Dont buy FOX!

[JJ_Moto]

Did you buy the helmet directly from Fox? Probably not! So why don't you take it to the place of purchase and have the local rep inspect it? Same issue with any products...take it to the original place of purchase and have a representative of the company inspect it. If you are a good loyal customer to the shop, they will go to bat for you and recommend to the rep to replace it! This is just the ways the world works! If your car is out of warranty and you have a problem, but, you have good service records and frequent the dealership regularly, the manufacturers rep would step-up and support that consumer with a "goodwill" authorization. Sounds like you need to think about your tactics or methods better.

[moto428]

yak, im in gardnerville,just down the road from you.i e-mailed this thread to fox in hopes they'll help you out.if they dont,buy a shoei...best helmet ive ever had.

[Guest mxrider426]

Man, I would tell someone about the cracked helmet. Someone might not see the crack, buy it, fall hard and become a vegetable the rest of his life. Then the news will be all over it, and people will get the wrong impression of bikes, and we'll get get riding areas closed down, and the eco-nazi's will have another victory. ?

[freestyle111]

first of all if someone is stupid enough to pay $260 for helmet and not look at it first they probabl already have brain damage.the reason i didnt tell a cyclegear employee was because fox distibuter is only 15 min from that cyclegear so i figured they would of sent it back to fox within 1 or 2 days and evidence of faulty design would be gone.i wanted Yak to at least have opportunity to use that helmet as leverage in his argument with fox.i made sure helmet was well out of reach for most customers there was 20 more of same helmet sitting on shelf at eye level so why would anybody want to go out of way to get down that helmet.if i wouldnt of read this post the other day i would of shown helmet to someone working in store.

[55373]

Yak, What's your email address? I work in the motorcycle industry and may be able to get you a new helmet. Or email me at h2yamyk@msn.com

[big_G]

Yak,

First, how did you establish the thickness of that shell? Are you guessing? Do you have a spec. on what it is or should be? Is it really too thin or just seems thin to you?

Secondly, why do you deny having a real crash when your first pic shows clearly what looks to be two big smack marks on the right side of the fracture. Your second pic leaves both those out.(One above the triangle graphic, one to the lower right). Did you have 2 fake crashes??

Also, there is nothing arbitrary about crash damage. It's either there or not. Check the liner for yourself if you think Fox is lying. Why did you ask for a crash replacement anyway? Would you be okay with replacing your own gear had you went down after 5 years instead of 5 rides??? Your point's are somewhat contradictory in that you didn't crash supposedly, yet you're asking for a crash replacement. What's up with that??

Now granted, from an engineering viewpoint, that crack seems to have propogated from the corner of the vent opening, and by my standards, incorporating such a stress riser for cosmetic sakes is a poor design. Still, I'm hardpressed to figure how that crack got so big by itself. Bad design or otherwise, that helmet didn't crack itself, did it??? If your crash was that "light", you'll never prove it with those pics.

You either hit harder than you think or your kids used that thing as a chair. Only the foam inside knows for sure and that fracture suggest's that there are 1-2 dents the exact radius of your nugget in there.

Just wonderin...

[4:20six]

I think Fox gear is crap. My boots are shot after 1 season, my gloves lasted about four rides, knee/shin guards velcro straps all busted off.But i do like my chest protector, i think it's called the airframe or something like that, but the rest of my fox gear is being replaced with other brands, because it just doesn't hold up well.

[needsprayer]

There is a little thing called maintenance. Cleaning chain crude off of boots, stitching a loose velcro strap back onto a pad and using riding gloves for riding will extend the life of your gear.

I have a lot of FOX gear: boots, knee and arm pads, gloves and now the Pilot Helmet (crash tested my last helmet ? ). My equipment has lasted one year and I expect it to last a while longer with a little maintenance and care.

The one piece of gear that isn't FOX is the HRP Hydro Flak Jacket. IMHO, an excellent product.

YMMV

[4:20six]

Maintanance? What is that? I never wash my gear, I just let the mud and B.O. build up forever, my pants can stand up on their own! I never change my oil either, how do I do that, and what exactly IS oil anyways, it can't be that important? I am stoopid please tell me more o wise one. Maintanance has nothing to do with the fact that all my fox gear fell apart because it was poorly made of cheap materials. Period. Maybe your gear has lasted long because you do not ride hard enough. Fox gear cannot stand up to the punishment my riding buddies and I deliver. Ride hard and see how long your Fox gear lasts. I stand by my original statement...

[4:20six]

Sorry, didn't mean to insult you, I justdidn't think "A Big Red Pig" can be tossed around with such violence as a 426. Ride on.

[needsprayer]

OK, ya got me. I don't ride hard. I've got nice wide open (desert) spaces and I don't hit the ground that often. ?

And you are right about the BRP, you don't throw it around. You have to think ahead when you ride.

[Jeff_Bailey]

Cal and Kevin have it right. Contrary to popular belief helmets ARE DISPOSABLE. It sucks economically, but it's a fact. Snell, DOT, and any helmet manufacturer will advise destroying any helmet once it has endured any moderate impact.

Having been in the motorcycle industry most of my life as well, I've been fortunate enough to see first hand what happens to a helmet internally once it has had an imact similar to a 3 to 4 foot static drop. You're head should survive, but the integrity of the helmet is likely to be degraded, though no visible signs may be present. If your head isn't that valuble to you, then great, keep re-wearing a crashed helmet. You might be lucky and endure maany impacts without ever being injured, but your helmet may not be offering the protection it was designed to at that point.

I'm not going to get involved with the Fox helmet debate, because I have no idea what it may or may not have gone through. When I worked at a Honda dealership, we were fortunate enough to have ana owner that was with it as far as helmet safety was concerned. It was also a heart breaker to watch him destroy a $450.00 Shoei street helmet after a customer dropped it on the concrete showroom floor. When questioned, he simply answered that $450.00 was far cheeper than the potential lawsuit he may have suffered had he sold the helmet, a rider crashed, and it was discovered that there was previously unseen damage to the helmet.

I'm not claiming to be the nations helmet expert, but I do know this issue pretty well. It's comparable to an airbag in a car. In an accident it's there, and hopefully it will reduce injury, and hopefully save a life, but once it's been put to use, it's done. you don't repack an air-bag, just as you should never wear a crashed helmet. Ever price an airbag for a car? you'd wish it were only a helmet!!

Be safe everyone, and also don't assume that the more expensive the helmet the better. Go for the newest Snell approval, and fit. a poor fitting helmet is almost as dangerous as going without one all together.

[ July 02, 2002: Message edited by: Jeff Bailey ]

[ July 02, 2002: Message edited by: Jeff Bailey ]