Who wears a helmet?

[k_enn]

Here in New Jersey, helmets are required.  But nearby states (Pennsylvania, and Connecticut) do not require helmets.  Even so, I wear a full face helmet at all times.  Better to be safe than sorry, and as some others have mentioned there is aways the bug issue (not to mention gravel blowing off construction vehicles).  

[Bengt_Phorqs]

Rob, Theresa and I both wear the HJC Sy-Max II, but I don't seem to have the problem with water leakage that Ed does.  We rode 7 hours in the rain going to the national rally, and this past October abour 4 hours in the hardest rain I've ever experienced with no leakage.  Does that count for the garden hose test?  Fogging though is a bit of a problem.  My previous helmet was a Scorpion EX400 and it did not fog.  Good hat.

As for the rest, yep, gotta wear the leather and such.  Besides, it just feels right to ride a bike in leather. 8-) 8-)

[TXRider60]

In the 60's I wore a half (2/3?) helmet, though I was in a minority...
But in MY 60's, I wear only a full-face.
Had a coworker bail from his scooter (not a figure of speech-- it was a Burgman) in Galveston, this weekend: Chin bar of his full-face helmet was shredded, so he's pretty glad he was wearing it when he hit the pavement at 45 mph.

[Barry]

Chin bar of his full-face helmet was shredded,

I'm sorry to hear that. The thought of that happening to me in an open face makes me cringe.  I'm beginning to worry now especially as nobody else seems to be wearing them. It doesn't seem that long ago that our police riders wore open face. Now they use the flip up type.

 

[Bengt_Phorqs]

Motor cops in this part of the world still wear open face helmets.  Not only that but they continue to insist that riding side x side is the safest way to ride.  Four of them in a tight little group about the size of a uti car passed me at high speed on a curve not too long ago.  Had to shake my head in wonder at that one.

Barry, like you, I like an open face too, but I just don't ever wear it anymore out of fear of a face plant.  Mrs. Phorqs tells me my face is about the only pretty part left!  

[SCJJR65]

In SC, riders over the age of 18 do not have to wear a helmet, so you see most of the H-D and clone riders helmet-less, with their "Doo-Rags" on or the little "Popeye" caps on their clueless noggins.  I always wear a helmet, most of the time a full-face version, although I do have a shorty helmet I sport on occasion during the Hell-like inferno we call summer!  

[Ed Miller]

Rob, Theresa and I both wear the HJC Sy-Max II, but I don't seem to have the problem with water leakage that Ed does.  We rode 7 hours in the rain going to the national rally, and this past October abour 4 hours in the hardest rain I've ever experienced with no leakage.  Does that count for the garden hose test?  Fogging though is a bit of a problem.  My previous helmet was a Scorpion EX400 and it did not fog.  Good hat.

As for the rest, yep, gotta wear the leather and such.  Besides, it just feels right to ride a bike in leather. 8-) 8-)

Great, it looks like I'm just cursed.  Is your head in the wind when you ride?  If so, I'll blame the Windjammer.  I use a Fogciti in my faceshield and it doesn't fog up, though the uncovered part of the face shield does.  

[Lucky_Lou]

I prefer my 25 Year old Kevlar open face which has much less wind noise and no misting problems. It just feels right,

I didnt know Kevlar had been around that long !!!!!..all the gear all the time i just bought some Cordura pants for winter riding full armour and as warm as toast.
My hat is a Cadberg full face flip front and sun visor i keep toying with idea of the open face helmets but then again there only compulsory on Hardleys.
Lou

[Barry]

I suspect my helmet is just fibreglass with a small amount of kevlar mixed in and to be honest 25 years old was a guess. I'm not exactly sure how old it is but kevlar was invented in the mid 60's and this manufacturer was around in the 70's and 80's . I Bought it 2nd hand which I know you are not supposed to do. It seemed hardly worn and I thought a bit of quality was better than a new plastic one. All my kit is period to the bike or there abouts. I've got Goldtop police issue leather boots (people have been known to laugh at them) and gloves that I bought new in 1982 and a Lewis leather Jacket 2nd hand off ebay. The boots and jacket have been repaired many times and will probably last me out but the gloves won't and I'm at a loss to know how I'm going to replace them.
Now Lou as a man who's into the wild west you must understand why I'm into a bit of nostalgia. Aren't we all or we wouldn't be riding these things ?
 

[welshman]

Interesting thread this.I started riding pre-compulsion and although wore either my open face Everoak or later a "pudding basin", I tended not to use them in town and of course coming back to work after taking a workmate home for lunch one day in '67 I was forced into a local park by an errant car driver. The copper who attended the hospital said I went through a hedge,beech fencing stakes and snapped a strand of steel wire! Just missed the kids' paddling pool.Needless to say that was the last time without a hat. I used a Bell full-face for 25yrs. including road -racing,then bought my first BMW System 3 which was a fine helmet but I'm now on my third System 4 which I prefer.A month ago I threw the R65 up the road on black ice and I went out the front door and smacked the road with the chin-bar.Trashed the fairing and various other bits but my face was untouched.My favourite helmet has been my old (ancient) pudding basin but was I pleased not to be wearing it that morning.

[Yikes]

I guess the question is who doesn't wear a helmet?  I wouldn't think about  taking to the road without one.

I have an HJC CL-SP which is a full face bucket.  It is pretty comfortable and easily accomodates my glasses.  My only complaints are that it is a little noisy at high speeds and has a huge outer shell that has a real Power Rangers look to it.  I am considering shelling out for a low-end Shoei full-face, and making the HJC the designated pillion helmet, but I am not sure if the Shoei will work with my glasses.  The new helmet will most likely have to take a place in line behind a pair of new Hagon shocks.

[Semper Gumby]

Helmets are mandatory here in the cold and white north where the ground has been covered with snow for the last 77 days and the roads have been impossible to ride  motorcycles on (I'm beginning to feel like a nicotine addict  without tobacco - restless, irritable, shortfused and longing).

As Monte so aptly states:  ATGATT!

greetings from a sunny, white and cold north

Trolle,

Put some knobbies on your R65 and then drive some very short sheet metal screws into the ends of the knobs.  Then you can ride all winter on all the snow covered roads you want.

Always were my Shoei RF-1000.  Its a PITA when it rains though.

Love the easy on and off shields for it.  I have a clear for night vision and a dark smoke shield with a Polar Optics dark lense for day time and early morning sun on the horizon in front of the bike.

ATGATT!  

[razz2234]

Ever since I broke my jaw in a dirt bike accident, wearing a Full Face Helmet, I suggest that ANY MC rider wear a full face helmet. I am a Paramedic and have seen many a cyclist that might have survived serious injury had they been wearing a full face helmet...and not to be redundant, those that don't are risking there own safety, possible family grief, and disfigurement. But on the lighter side...those HD riders in their doo rags are proof plus that that type of ignorance is natures way of weeding out the weak and stupid....

[MrRiden]

ATGATT. A helmet saved my melon once before and although My state values personal freedom above having a helmet law I still wear nothing less than a full face at all times.

[Aristotle]

I think that a person is smart to ride his bike with a helmet. IT's not just for safety's sake, but like as mentioned  so many times in this thread already, its the bugs.
There's also the weather conditions that one has to deal with when thinking about riding the bike. There's rain.

There's also the dust that the cars or big trucks in front of you can  spew up into your face when not wearing a helmet with a full face shield.

It just makes sense to wear one.