helmet or no helmet

You serious?

 

My face hurts just looking at it.

I once fell off of a bicycle with no helmet. Slid about 25 feet or so, ended with with a few staples and a broken clavicle.

 

I live in California where it is mandatory. As much I as a hate government intrusion (we have plenty in Ca.), I think the helmet law is good. I know almost all the sport, & touring riders would wear them anyway, some biking segments probably need the helmet law. I personally wouldn't ride 10 feet without one. Keep your brain safe.

 

most of the time, yes. Didn't in the past, but more and more frequently wearing one. But, if it is just a dhort hop or just around town, then no. But, here in these little towns I don't have the traffic as bad, either.

 

:soapbox:

Look, there are always going to be some riders who refuse to wear a helmet, and it's their right to do so. To most, they are referred to as idiots, while others call them morons, or even imbeciles. But please, lay off and leave them alone. I like to think of them as providing a public service by fulfilling a vital need - freshly harvested human organs. Since their brain can't yet be transplanted, no harm, no foul.

 

ATGATT. No question. I live in NH, so it's not a law, it's just common sense.

And this happened less than a 1/2 mile from my home. Just out on a quick rip the day before my 35th bday.



I agree that it shouldn't be a law. We already regulate far too much. But I disagree that it only affects the rider. You die, we all pay in the form of higher insurance, more bad press, and the senseless loss of another brother/sister.

 

I live in Arkansas which does not have a helmet law, but I do wear a Helmet.....a bright Yellow Shoei RF1000. In my area, you'll see most of the following riders wear a helmet almost 100% of the time: Sport Bike, BMW, FJR, Gold Wing. The riders that do not have a helmet on almost 100% of the time: Harley.

 

I friend and I took a trip to Myrtle Beach last year. Being from TN (helmet law) and traveling in and around Myrtle Beach (no helmet law) we thought it would be fun to tool around w/o helmets. It was ok in the bumper to bumper stop and go traffic up and down the beach. But, when we hit the bigger road (speed about 35) we looked at each other and said "Helmet time". We went back to the hotel and got them. The wind in the face and eyes SUCKED!!! As did the bugs and sand kicked up by all the cars. Not only that, but looking down at the pavement and thinking of what would happen if I went down, OUCH!!! I see the Harley guys riding the interstate in their "skid lids" and wonder what the heck are they thinking??? There is no way they can see where they are going with all the bugs and wind in their eyes. It's helmet time all the time for me.

 

I wear a helmet all the time...

Subquestion: I wear a Vega brand of helmet. It just seemed to fit better than some of the other brands. Vega products are much, much less expensive than a lot of helmets. Do you guys think, as a brand, that this helmet will adequately protect my melon?

 

if it has a dot sticker then according to the governmen it will protect yo. thats how it is up here in michigan.

 

dumb questionre. but. HOW.

example 1. you turn a corner and the guy across decides to take off without looking and you end up on the ground.

example 2. your front tire has an unseeable defect and pops. you end up on the ground.

example 3. how did the rabbit cross the road. it didnt. it tried to beat you and you hit it. your head then acts like a brake pad on pavement and you go from 55 to 911 in about 1.5 seconds.

i just do not see how a helmet in these situations is going to be a bad thing.

my sympathies for the poor rabbit.

i know what its like to hit the pavement at 55ish mph. the pavement inside my skull made me wish i was smarter.

 

if you want my opinion : 40 years with bikes, several hundred thousand km...
twice down : helmet twice saved my head...my family is still thanking the helmet manufacturer. Well, stop talking about this subject : wear your helmet and go.
Lamps to all VFR owners
Carmine

 

It is not a right to not wear a helmet; it's their choice not to wear a helmet.

BZ

 

If, at 1:39 am, you are awake, please repeat:

Don't drink and drive
Don't drink and ride
Don't drink and boat
Don't drink and post

 

I had my first (unfortunately I have had more than one) big get off in collage, back then I wore a helmet about 50% of time. It was cold and I hand a helmet on when I crashed and bloke a leg among other things. Back then there were no full coverage helmets and I had some nasty facial cuts but my brains were still intact and the back of my Bell had a deep gouge that I believe would have killed me had I not been wearing it. I have never ridden without a Helmet since then; I do NOT care if it is 110 degrees out or if I am just going around the block.

 

I wear KBC helmets for the fit. None of the others (Arai, etc.) fit me very well, either.

I rode for years with no helmet (1970's pre-helmet law California; young, broke, and optimistic...). My sister used to constantly send me articles out of the newspapers about motorcyclists who were killed due to their lack of head protection. When I finally had an extra $25 and bought my first full-face "Rebcor" helmet, I called her to ease her troubled mind. The following week, she sent me an article about a motorcyclist who was involved in a fiery crash, wearing a full face helmet. The face shield melted onto his face and permanently disfigured him. Thanks, Sis. There is just no pleasing some people...

Sometimes I miss the sensations of riding without a helmet and other protective gear. But I do have say that given the horrible driving skills of many people today, or maybe because there are so many drivers now, the only compromise I ever make is a pair of Levis instead of riding pants for a short ride to town to get gas. And even when I do that, I feel a bit insecure.

 

I make no claims of being a helmet expert. I've worn/owned Shoei, HJC, Suomy, and Arai. I like Arai because it fits me best. I'd say if the lid fits, wear it. Don't worry about how much it costs.

 

Stop sugar coating everything you say and tell us how you really feel!!! :smile:

 

I chose an RF1000 Helmet and I live in the Midwest - Eastern-Central Illinois to give you a close idea .. people around here are so careless about safety, and are completely irresponsible. Being that I'm not originally from here, but rather Western New York, I've been accustomed to wearing Helmets ever since I was young. And I've had an Uncle leave us as, even though while wearing his helmet, he met a phone-pole head on (he lost control of his Motorcycle years ago around a turn with a gaurd-rail, and the rail rounded him into a pole, part of the way through the corner). Sadly enough, it joggled him so badly, that he died. I think it was instantly - was very sad and hard for all of us. So I can attest that they save lives, but they won't save you ever time. It's for cosmetic reasons and secondary reasons that you wear them. Like protecting your jawbone, ears, flesh, blunt impacts - like metal bumpers, cement curbs, gaurd rails, things like that, that save you from a lifetime of regret, scarring, missing hair and things you wouldn't normally mention in a thread like this because of it's very nature.

I went down myself one time, rolled scraping the helmet, and still have that HJC to show for it on a Garage Shelf. I've also gone down once, and though I never caught my helmet, I was in a T-shirt and Jeans, and if any of those month-long-to-heal scrapes was on my face - that would have been really sh!tty. I knew a guy a while back that went down, just passing a clearing of pines on his gixer. He caught a gust of wind just passing the clearing, going about 60. He sat in a tub at the hospital for a day to get his skin soft enough for them to pull all the gravel out! I can't remember how long it took to for him heal up - but he was really pissed off for the longest time. Honest story. Luckily he was wearing his helmet. I can't imagine gravel against my face, I hope none of you could either!

On an honest side, when I am crusing in the National Parks at speeds of 20 to 30 - I don't where a Helmet. I usually put it in my saddlebag, or strap it to one of my Passenger Hangers with a bungie (if the saddlebags are full). I feel a lot of people can understand this because the parks are pretty safe, low-speed, and people are relaxed. But anywhere else, I do. My Experiences: though it may just be me, 25+ without wraparound glasses is hard on my eyes (sitting up). 30+ is hard on my ears for any length of time. Even with my Helmet, I wear plugs at 45+, because of the wind-roar - caused by the higher windscreens (like the Zero Gravity and Givi Touring, etc), and the wind passing by the lower cheekpads and the gap in the RF1000 that channels to the ear regardless (I honestly need a NOJ Quiet Helmet Collar to lower this). But you'll find even at highway speeds, you need plugs. Now any of the better ventilated Helmets, and more aerodynamic helmets - you'll find more wind roar and helmet noise. Personally I know the RF1000, over the HJC Helmet that goes for a Ben, is better ventilated, but trades off with more internal wind noise. It's a trade-off in the helmets that I've noticed in the people that I've talked too that have upgraded to better breathing helmets. And you'll find that at lower temperatures - wearing a helmet is a must just for the simple reasons of wind exposure (55 degrees and lower does it for me at slow speeds in a National Park without one). And a well ventilated helmet like the RF1000 with the fabric add-in breath-gaurd, all the vents opened up, chin curtain (reduces road noise pickup in intercomms), and the screen cracked slightly, will keep you from fogging up down to 40 degrees in anything but at a dead-stop without having to open up the shield. Again that is my personal experience with the RF1000. Anything colder than this, or for you deep-breathers, you'll need an anti-fogging film on the inside (to help - as I don't know for certain from personal experience if it will cure this entirely.) Now this is just some fyi and experience on why and what I wear - and I think it needs to be shared to promote helmet use because it's never gets said or shared, and these are turn-offs of owning a helmet. It just takes some awareness and knowing what to buy, and how to overcome certain problems to make helmets more appreciable and easier to use. And in the end more riders out there will have better experiences, rider safer and overall with more comfort from the elements.

On another note. I also own a Harley - a chromed out Dyna 2002 LE. It's nice and gets looks. A shocker to some of you, maybe. But I find the biggest critics between Brands (and this applies to anything in life) are that way because they are those scared to try anything new, have a pronounced lack of understanding and general ignorance, have to be cool and have too much pride, and aren't open to new things and don't truely live. That just doesn't jive with me and the idea being on an open road. Maybe it's why I wave out to everyone regardless. ...that for the haters on this board - but, back to the post... Though the Chrome turns a lot of heads, along with the the Limited Edition Sport Headlight Fairing and such, I get even more looks with my Black Shoei and tinted screen on the Dyna - yeah there is snobbery even between the Harley Crowd, but I've gotten a few points to the Head and Thumbs up between some of us. I remember those the most. It's just that it's something you won't see here (almost ever). A guy (or gal) on a Harley with a Helmet - especially the Naked ones like the Dyna's and Softails, let alone a Full-Face Helmet. It's just that around here, it not cool owning a bike like this. And it's all about being connected with the Bike and the road. Helmets almost destroy that feeling completely. Now for myself, I still have my hearing, and can ride at 60 without a bother (equipped with the Shoei and without a windscreen). Those guys without them, they are pretty tough - I give it to them! A lot bounces off them. Now for those of you wondering why a Harley - when you ride one, you can get through a lot of life's bullsh!t and grief, you can let go of just about anything once you hit the open road. I've heard it over and over how Joe couldn't have gotten through this or that without his Softail. That's why a lot of people swear by them and pass them down to their kids through the generations. Ride one one day, you'll understand. However, for what it's worth, I love the VFR, it's an addiction. You'd be suprised at how many people that own cruisers miss their VFR's - I've met two of them. One works at a HD Dealership not far from home. But it would be hard for me not to have both and miss one of them.

So be smart, use a Helmet. For those of you that have read on through this lengthy reply, and have heard what I've had to say, and the advice provided, ..well I hope it tranlates into someone saving themselves from a lifetime of grief.

Ride-on Guys!