A different kind of helmet thread
#33
08-05-2017 | 04:02 PM
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 4,719
Likes: 59
From: Los Angeles
Unless you are having a lot of trouble financially and can't afford it, there's really no reason not to wear decent gear. Then again, you probably shouldn't have bought a pricey Harley if that's your situation.
These days, good gear is comfortable, and often makes the ride better.
Try a good, properly sized full, and you'll never go back to a silly novelty helmet. They make CE rated boots that look as good as Red Wings, even some that look like sneakers, if that's your thing.
Mesh riding jackets with CE rated armor are all over the place, and are comfy on the ride.
The only thing I haven't been able to find are CE rated pants, or kevlar lined, that I like. I wear 21 oz jeans, as opposed to the 12 oz. offered by Levi's, and those ride great on warm days.
I find guys who haven't ridden very much are the ones who don't gear up at all, whether it's the wannabe badarse on a Harley, or the Darwin Award candidate on the crotch rocket.
And they tend to learn the hard way.
Choice my ****. You gotta be a dumsheet to get on a bike drunk or high.
These days, good gear is comfortable, and often makes the ride better.
Try a good, properly sized full, and you'll never go back to a silly novelty helmet. They make CE rated boots that look as good as Red Wings, even some that look like sneakers, if that's your thing.
Mesh riding jackets with CE rated armor are all over the place, and are comfy on the ride.
The only thing I haven't been able to find are CE rated pants, or kevlar lined, that I like. I wear 21 oz jeans, as opposed to the 12 oz. offered by Levi's, and those ride great on warm days.
I find guys who haven't ridden very much are the ones who don't gear up at all, whether it's the wannabe badarse on a Harley, or the Darwin Award candidate on the crotch rocket.
And they tend to learn the hard way.
Choice my ****. You gotta be a dumsheet to get on a bike drunk or high.
Last edited by ChickinOnaChain; 08-18-2017 at 12:05 AM.
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shorelasHD (08-05-2017)
#34
08-05-2017 | 04:12 PM
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 3,056
Likes: 250
From: Connecticut
I'm going to answer this question honestly because I've been guilty of this, not that others on here haven't been honest, but generally speaking many people aren't.
I'll start by saying that I was born and raised in CT - a state with no helmet law- and the only helmets I owned from 1981 til 2007 were 2 crappy half shells that were given to me and were worn only when I rode into states with helmet laws. Riding without a helmet was/is second nature for many of us....just hop on the bike and go. Today is a bit different for me. I'll still go without a helmet but most of the time I'm wearing a full face or a half shell.
Ok, to the question the OP asked. Being someone who rides both a Harley and a sport bike I can tell you that I used to say the same thing some guys already said on here. "When Im on my sport bike I tend to push the limits harder and that's why I always wear a lid when I'm on it". That's BS, at least it was when I used to say it. Truth is I push my Harley at times too, and even if I don't. I'm still doing some interstate at 55+ mph, I still have to take on some twisties while riding backroads, and when you get clipped by a car it makes no difference what bike your on. Yup, so I used that excuse too. Some others on here mentioned that it's part of the culture and I think that's the answer and one reason why I decided to never wear a lid on my Harley but wore one on my sport bike 99% of the time. Harley culture is no helmet (or half when required), and black shirts/jackets. Sport bike culture is a FF, brighter gear.
All that said, there's still something about riding on a cool summer evening without a helmet. I still do it and probably always will.....just not every time. Old habits are hard to break.
I'll start by saying that I was born and raised in CT - a state with no helmet law- and the only helmets I owned from 1981 til 2007 were 2 crappy half shells that were given to me and were worn only when I rode into states with helmet laws. Riding without a helmet was/is second nature for many of us....just hop on the bike and go. Today is a bit different for me. I'll still go without a helmet but most of the time I'm wearing a full face or a half shell.
Ok, to the question the OP asked. Being someone who rides both a Harley and a sport bike I can tell you that I used to say the same thing some guys already said on here. "When Im on my sport bike I tend to push the limits harder and that's why I always wear a lid when I'm on it". That's BS, at least it was when I used to say it. Truth is I push my Harley at times too, and even if I don't. I'm still doing some interstate at 55+ mph, I still have to take on some twisties while riding backroads, and when you get clipped by a car it makes no difference what bike your on. Yup, so I used that excuse too. Some others on here mentioned that it's part of the culture and I think that's the answer and one reason why I decided to never wear a lid on my Harley but wore one on my sport bike 99% of the time. Harley culture is no helmet (or half when required), and black shirts/jackets. Sport bike culture is a FF, brighter gear.
All that said, there's still something about riding on a cool summer evening without a helmet. I still do it and probably always will.....just not every time. Old habits are hard to break.
#36
08-05-2017 | 06:24 PM
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 5,231
Likes: 561
From: Vegas, baby!
It's not just "emulating speed like their heroes". If you watch NASCAR, F1, Indy car, or most other forms of motorsport, you can't really do that. If you watch SBK or MotoAmerica motorcycle racing with camera-on-bike on TV and say, "That looks really cool; I'd like to do that", all you have to do is buy a sportbike, take it out on the highway, give it some gas, and you're doing pretty much what you saw on TV.
The speed and the noise is real!
The speed and the noise is real!
#37
08-05-2017 | 07:27 PM
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 14,934
Likes: 5,778
From: Sandy Eggo's North County
#38
08-05-2017 | 08:02 PM
Tourer
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 428
Likes: 97
From: CA, USA
When you get into the hard core street riders - they can be a very discriminatory bunch. Bike 5 years old? Loser. Don't have all the ATTGATT gear - leather jacket and pants, no good. In fact - it all better be Dainese. You better pronounce it right too. Only have an HD Hero camera? Must have the 4k to be cool. Front and back.
There is a lot more caste system in the street world in my observation. So the right helmet is part of that equation.
However - the pavement does no negotiation or gear checks. It's an equal opportunity enforcer of kinetic energy = mass times velocity squared and also happily applies the gravity component to the mix.
There is a lot more caste system in the street world in my observation. So the right helmet is part of that equation.
However - the pavement does no negotiation or gear checks. It's an equal opportunity enforcer of kinetic energy = mass times velocity squared and also happily applies the gravity component to the mix.
#39
08-05-2017 | 08:15 PM
Tourer
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 492
Likes: 20
From: The Town of Saint Joseph of Guadalupe
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.
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.
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#40
08-05-2017 | 08:35 PM
Club Member
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 11,153
Likes: 2,991
From: Idaho
Unless you are having a lot of trouble financially and can't afford it, there's really no reason not to wear decent gear. Then again, you probably shouldn't have bought a pricey Harley if that's your situation.
These days, good gear is comfortable, and often makes the ride better.
Try a good, properly sized full, and you'll never go back to a silly novelty helmet. They make CE rated boots that look as good as Red Wings, even some that look like sneakers, if that's your thing.
Mesh riding jackets with CE rated armor are all over the place, and are comfy on the ride.
The only thing I haven't been able to find are CE rated pants, or kevlar lined, that I like. I wear 21 oz jeans, as opposed to the 12 oz. offered by Levi's, and those ride great on warm days.
I find guys who haven't ridden very much are the ones who don't gear up at all, whether it's the wannabe badarse on a Harley, or the Darwin Award candidate on the crotch rocket.
And they tend to learn the hard way.
These days, good gear is comfortable, and often makes the ride better.
Try a good, properly sized full, and you'll never go back to a silly novelty helmet. They make CE rated boots that look as good as Red Wings, even some that look like sneakers, if that's your thing.
Mesh riding jackets with CE rated armor are all over the place, and are comfy on the ride.
The only thing I haven't been able to find are CE rated pants, or kevlar lined, that I like. I wear 21 oz jeans, as opposed to the 12 oz. offered by Levi's, and those ride great on warm days.
I find guys who haven't ridden very much are the ones who don't gear up at all, whether it's the wannabe badarse on a Harley, or the Darwin Award candidate on the crotch rocket.
And they tend to learn the hard way.
Went on a HOG chapter ride Saturday, up US 12 toward Lolo Pass. Had lunch at the Lochsa Lodge. Awesome, gourmet-worthy food, btw, if you're ever up that way. Oh, and they're open all year, and there's a one-pump gas station there. Good to know!
So, it was basically a steady 102 degrees all the way back to Lowell, where it went a few degrees higher until we stopped in Kamiah. (If you ain't from these parts, that's pronounced "kam-eee-eye".)
As I'm fond of saying, I may be riding a Harley, but I'm not a "Harley rider". Jesus dirtbiking Christ, you should have seen the rest of the group when we stopped. They're pulling off their cheap, black, helmets, that flow no air, their hair is soaked with sweat, their faces are beet red, and sweat is rolling down their faces. They're wearing black leather jackets, ("But I have the vents unzipped!"), and the standard black leather chaps. They're buying bottles of water and pouring water over their heads and down into their jeans. Woooooo!!
I'm wearing a cooling vest under my (light colored, hi-viz) full mesh jacket, (light colored, hi-viz), mesh-backed gloves, and a (light colored, hi-viz), not-black helmet that flows a lot of air. I've been drinking my cool water, not pouring it on my head and my (not) steaming crotch.
I'm as comfortable as I can be, I'm not even sweating. I'm ready to go ride, they're all ready for heat stroke.
And, no, they didn't look "badass".
Last edited by IdahoHacker; 08-05-2017 at 08:38 PM.