The correct answer to the OP question is IMAGE more than any other factor. Gear looks cool on a sport bike, not so much on a cruiser. My own example: before I started riding, I knew I was going to wear ATGATT because I was afraid of the potential consequence of not wearing it. Therefore, I did not choose a cruiser as a first bike but a sporty bike. The next two bikes I bought were also bikes where ATGATT looked "normal". After several years, I am comfortable in my gearhood and wear it on the Harley as well. We're talking a Wide Glide with 16 inch apes and I'm wearing a FF and mesh Joe Rocket gear. My wife thinks it looks stupid and I should just get on and ride. But she is not one to consider the consequences as I do (and she doesn't ride either). It helps me that I am more comfortable in gear than not (I tried). Wind sucks; I have no desire to be "in it" as the saying goes. Sun and heat is worse without gear for me.

Remember there are a lot of sport bike squids out there who don't wear any gear at all, so the question is not black and white. I don't know the reason why- image? ignorance? Folks do what they want to do. I wonder how many smokers wear ATGATT? High risk in one area while reducing risk in another? Tobacco and helmets - it won't happen to me and if it does, you gotta die of something - they both draw the same response. So what?

 

Have you ever noticed that as football players wore more and more gear, they started taking greater risks? This has resulted in football becoming a more dangerous sport.

I see MC gear somewhat the same way. Too much gear makes you feel invulnerable, too little makes you very vulnerable.

 

Interesting perspective and probably not too far off!

 

I've been the sport bike route as well. And yes, I "sometimes" road a little fast . However, I still ride my FLD fast too. It's more challenging to hustle the HD down the road through turns and what not, but more gratifying. I road out in AZ a few times with no helmet when I first started riding (my wife and I got married by way of 2 rented Fatboys in AZ on a hot air balloon and road to the Grand Canyon for the honeymoon). I loved it. To me, there is nothing cooler than riding an HD in the desert heading into the sunset. Love the feeling of the wind going through my hair and the caress of the wind as you plow the miles on.
I went down on my last bike (Suzy SV1000S) doing 30mph or so and got a bit busted up. Fortunately, it was the day after Thanksgiving and I was wearing all leather and a flip up full face. If I had been wearing a half helmet, my jaw would have been shattered. I only wear a flip up and no more halfies or 3/4's for me. My wife still wears them and she's been down too.
As to the OP's question, as someone else mentioned, I think it's more of a culture thing. Having said that, I'm seeing the stereotypes change. I'm seeing a higher percentage (still pretty small) of sport bike riders go with half helmets, and conversely I think the CA Dyna seen is making full face/flip up helmets more acceptable....dare I say more cool.

 

Over 25 years riding, and hundreds of thousands of miles under me, with 12+ years and 125,000+ miles on Reaper alone. Aside from boots and jeans, I wear the least amount of gear the weather/law will allow. I'm more than financially stable. Nothing to do with being "badass", or trying to portray an image. It's all about comfort for me. As the years and experience went up, the amount of gear I wore went down. I find that it's the opposite of what you say. New riders tend to go ATGATT to begin with, and shed layers as they get more comfortable riding.

 

He was probably trying to show off to that slow HD rider. "Look at me how fast I am! You should be totally impressed!"

I had (quite a few actually) similar scenarios. I too just kinda cruise along at the speed limit, in town or otherwise. Like you, I'm not in much of a hurry when I'm riding. I'm enjoying the ride.

In the last occurrence, it was a Harley rider (Dyna I think) ape=hangers, really REALLY loud pipes, who came up from behind, zipped around me (The guy on the fat-assed harley cruiser...wearing a FF with a tinted visor to conceal my identity!) on the right, only to be just in front of me at the light......wearing a half helmet too.

 

I've gone the exact opposite direction but for the very same underlying reason - comfort. Used to roll with the smallest non-DOT skid lid I could find and would go with no helmet when/where I could. Jeans, boots and a t-shirt was about it. But as my years and experience have gone up, so has the amount of gear. Now I'm never without some sort of jacket - (leather in cooler months and armored textile in hot weather. Gloves, boots, 24 oz jeans and FF helmet. I'm just not as comfortable without feeling like I'm protected as best I can be. To each their own. But like you, it's never been about image - just what I'm most comfortable in and will help me enjoy the ride to the fullest.

 

And that's the bottom line, really: wear what makes you comfortable and enjoy the ride!!

Cheers!

 

I've never had a sport bike. I wore a FF my first 9 years riding. The last 4 years I mostly wear a 3/4 helmet. One reason more sport bikers wear a helmet is they are younger riders with less experience.

Harley riders tend to be older with more experience, and more confidence. I still wear a helmet all the time, but I feel more confident about my riding ability, and spidey senses, than I did years ago.

The more years you ride, the less you need the crutch of ATGATT. If the SHTF though, you may regret riding naked.

 

Oh, oh. I suggest that you'd better stop riding soon. At this rate, you will end up riding in your birthday suit!