What's wrong with 04 helmet? It could be much cheaper than the newest :roll:[/quote]
For safety reason, it is recommended that the helmet is replaceed every 2 ~ 3 years even no crashs is involved.
The primary reason is that the structural integrity of the polystyrene is said to break down in sunlight after 2 ~ 3 years, and will not provide the same protection to your head as when it's new.
Another tip - all helmets ($10 or $300) have the same safty ratings. An expensive helmet may be just looking good but a cheap one does the same job when you're hit by a crash.