The pleasure of riding without a helmet?

[BCKRider]

Comments on your posts from the OP

Posts 16 and 19: I've always bought white helmets (which are sometimes hard to find and had to order my last one after making sure the brand/size fit my head. Guess that study on the greater visibility of white helmets either hasn't reached or not been believed by a lot of folks. I believe the color is a small plus.) I've also added additional front lighting and brake lights that flash before going on to my bike. My current riding jacket is white and red. While I do not suffer from the delusion that all these measures will protect me from inattentive motorists, the fact is I can't cite a single instance of abuse by another motorist in several years. I like the idea of making oneself more visible on the bike, within the restraint of personal good taste. (For me, that ruled out the most vibrant jacket colors, an orange helmet, and a headlight modulator - but if any or all of those work for you, fine with me.)

Post 17: Andy, I have to disagree with you about the decision to not wear a helmet is based on "convenience." How long does it take to pull on a helmet? How likely is it that someone will steal your helmet if you leave it on the bike? As an ATGATT person (who doesn't own a 'Stich) I DO frequently drive the car on many stop errands rather than take the bike. I can see lots of reasons for not donning all the gear for short rides. Just decided that I will not do that, but well understand why many make short trips without the full kit. But a helmet only?

Post 19: Henzilla, I believe your point about "peer pressure" hit the nail on the head. I have absolutely no idea why BMW riders mostly wear real helmets and serious gear and other riders sometimes don't. I doubt that the Harley and Goldwing riders (and these are the groups which often wear no or uselss helmets and other protective garb) know why they do so. They are just part of the heard of sheep. I suspect, know it or not, we ATGATT types are also sheep. I doubt that many of us dreamed it up on our own. We fell in with the right crowd.

Post 2: (pjjj386) I believe you are the only one who is friends with and rides with a couple who usually don't wear helmets. Could you ask them their perspective on why they don't wear helmets when not legally required? That is the voice I'd hoped to hear from in the OP. I think all of us on this thread are missing something, and we would like to know what we are missing.

 

[26667]

2 cents

When I was a lad back in 1966, my buddy had a Honda Super 90. We'd go out to the sand pits near Ottawa and swim in the cool spring fed lakes. then to dry off we'd take turns zipping back and forth down the two-lane in swim suits and sandals. Lucky boys.

Some years ago at the Missoula Nat'l, I struck up a conversation with a guy camped near me and he suggested we go get breakfast at one of the local joints. He hopped on his bike, helmetless, and just to try and, ...IDK what exactly...join in? be more friendly?? I left my helmet in my tent. And rode the mile or so into town with him. The whole time all I could think was, "What an embarrassing way to go this would be!! After thirty years of ATGATT, to check out for a stack of pancakes." sheesh!

 

[stas]

In Europe we never even had the option ÔÇô Wearing a helmet was mandatory and frankly with the inclement weather youÔÇÖd be nuts not to wear a helmet. Frankly we all grew up wearing either leathers, if you could afford them or BellStaff gear, sheepskin stomach liners, chamois leather inserts on gloves to wipe the rain away and such like and anyone you saw not wearing full gear was frankly greeted with ridicule.

I am constantly astonished here ÔÇô I live in Utah ÔÇô where you see riders not only not wearing helmets but no gloves, and happy to cruise around in shorts, sandals and the like and my all time favorite ÔÇô their 3-7 year old kid on the gas tank ÔÇô yeah you read that right! Its amazing to me that having been hit in the visor by a bumble bee at fifty mph where the noise is enough to distract me let alone the orange goop that ended up obscuring my vision and once by some foreign object that cracked my visor ÔÇô that youÔÇÖd even contemplate not having full head protection. You see riders with their eyes shut almost tight in an effort to see where they are going or with a set of apparently cool easy rider ÔÇ£shadesÔÇØ and a bandana looking and as they do for appreciative nods of approval NOT! ItÔÇÖs not a fashion show! Seeing that statistically speaking, apparently 70 percent of the time when you do come off your bike youÔÇÖll hit not your head in the first instance but rather your chin I often wonder what these Darwinian evolutionists are thinking.

As stated on a previous forum many are highly educated people so you have to wonder where the disconnect is? Further, we used to look at accessories as potential limb removers such as loose leather tassels on handlebars made popular on HarleyÔÇÖs as fashion accessories, tassels on clothing, chaps, that if the lower part of the pants catches in a fall then the ÔÇ£beltÔÇØ section might well remove ones marriage furniture. Crash bars, typically chromed, poorly anchored and offering mere parking lot ÔÇ£blingÔÇØ protection that in all likelihood will wrap around the riders legs in a fall simultaneously breaking limbs and searing them against unprotected exhaust pipes amaze me! Well at least it would stop the bleeding. Perhaps thatÔÇÖs the reason! Again youÔÇÖve got to wonder! As for ÔÇ£Ape BarsÔÇØ and all manner of non OE customizations such as extended forks with what appear to be bicycle tires, fat boys on the rear and spikes and all kinds of fashionable impalement objects better suited to the circus then serious motoring, again you have to wonder.

Perhaps in Europe we were lucky that we did not have cowboys which, I must admit, we all wanted to emulate, having The Duke as our hero along with Clint Eastwood and all. But perhaps there lies the issue. Is this enthusiasm for the pursuit of individuality really a throwback to the cowboy and the Harley etc merely an extension of the western Horse, the Mustang and all it stands for. At least itÔÇÖs a reason, and I really get the connection between the horse and horsepower ÔÇô very good that. But a motorbike is a machine itÔÇÖs not a horse and arguably should not be viewed or adorned as such. Even on a good day with some warm oats and fresh hay to boot it might hit 45mph but hardly sustain that for any length of time either. I never did see a cowboy with sunglasses on in the movies or in Ansell Adams photos so they clearly are an oxymoron on either bike or horse. But perhaps there lies the disconnect and missing within it is the search for individuality the independence the cowboy spirit.

For my part I actually think I have stumbled upon the hidden secret which is simply this. When I am riding, all gussied up in a Hi Viz yellow helmet, and jacket to match, rear strobe brake lights, leather gloves and boots and IÔÇÖm sure looking like an idiotic lemon Christmas tree once I switch on my PIAA lights on the GSA, our Darwinian colleagues actually glare at us with the deepest of envy, jealousy even, because, rather than being individualists they indeed are in the herd, the crowd of conformity juxtaposed against their avant-garde Easy Rider image they are really the conformists amongst us. We on the other hand have the courage to be different, face it, it takes a lot of effort to dress up right, get your helmet on and chose bright ÔÇ£I can see you and you can see me coloringÔÇØ. But isnÔÇÖt it interesting that we gain the respect of the police, emergency services and of course the general public because we end up being viewed as serious motorists, dedicated motorcyclists who are both courteous and capable of great enjoyment and the joy of the open road. Perhaps wearing your helmet, serious riding gear and approaching motorcycling with intelligence and thoughtfulness is after all proof of true rebelliousness. If so then wear your helmet with pride because being ÔÇ£brightÔÇØ is something to be proud of and indeed emulated.

 

[BC1100S]

I wear a seat belt when I drive. I wear a helmet when I ride.

Seems pretty simple to me and I am by no means the smartest guy on the internetz.

 

[redcat43]

During a conversation regarding helmet vs. non-helmet wear, a friend who is a trauma doc stated "We can fix or replace most of your human stuff except your head"...'nuff said.

 

[i-scream-stop]

I got my first bike at age 20, they suggested bringing back to dealership after first 500 miles to be adjusted and such so I figured I would take a 500 mile ride to the dealer. Of course I just had my permit so it was required by law and I had been racing karts for years so I knew the reasons for helmet in an wreck. What I didn't expect was to get the biggest lesson in helmet safety. As I was riding alone out in middle of nowhere at about 35 because I had to keep the rpms down, I rode under a maple tree with the stupid little twirly seeds falling. I could feel them hit my helmet so hard and could not imagine taking them to the face especially at higher speeds. Over the years I have taken bugs to the eyes at about 5 mph in parks with visor cracked, bees in the helmet and the best yet, Brand new Shoei first commute to work and a bird some how came between my windshield and face. Thought I was clobbered by a huge rock until I looked in my mirror to see feathers sticking out from seem where visor closes. After 22 years of getting hit with stuff in the face I can not help but laugh every time I see the COOL guys going down the road when a rain storm pops up. (GOD that has to hurt!)
I also can not help but laugh when some body asks why I wear all that crap just to run to town or when people give me funny looks when they see my great hair do from vented liner of my shoei.
It will always be a debate by the cool crowd using freedom BS, but to the guys who have been hit by stuff, it's not a question. Of course, I guess you don't feel that stuff after leaving the bar.

 

[ANDYVH]

The REAL reason for wearing a helmet is not to protect your head, the hard part, your skull. Your skull can be repaired by all sorts of interesting methods and products that I never want to find out as part of my noggin.

The REAL function of a helmet is to protect your brain. A normal human brain, I am told has the consistency and physical properties of firm Jello (turns out Mom was right when she claimed my head was full of Jello). Being "Jelloish" it is easily deformed and permanently disrupted. Note the word permanently, as in "non repairable". As in "Abby Nooorrmal", so eloquently spoken in my favorite movie.

A helmet gives your head the chance to slow down after impact, just enough, so that when your brain crashes into the inside of your skull (the 3rd hit of any helmet crash), it may at the very worst bruise a bit, but not turn into a pile of mush against the inside of your noggin.

To me, there is NO pleasure in riding without a helmet. Never has been.

 

[AKsuited]

I know this has been stated before...but, I have not been able to distingiush helmet color until a bike was fairly close to me.

No offense, but I base my decisions on valid, carefully carried out studies of motorcycle accidents, not someone's opinion. And the results are unanimous: white helmets lower your accident rate on a bike compared to black helmets. The Wells study from New Zealand quantifies the numbers, but it merely repeats what the Hurt and MAIDS studies already found.

And it doesn't matter how a bike looks far away, it's what it looks like to a careless motorist within left-turner range of that biker.

Also, a white helmet is visible from all directions. Your extra lights are visible only from a fairly narrow angle to the front.

Harry

 

[GALA]

helmet? yes!

I dont like to get any extra wrinkle on my face, so I wear Schuberth : light, quiet and safe!

 

[rad]

Risk vs reward, it is just that simple. We all make those choices every day, even getting in our cars where over 50,000 of us die in the States every year.

BTW I grew up in California, before the helmet laws, with parents that made me wear a helmet. So, what did I do being a typical high school kid? On my way to school each day I stopped a few blocks from home and ditched my helmet in the bushes at the local park before getting to school. It was all about image. I loved those days, summer time, T shirts, shorts, sandals (sometimes barefoot!) and no helmet.

 

[henzilla]

No offense, but I base my decisions on valid, carefully carried out studies of motorcycle accidents, not someone's opinion. And the results are unanimous: white helmets lower your accident rate on a bike compared to black helmets. The Wells study from New Zealand quantifies the numbers, but it merely repeats what the Hurt and MAIDS studies already found.

And it doesn't matter how a bike looks far away, it's what it looks like to a careless motorist within left-turner range of that biker.

Also, a white helmet is visible from all directions. Your extra lights are visible only from a fairly narrow angle to the front.

Harry

Wasn't trying to change anyones mind...just making an observation.

Studies are fine and if that works for you in making decisions on gear ,fine as well. I don't get that in depth on personal choice decisions. Works for me as well.

Have had a lot of helmets thru the years and cannot recall a solid white one in any of them...I do have a bright red one in my arsenal now ...it probably just gets the LEO's attention accordiong to someones study My color choice most likely would have had no influence on my last get off three years ago...the deer that broadsided me didn't care!

Helmet threads always are interesting on how they morph from original question.

 

[i-scream-stop]

You can take the pleasure thing to the tee shirts too, I remember running the hours on the road in a tee shirt and jeans, but always wore the helmet. Learned my lesson that first summer of riding about that also. I remember getting three hours from home on a beautiful sunny day, but on the ride down I got a little to much sun. What are your choices at that point? It was a very long and painful ride home with the sun-burnt arms and neck. The blisters were horrible.
The biggest problem with motorcycles, is you have to actually have a bad experience to learn. The fact that peer pressure make everyone want to look cool or keep hair nice and neat means those Bad experiences can be VERY BAD.
A helmet thread on this forum is kinda redundant unless it is about something new, isn't it?

 

[Polarbear]

Old school

Been riding all my life, now 60. I like my helmets, always try to wear it, even when younger, m/x racing in my blood as kid. We used to ride the tailgate of station wagons to town, sit on pickup truck beds down the highway. Wonder we're all not dead I guess! I am not a law friendly guy, however and let us be. Big brother can take a hike. Dare devil in me is BIG and life has been good, wearing my helemt is my choice, not always anothers. I'm happy with that. My hair has become short with years and head skin needs more attention from sun. Helmet helps nicely with old man'itis. As far as appeal to no helmet? I think its got to be a nice loose feeling, wind blowing about the ears and hair, If ya got it! Those bald guys, just don't get the sunburn thing? Randy

 

[MOONDOG59]

Wisconsin, in my 40 years of riding has been a helmet choice state. And my choice has always been to wear a helmet, no fail.

I simply cannot be comfortable without a helmet. Too much noise, wind, airblown crap, BUGS! I get whapped on my FF helmet face shield, sitting behind a windshield, on my RS, by so many bugs, that I cannot imagine putting up with that on my face all the time. A June bug in the forehead would hurt!

But, I feel that mandatory helmet laws do not address the real safety issue, which is riders with marginal riding skills, poor traffic strategies, and the wrong attitude about riding (that being it's everyone's else's fault first). I feel mandatory training of ALL licensed riders would do as much if not more than mandatory helmet laws.

All this, "its my RIGHT to ride without a helmet", or "it limits my hearing or blocks my vision", or "I like the freedom", all right, maybe I can accept the last one, is mostly bunk in my view. To me the real reason people don't wear helmets? Convenience. People don't want to pay for helmets, don't want flattened out hair, don't want to carry, store, lock up helmets. They can say all they want about "rights" but I say it's nothing but convenience. Go out, walk to the bike. climb on, and go is really what they want. Don't want to be "inconvenienced" by having to put on a helmet.

I say for some its mostly image and they're being children that don't like to be told what to do. I for one don't ride without a helmet. I hate picking bugs out of my teeth...

 

[kantuckid]

While waiting yesterday (to get my colonoscopy & endoscopy) in the outpatient center, this guy inline at the desk was tying on his "raghead bandana"and I turned to the (also old like me) guy next to me & said, "I need to watch him, as I'm thinking I need one of those & never knew how it is done" We got a good laugh out of it .
I'm wondering what my generation would have though had I worn that headgear back in the day?
Thing is, I see "my generation" wearing those rags, braiding their pigtail(my wife cuts my hair & I cannot stand hair around my ears, let alone down my back!),tatted up,POW/MIA flags blazing(absolutely no disrespect meant here!) all the gold chains/medallions,chaps,leather vests & sometimes wonder if I really am a bit boring in my helmet & other stuff?
I will admit to thinking (once upon a time) that I was pretty cool in my Candy Red Sparkle helmet with the "Army Aviation" decal across the back & my Triumph roaring down the road.
My helmet "thrill " is popping out the Schuberth visor for an air rush.

 

[jnrugg]

Last Saturday I took a day trip to NW Mass. For no real reason I took my cleaning kit. At one stop I used it to clean off some bugs, not too bad.
By the time I got home at 9 pm my face shield as almost opaque from the bugs. I was riding with the screen down most of the day because it was hot. I should have stopped again to clean it but was almost home. Can't imagine taking that abuse to the face and eyes. Even with the windscreen up and the visor cracked open for air on other rides, I have gotten stuff in my eye.


A couple of years ago at a rally ride the main group pulled over in a parking lot while one of the riders went back to a gas station for tire air. As we are standing there all decked out a guy on an RT rides by with shorts, t-shirt and sandals. He saw us and came back and we told him who we were, etc. I'm sure we all thought the same thing... how can you ride dressed like that? I too have taken a ride around the block without a helmet and didn't like it. I started wearing ear plugs a few years ago and it really enhanced the riding experience, it put me into that Zen zone.

 

[gfspencer]

Today, for the first time in a long time, I forgot my earplugs. I was miserable. I can't even imagine how bad the noise would be if I were riding without a helmet.

 

[ricochetrider]

OK, I suspect few of you on this forum do so now, whatever the laws in your jurisdiction. But I bet quite a few of you did in the "old days." Do you in any way miss having your naked head out in the breeze?

Back to the original question: what is the pleasure of riding without a helmet?

I ride without a helmet very rarely, but sometimes do so just because I can.... I guess. I don't go far, typically but do enjoy a fast jaunt across town or whatever.

I grew up in a time when I knew some... er.. well... bikers. I guess you'd have called them that. it was back in the 70s when everyone I knew was waiting for the day when the helmet laws would be repealed. I got my first bike when I was 30. It was an old Triumph, and I had a couple more along the way. Eventually I got into BMWs and yes, I still have some old Brits around. However the further I ride, the more protection I want. I went from helmet to helmet, and eventually wound up with an Arai. I bought it after the umpteenth person i knew or was friends with died from head injuries.

I'm no ATGATT nazi. As far as I'm concerned, everyone may do as they wish, with my blessing. I choose to most often ride with my full faced Arai, and just bought a pair of riding pants with armor for an upcoming two week road trip up to Nova Scotia and Quebec. I used to be strictly a leather guy, and still wear my leathers, and my old Barbour International... I also still occasionally wear my Davida "Puddin Bowl" around- for day trips around the area.

So, I'm all over the place but leaning more and more towards more protection especially for longer rides/trips.

 

[ANDYVH]

Personally, for me, I feel the gear fits MY image of someone who is actually serious about riding. Treating it, well, like a professional would. Maybe its a bit big-headed to feel like I am a professional rider, and not some occasional joy-rider. I feel when I see my reflection on my bike in a store window, I feel like I look ready for the bike and ride. Kind of like the way I see a motor-cop on his bike.

I don't feel self conscious one bit about my full face helmet, jacket, cycle boots, gloves, jeans (all right, I give in on that one). I feel like I am there for the ride, not some little toot across town in shorts and flip flops on some bike making noise making sure everyone is looking at me. Or in "leathers" and doo-rag seeking the same recognition.

Being a MSF instructor, it is right in the MSF code of ethics for Rider Coaches to wear the right gear all the time. But I was wearing most all the gear before I became a Rider Coach 19 years ago. I have met former MSF students on the road and they see me in all the gear just like when I showed up for class.

 

[roborider]

I wear all the gear, too, and I've used it on more than one occasion!

But, when I'm working on my bikes, I often ride around the block a few times to warm up the oil, or the engine, or whatever, and don't wear a helmet. Sometimes it's nice. But no way would I do serious street riding without helmet and gear.