Do you wear a Helmet?

[alph]

I went to visit a friend in the hospital last night.  He suffered a head injury and had been in a coma for eight days.  His can now open one eye and can track you with it, but if he knows who I am is another story. 

I rode to the hospital on my cycle, not wearing my helmet, after seeing George, and knowing the long road ahead of him, I left the hospital, got my helmet out of the trunk, thought to myself “I don’t care how ugly my wife and kids think this thing looks, I’m wearing it” then strapped on my half helmet and went home.

By the way, how did George injure himself you might ask?  He simply slipped and hit his head on a concrete step.  That simple, that easy.  A fall from a man only 6 feet tall, going 0mph. 

So I ask you, “Do you wear a Helmet?”

Al.

[Misfit]

YES!

[DavRed]

ALWAYS!! The last thing I strap on before the Valk goes into First gear... I Love my wife and kids!!!

[Jack]

I would have died 22 months ago when I was hit and run over by a drunk driver.  I remember being very thankful for the helmet and jacket as I was being drug for more than 100 feet beneath his truck.  Yes, I wear.

[cutter]

For the most part, I do wear one. 

[Bagger John - #3785]

Of course.

Integrated audio and communications systems are somewhat useless without a helmet-mounted headset and boom microphone...

[johnhunter44]

Yes, I always wear my helmet.....

[Spirited-6]

Always !!

[HayHauler]

Always.  My HD riding buddy laid his Ultra Classic down 2 weeks ago.  He said that his head hit the ground/pavement at least 6 times.  He said that he would have been dead after the 2nd one, just a guess, but probably a pretty close guess.
Laid my Yamaha 650 down 20 years ago, Shoei saved my life.

Yes, Always.

Hay 
Jimmyt

[Strong Eagle]

City traffic, freeway traffic, night time, high speed highway traffic... helmet, yes!  Fine cruising road, slower speeds, minimal traffic... helmet... maybe not.  Depends upon the circumstances... always in Singapore traffic... hardly ever in the boondocks in Indonesia or Vietnam.  But, even these countries are cracking down on helmet laws... and if you do ride with no helmet be prepared to carry lots of 'fine' money.

[Gilligan]

Second, we always wear helmets. Even though we have worn open-faced 3/4 helmets since 1966, we have just purchased our first full-face helmet, because we saw a friend and his wife go down. They were wearing the 3/4 helmets. She had severe facial injuries, but no head injury. (We first thought she lost her eyes, but she didn't.) It took plastic surgery to bring back her good looks.

[Jay]

You bet!  Full face for cold weather, half for summer. 

[ChromeDome]

Illinois is not a helmet state but I would say .... 99.9999999999999999999999% of the time. When I take the bike to the car wash or when riding from the front desk to my room are probably the only times I don't wear my helmet. When on a road trip I ALWAYS wear my full face helmet. When I am towing the trailer I will put my 3/4 in the trailer for use when based in one location (InZane, DOTS, Sturgis, etc.) and I know the weather will be very warm. Once the heat & humidty start to rise around here I will wear the 3/4 for my normal riding.

[Hotrodwing]

Always used a half, now use a 3/4 for local rides and always use a full face for any interstate or cold weather riding

[Master Blaster]

Thats how I got my 2K Interstate back in 2K.  I had a 98 Std I bought new, and when the 99 I/S came out I knew I wanted one, couldnt afford it, but then the Blue/Silver 2K came out and I knew I had to have one.  About that time another member in another state had just bought one, and was taking a leasurely ride with a few friends.  It was a very nice day and he decided it was too nice to wear a helment.  He put it in his trunk, and rode on.  He was tail gunner with the small group, and they were just putting along when the lead bikes noticed he was dropping back some.  Next time they looked, he had highsided and the bike was tumbling.  See he was Diabetic and was slipping into a diabetic coma.  Hit the back of his head very hard, and knocked a hole back there that nearly killed him.  He put the bike up for sale on the board as is.  Had decided he probably wouldnt be riding anymore.  It was a giveaway price for a brand new Blue/Silver with just cosmetic damages, and as bad as I felt for him, I couldnt pass it up.  It was a lesson for me as at that time Louisiana was a helment optional state, and I liked to go lidless.  Dont think I have been on the highway since then without one, and all of the time on the ZX and C 14s it is full face.  Most of the time on the Valks also.  I seldom wear the half helment, its better than none, but not much.

[R J]

Always when on a motor.    Only time no, is if I'm moving the bike from one garage to the other one.  Distance of about a block and a 1/2.

[Tundra]

I absolutely believe in them, seen what can happen. I own a full face modular helmet and a half helmet with visor and zip out ears. I wore my full face one time. I can count on one hand how many times I've worn my half. I know, I know, I know.  My excuse does not pass the test of common sense. (too hot in Florida)  Guess I'm the only one?

[Michael K (Az.)]

Always! Full face in Florida and now in Arizona. I couldn't stand the noise my 2 bros 6x6 pipes makes when I have it off!

[Big IV]

When I was a kid, I'd race down to SC, and take my helmet off and tie it down. Which was illegal because I wasn't 21, but I figured I looked old enough. Wind in the hair. Nice.

Then one December I ran into the back of a Ford 150 Ranger at 50 +mph. He was stopped. I went into the camper shell.  Because it was cold I was bundled in leather. I was in NC so I was wearing a good helmet. I came out lucky and unscathed.

I've wore my helmet since. I looked up PA. I could go lidless here apparently. But I don't think I will.

I still do however, support biker's right to choose. I just chose a helmet.

[thewoodman]

You bet I do, Always. I got T-boned in a parking lot 8-9 years ago and got run up under a parked car and would have been toast without my helmet. Feelss kinda naked without it on and living in Florida, I need the visor for shade too.

[Bugslayer]

Best wishes to your friend. I hope he pulls through OK.

Yes, I ALWAYS wear a helmet. Fullface.... winter/summer.

[SANDMAN5]

So I ask you, “Do you wear a Helmet?”

ALWAYS!! Even if it ain't the law! Rode to Myrtle Beach a few years back and ONE
time we cruised Ocean Blvd w/o a helmet. That was enough for me, just didn't
feel right. Funny thing, though, back in the 70's (wow!) I had a pretty bad (head-on)
dirt bike wreck and the Doc said if I hadn't been wearing a helmet I would have died.
For a long time after that I refused to wear one! Strange, huh? Even when I rode my
Husqvarna on the road I wouldn't wear one. Had to run from the LEO's more than once!
That Husky 250 would absolutely FLY!!

[Dogg]

It doesnt matter where I am going or what state I am in, A helmet is an absolute. I got caught ina high end role on a turn and it thru me. I slid about 30ft to hit head first into the curb. split taht tourstar in 2 but I didnt get hurt, road rash, thats it. Bell gave me a brand new helmet. The tourstar was new at the time and the wanted it back to see the structural damage done from 30mph impact.

[MAD6Gun]

ALWAYS. Never ride without one unless its around a hotel parking lot.
    A few years ago an ex co-worker of mine was out for a ride with his girlfriend. He was riding into town and was going through a stop light on green when a kid turned left in front of him. He hit the RF fender of the car, him and his GF went over the car and landed on the other side. She was killed he was in a coma for a month. Neither one had helmits on. He had no other injuries except to his head. I have spoken to him several times since. He still has trouble  with words sometimes and has had some blackouts and memory problems but seams to be OK otherwise. He is riding again but now he uses a helmit.
   I am not against people that choose not to use one if thats there choice. Its my choice to use one always.......

[rmrc51]

YEP! Always wear the helmet. Although it's a half helmet. Just could never get use to a full face! I feel like my vision and hearing is restricted in those.

[Bladedog]

Here in CA the law says we have to wear one - I don't believe in helmet laws but I think you are nuts if you don't wear one.  I have a full face I wear in the mornings and a half helmet for when it's warm.  Even without the law, I'll always wear one.  Did lay my bike down in a very minor accident in Okinawa years ago, and although myself and the bike were actually ok, I remember distinctly my helmet chin bar slamming down on the pavement.  Helmet took all the force, and I'm still a handsome devil.   

[valk2128]

I have always  worn one, from my days with my V45 Magna in the 80's and now with my 1998 Valkyrie.  I would not ride without my full face Fulmer helmet.

[Willow]

Usually.  Probably over 99% of the time.

[2Pokey]

Always. A 3/4  on the I/S and a full face on the FZ6. For some reason the way the wind hits the full face on the valk makes it extremely noisy.

[Tundra]

OK...Looks like I'm a minority here, John Schmidt on the Florida board posted something that makes sense. "A Helmet is not nearly as confining as a wheelchair". I'm gonna try to break my bad habit, just plain stupid!

 I've also heard a phrase before..."Gotta $5.00 head, where a $5.00 helmet"

[Willy]

Yes, because I don't want to be one of the people someone says,"if he had only had on a helmet".
 Gary Busey was against helmet laws until he cracked open his skull slipping on gravel at 40 mph.

[fiddle mike]

“I don’t care how ugly my wife and kids think this thing looks, I’m wearing it” then strapped on my half helmet and went home.

So I ask you, “Do you wear a Helmet?”

Al.

Its not a requirement, but I wear a helmet every time I ride because I think it's the smart thing to do.   I have a  half shell and a 3/4. I like to wear hats so its no stretch, for me. Wife and kids like their full face and modular helmets.
This weekend, my missus caught a high-speed bug in her face shield that whacked her so hard that she thought it was a rock, at first.  Had it caught her in the eye or face things could have got bad.

I'm pro-helmet, anti-helmet law.

[DeathWishBikerDude]

I wear a helmet to keep my head warm!
 
On a extended freeway trip,it is a nice relief from the wind buffeting.
I wear one about 20% of the time and believe it should be the riders choice.
I'm sure  it will soon become madatory with the socialist agenda requiring everyone to have health insurance.
Another scam to pad the healthcare industry pocketbooks.
 

[..]

I can't find the web site with a drawing of a ful fcae helmet showing the various areasa of the helmet and which part hits the ground the most often.

It's the visor and chin bar area and it hits first about 65% of the time. So the riders with brain buckets or toy helemts stand a real good chance of loseing their lower jaw, teeth, chin, lips etc.

[Whistler]

When I was younger I rode at times without a helmet. One night I got a june bug right between the eyes. Stars spinning, eyes watering  at highway speed was not a good combination. Been wearing a helmet ever since and always will. I do believe it should be everyone's choice, but for me it works.

[Black Dog]

Wisconsin does not have helmet laws, for riders over 18.  For many years, I didn't wear a helmet, most of the time.  I've been wearing my helmet, almost 100% of the time, this season, and started wearing it more last season...

Willows crash, Steves crash, it seems like we've had our share in this goofy ol' family of ours, and that's probably the reason I've been more apt to wear it than not.  Another reason, is that I'd like to be around for a few more years, and able to enjoy those years...  Older = Wiser 

I just replaced my 6 year old 1/2 helmet, as that is the one I wear most of the time, and it was looking a bit long in the tooth.  On long trips, I also cary my HJC Modular (flip up) helmet, for riding in rain, and cold weather.

My choice, but don't force it on me.

Black Dog

[Duffy]

The way I ride, you bet! 

I have thrown away a helmet or two after "spills." 

Helmets are much easier to replace than my "good looks"! 



Wait aminute, that's not me! 

[Michael K (Az.)]

I tell people that ask why a helmet,"If I start thinkin with my knee, I'll start wearing Knee pads!"

And of course, I certainly don't want to damage this face!

[Quicksilver]

Always,up here we have no choice, I have a new full face to wear these days. I got it from the insurance company to replace the one that kept my head from smashing like a pumpkin last summer.
I still have the helmet as a reminder.
Quicksilver

[X Ring]

Always.  Wore half helmets until a friend of mine wrecked a couple of years ago.  Totaled his 3 day old Suzuki C90 when a teenager pulled out in front of him.  He landed in the median and luckily only needed a half dozen stitches in his chin.  Already had a HJC modular helmet.  Started wearing it religously then.