That is true. But a head injury is no guarantee of death. And if odds are taken into consideration, there are many more points on/in a persons brain that, if injured, can result in damage instead of death. And a head injury that doesn't result in death can be very expensive. Obviously in medical costs.

But even more important IMO are the costs, personal and societal, that result from brain damaged people. Those are costs for which no actuarial table can be used, they are too difficult to study and are sometimes subjective.

 

Think of the brain as the body's CPU. That means it controls everything in the body. A head injury can cause paralysis. It can also control speech, vision, dexterity, etc..

 

I have 2 helmets and both are full face. The first is an Icon Alliance Hi-Viz, identical to this one.



It's an excellent fitting helmet and I wear it on short rides or if I want to really listen to the bike. It doesn't muffle much sound at all so it's great for that.

Now for the Crème de la crème- SHOEI GT-AIR. This is my most enjoyable helmet for long rides. Insane air venting; way better than the Icon. Also has a sun visor and can accept a speaker system. I installed a SENA Bluetooth unit in this helmet. It's great to have some tunes occasional and to listen to the GPS on my phone if needed.

The noise reduction is astounding with this helmet! It also has a wind curtain under your chin making it great for cold weather riding. The icon does fit me a little better though.









I will end with this-wearing a helmet is a personal choice just like wearing a seat belt in a car. However, every time I see a biker without a helmet I just shake my head.

 

Actually there is, e.g. Faculty of Actuarial Science and Insurance. It's taught at numerous universities, one presumes by professors. Bit hard to a faculty without one.

Honestly, I don't know why people don't do a quick Google before shooting their mouths off.

On the related question of risk, there's an interesting and equally related topic of study called 'The White Male Effect' which, by motorcycling's demographics, and I'd guess this forums, is relevant to consider, e.g. Culture and Identity-Protective Cognition: Explaining the White Male Effect in Risk Perception by Dan M. Kahan of Yale Law School.

Basically, it's saying that we suffer from a provable "extreme risk skepticism" in comparison to other racial groups and females from which one can draw their own conclusions.

The “White Male Effect”, shows that white men are more likely to hold certain anti-egalitarian and individualistic attitudes than members of the general population. See, 'Gender, race, and perceived risk: the `white male' effect' by Finucane, Slovic, Mertz, Flynn, & Satterfield, 2000.

In essence, what the scientists are saying is that our wives, girlfriend and local law enforcement killjoys are right.

They are also say people of colour tend to be more afraid or have less ***** - although not in that language - which will tickle the Aryan brotherhood.

What it all means is that we fail to perceive risk ... and there is a connection between our independence and it, e.g. more collective individuals tend to be more sensitive to risk factors presumably because they are considering others in their group.

It's likely to lead to confirmation bias on our behalf.

Of course, on the other hand, it has, would and does give us evolutionary and societal advantages ... as long as you sow your oats before you get killed on your motorcycle.

 

Congratulations to that man with the full (cold) face above for still riding.

Just a heads up, excuse the pun ... in the old days some respectable American manufacturer made which I can only call a "Helmet Pelmet" ... a quilted windshield that velcro-ed onto the bottom of your full face helmet and went down the front and back of your jacket, with a cut away from your shoulders.

It'd did not look 'geh' at all ... I believe that's the politically correct term the young folk are using these days ... it end up looking kind of like an Kendo helmet (below).

It was amazing for winter riding ... not only for the amount of cold it protected you from, but also the amount of wind noise it stopped, which bikers utterly underestimate the damaging effects of. Not just damaging long term to ears and hearing but also its effect of tiring and distracting.

Following the CPU analogy, it's "more noise and less signal" for the brain to computer.

Another thing to remember is that the body is designed to shut down it's extremities in the cold first, in order to protect the vital internal organs. Although the brain consumes a vast amount of energy, and produces/loses great amounts of heat, it does not consider the brain to be *that* vital, and will shut it down sooner than other organs.

Riding a motorcycle requires some critical brain activity and it is seriously impaired by cold and by noise. Not all individuals have the same mental capacity, nor ability to maintain internal temperature and so wearing a helmet also assists in these areas.

Even if you are going to not wear a helmet, I'd still suggest you wore earplugs!!! I think you'll find they improve your focus and enjoyment ... after you get over the first few miles of fun making loads of noise to show off ... and in winter consider wearing kidney belts because there is where the body stores its warm. If those are OK, it will circulate more.

Of course, if you only ride two seasons and down to the local bar, you can ignore all this.

 

Real Harley riders don't care what others think. Personally, I wear a helmet almost all the time. Sometime a half-Helmet (summer) and sometimes a full face (fall).

 

What everyone else has said.

Wear what is comfortable for you. Your head is pretty important to you, not to them.

Same can be said for your bike. I have seen a lot of people asking what others thought would look better on his bike. Who cares? It is your bike, and your head.

I wear a 3/4 with goggles in good weather, and a full face in the winter.

 

Well from what I've seen most of the brain damaged people are driving cages, if we could get them on bikes they might dissolve their problems rather than us having to pay the bills now that YoBama-Dontcare is in effect.

PS: I'ed suggest you sign up but I believe it will collapse in due course leaving the USA with no health care rather than the EU Cripple-Care-Effect.

 

I don't understand your post?

The first line/paragraph seems to be at attempt to demean cage drivers. Then the second line/paragraph seems to be an attempt to demean me?

For what it is worth, I did receive brain damage as a result of an accident while desert racing, on my Suzuki, on 3/23/75. After relearning to walk, talk, etc. I returned to college and had a successful life (by most people's standards). Most people that receive a head/brain injury aren't so fortunate.

Honestly, my ONLY concern is not suffering repercussions because of, otherwise avoidable, head injuries received because of accidents beginners/unqualified riders may have. I have been a 24/7/365 rider since 7/68 and have a few decades left to ride.

After that what happens to beginners/unqualified riders won't concern me.

Most important, for this discussion, is the fact that a head injury doesn't always mean death. That is reserved for only the lucky head injury recipients.

Ron

 

You need to realize right off. If you crash and get a brain injury. They will immediately send you to Washington to serve out your term. Never saw another biker not wave because of what you had on your head.