i ride with a half helmet during the summer and a full face during the winter.. always wear light clothing and boots and pants. Have to bc of the military.

Real harley riders ride Harleys. thats it

 

I have a full face Arai, I have a big odd shaped head and it is by far the most comfortable. My only goal when I ride is to get back home to my family, I figured a full face helmet gives me better odds!

 

Ohio doesn't require folks to wear a helmet and very few do. If you look at the number of motor vehicle vs motorcycle fatalities annually the cagers lose a lot more lives than bikes partly by sheer numbers. Most motorcycle fatalities in general are caused by 1.) alcohol and 2.) excessive speed two factors in complete control of the rider. Take them out and you reduce your crash rate substantially. All riders need to read The Hurt Report

Gonna posts some facts.

During the 10-year time-period from 1997 through 2006, 13,883 motorcycle riders were fatally injured in single-vehicle fatal motorcycle crashes, with 51 percent of these riders being helmeted, 46 percent unhelmeted, and 3 percent with unknown helmet use

What does that tell you?

In two-vehicle crashes between a motorcycle and a passenger vehicle, 11,573 motorcycle riders were fatally injured, with 59 percent helmeted, 38 percent unhelmeted, and 3 percent with unknown helmet use.

Full Report Here

This tells you the same thing in that fatal motorcycle crashes helmets are really no advantage. With that being said I own a FF, 3/4 Bell Custom 500 and a Scorpion EXO-100 half which I never wear because wind noise is horrible. 3/4 year round except very cold months.

I always wear helmet, jeans, lace up 9" steel toed logger boots, leather gloves and a leather jacket when I ride. Then you see somebody in a FF helmet with Shorts and Tennis shoes or less.

My point is you can't take what a few misfortunate riders have posted here and use it as a basis when you make your decision to wear or not. The most important piece of safety gear is between your ears. I've wrecked motorcycles before but I know why I did. Alcohol which is involved in over 50% of ALL motorcycle crashes caused one of my wrecks, the other two were because I was being stupid and reckless. Most importantly is trust nobody at any intersection. I always slow when I see approaching vehicles from the side or front and watch the tail at stops.

Lifes short, enjoy it and don't fret on when its gonna end or how its gonna end. Ride Safe!!!

 

Those stats are complete BS. There is a MUCH higher percentage of riders that wear helmets so of course there will be more fatalities for helmeted riders.

I'd also like to see the percentage of riders needing facial reconstructive surgery after an accident between full face and open face

 

Here are some real facts http://www.cdc.gov/Mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6123a1.htm

Also shows that helmet laws save $3 billion in deaths and injuries.

 

IMO there are other numbers we will never know, because nobody knows.

How many riders crash and their heads bounce on the ground, a curb, cage bumper, etc. and the rider is able to get up and ride away because a helmet protected their head from serious injury?

How many riders aren't killed in accidents but because they weren't wearing helmets they received head injuries that resulted 'lives' that were much less productive then otherwise would have been possible.

Ron

 

The facts are the facts. I don't know EVERY state law on helmet use. Virtually nobody wear's helmets in states that don't require them regretfully. If you haven't noticed I've always worn a helmet in my posts. I'm not anti helmet. I am anti BS when the helmet agenda trys to say that helmets are a major survival factor in fatal crashes because they are not. Those stats you call BS are fact although a couple years old they reflect accurate data.

Want a reality check? 5 snowboarders in Colorado perished today in an Avalanche. I'm sure they had all the required safety gear on when they lost there lives. If you think you have a better change of surviving a crash wearing a FF then I do wearing a 3/4 your sadly mistaken. In fact your survival rate vs a helmetless rider is roughly a measley 30 percent. Ride Safe.

 

Most fatalities are under 35mph less that 5 miles from home. Over 50 percent of motorcycle fatalities involve alcohol... Helmets save lives just like seatbelts do under the right circumstances. Dale Earnhardt died of a broken neck caused by bad luck. He had a 5 point harness and a helmet incased in a cage. I was hit by a car when I was 15.

The car was travelling at 45mph. Eye witnesses said I fell 12 feet after the impact landing on my head with no major injuries other than it knocked me out and left a bruise on my hip. I could of as easily been done in. People need to realize that helmets only offer minimal protection. Many bicyclist with half shells hit the pavement at over 35 mph on downhill's. I find half shells short of worthless but bicycle riders wear them.

Bottom line? Wearing a helmet is safer that not but you'd be a fool if you believe a helmet is going to save you on a bad day at any speed.

 

Well that's one down. Seriously, I post because my concern is not saving a life. I know from experience that 'quality of life' is far more important. I'm glad you apparently didn't receive a head injury from "landing on my head with no major injuries".

I wonder how many people 'land on their heads' and receive an, otherwise avoidable, head injury that affects every aspect of their lives every moment for the rest of their lives? Thats what I was wondering, but we will never know. It is in these cases that a helmet sometimes offers a great deal of protection.

Ron

 

I just think if your argument is that smacking your head on the concrete without a helmet is just as safe as with a helmet, you may have already hit your head a few too many times