I'm gonna ask anyway... Re-lining a vintage helmet

scott s

Over 1,000 Posts
DTT BOTM WINNER
Yes, I know....a vintage helmet is dangerous and will get me killed or cause TBI.

I want to restore/customize a vintage helmet that will be mostly for show or maybe riding around car shows, swap meets, the perimeter road at Barber, etc.

Searching turns up either, 1) shops that offer it as a service or, 2) many, many , many threads telling me I'm going to die if I restore a vintage helmet.

I would like a how-to on redoing the inside. Foam, rubber, liner, etc.

Yes, I know about Bell, Bullit, Gringo, etc.
Yes, I know modern helmets are better and safer.
Yes, I know the old foam degrades.
Yes, I know certain glues and paints can cause the foam to fail.
Yes...whatever warning you're about to give me....yes, I know.

Please, a how to on redoing the inside of a vintage helmet?
 
There's a study in the Journal of Biomechanical Engineering that showed the foam from bicycle helmets produced between 1987 - 2013 did not degrade. They held their same impact resistance. To some degree, people over blow it. A helmet built then, that can meet today's standards for safety, will still be relatively safe. I would still feel pretty safe in a vintage Shoei or Simpson, although they're probably a helluva lot heavier. And they do make adhesives that can be sprayed on foam.
 
YOU'RE GOING TO DIE!

Wait isn't that what everyone tells me about riding motorcycles?
 
Yeah, you've got all the warnings down. I think that probably the best place to put an old helmet is into the trash. Having said that, though, I could see that it would be desirable to get something vintage for the fun of it in the situations you described. I've been seeing lots of helmets in second-hand stores for pretty cheap. It seems to me that it might be a good idea to pick up a couple oldies to practice on. Research for the latest in energy absorbing or energy distributing foams (maybe football helmet kits from sporting goods stores?) different lining materials (cloth) and then just experiment with foams, materials, and adhesives and see what you can come up with. For myself, once I got pretty comfortable with the technology for the energy absorption foam I'd feel a little more comfortable with an older helmet for limited use. I've read that a lesser-known problem with older helmets is that the shell can get brittle from UV so I guess even if I got the inside so I felt comfortable with it I'd still be cautious about the shell.
 
Not sure if they still offer it but a few years back Biltwell was selling a re-line kit that basically just slips into the shell of your old helmet. I used one on my dad's old helmet and it fits beautifully, is very comfortable, didn't break the bank, and was very easy to do. It isn't DOT approved and probably isn't the BEST safety equipment money can buy, but it works!
 
A new lining kit would be the easy way to go. I have an old Bell Moto3 that I only wear for short non-highway rides like the ScottS, the OP posted. I ride differently with the old Moto3 than I would with my newish Shoei but it still has it's place once in awhile.

If no kit, then learn to use a sewing machine.
 
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