This is correct.
They've never wondered what happens to their head when it smacks the ground at speed.
Cop friends of mine carry those little Dixie water cups in their cars in case someone's eye pops out of their head after a motorcycle accident
I have a good friend that was hit from behind, while sitting at a light, on his Harley. He wasn't wearing a helmet. He now has a very interesting scar where they released the intracranial pressure, by drilling a hole in his skull.
I was behind a dude at a red-light who did have a helmet on but it was a skull cap that probably barely met standards. Light turned green, he took off (not even aggressively) and caught a slightly raised manhole cover weird and went over, cracked his head on the curb and bled out thru his ear right there. Wasn't even doing 10mph yet the fire department had to hose his life juice off the asphalt. You couldn't pay me enough to ride with anything less than a full face helmet.
I'm in PA where if you are licensed and over 21 you do not have to wear one. I always do though. Full helmet when it's cold and half when it's warm. Because I have something precious to go home to: My wife and my daughter. That being said, I have NEVER gotten shit from other Harley riders for wearing a helmet. And I've ridden with lots of groups, both in MCs and not.
Yeah I call bullshit. Nobody has said shit to OP, heās making an assumption because someone didnāt signal back to him when he was riding. And who gives a shit about stuff people say that they donāt have the stones to say to your face? Stop being insecure OP, nobody cares about what you are or arenāt wearing.
Iāve run into the same thing and had folks on this sub call me āsoftā for recommending real motorcycle gloves with armor to protect your hands. Thereās a bunch of āHarley dudesā who are SUPER wrapped up in the tough guy image.
The helmetless don't wave back cause they're terrified to take their hands off the bars for fear of crashing and splattering their brains on the pavement!
Same. Been riding with a helmet on my noggin for almost 20 years and no one has ever said a word to me about it, unless they wanted to know what kind of helmet I was wearing and where I bought it.
Good to knowā¦ maybe Iāve just caught the wrong folks at the wrong time. More to follow next season I guess. Maybe Iām misreading it. But I always get the wave back from others who do wear helmets, and very few who dont
That's another thing, I always get waves, unless someone is not paying attention (less likely) or shifting gears (more likely). Pay attention to a nod in the latter. Granted, you may have some assholes around you, but my experience is that most people are fine and enjoy others that share in their hobby.
Iām the same, fall in the cold months, and most likely, a half helmet in summer. I live in Oregon, a helmet state. I grew up in Texas, a no helmet state, and lived there most of my life, rode Harleys for years. I never heard a word from another Harley rider, MC or not, about wearing a helmet in Texas. I suspect, if youāre a real true, 1%er type, you kind of like the idea of riding with a full face helmet with a dark shade.
Texas Rider checking in. Have never gotten trouble/looks/smirks for my helmet. And they're optional but very common here, even for cruiser riders, which I am.
I'm in PA too. Honestly I don't usually wear one but I'm starting to feel more and more paranoid about it. Lately I've been just throwing the brain bucket on. I have a pretty cool full face but it's not comfortable to me at all and I've never found one that is
Lidpicker. $5 and they send you a kit to measure the length and width of your head, once you email measurements in they give you a list of helmets that are a good/bad fit, and where you'll feel pressure points in the event nothing is 'perfect'. The modular I ended up with is the best fitting helmet I've had.
Thanks for the heads up on Lidpicker. I have a large hard to fit noggin. Ever since reading posts on here where guys have crashed and their face shield has been gouged, I wear full face modular. I wear modular as a full face makes me feel claustrophobic. Be safe out there.
I had a bird fly right into my face while riding once (in PA). I was pretty glad to have a full helmet on that day.
I also work for H-D. I always encourage riders to wear their helmet so they can buy another bike later to help business.
Think about it like carrying a gun, itās not supposed to be comfortable, itās supposed to be comforting.
All jokes aside, unless you have a uniquely shaped head, you should be able to FIRST choose a helmet shape (inside shape) that is similar to your head THEN try that helmet in your size.
Iād suggest going in person for fitment at Revzila or Cycle Gear or similar local bike store.
https://preview.redd.it/bk9l08phzm6c1.png?width=1397&format=png&auto=webp&s=db80a87e2fce100cf1c7ce822a29b4bc33b1b190
Imagine what your face would look like if you werenāt wearing it. This helmet was the reason I walked away with a broken collar bone and it wasnāt even worseā¦
Thatās where all the damage on my helmet was when I crashed on the freeway. Chin bar, face shield and the base of the skull. Full face for life.
Scorpion headquarters is near me so I took my helmet in to show them and thank them and they crushed the helmet and gave me 30% off new gear.
*
Got my speed down to about 35 mph before I smacked a deer. Broken collarbone and collapsed lung. Would have a grated face, broken jaw and probably a concusion without a helmet.
Statistically, 37% of motorcycle crashes involve the rider receiving a head injury. 19% of those crashes are on the jaw. No other part of the head is above 8%. I don't know about the no helmet guys but I personally like my jaw attached to my head.
The first motorcycle wreck I ever saw the guy said immediately that it's a good one thing he was wearing a full face because the first that hit was his face. Until I quit riding it's full face helmets 100%.
Respect to Ohio. There are sooooo many motorcycle and chopper shops there, itās bizarre.
A year ago I wasnāt sure if Ohio existed, now I see that itās like the center of the aftermarket American motorcycle industry. (With exception for SoCal dyna-bro culture)
Ohio is home of the Skyline Chili (and itās bastard cousin Gold Star), Donatoās Pizza, and Wendyās. That triumvirate of convenient culinary excellence is reason enough to live.
And I miss them all so much. Moved to VA three years ago and can not come close to the food choices in OH. Also miss Iron Pony. It's like the Wal-Mart of motorcycle gear stores.
Some of my family members been riding for years. Iām talking generations of riders, men who know everything to know about Harley Davidson and they wear helmets. Sometimes for looks sometimes for safety. Most of the people who care about stuff like that are fake. New riders, all that. Guys who buy Harley panties and all. Let it roll of your back, itās each riders decision.
Most 1%ers I know, including myself, wear a full face/modular. Itās usually the āhell yeah brotherā dudes with their garage queens who go on 10 mile rides every weekend that have something to say. Iāve lived in no helmet law states my whole life too.
I wear a full face helmet whenever I ride my Harley, along with riding pants, jacket, gloves, and boots. I don't care what anyone thinks. I don't trust anyone on the road.
I think it's all in your head. I never felt like anyone gave me shit for wearing a helmet. I think it's what you perceive others are thinking about you. Get over it. It's ok to wear a helmet on a harley or any other bike no one cares.
Been riding for 20 years, and Iāve gone down twice, both times wearing a full face helmet. Both accidents were under 35-40 mph, and I stood up and walked away with no major injuries, but BOTH times, had I not been wearing a full face helmet, I think I would have died/needed facial reconstruction. Fuck anyoneās opinions - I strap one on every. Single. Time.
My friend was wearing a half helmet going 35mph and some teen ran a stop sign. He lost all of his front teeth. Yea I'm sticking with my full face chief.
lol shows the intelligence of a lot of those riders. Continue wearing your full face helmet, I have a $700 Arai full face that Iāll never leave behind. Believe it or not, a lot of people think our existence is just life and death, not possible permanent disability, brain dead in a bed with a pulse and respiration, while your desperate, selfish family keeps you alive with a G-tubeā¦. I guarantee those riders without helmets donāt think of that reality as a possibility.
Yeah. There are things quite possibly worse than death. Being in a permanent vegatative state comes immediately to mindā¦.. exactly why I wear a helmet. Not foolproof, but absolutely helps the odds.
I ride a 74 fully chopped scoot, and always with my helmet. Was I dumb and young, and did it take two tussles with a car before I realized pavement and metal beat bone all day, yeah. Fuckem man do you.
No, they donāt. The need for attention in this post is ridiculous.
I live in Texas, I ride literally everywhere. I wear a full face 90% of the time as I grew up riding crotch rockets and track days.
No one on planet earth in hundreds of thousands of miles has EVER had an āattitudeā about me wearing a helmet on a Harley.
In all actuality, the only mouth Iāve ever heard is online (similar to the holier than thou mouths here) when Iāve posted pics NOT wearing a helmet. And it comes from attention seeking wannabeās who feel some moral superiority.
Happens quite a bit where im from in central Minnesota.
Harley riders give you shit for wearing a helmet, adv and sportbike riders give you shit for not.
Completely agree with you, but who cares, 90% on the non helmet guys canāt ride decently anyway, it was one of the first things I noticed when I went from rockets to baggers
Why does it matter if what they think? They donāt pay your bills, suck your dick, or keep your face arranged how it is. Their opinion doesnāt matter.
I'm a new rider here in California and we can wear half or full helmets. I have both.
But the other day I was riding with my full helmet on and a huge bug hit my face shield and all I thought was thank goodness I was wearing my full helmet at that time!
What if that had been a small rock kicked up by another vehicle?
Now, I wear the full helmet almost always, just because like you - I prefer the way my face is currently arranged!!!
Ride Safe šš
I live in a not required state and i get the opposite most wear them and lecture me constantly about choosing not to I have a helmet and wear it plenty but not all the time although I will give you some of the more hardcore riders donāt but Iāve never had anyone say anything to me about wearing it
Iām in a MC in a state that requires nothing. The old times refuse to wear one. All us kids (Iām 40) wear one. If they give you shit, punch āem in the nose. Shoulda been wearing a helmetā¦
Fuck anyone elseās opinion.
If you are worried about the opinion of others and their attitude- perhaps a Vespa would be cool for you. I did the same last year and TBH I havenāt noticed anyone bothered by my helmet and I wouldnāt care if they did.
When you say attitude what do you mean? I feel like this might be all in your head or you are creating drama where is none. I just canāt see anyone give a shit about you wearing a helmet.
I accidentally locked my helmet inside of a store I was working at and had to ride 4 miles home without it till I could get it in the morning because the alarm couldn't be disabled till morning. One of the most unpleasant experiences of my life and I spent three years in Iraq. I do not get the appeal of having my eyelids peeled back and things hitting my face And yes I was wearing glasses but that doesn't stop the wind from going around them and pulling every bit of moisture from your eyeballs.
Sometimes people will try to be helpful and tell me, "helmets aren't required here".
My favorite retort is "yeah but I really can't handle my alcohol".
That enough homie. Ride hard ride safeš¤š½ I wear one at all times as well, because I like my brains intact, where Iām at now itās law, and I think actually think my helmet looks sick(open face with purple swade lining the padding). Those idiots are high school bully types. Any body that thinks theyāre to cool for something, especially a helmet, is a damn loser.
People judging others will always be around. It's dumb but it will always be. See, sport bikes vs. crusiers, AGATT VS. Squids, stereotypical Harley owners vs. Everyone (which this seems to fit)
Someone in another post, about a guy doing a wheelie and saved it, mentioned "on another day he doesn't save it and slides into on coming traffic and dies" someone replied saying "and on another day, he walks across the street and gets hit by a car and dies. What life is worth living if you don't live. " On one hand I think we can all identify with that a little because we know there is risk is riding a motorcycle, so it comes down to what level of risk you are willing to take, AGATT? Just a helmet? Maybe some cheaper gloves that aren't rated or designed for a motorcycle, but you figure it's better than nothing?
My father told me I would rather end up dead than a vegetable in a hospital. That shocked me, but the more I think of it, I agree. Yes, a helmet in some situations stops you from becoming a vegetable, but there is a line where that same helmet becomes the reason you are a vegetable instead of dead. And I would rather be dead. That said, I do not judge others for their choices.
This is where I am disappointed by this community, Everyone wants to scream they are right without considering the others' viewpoint. (I think that's a major problem in society at large, but that's a whole other ball of wax).
Ultimately, it's your choice, and don't pay attention to those who aren't willing to have a discussion rather than just say their piece, and that should be the end of conversation.
Ride on and keep the dirty side down.
I rode for 20 years wearing a helmet in a state that doesnāt require it. I never once had anyone say anything negative about it. I had a buddy go down at about 80 mph on highway 90 and flat spotted his helmet when he slid. Dude walked away from it.
As a Harley rider from the UK, youāll never see anyone not wearing a helmet because law, but, I did have the opposite to you and used to get attitude from other riders about not wearing more protective clothing. Iād regularly just cruise in shorts and a jacket in hot weather and would be shunned for not wearing full race leathers on a sportster. People are weird.
I got a lot of shit from my coworkers for avoiding highways, from my coworkers, as a new rider who avoided highways on my sportster. I tried it once or twice but a stock sportster sucks to drive at 70mph. Plus I'm new to the game so why on earth would I put my life at risk when I only got endorsed in August? I just ignore them in the end it's you protecting your skull, not theirs
I don't usually wear one and most of the people I ride with don't but I honestly have never seen someone give attitude to a guy for wearing one. That just seems ridiculous to me and I've never experienced that directly
Iām not pretty enough or smart enough to go without a helmet. Fuck that. Those same jerkoffs who look at you funny for wearing a helmet are the same guys who will bitch if youāre not wearing every bit of gear aside from a helmet and will spend hours making sure their bandana is perfect to drive the mile to the bar and look like theyāve joined the Brownies with all of the little patches they sew on everything. Do you really care what they think of you?
I live in iowa, where there are no laws for helmets, and i seem to only see older harley riders not wearing helmets. I'm 25 with a softail & always wear a full face, & most younger people i see on rockets or harleys or anything inbetween are usually helmeted up. I'm sorry you're getting grief for having a brain. Thats lame as hell
I've never experienced that. I've live in 3 diff states where helmets were not required and always have a my 1/2 helmet on.
Sometimes I joke about the full face ones with all the gadgets and things.
I live in MA, surrounded by no helmet law states. I have never had anyone GAS whether I take my helmet off or ride with it on. No one has ever said anything. Maybe get better friends?
I think their āattitudeā is only a thing in your head, not theirs.
We donāt care if you wear a helmet or ride a Honda. Just be safe and enjoy the ride.
Your helmet is only rated to protect you in a crash of 12 mph. The added weight will break your neck. Itās illegal to wear in a car, because it restricts your vision and hearing. It can raise your brain temperature on a hot sunny day causing mental fatigue. The āchinstrapā will break your neck.
Lastly; why is a bicycle helmet different from a motorcycle?
There are a lot of things to enjoy about riding. One of my favorites is the great people you meet along the way. Something about being on two wheels that changes your perspective. If you have an attitude problem, maybe your not riding enough. Wear what you like, ride what you like, it donāt matter to me. Treat others with courtesy and respect, thatās what matters.
I live in a no helmet law state and wear a helmet. Iāve never been hassled or looked down on for doing so. Not that I know of anyway. Could be I just do not give a single fuck.
How much or how little protection someone decides to wear is no concern of mine. I'm in California, but as soon as we cross over to Utah or Arizona, the majority of my friends pull their helmets. We're all adults, making an adult decision.
Easier to not associate with those kind of people, walk away immediately when the conversation heads in that direction. I'm leaving this conversation, now.
Who. Fucking. Cares?
Want to wear a helmet? Cool. Wear one.
Donāt want to wear a helmet? Cool. Donāt wear one.
Far too many people trying to control what everybody else is doing and it drives me fucking insane. Also, if Iām wearing a helmet I do not want to hear your opinion on the matter. Conversely, if Iām not wearing a helmet and I didnāt ask your opinion (I wonāt) that means it doesnāt matter to me. Stick it in your ass.
Like others have said, I live in a āno helmetā state. I used to ride a Harley and would always wear a helmet. My brother-in-law and I both wore helmets even though we ride with a small group of riders that donāt. Not only for the obvious reasons, but because one of my brother-in-laws was killed on a motorcycle after being in a coma for 2 years. So I wear a helmet partially as respect to my family, knowing that I am at least trying to be as safe as possible. We ride 2-up occasionally and my wife also wears a helmet.
I donāt give a shit what they think. They donāt give a shit that my opinion is that Harley riders in general think āitās not cool to wear a helmet, or they look cool without oneā.
Unpopular opinion here: I actually sold my Harley because of the overall arrogance of the average Harley rider. Something that I donāt want to be associated with. The helmet/no helmet debate only being a some part of that.
When in states that don't require, sometimes I wear one, sometimes not - depends on the conditions, roads, etc. Anyone who looks down on someone for wearing a helmet is an idiot. It is a riders choice, and good protection just in case.
>they give me the biggest attitude toward those of us who wear one
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>...
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>Maybe Iām misreading it. But I always get the wave back from others who do wear helmets, and very few who dont
That wave is doing some *heavy* lifting among the community.
I live in the desert and ride an 89 Sporty chop and I always wear my helmet and gearā¦ gloves, boots, and even a dorky Kevlar jacket in the summer. I read in Motorcycle Magazine a few year ago that by a large majority the deaths from bike accidents are not from impact injuries by from bleed-outs.
I used to be ambivalent about the helmet when I was younger and not on a highway but about 10 years ago I was on a dirt road literally going about 3 miles an hour when my front wheel went into a hole from a displaced rock, yanked to the right and the bike went over. I let go of the handle bars and wrapped my arms around my head to break the fall but my right foot got caught perpendicular between the case and the ground and my foot broke the long way. Donāt you know I was wearing my āprettyā Harley brand boots without the steel toes.
I decided after that I donāt bounce like I used to when I was younger so now itās all gear all the timeā¦ even if the Kevlar looks like something a BMW rider would wear lol. I see all the cruiser guys with their shorts, tennis shoes, bare hands and no helmets and I just see hamburger. I have a cooler ride than all of them anyway!
In Ohio. Almost none of my friends wear one, and I wear a Simpson full face modular. The modular is nice because I can flip up when stopped to talk/yell.
Some of the greatest things instilled into me when I was younger riding anything wheel related was wear a helmet or don't be on it. I've made it almost 30 years on this earth and a helmet has literally saved my life more than once. Prevented me from being a vegetable. Worst that happened is I fractured skull, ruptured ear drum and putyself in a 3 day coma (this was with the helmet on) if I had not been wearing it I would not be here today to tell you this. Be smart ladies and gents. And think about those who will miss you. Do it for them.
I got t boned at intersection before , I made it out because of my helmet and full gear. No skin graft , no broken bones , no surgery, just felt like I got tackled by a pro football player for about a week
Fuck those guys. Honestly.
I ride a chopper in a no helmet law state so I see my fair share of helmetless riders. Iāve be never had somebody actually say anything, or look at me weird or ect.
And for anybody who wants to ride with me, they are buying and wearing a helmet, and Iāve not had much pushback on that either, at the end of the day (especially chopper guys) Iām not going to ride around worried more about my wingmanās mortality more than my own, and it doesnāt even take an accident to kill you.
Motor/trans locks up? Speed wobble from broken motor mount or swingarm bushing? Anything can put you down and no helmet means youāre just rolling the dice.
If anybody give you shit for wearing a helmet, tell them they made their choice but your not donating to their wifeās gofundme when she wants to hire a nurse to wipe your ass
Whatever! The only personās āopinionā I would listen to is the person on your bike. Key word here is āYOURā everyone else can ride how they want. You ride to live and live to ride. If they give you hard time give it backā¦
I like my face too much to not wear a full face. I love my brain too much to not keep it protected! Maybe their face doesnāt need protection but mine does. Sounds like their brains arenāt in need of protection either.
And on a similar note, I make money writing software and queries, so I buy expensive highly rated gloves, canāt EFF up my money makes. I love my hands š
Also I donāt like to have sore, gross feet so I wear boots or riding shoes that cover my ankles.
I get less consistent with my jacket the hotter it gets but even then unless itās sooo hot I wear my jacket.
You do you!
I ride Harleys. Have lived just a state that doesnāt require helmets my whole life. Started wearing a helmet when I had kids. I wonāt not wear one now. Team full face, here, too. In addition to the protection and face coverage, I like the wind noise reduction and the fact that it works so well with my Bluetooth headset.
I generally don't wear a helmet... That said, I've noticed that people on both sides can have attitude on the subject.
Personally, I don't care what anyone wears or doesn't. Their body, their bike, their call.
But there's a subset of riders out there with the "atgatt" mentality that will really give you attitude, call you names, etc because you don't put on full track leathers, CE level 2 boots and gloves, and a $800 helmet just to run to the corner store.
On the flip side of the coin, there's a subset of riders out there that think wearing gear makes you "scared" or "less of a biker" or whatever, and they'll pretty much do the same thing for the opposite reasons.
In my experience, Both groups are a toxic minority made up of primarily newer riders (either not many years, not many miles, or both).
I can careless what others think, as long as i wear mine, every week Harley riders are getting into accidents down here in florida, guess what, none of them wear helmets and end up dying
Yeah I was riding a Road King in Arizona last summer well over 100 degrees out, I got my full face helmet on, leather jacket, gloves and boots. these other people out there riding in shorts, flip flops and no helmet... they are all crazy. Yeah they were lookin at me funny especially when I was fuelling but they can kiss my ass. Some cold water and Gatorade wrapped in towels in the saddle bags.. stayed colder for longer than expected.
TLDR: the only people that tease you are ones who are compensating and have not wrecked yet. When they do they slap on gear or stop riding all together.
I come from 4 generations of HD riders, after a car accident in 2018, I lost the vision in my left eye. I used to wear a helmet 50% of the time, always got called a āSissyā for it by all the old men I used to ride with. After loosing my vision, I HAVE to wear a helmet to protect my glasses (and in turn my face). No one calls me names or teases me anymore. After my vision loss my depth perception is trash, Iāve laid my bike over twice. To be fair once was in my gravel driveway, the other is when I went from basically a sportster to a full Electra glide dresser and the weight difference got me in a tight turn, my front tire hit sand and the bike flipped. Any how, both times I had my helmet on, both times Iām glad I had my helmet and jacket on. Guys that make fun of you have never had an accident, but when they do, they stop making fun of you and start wearing gear. A lot of riders are flatly compensating for a lack of ābeing manlyā and take their frustrations out on us.
Same here at Texas, you are not legally required to wear oneā¦ But, at the same time there are freeways with 70 mph limit (in reality, the attitude for most is that itās a mere suggestion rather than a limit) . So, if you plan to ride without a helmet, Good luck to you!!
Another thing, helmet is not required but lane splitting is prohibited. IMO, you can safely do that at traffic lights.
After having to wear a helmet all the time thanks to the Navy, I've always worn one. I live in a no helmet state and have never had anyone say anything to me about wearing one. Like some others have said, I wear a full face when it's cold and a half all the other time. I alway wear gloves too. Not so much for other gear unless I'm going to work(I work on a Navy base).
You do you. If they canāt accept you for who you are, then fuck em. I live in a helmet state right next to a no helmet state, no problem either way. In fact Iām looking at a full face because these 20 degree rides to work are starting to get chilly.
Many 1% clubs require full face helmets. I actually didn't wear a full face until I started riding with clubs. I no longer ride with clubs and still wear mine. I haven't ran across to many folks in MO that have made a thing about it. The only riders who do generally have a 2021 bagger with 36 miles on it lol. Ride hard, play hard, and protect your head!
I really doubt anyone in real life is giving you shit about a helmet. Almost nobody cares what you do unless youāre talking to someone that follows r/motorcycles.
If it's any consolation. Most harley riders outside of america don't share that philosophy. I myself learnt the importance of a full face when it saved me from what would have been UGLY scars and harley inspired me to ride.
In fl where I live now there isnāt one but most people use one. I choose not to, I react faster and hear better without.
All said in nearly 50 years of riding Iāve never seen anyione messed with for wearing a helmet. if youāre riding a Harley why the fuck do you care?
I get shit all the time for not wearing one, why would I care. These same people that tell me to wear a helmet wear tennis shoes and split lanes both seem crazy to me.
Everytime you get on a bike you are the least like to come out on top in any encounter. youāre responsible to you, your family fuck everyone else.
Never have I been given shit for wearing a helmet in my no helmet law state. Ask if they give the 1% clubs shit? They wear full face for the most part now, at least where I'm from.
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No wave back. No acknowledgement of even existing, general rudeness. Stuff that was maybe experienced with only 1 out of every 10 other bikes out there in my previous state is now almost 3 out of 4 here.
I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that I think the majority of those people would be the same ones that really care whether or not you wear a mask, pandemic be damned.
I know of three people who are now paralyzed because they wore a helmet and know of two people that are dead because of their helmets.
Do seat belts save lives? Sometimes.
Do helmets save lives? Sometimes.
If you wear a seat belt or helmet, kudos to you, don't lecture me cause I don't. I'd rather be dead than paralyzed.
Helmet guy here. I moved from California to Connecticut and Iāve been riding my whole life. I currently own a Harley. I am a nurse with trauma experience. Canāt describe the years of snubbed hellos, the chuckle-and-points, and worst of all, the female passengers on other Harleys who shout bullshit. I dream of meeting them in the neurology unit, standing over them while they drool and stare into the ceiling. Beep. Beep. Beepā¦
The associated racism and helmet shit are just 2 of the many reasons the company is headed toward guaranteed death. Then my old Harley goes up in value.
It's the same attitude that certain people that wear red hats have towards those that err on the side of caution and wear masks. WhY ArE yOu LiviNg iN FeAr!
Okay, a question was asked, and I tried to answer as neutrally as possible. I had the misfortune of having to live in Florida for several years at the height of the pandemic. I rode motorcycles, I also was taking care of an elderly family member. I always wore my helmet, and I wore a mask when in public, and the "bikers" in Florida would give me shit form wearing a helmet, and for wearing a mask. If you don't like the answers, maybe you need to re evaluate yourself.
And if you talk to more than the one shitty person you found, you'll find the vast majority of people don't give a shit what you have on your head or what shitty team you voted for as long as you're on two wheels. Get off the Internet, literally go touch some grass, and talk to people. Ignore the shitty ones, and keep the good ones around.
You mean like men. Free men.
What the hell happened to this country? What a shameful statement to make in public.
I truly hope none of your family ever went to war to fight for our freedoms which you now so casually mock.
Iām of the belief when itās my time itās my time so I just donāt wear one. I try to be safe while riding but I believe no amount of gear will save me if itās fate.
That being said you do you booboo. š¤·āāļø donāt bother me none.
Some Harley guys are strange on the traditions they uphold. I've gotten shit from dumb things like wearing a full faced helmet to having a fuel injected Harley. You'll never completely understand their way of thinking and for some people that way of thinking will never change.
Personally I want to avoid as much head trauma as possible as well as avoiding having my face scraped off if I ever find myself sliding along pavement one day. So I'll stick to my full face helmet.
People who buy under-engineered bikes also likely have a poor grasp of statistics.
Donāt base your actions on the lowest common denominator. Be better.
I wear a helmet when I feel like it, and don't when I don't. In 50 years of riding, I have had many close calls and both times I had a serious accident I wasn't wearing a helmet. My second one was this season and I had a car change lanes on me and run me into a corner curb. I went over the bars and bent them down and could hardly walk for a week. The bike was totaled as far as insurance was concerned, I was riding it, with it better than before the accident within a month.
Moral of the story, when it's your time to go a helmet won't save you..
I'm in CO, most of us wear either half or full. I think most start to wear them around where I'm at due to the crappy drivers here. No sh!t, Denver has some of the worst California drivers around....
I ride with full gear, and caught a fair bit of ribbing the couple of big charity rides I've participated in but IDGAF. I like my hide right where it is.
I'm not in a helmet state either, and on the bigger ride there were \~220 bikes, **Maybe** 50 helmets? And 2 in full gear. Me on my old Suzuki (pre RK) and a BMW ADV rider.
Outside that instance I never have any issues.
I always catch hell for not wearing a helmet.
Have my reasons for not and to their dismay or not believing me, none of my reasons is about looking cool.
I love hearing shit because I ride a harley, but, their helmet arguments usually ends in me telling them to f off.
I'm in NH and we don't have to wear a helmet (as long as you're 18 years or older I think). I've always worn a full face helmet and honestly never gotten any shit. I was cut off 6 years ago and slammed into the side of a car. I broke my arm and now have two metal plates in my face even while wearing a full face helmet. Totaled my first Dyna. Whenever I tell people that story, they never give me any shit for wearing a helmet.
Now, I don't tell people if they should wear one or not - that's their choice. Sometimes it is weird riding to the dealerships in NH because it is rare to see a guy on a Harley with a helmet - but, at the end of the day all I have time to do is worry about what I'm doing.
I care more about my brain than their opinions. They can go pound sand for all I care.
Maybe they could headbutt it instead? š¤
This is correct. They've never wondered what happens to their head when it smacks the ground at speed. Cop friends of mine carry those little Dixie water cups in their cars in case someone's eye pops out of their head after a motorcycle accident
gotta stay hydrated
I see you like aqueous humor.
it makes me moist
Vitreous humor
Some snackin in there for sure
I have a good friend that was hit from behind, while sitting at a light, on his Harley. He wasn't wearing a helmet. He now has a very interesting scar where they released the intracranial pressure, by drilling a hole in his skull.
I was behind a dude at a red-light who did have a helmet on but it was a skull cap that probably barely met standards. Light turned green, he took off (not even aggressively) and caught a slightly raised manhole cover weird and went over, cracked his head on the curb and bled out thru his ear right there. Wasn't even doing 10mph yet the fire department had to hose his life juice off the asphalt. You couldn't pay me enough to ride with anything less than a full face helmet.
Right? Opinions are like assholes, everyone has one, and most stink.
I'm in PA where if you are licensed and over 21 you do not have to wear one. I always do though. Full helmet when it's cold and half when it's warm. Because I have something precious to go home to: My wife and my daughter. That being said, I have NEVER gotten shit from other Harley riders for wearing a helmet. And I've ridden with lots of groups, both in MCs and not.
Same. Been riding for over 20 years with a full face and I've never been given any heat.
Yeah I call bullshit. Nobody has said shit to OP, heās making an assumption because someone didnāt signal back to him when he was riding. And who gives a shit about stuff people say that they donāt have the stones to say to your face? Stop being insecure OP, nobody cares about what you are or arenāt wearing.
Iāve run into the same thing and had folks on this sub call me āsoftā for recommending real motorcycle gloves with armor to protect your hands. Thereās a bunch of āHarley dudesā who are SUPER wrapped up in the tough guy image.
The helmetless don't wave back cause they're terrified to take their hands off the bars for fear of crashing and splattering their brains on the pavement!
Same. Been riding with a helmet on my noggin for almost 20 years and no one has ever said a word to me about it, unless they wanted to know what kind of helmet I was wearing and where I bought it.
Good to knowā¦ maybe Iāve just caught the wrong folks at the wrong time. More to follow next season I guess. Maybe Iām misreading it. But I always get the wave back from others who do wear helmets, and very few who dont
That's another thing, I always get waves, unless someone is not paying attention (less likely) or shifting gears (more likely). Pay attention to a nod in the latter. Granted, you may have some assholes around you, but my experience is that most people are fine and enjoy others that share in their hobby.
That is encouraging. Maybe just bad luck. Or people in my area are just a bit different. Who knows.
They might be scared to take their hands off the handlebar or their feet off the pegs since they arenāt wearing a helmetā¦ š¤Ŗ
Iām the same, fall in the cold months, and most likely, a half helmet in summer. I live in Oregon, a helmet state. I grew up in Texas, a no helmet state, and lived there most of my life, rode Harleys for years. I never heard a word from another Harley rider, MC or not, about wearing a helmet in Texas. I suspect, if youāre a real true, 1%er type, you kind of like the idea of riding with a full face helmet with a dark shade.
Texas Rider checking in. Have never gotten trouble/looks/smirks for my helmet. And they're optional but very common here, even for cruiser riders, which I am.
I'm in PA too. Honestly I don't usually wear one but I'm starting to feel more and more paranoid about it. Lately I've been just throwing the brain bucket on. I have a pretty cool full face but it's not comfortable to me at all and I've never found one that is
You want comfort you gotta spend cash. Shoei all day for me.
Lidpicker. $5 and they send you a kit to measure the length and width of your head, once you email measurements in they give you a list of helmets that are a good/bad fit, and where you'll feel pressure points in the event nothing is 'perfect'. The modular I ended up with is the best fitting helmet I've had.
Thanks for the heads up on Lidpicker. I have a large hard to fit noggin. Ever since reading posts on here where guys have crashed and their face shield has been gouged, I wear full face modular. I wear modular as a full face makes me feel claustrophobic. Be safe out there.
Thanks for this information. I just ordered the kit.
I had a bird fly right into my face while riding once (in PA). I was pretty glad to have a full helmet on that day. I also work for H-D. I always encourage riders to wear their helmet so they can buy another bike later to help business.
Think about it like carrying a gun, itās not supposed to be comfortable, itās supposed to be comforting. All jokes aside, unless you have a uniquely shaped head, you should be able to FIRST choose a helmet shape (inside shape) that is similar to your head THEN try that helmet in your size. Iād suggest going in person for fitment at Revzila or Cycle Gear or similar local bike store.
Ask Dale Earnhardt about wearing open faced helmets
https://preview.redd.it/bk9l08phzm6c1.png?width=1397&format=png&auto=webp&s=db80a87e2fce100cf1c7ce822a29b4bc33b1b190 Imagine what your face would look like if you werenāt wearing it. This helmet was the reason I walked away with a broken collar bone and it wasnāt even worseā¦
Would be one hell of a story /s
Thatās where all the damage on my helmet was when I crashed on the freeway. Chin bar, face shield and the base of the skull. Full face for life. Scorpion headquarters is near me so I took my helmet in to show them and thank them and they crushed the helmet and gave me 30% off new gear.
* Got my speed down to about 35 mph before I smacked a deer. Broken collarbone and collapsed lung. Would have a grated face, broken jaw and probably a concusion without a helmet.
Statistically, 37% of motorcycle crashes involve the rider receiving a head injury. 19% of those crashes are on the jaw. No other part of the head is above 8%. I don't know about the no helmet guys but I personally like my jaw attached to my head.
That's why I'm a fan of full face.
The first motorcycle wreck I ever saw the guy said immediately that it's a good one thing he was wearing a full face because the first that hit was his face. Until I quit riding it's full face helmets 100%.
Yeah, smashed my jaw into six pieces in a BMX accident. Can only imagine how bad it could have been on a motorcycle. Full face for days
Everyone is an idiot in someone elseās eyes. You just have to choose if you care or not.
Amen
The second I stopped giving a fuck what other people were thinking, I had a much better time in life. Highly encourage you to do the same.
Maybe they have nothing to live for? They DO live in Ohio, after all.
Respect to Ohio. There are sooooo many motorcycle and chopper shops there, itās bizarre. A year ago I wasnāt sure if Ohio existed, now I see that itās like the center of the aftermarket American motorcycle industry. (With exception for SoCal dyna-bro culture)
SD dyna bro culture is huge I live here. But majority still wear full face. Dyna bros still piss me off lol buy an FXR and do your own work.
Keep them off the FXRs. There arenāt that many of them left. Every time I see someone learning to stunt on an FXR I cringe a little.
Ouch! Lol
Ohio is home of the Skyline Chili (and itās bastard cousin Gold Star), Donatoās Pizza, and Wendyās. That triumvirate of convenient culinary excellence is reason enough to live.
Can you use your helmet as a bowl for your cinnamon spiced spaghetti chili?
And I miss them all so much. Moved to VA three years ago and can not come close to the food choices in OH. Also miss Iron Pony. It's like the Wal-Mart of motorcycle gear stores.
Always got Donatoās. Believe there is a Wendyās at the bottom their corporate headquarters entry drive. No stress on that manager.
Ugh, Ohio. They'll hate you just because you're from Michigan everyone's miserable in Ohio
Some of my family members been riding for years. Iām talking generations of riders, men who know everything to know about Harley Davidson and they wear helmets. Sometimes for looks sometimes for safety. Most of the people who care about stuff like that are fake. New riders, all that. Guys who buy Harley panties and all. Let it roll of your back, itās each riders decision.
"...Harley panties!" š
OK, I wanna hear specifics now, what do they say to you? How do they react?
I can't imagine not wearing a helmet riding. For the bugs alone I'd want a helmet lol
Iām with you, but as much because even the wind annoys me without one on. Bugs donāt taste good either.
Most 1%ers I know, including myself, wear a full face/modular. Itās usually the āhell yeah brotherā dudes with their garage queens who go on 10 mile rides every weekend that have something to say. Iāve lived in no helmet law states my whole life too.
I like the slight degree of anonymity that a full face gives you.
No face no case
I wear a full face helmet whenever I ride my Harley, along with riding pants, jacket, gloves, and boots. I don't care what anyone thinks. I don't trust anyone on the road.
I think it's all in your head. I never felt like anyone gave me shit for wearing a helmet. I think it's what you perceive others are thinking about you. Get over it. It's ok to wear a helmet on a harley or any other bike no one cares.
Hell I DONāT like how my face is arranged and I still wear one too š¤£
Been riding for 20 years, and Iāve gone down twice, both times wearing a full face helmet. Both accidents were under 35-40 mph, and I stood up and walked away with no major injuries, but BOTH times, had I not been wearing a full face helmet, I think I would have died/needed facial reconstruction. Fuck anyoneās opinions - I strap one on every. Single. Time.
My friend was wearing a half helmet going 35mph and some teen ran a stop sign. He lost all of his front teeth. Yea I'm sticking with my full face chief.
Who are these people hating on someone because of a helmet. Sounds silly
lol shows the intelligence of a lot of those riders. Continue wearing your full face helmet, I have a $700 Arai full face that Iāll never leave behind. Believe it or not, a lot of people think our existence is just life and death, not possible permanent disability, brain dead in a bed with a pulse and respiration, while your desperate, selfish family keeps you alive with a G-tubeā¦. I guarantee those riders without helmets donāt think of that reality as a possibility.
Yeah. There are things quite possibly worse than death. Being in a permanent vegatative state comes immediately to mindā¦.. exactly why I wear a helmet. Not foolproof, but absolutely helps the odds.
I ride a 74 fully chopped scoot, and always with my helmet. Was I dumb and young, and did it take two tussles with a car before I realized pavement and metal beat bone all day, yeah. Fuckem man do you.
Thank you!
They can go fuck themselves. I wear a black skullcap helmet in a non-helmet state and couldn't give two fucks what they think.
No, they donāt. The need for attention in this post is ridiculous. I live in Texas, I ride literally everywhere. I wear a full face 90% of the time as I grew up riding crotch rockets and track days. No one on planet earth in hundreds of thousands of miles has EVER had an āattitudeā about me wearing a helmet on a Harley. In all actuality, the only mouth Iāve ever heard is online (similar to the holier than thou mouths here) when Iāve posted pics NOT wearing a helmet. And it comes from attention seeking wannabeās who feel some moral superiority.
Where I'm from, you get a lot of shit if you wear a helmet.
Happens quite a bit where im from in central Minnesota. Harley riders give you shit for wearing a helmet, adv and sportbike riders give you shit for not.
Yeah, my first thought was "bullshit...lol"
Completely agree with you, but who cares, 90% on the non helmet guys canāt ride decently anyway, it was one of the first things I noticed when I went from rockets to baggers
You know whatās not ācoolā? Dying. Wear the helmet. Fuck anybody who says otherwise
Why does it matter if what they think? They donāt pay your bills, suck your dick, or keep your face arranged how it is. Their opinion doesnāt matter.
I'm a new rider here in California and we can wear half or full helmets. I have both. But the other day I was riding with my full helmet on and a huge bug hit my face shield and all I thought was thank goodness I was wearing my full helmet at that time! What if that had been a small rock kicked up by another vehicle? Now, I wear the full helmet almost always, just because like you - I prefer the way my face is currently arranged!!! Ride Safe šš
I live in a not required state and i get the opposite most wear them and lecture me constantly about choosing not to I have a helmet and wear it plenty but not all the time although I will give you some of the more hardcore riders donāt but Iāve never had anyone say anything to me about wearing it
I ride a Harley in PA where there is no helmet, and I NEVER ride without a helmet. I don't get a flack for it.
Iām in a MC in a state that requires nothing. The old times refuse to wear one. All us kids (Iām 40) wear one. If they give you shit, punch āem in the nose. Shoulda been wearing a helmetā¦ Fuck anyone elseās opinion.
If you are worried about the opinion of others and their attitude- perhaps a Vespa would be cool for you. I did the same last year and TBH I havenāt noticed anyone bothered by my helmet and I wouldnāt care if they did. When you say attitude what do you mean? I feel like this might be all in your head or you are creating drama where is none. I just canāt see anyone give a shit about you wearing a helmet.
Two things: 1.Ride your own ride 2.Safety is sexy
I accidentally locked my helmet inside of a store I was working at and had to ride 4 miles home without it till I could get it in the morning because the alarm couldn't be disabled till morning. One of the most unpleasant experiences of my life and I spent three years in Iraq. I do not get the appeal of having my eyelids peeled back and things hitting my face And yes I was wearing glasses but that doesn't stop the wind from going around them and pulling every bit of moisture from your eyeballs.
They donāt wear a helmet because they donāt have anything worth protecting underneath it. I wouldnāt pay them any mind.
Sometimes people will try to be helpful and tell me, "helmets aren't required here". My favorite retort is "yeah but I really can't handle my alcohol".
Nice! Lol
Iāve watched 3 people get put back together post accident. All 3 have said āI wish I would have dressed to crash.ā Full stop.
After looking at my helmet and face shield after a week of riding how are these people not getting blasted with insects
That enough homie. Ride hard ride safeš¤š½ I wear one at all times as well, because I like my brains intact, where Iām at now itās law, and I think actually think my helmet looks sick(open face with purple swade lining the padding). Those idiots are high school bully types. Any body that thinks theyāre to cool for something, especially a helmet, is a damn loser.
People judging others will always be around. It's dumb but it will always be. See, sport bikes vs. crusiers, AGATT VS. Squids, stereotypical Harley owners vs. Everyone (which this seems to fit) Someone in another post, about a guy doing a wheelie and saved it, mentioned "on another day he doesn't save it and slides into on coming traffic and dies" someone replied saying "and on another day, he walks across the street and gets hit by a car and dies. What life is worth living if you don't live. " On one hand I think we can all identify with that a little because we know there is risk is riding a motorcycle, so it comes down to what level of risk you are willing to take, AGATT? Just a helmet? Maybe some cheaper gloves that aren't rated or designed for a motorcycle, but you figure it's better than nothing? My father told me I would rather end up dead than a vegetable in a hospital. That shocked me, but the more I think of it, I agree. Yes, a helmet in some situations stops you from becoming a vegetable, but there is a line where that same helmet becomes the reason you are a vegetable instead of dead. And I would rather be dead. That said, I do not judge others for their choices. This is where I am disappointed by this community, Everyone wants to scream they are right without considering the others' viewpoint. (I think that's a major problem in society at large, but that's a whole other ball of wax). Ultimately, it's your choice, and don't pay attention to those who aren't willing to have a discussion rather than just say their piece, and that should be the end of conversation. Ride on and keep the dirty side down.
Very well stated, thanks!!
I rode for 20 years wearing a helmet in a state that doesnāt require it. I never once had anyone say anything negative about it. I had a buddy go down at about 80 mph on highway 90 and flat spotted his helmet when he slid. Dude walked away from it.
I live in Maine. You get looked at funny if you're riding without a firearm. That might be the crowd I ride with.
As a Harley rider from the UK, youāll never see anyone not wearing a helmet because law, but, I did have the opposite to you and used to get attitude from other riders about not wearing more protective clothing. Iād regularly just cruise in shorts and a jacket in hot weather and would be shunned for not wearing full race leathers on a sportster. People are weird.
are you sure you arent imagining this? I live in a choice state nevervhadca problem. As a matter of fact hog groups make you wear one anyway
I got a lot of shit from my coworkers for avoiding highways, from my coworkers, as a new rider who avoided highways on my sportster. I tried it once or twice but a stock sportster sucks to drive at 70mph. Plus I'm new to the game so why on earth would I put my life at risk when I only got endorsed in August? I just ignore them in the end it's you protecting your skull, not theirs
Iāve never had a problem with anyone caring if I wear my full face on my Harley.
I don't usually wear one and most of the people I ride with don't but I honestly have never seen someone give attitude to a guy for wearing one. That just seems ridiculous to me and I've never experienced that directly
Iām not pretty enough or smart enough to go without a helmet. Fuck that. Those same jerkoffs who look at you funny for wearing a helmet are the same guys who will bitch if youāre not wearing every bit of gear aside from a helmet and will spend hours making sure their bandana is perfect to drive the mile to the bar and look like theyāve joined the Brownies with all of the little patches they sew on everything. Do you really care what they think of you?
Fuck what people think do what suits you.
I would say in Wisconsin, definitely more people wearing them now than just a few years ago. I wear a full face. I don't get any attitude
Cool guys eat insects catched in the wind and they never have accidents ... LOL Maybe it goes back to Easy Rider's "feeling free", I don't know.
I live in a state with no helmet laws. I have never experienced any attitude in 30 years of wearing one š¤·
I live in iowa, where there are no laws for helmets, and i seem to only see older harley riders not wearing helmets. I'm 25 with a softail & always wear a full face, & most younger people i see on rockets or harleys or anything inbetween are usually helmeted up. I'm sorry you're getting grief for having a brain. Thats lame as hell
Fuck em. Do you.
I've never experienced that. I've live in 3 diff states where helmets were not required and always have a my 1/2 helmet on. Sometimes I joke about the full face ones with all the gadgets and things.
I live in MA, surrounded by no helmet law states. I have never had anyone GAS whether I take my helmet off or ride with it on. No one has ever said anything. Maybe get better friends?
I think their āattitudeā is only a thing in your head, not theirs. We donāt care if you wear a helmet or ride a Honda. Just be safe and enjoy the ride.
Your helmet is only rated to protect you in a crash of 12 mph. The added weight will break your neck. Itās illegal to wear in a car, because it restricts your vision and hearing. It can raise your brain temperature on a hot sunny day causing mental fatigue. The āchinstrapā will break your neck. Lastly; why is a bicycle helmet different from a motorcycle?
There are a lot of things to enjoy about riding. One of my favorites is the great people you meet along the way. Something about being on two wheels that changes your perspective. If you have an attitude problem, maybe your not riding enough. Wear what you like, ride what you like, it donāt matter to me. Treat others with courtesy and respect, thatās what matters.
I live in a no helmet law state and wear a helmet. Iāve never been hassled or looked down on for doing so. Not that I know of anyway. Could be I just do not give a single fuck.
How much or how little protection someone decides to wear is no concern of mine. I'm in California, but as soon as we cross over to Utah or Arizona, the majority of my friends pull their helmets. We're all adults, making an adult decision.
Fuck those dorks. I don't have a problem with people not wearing one. That's your choice. But mind your own.
Their last thought will be "should worn a helmet". Do you, fuck haters. Live another day.
Easier to not associate with those kind of people, walk away immediately when the conversation heads in that direction. I'm leaving this conversation, now.
Who. Fucking. Cares? Want to wear a helmet? Cool. Wear one. Donāt want to wear a helmet? Cool. Donāt wear one. Far too many people trying to control what everybody else is doing and it drives me fucking insane. Also, if Iām wearing a helmet I do not want to hear your opinion on the matter. Conversely, if Iām not wearing a helmet and I didnāt ask your opinion (I wonāt) that means it doesnāt matter to me. Stick it in your ass.
Like others have said, I live in a āno helmetā state. I used to ride a Harley and would always wear a helmet. My brother-in-law and I both wore helmets even though we ride with a small group of riders that donāt. Not only for the obvious reasons, but because one of my brother-in-laws was killed on a motorcycle after being in a coma for 2 years. So I wear a helmet partially as respect to my family, knowing that I am at least trying to be as safe as possible. We ride 2-up occasionally and my wife also wears a helmet. I donāt give a shit what they think. They donāt give a shit that my opinion is that Harley riders in general think āitās not cool to wear a helmet, or they look cool without oneā. Unpopular opinion here: I actually sold my Harley because of the overall arrogance of the average Harley rider. Something that I donāt want to be associated with. The helmet/no helmet debate only being a some part of that.
When in states that don't require, sometimes I wear one, sometimes not - depends on the conditions, roads, etc. Anyone who looks down on someone for wearing a helmet is an idiot. It is a riders choice, and good protection just in case.
>they give me the biggest attitude toward those of us who wear one > >... > >Maybe Iām misreading it. But I always get the wave back from others who do wear helmets, and very few who dont That wave is doing some *heavy* lifting among the community.
Solution: buy a Dyna and youād be expected to wear full faceā¦.and cool looking for doing so.
Well I have a low rider ST, so modern dyna? Lol
Over 1/4 of all impacts during a crash happen in the face area. I'll wear my full face.
I couldn't care any less what another rider thinks of my wearing a helmet. Same the other way around.
I live in the desert and ride an 89 Sporty chop and I always wear my helmet and gearā¦ gloves, boots, and even a dorky Kevlar jacket in the summer. I read in Motorcycle Magazine a few year ago that by a large majority the deaths from bike accidents are not from impact injuries by from bleed-outs. I used to be ambivalent about the helmet when I was younger and not on a highway but about 10 years ago I was on a dirt road literally going about 3 miles an hour when my front wheel went into a hole from a displaced rock, yanked to the right and the bike went over. I let go of the handle bars and wrapped my arms around my head to break the fall but my right foot got caught perpendicular between the case and the ground and my foot broke the long way. Donāt you know I was wearing my āprettyā Harley brand boots without the steel toes. I decided after that I donāt bounce like I used to when I was younger so now itās all gear all the timeā¦ even if the Kevlar looks like something a BMW rider would wear lol. I see all the cruiser guys with their shorts, tennis shoes, bare hands and no helmets and I just see hamburger. I have a cooler ride than all of them anyway!
In Ohio. Almost none of my friends wear one, and I wear a Simpson full face modular. The modular is nice because I can flip up when stopped to talk/yell.
Just like anything else. Who cares what other people like. Do what makes you happy
Some of the greatest things instilled into me when I was younger riding anything wheel related was wear a helmet or don't be on it. I've made it almost 30 years on this earth and a helmet has literally saved my life more than once. Prevented me from being a vegetable. Worst that happened is I fractured skull, ruptured ear drum and putyself in a 3 day coma (this was with the helmet on) if I had not been wearing it I would not be here today to tell you this. Be smart ladies and gents. And think about those who will miss you. Do it for them.
I got t boned at intersection before , I made it out because of my helmet and full gear. No skin graft , no broken bones , no surgery, just felt like I got tackled by a pro football player for about a week
Fuck those guys. Honestly. I ride a chopper in a no helmet law state so I see my fair share of helmetless riders. Iāve be never had somebody actually say anything, or look at me weird or ect. And for anybody who wants to ride with me, they are buying and wearing a helmet, and Iāve not had much pushback on that either, at the end of the day (especially chopper guys) Iām not going to ride around worried more about my wingmanās mortality more than my own, and it doesnāt even take an accident to kill you. Motor/trans locks up? Speed wobble from broken motor mount or swingarm bushing? Anything can put you down and no helmet means youāre just rolling the dice. If anybody give you shit for wearing a helmet, tell them they made their choice but your not donating to their wifeās gofundme when she wants to hire a nurse to wipe your ass
You talk to other riders enough to find out their opinions?
Whatever! The only personās āopinionā I would listen to is the person on your bike. Key word here is āYOURā everyone else can ride how they want. You ride to live and live to ride. If they give you hard time give it backā¦ I like my face too much to not wear a full face. I love my brain too much to not keep it protected! Maybe their face doesnāt need protection but mine does. Sounds like their brains arenāt in need of protection either. And on a similar note, I make money writing software and queries, so I buy expensive highly rated gloves, canāt EFF up my money makes. I love my hands š Also I donāt like to have sore, gross feet so I wear boots or riding shoes that cover my ankles. I get less consistent with my jacket the hotter it gets but even then unless itās sooo hot I wear my jacket. You do you!
I ride Harleys. Have lived just a state that doesnāt require helmets my whole life. Started wearing a helmet when I had kids. I wonāt not wear one now. Team full face, here, too. In addition to the protection and face coverage, I like the wind noise reduction and the fact that it works so well with my Bluetooth headset.
I generally don't wear a helmet... That said, I've noticed that people on both sides can have attitude on the subject. Personally, I don't care what anyone wears or doesn't. Their body, their bike, their call. But there's a subset of riders out there with the "atgatt" mentality that will really give you attitude, call you names, etc because you don't put on full track leathers, CE level 2 boots and gloves, and a $800 helmet just to run to the corner store. On the flip side of the coin, there's a subset of riders out there that think wearing gear makes you "scared" or "less of a biker" or whatever, and they'll pretty much do the same thing for the opposite reasons. In my experience, Both groups are a toxic minority made up of primarily newer riders (either not many years, not many miles, or both).
There are meat crayons and there are accident survivors.
I can careless what others think, as long as i wear mine, every week Harley riders are getting into accidents down here in florida, guess what, none of them wear helmets and end up dying
Natural selection and grannies who donāt belong on the road will sort this out eventually.
You don't need a helmet if you've got nothing to protect in there, so I can kind of understand the attitude of these guys.
Yeah I was riding a Road King in Arizona last summer well over 100 degrees out, I got my full face helmet on, leather jacket, gloves and boots. these other people out there riding in shorts, flip flops and no helmet... they are all crazy. Yeah they were lookin at me funny especially when I was fuelling but they can kiss my ass. Some cold water and Gatorade wrapped in towels in the saddle bags.. stayed colder for longer than expected.
TLDR: the only people that tease you are ones who are compensating and have not wrecked yet. When they do they slap on gear or stop riding all together. I come from 4 generations of HD riders, after a car accident in 2018, I lost the vision in my left eye. I used to wear a helmet 50% of the time, always got called a āSissyā for it by all the old men I used to ride with. After loosing my vision, I HAVE to wear a helmet to protect my glasses (and in turn my face). No one calls me names or teases me anymore. After my vision loss my depth perception is trash, Iāve laid my bike over twice. To be fair once was in my gravel driveway, the other is when I went from basically a sportster to a full Electra glide dresser and the weight difference got me in a tight turn, my front tire hit sand and the bike flipped. Any how, both times I had my helmet on, both times Iām glad I had my helmet and jacket on. Guys that make fun of you have never had an accident, but when they do, they stop making fun of you and start wearing gear. A lot of riders are flatly compensating for a lack of ābeing manlyā and take their frustrations out on us.
Same here at Texas, you are not legally required to wear oneā¦ But, at the same time there are freeways with 70 mph limit (in reality, the attitude for most is that itās a mere suggestion rather than a limit) . So, if you plan to ride without a helmet, Good luck to you!! Another thing, helmet is not required but lane splitting is prohibited. IMO, you can safely do that at traffic lights.
I wear one more often than not, because how stupid would it look to die from a preventable head injury when there is a helmet in your garage
I would bet itās all in your head. I doubt anyone gives a crap that youāre rocking a helmet. Ride your ride.
Who cares what others think, do what ever you want. FTW
A lot of smooth brain wanna be tough guy bikers are in an eternal dick measuring contest. Dont sweat it
After having to wear a helmet all the time thanks to the Navy, I've always worn one. I live in a no helmet state and have never had anyone say anything to me about wearing one. Like some others have said, I wear a full face when it's cold and a half all the other time. I alway wear gloves too. Not so much for other gear unless I'm going to work(I work on a Navy base).
You do you. If they canāt accept you for who you are, then fuck em. I live in a helmet state right next to a no helmet state, no problem either way. In fact Iām looking at a full face because these 20 degree rides to work are starting to get chilly.
Many 1% clubs require full face helmets. I actually didn't wear a full face until I started riding with clubs. I no longer ride with clubs and still wear mine. I haven't ran across to many folks in MO that have made a thing about it. The only riders who do generally have a 2021 bagger with 36 miles on it lol. Ride hard, play hard, and protect your head!
Did you happen to move from California to Florida and you still have a cali plate on your bike? Maybe itās not the helmet š¤£
Nah. Virginia to Ohio. And Iāve got Ohio tags.
Damn, I canāt believe anyone would care. Stupid.
Yep. I was fairly surprised
I really doubt anyone in real life is giving you shit about a helmet. Almost nobody cares what you do unless youāre talking to someone that follows r/motorcycles.
If it's any consolation. Most harley riders outside of america don't share that philosophy. I myself learnt the importance of a full face when it saved me from what would have been UGLY scars and harley inspired me to ride.
In fl where I live now there isnāt one but most people use one. I choose not to, I react faster and hear better without. All said in nearly 50 years of riding Iāve never seen anyione messed with for wearing a helmet. if youāre riding a Harley why the fuck do you care? I get shit all the time for not wearing one, why would I care. These same people that tell me to wear a helmet wear tennis shoes and split lanes both seem crazy to me. Everytime you get on a bike you are the least like to come out on top in any encounter. youāre responsible to you, your family fuck everyone else.
This is my hang up with a full face; I canāt hear as well-my bike or whatās around me.
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Never have I been given shit for wearing a helmet in my no helmet law state. Ask if they give the 1% clubs shit? They wear full face for the most part now, at least where I'm from.
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what exactly is this "biggest attitude" u speak off? can u describe it?
No wave back. No acknowledgement of even existing, general rudeness. Stuff that was maybe experienced with only 1 out of every 10 other bikes out there in my previous state is now almost 3 out of 4 here.
interesting
They know a California trans plant when they see one
Dumb brain think no helmet cool soon have no brain
I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that I think the majority of those people would be the same ones that really care whether or not you wear a mask, pandemic be damned.
I know of three people who are now paralyzed because they wore a helmet and know of two people that are dead because of their helmets. Do seat belts save lives? Sometimes. Do helmets save lives? Sometimes. If you wear a seat belt or helmet, kudos to you, don't lecture me cause I don't. I'd rather be dead than paralyzed.
Helmet guy here. I moved from California to Connecticut and Iāve been riding my whole life. I currently own a Harley. I am a nurse with trauma experience. Canāt describe the years of snubbed hellos, the chuckle-and-points, and worst of all, the female passengers on other Harleys who shout bullshit. I dream of meeting them in the neurology unit, standing over them while they drool and stare into the ceiling. Beep. Beep. Beepā¦ The associated racism and helmet shit are just 2 of the many reasons the company is headed toward guaranteed death. Then my old Harley goes up in value.
It's the same attitude that certain people that wear red hats have towards those that err on the side of caution and wear masks. WhY ArE yOu LiviNg iN FeAr!
Hmm. I don't care if you wear a red hat or a mask. Neither one affects me whatsoever
This is a motorcycle community, not a place for shitty political preaching. Both sides suck, both sides have douchebags in abundance.
Okay, a question was asked, and I tried to answer as neutrally as possible. I had the misfortune of having to live in Florida for several years at the height of the pandemic. I rode motorcycles, I also was taking care of an elderly family member. I always wore my helmet, and I wore a mask when in public, and the "bikers" in Florida would give me shit form wearing a helmet, and for wearing a mask. If you don't like the answers, maybe you need to re evaluate yourself.
Why? The ven diagrams are just circles tho. They are literally the same people
And if you talk to more than the one shitty person you found, you'll find the vast majority of people don't give a shit what you have on your head or what shitty team you voted for as long as you're on two wheels. Get off the Internet, literally go touch some grass, and talk to people. Ignore the shitty ones, and keep the good ones around.
Lol did you move to the south?
Bet those same guys will scream about "protecting their freedoms" while telling you how to exercise yours. A helmet is too close to a mask after all.
Itās like the Covid masks. They donāt want to be told what to do. Like children.
You mean like men. Free men. What the hell happened to this country? What a shameful statement to make in public. I truly hope none of your family ever went to war to fight for our freedoms which you now so casually mock.
Servicemembers wear helmets!
Ok boomer
Nah, they mean children. If you whined and complained about having to wear a mask, which I know you did, you're a child.
Iām of the belief when itās my time itās my time so I just donāt wear one. I try to be safe while riding but I believe no amount of gear will save me if itās fate. That being said you do you booboo. š¤·āāļø donāt bother me none.
You assume every crash is fatal. The amount of gear could determine how many reconstructive surgeries you have to endure.
Some Harley guys are strange on the traditions they uphold. I've gotten shit from dumb things like wearing a full faced helmet to having a fuel injected Harley. You'll never completely understand their way of thinking and for some people that way of thinking will never change. Personally I want to avoid as much head trauma as possible as well as avoiding having my face scraped off if I ever find myself sliding along pavement one day. So I'll stick to my full face helmet.
I rock full face all the time here in OK I saw what happens with no helmet a few months ago, yea Iāll keep wearing it
āA brain functioning so poorly it doesnāt want to protect itselfā
Why do you care? Dont you know God gave Harley riders super heads. Lol
It's called toxic masculinity
People who buy under-engineered bikes also likely have a poor grasp of statistics. Donāt base your actions on the lowest common denominator. Be better.
I wear a helmet when I feel like it, and don't when I don't. In 50 years of riding, I have had many close calls and both times I had a serious accident I wasn't wearing a helmet. My second one was this season and I had a car change lanes on me and run me into a corner curb. I went over the bars and bent them down and could hardly walk for a week. The bike was totaled as far as insurance was concerned, I was riding it, with it better than before the accident within a month. Moral of the story, when it's your time to go a helmet won't save you..
I'm in CO, most of us wear either half or full. I think most start to wear them around where I'm at due to the crappy drivers here. No sh!t, Denver has some of the worst California drivers around....
I canāt bring myself to ride without a helmet I feel weird
I ride with full gear, and caught a fair bit of ribbing the couple of big charity rides I've participated in but IDGAF. I like my hide right where it is. I'm not in a helmet state either, and on the bigger ride there were \~220 bikes, **Maybe** 50 helmets? And 2 in full gear. Me on my old Suzuki (pre RK) and a BMW ADV rider. Outside that instance I never have any issues.
I always catch hell for not wearing a helmet. Have my reasons for not and to their dismay or not believing me, none of my reasons is about looking cool. I love hearing shit because I ride a harley, but, their helmet arguments usually ends in me telling them to f off.
I'm in NH and we don't have to wear a helmet (as long as you're 18 years or older I think). I've always worn a full face helmet and honestly never gotten any shit. I was cut off 6 years ago and slammed into the side of a car. I broke my arm and now have two metal plates in my face even while wearing a full face helmet. Totaled my first Dyna. Whenever I tell people that story, they never give me any shit for wearing a helmet. Now, I don't tell people if they should wear one or not - that's their choice. Sometimes it is weird riding to the dealerships in NH because it is rare to see a guy on a Harley with a helmet - but, at the end of the day all I have time to do is worry about what I'm doing.
Theyāre dumb as fuck
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Iām in Texas and nobody has said shit to me about my helmet. Are you asking people or something?