramatically when they include helmets worn in other sports, such as bicycling, skiing, snowboarding, football and horse-riding.Health and transportation experts agree that helmet use improves rider and passenger safety. The Governors Highway Safety Assn. reported in mid-May that more than 4,500 U.S. motorcyclists died in 2014, and pressed for universal helmet laws."Helmets are the single most effective way to prevent serious injury and death in the event of a motorcycle crash," the GHSA said.But not even the experts agree on what makes a safe helmet, or what kind of protection is best for the average rider.

A representative for the most widely recognized helmet-testing body dismissed the 6D helmet, saying it might meet the legal definition for safety, as set by the U.S. Department of Transportation, but is not safer for the users."These 6D helmets are 40% to 100% less protective in a severe crash," said Hong Zhang, education director for the Snell Foundation.Zhang said her organization bought a 6D helmet, which was not submitted for Snell approval, and tested it. "The 6D helmet does meet the minimum DOT standard," she said. "Any other claim, there is no science to prove it."But others insist the Snell standards are too high and test only for one kind of accident. Specifically, the Snell test involves striking the helmet hard, twice, in the same place — a test critics say is left over from the days when helmets had to protect against roll-over accidents in race cars."To pass Snell, you have to hit the helmet really, really hard," said David Thom, senior consultant specializing in head protection with the independent research firm Collision and Injury Dynamics.

"But how many people actually have that kind of accident? Traditional helmet design involves a two-ply system. The hard, shiny poly-carbonate or fiberglass exterior is designed to withstand blunt force from a direct impact. The firm, expanded polystyrene or Styrofoam inner lining is designed to absorb the energy transferred through the hard outer surface.But by trying to protect against high-energy impact, Thom and others said, the traditional helmet surfaces are too hard, and have too little flexibility, to absorb lower-energy impacts.Both the 6D and Bell Moto-Flex operate like traditional motorcycle helmets. Both are lightweight — about 3.5 pounds each — with good ventilation and visibility. They are designed to fit snugly and be secured to the rider's head by a traditional chin strap.In a slow-speed accident, their manufacturers argue, the rider's head will be much better protected than in a helmet of the traditional style.Weber said his privately held company is doing well. He said revenue doubled from 2013 to 2014, but he declined to offer further details on company sales and finances.6D has already followed the dirt bike helmet with a mountain biking version, and will have a street riding helmet on the market by early 2016.