Originally Posted by Bikeagraman

The answer is simple:

Sport bike riders have tender, baby-soft skins, delicate bones and craniums and, therefore, need to be protected by full leather outfits and full-face helmets. The full body coverage also prevents them from getting sunburned or get bruised by road debris. All that talk about "pushing the limits" or "being able to drag their elbows in corners" is plain showboating. It comes down to their fear of getting killed or maimed in accidents. Basically, they are just a bunch of soft-bellied, skinny-assed, sissies and mama's boys.

Us Harley riders, on the other hand, are a tough bunch. Our facial and body hairs are so tough they are like steel wool. We (including the gals) shave with knives, not electric shavers. Our sun-dried, sandpaper-like skins will grind down that asphalt like graters on cheese. The bones and craniums we inherited from our Neanderthal ancestors are so hard they are stronger than the best grade of tool steel, so we don't need helmets and pads. Our big bellies are like airbags and will automatically help us bounce down the roadway safely, and our fat rolls will absorb and dissipate all impact energies. Most of all, we have absolutely no fear of dying of becoming vegetables. We are macho.

As for those that ride both kinds of bikes....well....you are just bi.

Originally Posted by scott2038

No helmet law here and if I'm riding on city streets in good weather I'm usually not wearing one or wearing a half shell. It's more comfortable in stop and go traffic which rarely gets over 30mph and I prefer to have unobstructed vision and hearing in that environment. I'm guessing 70% of folks I see on two wheels in the city including sport riders, bicyclists, and scooter pilots are bare headed. Highway riding, including 55mph two lane ones through the country and it's full face for me.