| Author | Message | ||
     Rick_A |
I've read some of that crap about helmets breaking necks...mainly in Harley biker mags...like anyone's neck isn't going to break when their head hits an immovable object at speed with or without a helmet! It's just a lot messier without the lid  | ||
| Raymaines |
Thank you Rick. You speak the truth, and so does GotBuell when he says stats can be misused. By the way, did you know the Bible says there is no God? It does, honest. It's right there in black and white. Psalm 14:1 (Half truths and short quotes can lie too) | ||
| Spike |
Man am I slow. Ray, I had gone as far as to look that up and was ready to reply and correct you before I realized what you were saying. Where's my sign? Mike L. '99 Cyclone (a bit quicker than I am) | ||
| Blake |
If helmet hair is too scary a prospect to deal with, I'd suggest taking the cage. Or, go with the crew cut bald man look like me.  | ||
| Raymaines |
Before this gets away, I want to say that the Bible does not in any way shape or form deny the existence of God. Psalm 14 vs. 1 says (NASB) “The fool has said in his heart ‘There is no God.’ ” and it goes on. I only use this as an example of how real quotes or parts of real quotes, taken out of context, can become lies. Now, back to our regularly scheduled programming: | ||
| Stevep |
Just found this link about helmet wear. Hope it works. http://www.sportriders.com/helmet_test.mpeg | ||
| Rick_A |
Well, a helmet saved my ass yesterday. I still have a headache today. I don't even want to think of what my head/face would feel/look like if I wasn't wearing one. | ||
| Fontx1rs |
I wear a helmet. That said, I don't think there should be laws mandating their use. Don't need the government playing baby-sitter. Darwin's laws should take care of those who don't wear a helmet. HOWEVER, I also think insurance companies should be allowed to deny any injury claim by a rider who was not wearing a helmet (since there is no way to charge riders who don't wear helmets a higher premium.) A old saying comes to mind: "There are two types of riders, those that have crashed, and those that will." JustJoe | ||
| Spiderman |
Rick are you ok, that said how is the S1?? | ||
| Darthane |
Only gone without one once, when we went to Homecoming last year, we rode into town (maybe 2 miles) in just the skulleys. Not about to do that on any regular basis, even if there wasn't a helmet law in Michigan. And definitely not on the freeway - talk about a death wish. I don't even like open-faced helmets, let alone none! Bryan | ||
| Rick_A |
It wasn't on the S1...I bit it hard on the mountainbike. I missed a double jump by a few inches, and ate some dirt. I'm pretty good for doing a 30mph belly flop from 5 feet in the air.  | ||
| Spiderman |
Glad the S1 is ok you too but man had me scared for a few. Seen the pics in the crash section. That was a load off my chest. | ||
| Java |
1- I always wear a full-face helmet when I ride. Always. 2- I will always fight for your right to not wear one. 3-Has anyone who's been riding awhile NOT been hit in the head by a rock spit-up by the vehicle ahead? 4- The neck injury thing comes from the early 80's, when the market was flooded with cheap imported polycarbonite helmets. When a state of the art Bell Star was $150, you could buy a poly Nava for $60. Polycarbonite helmets bounced.... 5- Years ago, heading north up hwy 99 for Laguna Seca, 10 at night, miles of straight road, bored, young, stupid, 140 mph. Ran into a swarm of locusts. Trying to slow to a reasonable speed, while hydroplaning on insects, while trying to wipe 'em off my visor so I could see, was exciting. At least I could see what hit me. My helmetless roommate was clueless...... | ||
| Crusty |
Yes I do. | ||
| Xb9 |
I always wear one, But to each his own. Alot of it has to do with where you've been, your past experiences. I guess I've been around the block a few times. When I was 13, I started motocross racing; guess what - you want to race you wear a helmet - Jeez, I wonder why? Then when I was 18 with 2 years of street riding experience, some As_ in a van pulls out in front of me - lucky I bailed and did a face slam into the pavement (with a full face helmet)on. Totaled bike, broken foot, severe laceration, but my head was allright. Spent 6 years roadracing - numerous crashes, broken bones and roadrash, saw a lot of stars through a helmet, always wondered what it would be have been like if I wasn't wearing one. Not that interested in trying finding out. Spent a couple of months visiting a racing buddy of mine in the hospital, in a coma, with a head injury. (he was wearing a good full face helmet, he wouldn't be here if he wasn't). He came out of OK, has some disability, but is married, kids, job, does all right. He's glad he is alive by the way and attributes the helmet in saving HIS life. So if anyone wonders why I wear one, it's because I know helmets have saved my life more than once. And a good friend's. All it takes is one experience, if your around to realize it. To each his own. | ||
| Buellbob |
The point as I see it is to stack the odds in our favor. Why play chicken with the thing that operates your body. Sometimes I think people who ride with out a helmet should see a severe head injury up close and personal. I got that one block from my home when a young man on a bicycle met a car making a right turn up the street I live on. I live on a hill and this young guy was free wheeling down the hill and he ended up a real mess but the car was fine. We have helmet laws here for bicyclists also but they're not enforced much. If that young man had been wearing one he probably would have faired much better.  | ||
| Djkaplan |
Hell, I won't even ride a bicycle without a helmet now. I wish they had bike helmets when I was kid. I think I knocked an entire digit off my IQ with a concussion when I was 11. | ||
| Shot_Gun |
Helmets save lives! I have the scars on mine to prove it. Never leave home with out it. I should say good helmets save lives, when I was 21 I got hit in the head by a flying black bird braking my face shield. What ever the cost it is worth it. | ||
| Grizzlyb |
I am glad I always wear a helmet. I rode with full gear for the last 30 years and never went down. A few weeks ago I did something stupid, went down and landed on the tar, head first. I'll need a new Arai, but I am here to tell and will be able to ride an other 30 years. Cant buy a new head, Grizzly | ||
| Libnosis |
I usually don't wear a helmet. Fortunately I'm not breaking the law in my state (SC). If I plan on pushing the envelope (usually in the mountains), I wear it all. It's a personal choice that I make everytime I hop on a bike. Am I stupid for not wearing one? Maybe. Is it your business? No. Should I be given the freedom to make that decision? Definitely. lib | ||
| Blake |
I agree. But I still wish you would wear a helmet. It isn't you that you need to worry so much about. It's the drunk driver, or the reckless teenager, or old blind codger than can't see you, or the redneck crossing lanes while he scores another dip, or the road hazard that wasn't there yesterday, or your front tire blowing out, or some critter in the road, or the retreads flying off the truck up ahead, and finally it's for the fatherless children, widow, and heartbroken family and friends... It just ain't worth it. Wear a helmet, please.  | ||
| Andrew |
I usually only "gear up" when pushing it too. However , this morning after watching a Katana loose it into a guard rail. I turned around, went home and got my Shoei. Why? Well the other rider got up dusted off, removed, his helmet and hobbled away with a sprained ankle. Even though I live in a 'get to choose' state, I think I'll be wearing my lid more. Best demo's are when you get to learn without bleeding | ||
| Fasteddieb |
I've been wearing helmets for 35+ years (even on my bicycle). I used to be in a line of work where I got to see head injuries "up close and personal" and would like to avoid that, no matter how slight the chance. I had a helmet save me injury in an unusual way. I was 2-up with da wife on my 1986 BMW R80RT at a Florida Turnpike tollbooth. I was, as usual, fumbling for change. Suddenly, 3 or 4 vehicles back an emergency vehicles hits his siren. The toll-taker waves me through. I get the gloves back on and I'm accelerating as the toll gate COMES DOWN ON MY HEAD!. Hard enough to snap my head back and "get my attention". No real harm done, other than a gouge and some yellow paint transfer on my Shoei. Without the helmet it could have been a nice laceration (I could even have lost an eye)... That said, I'm reluctantly against helmet laws. It's a logic issue. If the logic is: 1) Most motorcycle fatalities are due to head injuries 2) Helmets reduce those injuries, therefore: Mandate helmets for motorcycle riders. Problem is, most auto fatalities are also due to head injuries, so the same logic would follow. People smirk when I suggest that following their logic, auto drivers should be forced to wear them as well. I point out that ALL auto races require helmets. How come? It's only because we're in such a minority that they can foist it off on us. | ||
| Fasteddieb |
We has a K1200RS rally out in the Texas Hill Country a while back. One VERY nasty accident. It was touch-and-go for a while, even WITH the helmet. Without the helmet...   I mentioned the life-saving aspect of the helmet to some helmetless cruiser riders the next day. One said: "More people die in the shower than die on motorcycles - and I don't wear a helmet in the shower!" I started to respond, but realized it was pointless. | ||
| Blake |
Someone actually believes that "more people die in showers than die on motorcycles"?!! Well yeah, okay. I guess the motorcyclists are not actually "on" their motorcycles when they die.  Fast Eddie, That wasn't back in April was it? Say the weekend of the 20th? I was at "The Motorcycle Stop" in Leakey (pr. "Lakey"  with friends and heard about a sportbike going down earlier in the day. | ||
| Buellbob |
To add more to this discussion other than what i've already said; On an exceptionally warm fall day I almost went out for a ride without my leather jacket but decided to wear it anyway because " you never know". Riding two up with the future wife I hit a dog that darted out in front of me, sent both of us over the bars, future wife barely had time to grab on to me, we slid for about 10 to 12 ft. on the back of my helmet and shoulders. My wife only scuffed her toes but my jacket and helmet saved my skin . Every time I recall the accident it gives me the willies just thinking about what a mess I could've been. So its a no brainer to wear all the gear. Heres food for thought for those people who choose to go helmetless, a friend told me he remembered seeing a picture of a guy with his lower jaw missing, seems he slid along the ground on his face after crashing his bike, think about that for awhile and try and conjure up some mental pics of that before you go out for a ride. Would you really want to live with a possible disability like that instead of wearing a helmet. | ||
| Bud |
Ever did 120 while hitting a bumblebee????? and it’s the low over here gr, bud | ||
| Leeaw |
Why not wear a helmet for the simple fact that there are people out there that care about you and may even depend on you for survival? So what's everyone's view on abortion?  Aaaaaakkkk. Start a new topic for that PLEASE!!! | ||
| Mikej |
"Problem is, most auto fatalities are also due to head injuries, so the same logic would follow. People smirk when I suggest that following their logic, auto drivers should be forced to wear them as well. I point out that ALL auto races require helmets. How come? " As I understand it, that's the logic used here in Wisconsin to keep the helmet law mostly off the books. ================ "future wife barely had time to grab on to me, we slid for about 10 to 12 ft. on the back of my helmet and shoulders. My wife only scuffed her toes but my jacket and helmet saved my skin ." Uh, does your wife surf? Don't mean to make it funny, but it sounds like your wife got airborn, grabbed hold of you, flipped you around in the air, and rode you like a snowboard to a stop. Really glad you both made it safe though. ================= As a side note on safety: why is it that seat belts aren't required on school busses? All these safety laws on the books, and no seat belts on busses for kids. Things that make you go hmmmmm. | ||
| Jmartz |
The statement on Mikej's posting has been mentioned endlessly by those of us who favor freedon of choice. There is no doubt that with a running ratio (in Ga) of 1 to 400 the vast majority of head injuries occurr in cars. In spite of this the goverment chooses to ignore this fact and continues to impose and enforce a madatory usage helmet law where it is least effective, on just .25% of the vehicles. One could argue that motorcyles are 12 times more dagerous (as measured by their accident/fatality rate) than cars when expressed in terms of "miles traveled" but even so the # of people affected is insignificant when compared to the car population. I wear a helmet everyday, I have no choice. When I vist WI or FL or SC for motorcylcle events I don'e even take my helmet no matter what kind of riding I do. |
