Scorpion EXO-700 Hi-viz helmet fading?

[BlueLghtning]

So any of the guys/gals with the new Scorpion EXO-700 hi-viz had any trouble with their helmets fading?

I just got back from a 2 week trip out West where my wife and I covered 4600 miles and my helmet faded terribly on the top over that time period. I didn't notice anything before we left, but about half way through the trip, I noticed the top was starting to look a bit less bright and sure enough with in a couple of days, it was obvious how bad it was getting. Now the top of the helmet is a very pale yellow vs the bright hi-viz neon. Its still very bright around the bottom half, but the part that's in the sun when ever you ride is definitely showing significant signs of fading and turning to a very pale dull shade of yellow.

I plan on writing Scorpion and sending pictures of the helmet. I haven't even owned this helmet 6 months yet. If the helmet was a couple years old, I might not be so concerned, but 6 months old and it pretty much did this over 2 weeks of solid riding. I hope its a manufacturing defect and not typical of these hi-viz helmets. I was so excited when I first saw them announced.

I'll get pictures up ASAP.

[SpitfireTriple]

Tell us more.

[bwringer]

From what I understand, all fluorescent colors will fade.

[BlueLghtning]

Originally Posted by SpitfireTriple

Tell us more.

Sorry, I keep forgetting to take some pics. I still need to contact Scorpion.

[BlueLghtning]

Originally Posted by bwringer

From what I understand, all fluorescent colors will fade.

Yeah, but in less then 3-4 months. I just got this helmet in March. If 2 years had past, okay, I'd go with you. Fading in less then a year is not worth it then to even purchase this helmet.

[Flashmo]

Start riding more at night...the sun is pretty harsh out here in the West.



Damn, you made me think of all the stuff around the house that is getting sun faded and needs new paint. Screw it, I'll go riding instead.

[omnivore]

I just bought one and ordered another for my wife. Please keep us posted as to what Scorpion has to say about it.

[humvee]

Check out the most recent reader feedback on the webbike article. pics of sun fading after a couple months.

http://www.webbikeworld.com/r2/motor.../exo-700-neon/


but who leaves a helmet strapped to a bike for months on end?

[BlueLghtning]

Just an update, I ended up calling Scorpion about my helmet and it fading. Their first question they asked was if I left it outside on my bike during the day. I said no, I never do that. It always comes in with me and besides that I actually have covered MC parking at my job.

However, I do ride everyday and had been on a 2 week trip when I noticed the issue. The guy started questioning me about my trip, but then I asked who was the target audience with this helmet? It sure wasn't going to be the stunters or the fair weather weekend riders. Most people that would be interested in this helmet would be daily commuters and long distance riders who ride in all kinds of weather and the helmet needed to stand up to that kind of use. He agreed with me and then asked me to take it to my local shop to have them send it in and as long as I didn't use any harsh or unapproved chemicals on the outer shell, they should warranty it.

I am guessing though this will be an ongoing issue as the paint just can't stand up to the sun after long periods of exposure. The paint on the Hi-Viz helmet appears to be very fragile unfortunately from my experience with the helmet. I guess that's a nature of the hi-viz paint, because my previous Scorpion helmets held up just fine with many thousands of miles of use. I'm not sure if there is anything they can do to make it stronger and more resistant to stuff? My issue is though that you should be able to get more then 6 months of out this helmet before it starts to really fade. Even a year would be getting on my nerves. Maybe a thicker gloss/protective coat? I had several rock chips in the front where the paint was completely gone and even an area on the side where I had fumbled it in my hands one day and subsequently dropped it. It landed right on the side behind where the shield attaches and cracked some of the paint right there. I was immediately disappointed to see this as it started as a spider web of cracked paint, but eventually over just a couple months, this area ended up flaking a fairly good sized of paint of (about half dollar size). That really showed me just how fragile that paint is. Maybe they'll redesign the way its painted and come up with something a tad more robust. I'm thinking even if it meant giving up a bit of the hi-viz in favor of being a bit more robust, the tradeoff might be very welcome.

As for the fading, my fading was on the very top of the helmet though, and nothing on the sides as the gentleman in that Webbike world article. Obviously with him leaving his on his mirror, you can see how just one side is faded vs the other. I do think leaving it on your bike everyday is asking for a bit more above beyond of what the helmet manufactures expected.

[SCQTT]

There is no way around this. Flourescent colors fade. There is not UV block paint additive that can or will stop this. When possible keep your helmet out of the sun. (Like take it into work with you instaed of leaving it on the bike in the parking lot all day long.)

[BlueLghtning]

^ As I said above, my helmet is only outside when its on my head.

There is no reason for me to leave it on the bike. Even when I run into a store, its in my hand or sitting inside my hard case on my bike, no just out in the open.

[SCQTT]

Originally Posted by BlueLghtning

^ As I said above, my helmet is only outside when its on my head.

There is no reason for me to leave it on the bike. Even when I run into a store, its in my hand or sitting inside my hard case on my bike, no just out in the open.

I know you can go 4600 miles in 80, or even less, riding hours. In the bright sun that might be enough to fade it. Shoei had this same problem in the early 90's with a flourescent street helmet.

Maybe someone else will chime in, but I think this is to be expected. Scorpion might warranty a few of them on a "customer service" level, but I do not think they will admit to it being a flaw. If enough people are unhappy about this happening and make a big stink out of it Scorpion will fix this problem by discontinuing this color option.

[Xeraux]

Originally Posted by SCQTT

Maybe someone else will chime in, but I think this is to be expected. Scorpion might warranty a few of them on a "customer service" level, but I do not think they will admit to it being a flaw. If enough people are unhappy about this happening and make a big stink out of it Scorpion will fix this problem by discontinuing this color option.

Bingo.


Hey, SCQTT! Where's dinner tomorrow night?

[keiji]

Originally Posted by BlueLghtning

I was immediately disappointed to see this as it started as a spider web of cracked paint, but eventually over just a couple months, this area ended up flaking a fairly good sized of paint of (about half dollar size). That really showed me just how fragile that paint is. Maybe they'll redesign the way its painted and come up with something a tad more robust. I'm thinking even if it meant giving up a bit of the hi-viz in favor of being a bit more robust, the tradeoff might be very welcome.

The paint has always been easy to chip on on EXO-700's. I believe it is just the nature of the fiberglass shells, as I've heard of the issue on shoe's/arai's as well.

[BlueLghtning]

I don't know, I've had two previous EXO-700's even one I crashed in and I never had them chip paint like this Hi-Viz one has. This is what happened immediately after it fell like 1 foot as I was trying keep hold of it in my hand.





You can see later on how big that area got and it actually kept getting bigger.


As for the fading, I found this picture. This way Day 1 of our 2 week trip so it actually had started fading already, I just didn't notice it till a few days later. It wasn't until I got back home and started going through pictures that I even noticed it was already fading before we started the trip. You can definitely see how the top has become a pale yellow. The entire top section of the helmet eventually started looking like this by the time we finished that trip.