Wear a Helmet - Do you or don't you and why

[02Tac]

Simple question. Do you wear a helmet or don't you and why?  This is not intended to be a discussion, but simply a bit or research, if you will, on why people choose to wear or not.  

Me - I always use a helmet.
Why - I have been called hard headed, but I am positive that should my head contact the ground it is not going to win the fight.

[jadziadax8]

 

[ctbandit]

Maybe you should just continue this back in the moto polls helmet thread..

[connick]

I do, 99% of the time.  It's a risk vs reward proposition... I feel that the reward of not having to strap on my helmet when I leave, and then take it off when I arrive, is not worth the risk of crashing while I'm not wearing a helmet.  There are times when I might feel that the reward does outweigh the risk, such as when I'm just riding to the apartment mail center or one block up the street to the grocery.

This is also the reason I don't wear full leathers for most of my riding... first, because dealing with full leathers are far more of a PITA then a helmet (far increased reward for not having to put them on), and sccondly, roadrash/injury to one's legs (as crappy/painful as it may be) can not compare to road rash on one's face, or to head injuries (decreased risk).

[UFO]

Nevar.  Only stoopid people where helmuts.

[2RR2NV]

wear it - 100%.

why?  cause i've been down and if not for my trusty helmet...i'd probably either a) not be here or b) be a carrot. even if i hadn't of crashed, i'd still wear one for lots of reasons...

1) protects against rocks, and bugs, and cigs.
2) protects skin against wind and sun - i like my young looks.  
3) keeps the noise level down.
4) someday, i wanna be a power ranger
5) i can talk to myself without other people knowing. or seeing my faces i make at them
6) chicks think i'm younger than i am
7)errr...that's enough for now.


which reminds me, i need a new helmet.

[StacyT]

Always wear it.

1) I have a family
2) They need their husband and father
3) Big ass bugs taste bad and hurt.
...
10) State law

[martee99]

I always wear a helmet because I generally have bad hair and that turns the chicks off when I'm cruising along side them.

[chornbe]

Simple question. Do you wear a helmet or don't you and why?  This is not intended to be a discussion, but simply a bit or research, if you will, on why people choose to wear or not.  

Me - I always use a helmet.
Why - I have been called hard headed, but I am positive that should my head contact the ground it is not going to win the fight.

Yes. Always.

I like my brains on the inside. I know someone who fell off at 10-15mph, lost his lower jaw and ate from a tube for the next few years until he died from long term complications.

Not wearing = stupid, IMO.

[Mr Sunshine]

 

Can I have some?

 

[Ears]

wear it - 100%.

...

1) protects against rocks, and bugs, and cigs.
2) protects skin against wind and sun - i like my young looks.  
3) keeps the noise level down.

5) i can talk to myself without other people knowing. or seeing my faces i make at them

which reminds me, i need a new helmet.

+1
In my case I think #5 is more important, but I need to remember to keep the volume down and also remember when I have the clear shield on vs. the tinted one.  

Helmet hair be damned. I deal.

[Simplyhere]

Here, let me help:  99.2% of the people on this site do.  The other .8% wear baseball caps, backwards, most of the time.

[shah269]

Yes!
100% of the time!
Soccer moms dig it!

[Mr Sunshine]

Yes!
100% of the time!
Soccer moms dig it!

 

I don't think he was talking about that helmet.

[HipGnosis]

I most usually do.. but sometimes I don't.
My creedo is 'Gear for the ride, ride for the gear.'
I've ridden enough years and miles to give me a pretty keen evaluation of the risk level of a given ride / route.
A short ride to the neighborhood burger stand, soft serve stand (actually frozen custard, a WI delicasy that is my vice) doesn't merit the helmet.
A trip on the slab w/o any fun roads at either end is the same.  I've found I can hear my er6i's just fine w/o the helmet, at the same volume, as with a helmet.
I do ride less agressive, more defensive w/o a helmet.
I rode more w/o a helmet this year than ever before.  Mostly because of the er6i's. But also because my new g/f was a little nervous about riding at first and wanted to communicate better.

[jnor]

 I always wear a helmet........because I'm RESPONSIBLE

[shah269]

 

I don't think he was talking about that helmet.

-But Shah your helmet is so big!
-Yes Drewish soccer moms are often attrackted to big black helmets!

[1KPerDay]

 

I think you meant  

[Windblown]

It would be stupid to not avail ourselves with availible protective gear when engaging in a risky activity. That's why I always put on a helmet before getting in the shower.

Ok, OK....

I wear a full face helmet on the street.  Why? Because I want to.

I often go helmetless off-road if I'm just cruising.  Anything faster, or really rough terrain I don a helmet. Why? Because I want to.

When I had a moped years ago I never wore a helmet. Why? Because I didn't want to.

[Bogie]

I always wear a helmet because I generally have bad hair and that turns the chicks off when I'm cruising along side them.

I always wear a helmet because I generally have NO hair and that turns the chicks off when I'm cruising along side them.  

[radman]

I never ware one-it reduces the chanse I would here the live saving loud pipes.

[mike goodwin]

Having been hit by three cars in 41 years of riding i think i can state that without much reservation i probably would not be alive to type this reply to the question on at least two of those collisions that were caused no less by hit and run drivers.
That's why i wear a quality helmet.

As my old Scout Master always told us in my youth...Always be prepared.

[CBR_Rod]

I wear it 100% of the time

because my mom died from a sustained head injury at in a 20-25 mph crash without one on.

[jwhite518]

I wear one all the time except when I don't.  

What that really means is, I live in CA and so I am required by law to always wear one. Once in awhile I might find myself in a non-helmet state and needing to run a short errand. I've been known to not wear my helmet on a ride of 5 or 10 minutes on city streets. If it weren't the law here, I'd probably go helmetless on bike wash days when I go around the block on the wet bike.  

Yeah, yeah, I know.  

[oblivion]

Helmet hair be damned. I deal.

That's why I chose to go bald.  

Helmet 99% of the time.  The 1% are times the speeds are going to be under 20MPH (i.e. tooling around work and I forget the helmet inside).

[bubba zanetti]

Nevar!! It wrinkles my dress.

[DRam]

wear it - 100%.

why?  cause i've been down and if not for my trusty helmet...i'd probably either a) not be here or b) be a carrot. even if i hadn't of crashed, i'd still wear one for lots of reasons...

1) protects against rocks, and bugs, and cigs.
2) protects skin against wind and sun - i like my young looks.  
3) keeps the noise level down.
4) someday, i wanna be a power ranger
5) i can talk to myself without other people knowing. or seeing my faces i make at them
6) chicks think i'm younger than i am
7)errr...that's enough for now.

My reasons also.  Except for number 4 and the saving my life part.  Due to incredible luck I have never touched my head to ground or pavement any of the times I've been down.  Does that mean I could dispense with a helmet?  Not on your life.  The next time (if there ever is one) may destroy a helmet.

There are times I ride without a helmet.  When trying to hear a new noise the bike is making, or when taking a check ride to see if the noise is gone I'll ride a few blocks without a helmet just so I can hear the bike better.  And once in a great while I'll run to the store, which is all of five blocks away, without a helmet.  99.9% of the time, though, I wear my helmet.

As said above, there are probably very few on this forum that ride helmetless as a general rule.

[Thundergod]

I wear full face helmets every time.

• My friend's father died on a bike path when he hit his head after falling off his bicycle....he was a VERY experienced mountain-bike racer on a light ride on a weekend bike path.... The rock hit him on the back of the head, hit him right under the edge of his bicycle helmet. (makes me wonder about those half-skull helmets.)

• I caught a small river rock off of a semi-bed at 70+mph...without a helmet it would have split my skull, (probably killed me) and thrown me off the bike onto the interstate. Instead-- I took a massive dent to the helmet and a cracked faceshield-- A new helmet costs far less than an emergency room visit.

• I've caught bugs that would have split my forehead open and embedded bug guts in my flesh -- damn locusts.

• Birds have bounced off my helmet.

• Gravel

• Hail

• Rain

• My children need a father, my wife needs a husband.

--Without a helmet you are just waiting for the moving 10-grit belt-sander of asphalt to peel away the flesh....I like my face, I chose to keep it.

ATGATT!!!

[Twistedpinion]

Yes, I wear a helmet.

I really don't care if other do or don't.

[napper]

I always wear my helmet.

Because I am a pansy-ass nancy-boy who can't hang with the pirates.

[Clint]

Hell no! Did Peter Fookin' Fonda wear a helmet?

[bubba zanetti]

Hell no! Did Peter Fookin' Fonda wear a helmet?

Yes, he did.




 

[jwhite518]

Yes, I wear a helmet.

I really don't care if other do or don't.

In general I agree, but I do care when my family members don't. I am always bugging my brother the pirate from Wisconsin to wear his helmet. He bragged that he rode to California and deliberately routed away from helmet law states. He only had to wear it one time.  

[skip]

why wear a helmet ?I don't plan to crash  

[motorcyclemac]

When I am on the bike...100% of the time it is a full face helmet.  I have tried the Harley style puddin pot.  They are awful.  I don't like them.  I have ridden with out helmets as a kid...and now as an adult I recall all the grass hoppers that hit me in the face at 60+ on a dirt bike. That hurts like a b!tch.   I have seen the results of chin first accidents...NASTY!!

When I am off the bike I never wear a helmet.  I find that they are annoying when trying to use a phone.  I often hit my head on doorways etc.  It freaks out my dog. Scares the tellers at the bank.  My wife finds it really annoying when I wear it to bed.  

Cheers
Mac.

[county]

I wear a helmet because the visor bracket hurts when I just attach it to my head.

[Dan K]

Almost always wear a helmet.  One time, when running late for a Dr's appointment 5 minutes away, I rode without gear (just hopped on and left the gear in the GIVI) and discovered you can hear your bike without a helmet, so for that purpose, I would advocate a short ride without if you are not in a mandatory state...

But otherwise, I wear a helmet as I never want to regret not having put it on before going for a ride.  No regrets.  Plus, it blocks the wind, protects from bugs, rocks, etc.

-Dan

[PhilBiker]

I wear a helmet.
Because I'm not an absolute f&%king moron.

[jay547]

99.9% for me too. the rare occasions that i don't is maybe riding down the block to the neighbor's to check on my kid or riding from my pit to the port-a-pottie at the mx track.

[Hardware]

I'm ATGATT 100% of the time - no exceptions.  Full face helmet (the best (i.e. most comfortable) that I can afford).

Armoured jacket zipped to armoured pants.  Road racing boots and motorcycle specific gloves.  I figure the one time I decide omit one piece of gear, that's when that specific body part will get it.

As for neck down protection I figure, to each his own.  However I don't agree with helmet choice - doo rag wearing pirates pose a risk to others on the road for this exact reason...

...• I caught a small river rock off of a semi-bed at 70+mph...without a helmet it would have split my skull, (probably killed me) and thrown me off the bike onto the interstate...

In ~20 years of riding, there have probably been 3-4 incidents where the FF lid saved me from losing control and becoming a hazard to other bikes travelling with me, or oncoming traffic.

Some prairie provinces have no deductable on claims for broken windshields due to the high numbers of chips and breaks from flying gravel.  If the insurance companies/corps identify this as a frequent enough occurrence to warrant such policies, why would you want to ride in those conditions with a bare melon?

[jhawk]

Yes, I wear a helmet….
1. It looks cool.
2. Less wind resistance.
3. So soccer moms won’t know I’m old.
4. It keeps rain out of my face.
5. To be politically correct; so cagers will not hear me swearing at them.
6. It makes a nice paperweight on my desk on the days I ride to work.  
7. So someone who sees me carrying it will ask, “Do you ride a motorcycle?”
8. Dental work. A helmet costs less than 1 crown.
9. Buying it helped the global economy.
10. Or, just maybe: “Gear for the slide, not for the ride”

[Bliz]

Unless you want to maimed or dead it's really stupid not to wear a helmet. But what is even dumber is only wearing a helmet some of the time.  Do these people know when they're going to crash?  Do they think a 5 mph crash won't hurt?

[Windblown]

Does anyone else hear George Carlin laughing his butt off from the grave?

[skip]

Unless you want to maimed or dead it's really stupid not to wear a helmet. But what is even dumber is only wearing a helmet some of the time. Do these people know when they're going to crash? Do they think a 5 mph crash won't hurt?

First off I do wear mine 100% of the time. I put awesome speakers in it and did  some work to make it quiet and it is so much more enjoyable with it VS without it. I have satellite radio and enjoy it on the longer trips. As for the five mph "I don't need it if i am going slow theory", what a load of crap. I lost a good friend some years back. He was pulling off to the side of the road to figure out where we were. He was going about 5 mph maybe slower. The front tire dug into the soft sand the handle bars turned and  and pitched the bike to the right. Ed fell off in slow motion and everbody laughed. Everbody thought he was faking and would pop up any second and say " gotcha " he never did. He had  smacked his head on a rock in the tall grass where he landed.  He slipped into a coma and never woke up. SchiT happens, wear your helmet!

[Snowbird]

You have no right to know what I choose to do or not to do.  

[jwhite518]

Unless you want to maimed or dead it's really stupid not to wear a helmet. But what is even dumber is only wearing a helmet some of the time.  Do these people know when they're going to crash?  Do they think a 5 mph crash won't hurt?

I guess I'm dumberest than you because 5 miles a year I don't wear a helmet. Yeah I know a 5 mph crash might hurt. But dammit we're all riding motorcycles. Don't you know those things are more dangerous than cars? Every mile on the highway not spent in an airbag reinforced steel cage is fraught with risk. That's not dumb? But riding around the block without a helmet is dumb? Okaaaaay. Split your hairs however you want.

I can't believe I'm arguing in favor of going helmetless.  

[2RR2NV]

i gave up worrying or arguing whether or not someone else should wear a helmet. it's their noggin, their dealio. if they wear one, cool. if not, oh well, not gonna dwell. my brother wears his when he feels like it. most of the time, but not always. he's his own guy. mom tries to rile him up, but to no effect.

a silly and r-tarded moment i had a few years ago. i was at Walmart, gonna fill up, and trying to be cool, i wanted to fill up my VFR while still sitting on it, off the sidestand. well, i parked too far away and decided i would just fill it up like normal. when i kicked down the sidestand, i didn't double-check to make sure the stand was actually down. you can imagine what happened next. i proceeded to lean the bike over onto my nonexistent sidestand and down i went. thank god i had my helmet still on cause i slammed my head (in said helmet) onto the concrete. rung my bell pretty good and was caught underneath the bike. talk about an embarrassing situation. and it was all because i was tired and just "HAD" to go ride. i have learned my lesson.  enuf said.

[stevent]

I went a couple of years w/o one on the street when I was young and stupid. Always wore one in the dirt and now always a full face on the street, it's just too easy to totally fuck your life up with even a low speed drop. Plus it's a comfort issue, I shave my head so I have to be careful not to bake my bean and the wind, bugs, sand and grit hurt when they hit you. Of course when you're as good looking as me I also have a responsibility to the women of the world to preserve my ruggedly handsome and manly yet compassionate and sensitive good looks for all of them to enjoy. Sometimes I just wear shorts and a sweatshirt with my boots and gloves when it's hot out but never w/o a F.F. helmet.

 

[Powder Addict]

I always wear a helmet.  I wear a helmet when snowboarding too (ice and trees hurt when you bang your head into them!).

Earlier this summer I went for a ride to Wendy’s for Lunch, about a 4 mile round trip ride.  I know several people at work that have decided that they will not wear helmets, as I guess helmets take away some major enjoyment factor from riding.  Just to see what the fuss is all about, I made the 4 mile trip without a helmet (55 MPH road, light traffic).  

I HATED it.  It was loud, uncomfortable, buggy, etc.  I for the life of me cannot think of one reason to ride without one.  

But, too each their own…

[Dan K]

The only time it's more pleasurable to ride without a helmet is if you are behind a good sized windscreen and don't need the protection.  Otherwise, helmets actually ADD to the enjoyment of the ride.  IMHO.

- Dan