Last edit by: IB Advertising
Considering whether or not to wear a full face helmet? There is a lot of different variations from full face to no helmet. Choose the Proper Protective Equipment (PPE) that makes you feel comfortable. Some factors to consider:
Read the full discussion below to find out what forum members are wearing.
Read the full discussion below to find out what forum members are wearing.
Real Harley owners dont wear full face helmets?
#771
It tells me you either made an incorrect interpretation or you stated the obvious that in a FATAL accident, a helmet has no advantage. Duh, of course not.
BTW, try a Shoei RF-1100, a fairing/windshield and ear plugs.
Another incorrect interpretation that doesn't reflect the number of helmeted riders and the number that survived ANY type of accident where the head or helmet touched the pavement.
Also the advantage of a FF is obvious based on the percentage of impacts in the facial area. Let's ASSUME it makes no difference in whether or not the wreck is fatal (which is incorrect) but how about the difference in injury prevention/reduction?
By the way, all the snowboarders had avalanche survival gear and it saved one of them.
Oh really? Do you wear a seatbelt? Dos that mean you are worried about dying while driving?
BTW, try a Shoei RF-1100, a fairing/windshield and ear plugs.
Another incorrect interpretation that doesn't reflect the number of helmeted riders and the number that survived ANY type of accident where the head or helmet touched the pavement.
Also the advantage of a FF is obvious based on the percentage of impacts in the facial area. Let's ASSUME it makes no difference in whether or not the wreck is fatal (which is incorrect) but how about the difference in injury prevention/reduction?
By the way, all the snowboarders had avalanche survival gear and it saved one of them.
Oh really? Do you wear a seatbelt? Dos that mean you are worried about dying while driving?
Fact: Last summer a van pulled into the path of a non-helmeted couple that was travelling 60mph plus *Roadglide*. Neither had massive head injuries but both had major upper body injuries. Were they lucky? Yes of course they were. One flew across a ditch and the other into the field on the other side of the road. No two accidents are the same. Your or my helmet will not guarantee I survive ANY accident.
The Hurt Report details that major causes of accidents not injuries or deaths. DOT studies do. There have been many studies done on motorcycle and automobile accidents. Fact: Helmeted riders in general are involved in more accidents than non because they push their bikes harder where as somebody that rides without a full gamut of safety gear drives more conservative ie less risky.
I never wore a seatbelt until the US military said I had to. The offer some protection much like airbags do but they are not failsafe's. I figure its better than nothing and that's the exact reason I wear a 3/4 helmet, leathers , etc, etc.. They offer some protection.
I ride because its what I love to do. I don't like a FF helmet it interferes with my riding pleasure. That's why I only wear one for frost protection occasionally. It's all about acceptable risk by an individual and ultimately that's the deciding factor of those who choose to wear or don't. It doesn't make either a wrong choice.
I wear a helmet just like gloves because its gotta be better than nothing. Helmets really are only rated for 17mph impacts. Your helmet might break your neck in a crash it might not. If you rupture a critical organ your done.
http://www.bikersrights.com/statistics/twisting.html
Live life like its your last day it just may be.
#772
Or if you don't rupture a critical organ, break your neck in a crash, or receive a head injury and you may live to ride, work, love, or just 'live' again. The first two would require a bad crash or a particular set of circumstances. A head injury would be fairly easy to receive.
Of course some helmetless people beat the odds, just as 1 person can win a lottery while hundreds of thousands win nothing. It all comes down to the numbers. Another number is that it is possible to go for 100s, even hundreds of thousands of rides, and never have an accident. Or it is possible to go for 1 ride, receive a head injury, and find yourself living in a hell that is worse then your worst nightmare.
My reason for riding a motorcycle was to use a fatal accident to escape a life I didn't really like. What I got was much worse. Ironically my life turned out pretty good because I was young enough that my parents were still in the picture, I didn't have a wife and children depending on me for support, and I was already in college planning on a life doing something that required more intellectual then physical skills.
Wear a helmet or don't, I really couldn't care less. But remember that any reason for not wanting to wear a helmet only has meaning during the time you are wearing, or riding and not wearing, a helmet. A head injury affects every part of your life for the rest of your life. Sorry, I just get so tired of people mentioning 'fatalities' in helmet threads. Death is the easy way out and IMO shouldn't even enter the equation.
Ron
Last edited by rjg883c; 04-24-2013 at 08:47 PM.
#773
#775
there are tons of replies on this and the majority is to wear what you want. seriously who cares what people think. its no different then any other situation. people today will do what they want. and we should. its amerrricaa.
i wear a ff when cold or long rides. i have had to many real close friends killed because of head injury not only on bikes but quads. i have had my share of bad wrecks going offroad and only the helmet saved my life.
for example... i was four wheeling around my farm house and was wearing s 1980's helmet that had a crack in it. i was going approx 50mph and my rear axle broke while turning. i flipped god knows how many times and landed on my head. completly destroyed the helmet. walked away with just broken fingers. if i didnt have the helmet... ah i dont even want to think of it.
wear what you want ride what you want. just DO what you want.
i wear a ff when cold or long rides. i have had to many real close friends killed because of head injury not only on bikes but quads. i have had my share of bad wrecks going offroad and only the helmet saved my life.
for example... i was four wheeling around my farm house and was wearing s 1980's helmet that had a crack in it. i was going approx 50mph and my rear axle broke while turning. i flipped god knows how many times and landed on my head. completly destroyed the helmet. walked away with just broken fingers. if i didnt have the helmet... ah i dont even want to think of it.
wear what you want ride what you want. just DO what you want.
#776
If you believe you need a seatbelt, don't drive. Both are silly statements.
#777
A young lady dies yesterday because of a judgment call. She passed without enough clearance, cut into soon got clipped, rolled and died. No reason other than a mistake.
My reason for riding a motorcycle was to use a fatal accident to escape a life I didn't really like. What I got was much worse. Ironically my life turned out pretty good because I was young enough that my parents were still in the picture, I didn't have a wife and children depending on me for support, and I was already in college planning on a life doing something that required more intellectual then physical skills.
Wear a helmet or don't, I really couldn't care less. But remember that any reason for not wanting to wear a helmet only has meaning during the time you are wearing, or riding and not wearing, a helmet. A head injury affects every part of your life for the rest of your life. Sorry, I just get so tired of people mentioning 'fatalities' in helmet threads. Death is the easy way out and IMO shouldn't even enter the equation.
Wear a helmet or don't, I really couldn't care less. But remember that any reason for not wanting to wear a helmet only has meaning during the time you are wearing, or riding and not wearing, a helmet. A head injury affects every part of your life for the rest of your life. Sorry, I just get so tired of people mentioning 'fatalities' in helmet threads. Death is the easy way out and IMO shouldn't even enter the equation.
Nothing I posted previously was untrue. What I love most about those who ride is the choices that they do something inherently unsafe not just because of the enjoyment of the ride but because they don't value there lives in how long they may live but the measure of how exciting their lives are every single day. I'm drinking a a few glasses of bourbon right now. I know its ultimately not good for me but I like bourbon and don't care what others say.
Society is too freaking focused on how long they may live in any situation that they forget what living actually is. Most bikers have not. I'm not irresponsible I'm a realist. Ride Safe.
#778
My wife and I both wear snell approved full face helmets. Hers is really nice, it's an H-D FXRG lightweight carbon fiber shell. I'm jealous. I have a shoei RF1100. I don't have a problem wearing a full face helmet. It does suck when it's 95 degrees outside and your stuck in traffic. But, oh well I guess after 20 years of riding with a full face, you build a tolerance for it.
#779
I have no idea where, how often, etc. that you ride. But for some people, an accident is possible no matter how safe/good they are. For these people the reality is a head injury wins every time, the only variable is the degree of victory.
This is what I meant a while back when I mentioned that I have never seen a post from someone that received a head injury and was satisfied because it was their choice. Don't misunderstand me, there are possibly people that feel this way, but most head injury recipients don't ride motorcycles anymore. Perhaps I should have specified 'brain' and not 'head' injures.
And no, I'm not scared. Of anything.
Ron
#780
After riding for well over thirty years and being a former ABATE Member and an otherwise traditional Harley rider I am sort of surprised that in all that time the helmet issue still seems to be a real hot issue some people.
Since this is my first year wearing a full-face helmet fulltime (it's a Nolan N43 and not a true full-face but looks like one sort of) I just haven't kept up on this issue over the years. However since joining in on this thread I have been counting how many Harley riders I see wearing full-face helmets. I don't know what the numbers would be percentage wise but I think it is high enough that it is hardly uncommon anymore. Of course there are still days when it is below 60 degrees here and maybe that plays a part in what I am currently seeing. Who knows? Maybe in the summer I will go back to wearing an open-faced helmet myself.
In the meantime, today I was riding down the interstate in the rain and listening to music through the headset installed in my full-face helmet. I couldn't help but think that "Yeah, this full -face thing kind of works for me."
Since this is my first year wearing a full-face helmet fulltime (it's a Nolan N43 and not a true full-face but looks like one sort of) I just haven't kept up on this issue over the years. However since joining in on this thread I have been counting how many Harley riders I see wearing full-face helmets. I don't know what the numbers would be percentage wise but I think it is high enough that it is hardly uncommon anymore. Of course there are still days when it is below 60 degrees here and maybe that plays a part in what I am currently seeing. Who knows? Maybe in the summer I will go back to wearing an open-faced helmet myself.
In the meantime, today I was riding down the interstate in the rain and listening to music through the headset installed in my full-face helmet. I couldn't help but think that "Yeah, this full -face thing kind of works for me."