head wear in no helmet states?

[Farther]

Here on the West Coast all the states are helmet required.  You riders in non-helmet required state: what do you wear, or not wear, in the heat or in the cold or in the rain, etc?

[RLD]

A HELMET. Crashed once and you wouldn't catch me on a bike without it.  I also bought an Aerostich riding suit.

[Bob E.]

PA is a non-helmet state.  But I still wear one all the time.

[Garland]

Florida has not required helmets for the last ten years. At first, I was so happy that I did not have to wear one that I went without for several years. Eventually I got tired of my balding head getting sunburned and my sunglasses blowing around and the roaring in my ears at high speeds. I switched to a white novelty helmet, which was very comfortable and had the added advantage of making me look like a cop, so people tended to move over.

I currently use a white Scorpion EXO 100 half-helmet, which is the only real helmet that I have found to be comfortable. I like having the clear retractable visor, for both riding in the rain and at night and it is actually more comfortable than the lightweight novelty helmet I was using.

I know that half-helmets are nowhere near as protective as a full-face, but part of the enjoyment in riding for me is being comfortable, and that is the compromise to safety I choose to make. Everyone is going to have a different opinion about this topic.

[Grumpy]

I live in Florida, Helmet not required by law if over 21, but let me say this, I wear a full face modular helmet. I crashed last Sat on Interstate 4 at 65 mph, screwed up both arms, both legs black and blue from my knee to my chest on the left side, and broke 3 ribs. Not a scratch on my ugly head, never even knocked my glasses off. Helmet looks like it was attacked by a grinder, it is trash, but it did it's job. Would not catch me without one.

[Jack]

HELMETS

[BuzzKill]

Texas, No Helmet State.  I wear a helmet all the time.  Full face even, modular at least.  Makes it easier to talk to the woman on the Scala and the wind does a number on my eyes.

[Tx Bohemian]

Same here in South Texas, Helmet all the time.

[wizard -vrccds#125]

Helmet only if I have a law that says I must. A helmet broke my neck 7 years ago ! It hurts to ware one now. Dew rag ! !  Just the other side of the coin .                                                             

[alph]

wisconsin does not require a helmet.  

i wear a full face if it's raining, and a half helmet any other time.  the only time i don't wear a helmet is when i'm moving the cycle around in the garage.

i had a co-worker fall off of a bar stool last may, he started walking again last december.  head injury.

[Bugslayer]

Helmet only if I have a law that says I must. A helmet broke my neck 7 years ago ! It hurts to ware one now. Dew rag ! !  Just the other side of the coin .                                                             

Just curious.... How did a helmet break you neck?

[Momz]

Michigan has a so-called helmet law, but for years I only wore a white Bicycle helmet. I got ticketed several times but won my cases because the MI State Police are required to compile a list of approved helmets. They do not make this list, because if someone were to get seriously hurt or die due head trauma while wearing an "approved helmet" they (MSP) could be held liable.

Ride free and choose to wear what you believe is in your best interests.

[daytona]

Yep! Dew rag, ball cap! what else would go good with flip flops & beach shorts?? maybe a  VRCC "T"....    PS gloves would be overkill.

[Ratdog]

What does a solicitation of an opinion have to do with "how do I do it" type inquires that DO belong on the Tech Board? 

There's nothing Technical about:

What oil do you use?
What tire do you like?
What do you wear for headgear?
Etc., etc., etc.

[junior]

in NH i wear my mullet, and o cool or wet days i wear my leather dew rag.

and riding the valk has fixed my hairloss (now its tech related)

[fudgie]

+1 on what wizzard says. 
We're 99.9% helmetless. I use to wear a do rag but past few years I been wearing a visor like the one pictured. I tried to wear a hat, usually a HD one, but would get to much lift and would blow off. The visor keeps the sun out of my eyes. I'm dam near bald but once I burn I'm good to go the rest of the summer. Kit would wear a head band.
On trips for the rain we use to carry our 3/4's and snap a clear shield over it to ride. It becoming a hassel anymore. Hauling them, packing them, putting the visor on, repacking, it got old. Sturgis 09 we took them and out of 2500 miles we wore them for 6 miles.  Out of 4 rain storms we wore them once. We just wear a head band or hood of the rain gear and wrap a bandana around your face and we're good to go. 2 weeks ago we went and bought 2 novelty helmets. We avoid helmet states but sometimes we cant. She actually said it was comfortable to wear. Do you know when you buy a novelty helmet they give you DOT stickers to put on them? 
I know we should wear one but we dont. We figured, and talked about it numberous times, that if we go down and die, so be it. She is in good with the lord but worries about me! Go out doing what we love-doing together. Having a 1500 lb bull do the Texas two-step on my face and head didnt take me out, maybe a  motorcycle wont either.
Death is going to happen one way or another. You cannot prevent death, you can just prolong it.

[fudgie]

in NH i wear my mullet, and o cool or wet days i wear my leather dew rag.

and riding the valk has fixed my hairloss (now its tech related)

I figured you to be a 'bussiness in the front-party in the back' kinda guy! 

[ChromeDome]

Illinois, no helmet state but I wear one 99.99...% of the time. When travelling I always wear my flip front and I have a 3/4 that I wear around here when summer gets in full swing.

[Big Rig]

NJ has Helmet Law, PA does not...I wear a 1/2 helmet year round, no matter what the temps...just me...I went down and the helmet I was wearing is why I am still here...6" gash across the upper back of that one...no broken bones, and everywhere that was covered was only bruised...

I wear everyday...I also wear seatbelts when I drive...cut too many people out of cars that did not...

JM2C.

[GreenLantern57]

I wear helmet on the highway. Cuts the noise and with the modular helmet, it is easier to wear sunglasses. If I am crusing (less than 60mph) the back country, I may remove the helmet for awhile. I have a tinted sheild, but made the mistake of thinking it was enough for all the sunlight that reflects off all that chrome. My face still got burned.
In town, it depends. 99%  no helmet. I wear - knitted cap, backwards bb cap, roll-up hat with tie straps (never can remember the technical term), straw cowboy hat with safety straps (whatever), or just glasses with my hair blowing in the wind.
I tried du-rags, but they are just not me!  On cooler days, you can see me riding with sunglasses, black boots, chaps, jacket, gloves, knitted hat, and a x-large black kerchief around my nose, tucked into the jacket.  I like those days cause of the looks I get. Like the guy that looks at me, then you see the door locks go down. You gotta laugh.

[wizard -vrccds#125]

Long story ! See me at Inzane and I will explain. This one not a scratch on the helmet, and I went over the bars.   

[Ghillie]

Half helmet year round

[Wingman]

I'm in Georgia. I have "no helmet" states to the north and south of me. I wear a flip up 100% of the time, but that's just me.

[BF]

Florida, no helmet state.  Wear a half helmet year 'round.  A flat black HJC AC-2m.  Even in the hot, it's still fairly cool.  It's the best air-flow helmet I've tried yet.  Too bad it's out of production now.    

I have another HJC full face that I never wear.....just can't stand the thing...blocks my vision and is hot as hell.  Never tried a 3/4 before untill recently.  Bought an HJC 3/4 lightly used just to try on the cheap to see if I'd like one.  I didn't.  About the only thing I liked about it was that it cut down on the airlfow blowing in my ears when I don't have the windshield on.  

I have one of those silly little novelty half helmets too.  I think a doo rag provides about as much protection as thing would.  I don't even know why I bought it.   

[the inspector]

NY = novelty helmet
PA = bald head
Trips = real helmet


"the inspector"

[Popeye]

I wear a helmet sometimes but probably 75% of the time, I ride without one here in Illinois.

I do comply with the state laws that I travel thru.  Have heard some interesting stories about
people going thru Michigan. Favorite is a guy had in on his knee.  His argument was the it was
only required to be on his person, not his head. Not sure how he made out it court.

[Hotrodwing]

Pa no helmet required. Always wear one weather a shorty or full face. I saw first hand what happens without one. If you where one of those skull cap helmets why bother.

[Spirited-6]

Ky. is a no Helmet State but I wear one 100%. I wear a 3/4 with a shield but looking for Scoripon EXO-100 with the drop down shield. BTW, I have a "NEW" EXO- 400 , full face for sale in class. 

[TearlessTom]

I live in Alabama which is a helmet state but our neighbor Florida 30 miles away is not.

We went down the the Keys a few years back and and tried the no helmet thing while putting around(scooter speeds) Key West.  It was great until I hit highway speeds then I just felt PLAIN NAKED!

Besides I feel that exposing more of my ugly mug takes away from the beauty of the bike.

Tom

[Willow]

  It was great until I hit highway speeds then I just felt PLAIN NAKED!

Actually, Tom, although riding sans helmet can indeed cause a normally helmeted rider to experience some anxiety over being exposed, the feeling of riding naked is entirely different.       

[TearlessTom]

  It was great until I hit highway speeds then I just felt PLAIN NAKED!

Actually, Tom, although riding sans helmet can indeed cause a normally helmeted rider to experience some anxiety over being exposed, the feeling of riding naked is entirely different.       

  is there something you are trying to share with us?

[fudgie]

I've seen my share of nakkid guys riding bikes. Yea, its totally different!