Ducati Monster Forum

              You know, helmets are cool!  [thumbsup]Ever since I started riding, I always had a cool helmet. The pinnacle of cool helmetness was 1989 when I was tearing up the sandpits of Newtown Ct on my Honda Fourtrax        250r with my Rick Johnson replica moto-4!   More than just protective gear, they are  part or moto-mania. Another item to purchase, talk about and of course pine over. Streetbike helmets are no-exception. , I feel like a fighter pilot,sometimes! ;),  with my visor up, I am as close to a naval aviator as I will ever be.  Except, he has an  F/A 18 that is waiting for him on the flight deck and I have an S2R eight hundred with considerably less horsepower,(77 to be exact).  However, since I grew up in Connecticut, I went through a helmetless period.....
   My first streetbike a zx-6e was one part machine and one part dating apparatus. There fore the no helmet law on Connecticut made a lot of sense. It is hard to approach a beautiful young woman and take your helmet off. Too much anticipation, and maybe in my case it was too anticlimactic. So Helmetless it was! So from the years of 95-98 I was a helmet less fool. And loving every minute of it.  [moto]
   Fast forward to now, since I have lived in communist Massachusetts [leo] for about ten years, I have gotten used to the idea of wearing a helmet. Here in this state, they tell you what to do with your life in just about every circumstance, so why should a helmet be any different? Every once in a while, I take my monster around the neiborhood without my lid on. It feels good!  [thumbsup] Partly because of the slight wind that 10mph provides but also to aggravate all of the neighbors, who are used to government telling them what to do.
   I still visit Connecticut a lot, my family is there and my best friend is their. So I truck the monster the 149 miles to Woodbury and get lost for a couple days. I enjoy the sights of western Ct.and the sound of my buddys nighttrain punnishing my ear drums as he rides slightly ahead and to the left of me. But this weekend was different.
   I always wear my helmt now, I gear up and even force my friend to put on his retro ¾ as we pack on the miles. But I got a urge saturday morning and I couldn't help myself. As I walked out to the awaiting monster I felt different. There on the garage floor was my gear. My scratched up matte black scorpion exo 700, my kevlar lined khakis, my cortech jacket and gloves and also my steel toe riding boots. They were thrown there hastily on the garage floor, the night before, as I unloaded my machine  at 1:00 in the morning. And at that moment, spurred on by the 98 degree tempuratrue and urge to  defy all of the government fools in massachusetts, I decided that the garage floor was where the gear was going to stay. So, I took my shirt off,( easy girls!), tucked it down the back of my shorts and headed off.
   What a thrill!!! [clap] That is the way riding is supposed to feel. All of the wind, the noise, and excitement! It is a whole different experience. I rode around for hours like that. Cruising at a moderate pace, with that grin that only a monster can provide, (696 need not apply), and this time it wasn't hidden by the mass amount of fiberglass provided by my exo 700. I must admit it was a little weird, but it was much funner that it was weird. And of corse,(  [laugh]ha, get it, corse),  I did gear up when I went for my long ride with my buddy that night, it  was just nice to enjoy the freedom a motorcycle can truly provide.
   We live in such a sanitary environment now. “don't eat that”  [puke]“don't say this”, :-X “ Wear Protection” wear your seatbelt” ugh, enough already! I know that the commies will win out and eventually all states will have a helmet law :'(, and at that time I will probably be hunted down and incarcerated for writing this. But I look back at my helmetless saturday and feel somewhat like a cowboy trotting his horse through the range or even better, a fighter pilot cracking open the cockpit,of his P-47 Thunderbolt allowing the fresh air to float  through his hair and gets lost in the sights and sounds of two of the most opposite things on this planet, nature and the machine.....


the ron [evil]

Spend a few weekends running with your local fire emt rescue squad.  I have literally scooped up the grey pieces parts with a square nosed shovel and placed them on top of the body in the bag.  Though its super tempting to ride without (just to feel the breeze!!), I can't bring myself to.

I used to ride out to the east end of Long Island and take the ferry over to CT and ditch the helmet on the other side.  It was fun back then.  Now I feel naked if I don't have full leathers on when I ride.

I still think it should be a personal choice.

Sounds nice, but I'm very fond of my teeth (and various other body parts).

35 years of h-d'n & no helmet(or brains) seemed like the right thing. 3 years into ducati ownership, i have never left  home without it. it took alot of getting use to.  but the best description of helmet need was described to me like this.  stand straight up with your hands & arms tightly to your side & fall forward, without putting your hands out to brake the fall & let you head hit the ground. now factor in some mph. [bang]

Is there no helmet law in CT? I'll be there in about 5 weeks. Being in the military, I still have to wear one, but I would anyway...

I feel weird just straddling my bike without a lid on.

My lid is comfy, has a pretty neat paint job and will do a much better job of keeping my brains inside my skull than not having one on.  They're not required in AZ.  I have too much living left to do to go out without one on.  In the event I need it (hopefully never) I probably won't get the opportunity to regret going without.

i wouldn't know that feeling...
i've never ridden without it, it's not worth it...

and i live in CT  ;)

Riding without one doesn't interest me much. its like banging a chick from the dive bar with no rubber... might be fun, but on the chance something goes wrong your really gonna regret it!

I have a friend who is a EMT, he was telling me the other day he picked up a kid who had been drinking, hit the back of a truck at a relatively low speed with no helmet and broke all the bones in his face while leaving a dent in the truck (he survived but it was a ton of surgery and probably a life time of pain :( )...

I don't think the state should make laws requiring people to wear helmets, I think they ought to be smart enough to do so them selfs.

I rode H-Ds for years without a helmet  (dumb) but it felt ok and that leather skull cap somehow made me feel like I had some protection . Also none of the " gang" wore a helmet so it didn't seem out of order. When I was young ( 20s) I rode with a group on the weekends and Ohio had a helmet law back then and we sometimes rode to W.Va. to ride because they had no mandatory helmet law. We felt like we had escaped from prison and no one even wore a full face helmet in those days . Some of us wore helmets that looked like WW2 German helmets. Well fast forward to 5 years ago and I stared riding BMWs . All the BMW riders wore all the gear so I geared up . Now I wouldn't ride a mile down the road without my full safety gear which takes me a 1/2 hour to put on . I'm wearing as much as I can to try and save my ass . I kinda feel like before I retired in that I never went to the office with out being as sharply dressed as I could . If I didn't have a tie on I didn't feel like I could work. I believe if people don't want to wear a helmet or seat belt then let them suffer the consequences. I'm not in favor of the legal system trying to protect us from ourselves . From others ...yes. I can tell you one thing..you can wear the best safety gear but..if you slam into a ditch at 50-70 mph you will probably get hurt and probably pretty bad ( my own experience )...............On the subject of not wearing a helmet, I remember what it felt like to get hit in the face with a Bumble Bee or a Beetle at high speed...kinda like being shot with what I would imagine a pellet rifle  would feel like and it was enough to almost knock me off my bike from the reflex. If it hit you in the sunglasses you would be temporarily blinded by the guts that splattered.

Florida here - When I first moved here from NY I got rid of my bike. No turns and way too hot, especially just sitting and baking at a stoplight. Then they changed the helmet law and I wanted to get a bike again. When i did, I still wore a helmet, but as of late i've ditched it. Even bought a new helmet to help me wanna wear one. But, it hasn't worked...

What I've noticed, helmetless, is that I have much better vision periferaly. I can hear better and I ride slower due to all the wind noise and feel. So, i ride safer w/o a helmet in that sense. I'm used to it now and prefer not to wear one. When I do I feel really confined. Yeah, it is STUPID, but I feel that I ride safer and have a better perception of my surroundings. if i die, I die.... - So it goes...

I used to ride w/o a helmet for years. Since I've been sober though I find I have to much to live for. I wish I could ride w/o but there are just to many yahoos out there.

Quote from: JoDuc on June 09, 2008, 04:58:04 PM
Florida here - When I first moved here from NY I god rid of my bike. No turns and way too hot, especially just sitting and baking at a stoplight. Then they changed the helmet law and I wanted to get a bike again. When i did, I still wore a helmet, but as of late i've ditched it. Even bought a new helmet to help me wanna wear one. But, it hasn't worked...

What I've noticed, helmetless, is that I have much better vision periferaly. I can hear better and I ride slower due to all the wind noise and feel. So, i ride safer w/o a helmet in that sense. I'm used to it now and prefer not to wear one. When I do I feel really confined. Yeah, it is STUPID, but I feel that I ride safer and have a better perception of my surroundings. if i die, I die.... - So it goes...

interesting take on that.

the ron [evil]

When i want to feel a breeze, i crack my visor up a bit.  [thumbsup]

If i'm feeling REALLY risky, i'll even unzip the top half of my jacket.   [clap]



I'm such a wuss.   :-[

Quote from: deweey on June 09, 2008, 05:17:41 PM
When i want to feel a breeze, i crack my visor up a bit.  [thumbsup]

If i'm feeling REALLY risky, i'll even unzip the top half of my jacket.   [clap]



I'm such a wuss.   :-[

I always ride with my visor open :D

the ron [evil]

Quote from: JoDuc on June 09, 2008, 04:58:04 PM
Florida here - When I first moved here from NY I god rid of my bike. No turns and way too hot, especially just sitting and baking at a stoplight. Then they changed the helmet law and I wanted to get a bike again. When i did, I still wore a helmet, but as of late i've ditched it. Even bought a new helmet to help me wanna wear one. But, it hasn't worked...

What I've noticed, helmetless, is that I have much better vision periferaly. I can hear better and I ride slower due to all the wind noise and feel. So, i ride safer w/o a helmet in that sense. I'm used to it now and prefer not to wear one. When I do I feel really confined. Yeah, it is STUPID, but I feel that I ride safer and have a better perception of my surroundings. if i die, I die.... - So it goes...

That was one of my come backs ....if I crash I hope I die. Problem with that is there is no guarantee that you will die and  not end up a vegetable !

Can't do it.  Went gearless trying to get the oil warm to change it, went through the hood and I felt very , very uncomfortable...naked almost.

I actually found that I was more focused on not being geared up that I didn't focus too well on riding.  :-\

No thanks, it's just not for me.

T

Quote from: DoubleEagle on June 09, 2008, 05:22:40 PMThat was one of my come backs ....if I crash I hope I die. Problem with that is there is no guarantee that you will die and  not end up a vegetable !

you know its always the circumstance. for instance, i crashed in 2004,(damn bikini car wash [bang]) it was a realitvley slow speed accident. but i know for sure that my helmet saved my life. but what if you crash hard. and you don't even hit your head. all the leather in the world won't stop your insides from exploding. I don't know the answer to this or anyother of lifes questions. but i do feel, like i said danger aside in a perfect world, riding with out all of that gear just feels better. regardless if its right or wrong to do so.

the ron [evil]

I just came back from a trip to CT and was aghast at all the riders without any gear.  Absolutely shocked :o  I grew up in CT and moved to the Bay Area and can't even conceive of leaving the house without my helmet, jacket, and boots.  For anything longer than a ride to work I'll even put on my leathers.

Oh, and all my family in CT ride HD's and never wear a brain bucket.  That's right, I said it....Brain Bucket.  Oh well, different strokes for different folks...

e

I can't vote because I can't imagine anymore what it would feel like to ride without gear. I felt very safe in all my safety gear , so much so that I rode the back roads with reckless abandon. Had it not been for a momentary loss of concentration I might still feel that way but instead I crashed in a semi blind, hard left hander ,going down hill after coming out of a small valley and cresting a hill, hard on the throttle I saw a bike w/ 2 people standing  beside it.... and then there it was . I was in the center of the road and in a split second at somewhere between 50 and 70 mph I slammed into a ditch along side the outside of the center of a small ,tight curve. 4 broken ribs, punctured lung, 2 sprained ankles, contusion of the right shoulder, and much soft tissue damage. I no longer feel like I'm invinceable with every piece of safty gear that I can wear. I need to learn to lowside and get rid of the bike if I'm going to ride like there is no risk. At age 59 at the end of this month and having only ridden a Ducati for 1 year what the hell am I thinking !!! Maybe I should ride without gear ? Then I would be so fearful that I would ride like a little girl and not kill myself. I just finished watching the Isle of Man TT Review2007  DVD and to watch those riders average over 128 mph on a 37.73 mile course , 6 times (226.38miles),around the perimeter of the Isle where some of the race is through towns where it looks like the riders coulds reach out and touch the fans at speeds well in excess of 100 mph is just so exciting . I'd love to ride that race but one wrong move and you're dead. As far as I know in the week of racing no one died. They wear less protection than I do . I suppose part of that is no amount of safety gear will save you if you hit a stone wall at over 100mph. Good thing I'm not in my 20's , I'd be dead in no time.

you see maybe there is some argument to the if i ride with gear, i ride harder philosophy. when i was without gear, i just floated around. and didn't take any unneccasary risks. i know that riding is a risk in itself, but i do think that the gear may give some a false sense to security.

the ron [evil]

Quote from: the ron on June 09, 2008, 06:53:17 PM
you see maybe there is some argument to the if i ride with gear, i ride harder philosophy. when i was without gear, i just floated around. and didn't take any unneccasary risks. i know that riding is a risk in itself, but i do think that the gear may give some a false sense to security.

the ron [evil]

As I see it, I don't wear the gear for me. I wear it for the other guy who likely won't even know I'm there til he feels the "thud"...

Don't dress for the ride, dress for the crash. In that case I'm going to wear a Suburban.

Quote from: NAKID on June 09, 2008, 07:22:30 PM
As I see it, I don't wear the gear for me. I wear it for the other guy who likely won't even know I'm there til he feels the "thud"...

So speaks the voice of personal experience. [thumbsup]

If you do crash, remember that you are more likely to survive your injuries if you don't have a brain injury on top of them.

Quote from: krolik on June 09, 2008, 07:46:27 PM
So speaks the voice of personal experience. [thumbsup]

If you do crash, remember that you are more likely to survive your injuries if you don't have a brain injury on top of them.

;D

Quote from: the ron on June 09, 2008, 03:02:18 PM
              
   We live in such a sanitary environment now. “don't eat that”  [puke]“don't say this”, :-X “ Wear Protection” wear your seatbelt” ugh, enough already! I know that the commies will win out and eventually all states will have a helmet law :'(, and at that time I will probably be hunted down and incarcerated for writing this. But I look back at my helmetless saturday and feel somewhat like a cowboy trotting his horse through the range or even better, a fighter pilot cracking open the cockpit,of his P-47 Thunderbolt allowing the fresh air to float  through his hair and gets lost in the sights and sounds of two of the most opposite things on this planet, nature and the machine.....


the ron [evil]

Hey Mr. The Ron,

How are you?  Glad to see that you are still fightin' City Hall.  Somebody has to. I think you're wrong on the helmet topic, but at least I'm glad you're vocal about it  ;D. 

The P-47 pilots you admire wore helmets.  And oxy masks, and flight suits (later G suits), and gloves, etc., etc.  Why?  Probably because they learned the hard way it helped preserve pilots.  Pilots are expensive to train.  Better to keep the good ones around than train more newbies.

You mention the commies foisting these helmet laws on us.  Maybe it's the other way around?  Maybe we're getting more informed, smarter and better advised about motorcycle safety, and safety in general?  It is a dumb make the beast with two backser today that does not wear his seat belt in a car.

Consider this:  if you participate in skiing, snowboarding, windsurfing, mountain biking (these guys are now wearing full-face moto-cross helmets), horseback riding, etc., what do you see?  More and more people are wearing helmets.  Check out the cool rigs that the Professional Bull Riders are using - no more cowboy hats!  WTF- the commies took over the rodeo!  There are specialty helmets specifically designed for every sport.  I know, you can argue that some greedy corporation is just out to make a fast buck.  But would the evil corporation be able to make a buck unless the demand was there?  When I started skiing, I sure as hell never saw anyone with a helmet.  Now, there all over the slopes.

You know what?  I'm glad.  Glad that people have got the idea.  Glad they are wailing on their kids to wear 'em.  You can have more fun and less worry about bashing your brains in.

My Dad told me stories about the BMW 250 he had as a young guy back in 1959.  He bemoaned the fact that he never really had good gear; it just wasn't available.  His leather jacket had buttons up front (no zip), so he would stuff newspapers down his shirt front to keep the cold wind off.  His gloves were crappy, he wore welders goggles tied with string, and he would stuff his pants pockets into his socks or boots and they would blow out anyway.  And he never had a helmet.  He told me he would have given his left nut to have a Shoei time-warped back to him in his day.  Imagine how much more enjoyable those epic rides of his would have been with a decent helmet?  Needless to say, he bought the best helmet he could afford when he bought me my first mini-bike.

So, Ron, all I want you to consider is that "the good ol' days" never were.  Why are the true afficianados of motor sport the most interested in the latest helmet advances and related safety gizmos?  Because they know it makes the sport better, not worse.

I think we should honor the experience of our fathers and elders who preceded us.  When they tell you that helmets are good, they are speaking from their hearts, not because they want to reign in your freedoms or ruin your enjoyment.  What would you say to your son/daughter, if he was riding around in the same manner you do?

Just some thoughts for you to consider, next time your tooling around au natural . . .

JohnnyDucati, son of JohnBMW

It's almost 95 degrees all year round where I'm living .........

& I would never ride without the helmet & the jacket on

Riding without a helmet is just about the most stupid make the beast with two backsing thing in the whole world. Maybe God's way of takin out the trash.

It's like living in an oven sometimes down here in the deep South and I will ride with a ventilated jacket and sneeks in the summer and on short rides sometimes without a jacket. I have never had really great gear, but would like to. At a minimum, it's full coverage helmet, gloves and some sort of jacket. I don't have good boots, but make do with a pair of Wolvereens.

In the early 70's I used to ride with a helmet with no chin protection  and English racing goggles, but wore leathers, gloves, and knee high boots. As soon as I knew about Bell Star 90's I got one and replaced it every couple of years or so.

I've slid down the road a few time in wrecks that began at over a 100, but never hit the road at much over 55 or so - I've been fortunate in that. All of those wrecks left BIG gouges in my helmet and would have left me a veggi at best.

In S.C. there's no helmet law, but I sure as hell wear one. I'm ugly, not stupid.


LA

My girlfriend says my face is too pretty to get destroyed, it's my money maker apparently the reason she is with me. I like being with a hot girl, so my face will not be making an appearance in the wind while riding my bike. I also have a matte black EXO-700 ('08 model), I like the way our helmet looks (tad heavy though.)

cg

Quote from: NAKID on June 09, 2008, 03:31:57 PM
Is there no helmet law in CT? I'll be there in about 5 weeks. Being in the military, I still have to wear one, but I would anyway...

nakid,

no helmet law in the nutmeg state. motto is: "let those who ride decide". where will you be in  the nutmeg state? subase? i live close. look me up [beer]

Quote from: CountGreffi on June 09, 2008, 10:00:39 PM
My girlfriend says my face is too pretty to get destroyed, it's my money maker apparently the reason she is with me. I like being with a hot girl, so my face will not be making an appearance in the wind while riding my bike.
cg

I could not agree with this more.  No SO, but I would like to make sure the one I get has relatively high aesthetic value without me having to make mega bucks, 1. that's not the type of girl I'm looking for, 2. I don't.

I have gone helmetless, and following the two downs that I've had I am damn grateful I wear a helmet and all the other jazz.  Skin graphs are awful.  I had them as a youngster and have no desire to require them again.  That and they don't heal up none too pretty either.  I can't imagine brain damage being all that enjoyable either. 

Most importantly though, a pretty face is a terrible thing to waste.

Quote from: fwtcc on June 10, 2008, 08:51:22 AM


Most importantly though, a pretty face is a terrible thing to waste.

Even a not so pretty face is a terrible thing to waste.

ONE time, when i was 20 and down in washington state i rode about 1 mile without a helmet... it was an unnatural feeling and i was very uncomfortable with it. I frequently wear an open faced helmet when tooling around downtown or on country b-roads... and i am aware of MANY possible risks and bad-things that go along with that, but i choose to live with the potential consequences. no helmet at all is something that i PERSONALLY i am not comfortable with, and to be honest i think its too much of a risk... i have no problem with helmet laws, for kids on bicycles or adults on motorcycles... it doesn't take much of a whack to mess you up forever.

Quote from: eyeboy on June 10, 2008, 09:48:47 AM
ONE time, when i was 20 and down in washington state i rode about 1 mile without a helmet... it was an unnatural feeling and i was very uncomfortable with it. I frequently wear an open faced helmet when tooling around downtown or on country b-roads... and i am aware of MANY possible risks and bad-things that go along with that, but i choose to live with the potential consequences. no helmet at all is something that i PERSONALLY i am not comfortable with, and to be honest i think its too much of a risk... i have no problem with helmet laws, for kids on bicycles or adults on motorcycles... it doesn't take much of a whack to mess you up forever.

its not the governments job to tell the citizen what to do. its a slippery slope. 

love
the ron [evil]

Quote from: Capt baz on June 10, 2008, 07:59:09 AM
nakid,

no helmet law in the nutmeg state. motto is: "let those who ride decide". where will you be in  the nutmeg state? subase? i live close. look me up [beer]

In woodbury, i look you up. when i get there! [thumbsup]

the ron [evil]

I rode 98% of the last 12 years without it in AZ ans FL.  There's a helmet law here in WA.  I've gotten used to it.  Now, I'm moving to TX.  No helmets again.  I foresee myself wearing it more often but I'm glad I've got the choice again.

I've ridden in shorts, sneakers, t shirt, and no helmet.  Now I ride with leather boots, pants, jacket, full face, gloves all armored, and a t-pro back protector.  I am comfortable in it and it doesn't restrict at all.  IF there was no danger I wouldn't need the gear and would be in shorts, sneakers, t shirt, and no helmet.

In my past (hD days) I wore little to no gear. Now it's all gear all the time. It started before i switched to Ducati's. I took part in an advanced trauma course as part of my job. It was an eye opener to say the least. You only have to look at spilled brains one time to realize you want yours to stay in your head.

Was speaking to a friend just the other day who had an off after some nutter deliberately did a u turn in front of her.  >:( There was nothing she could do to avoid the collision.
As her head was about to hit the road she remembers thinking "this is going to hurt!".  Then as it happened she was surprised how little it actually did hurt. 
Fortunately she wasn't going real fast but even so, a dented helmet is a much better option than a dented head. [thumbsup]

P.S.  The nutter got arrested.

Quote from: blue tiger on June 12, 2008, 12:34:28 AM
In my past (hD days) I wore little to no gear. Now it's all gear all the time. It started before i switched to Ducati's. I took part in an advanced trauma course as part of my job. It was an eye opener to say the least. You only have to look at spilled brains one time to realize you want yours to stay in your head.

[thumbsup] hate to say it but i've seen pictures... would never ever not wear one on the street again. i am all for the right to choose but don't see how you can win the skull vs. pavement battle. it's a rout...

CT must be like WI, we have no helmet laws here and i would guess that 90+% of the riders use it to their (dis)advantage, especially the weekend warriors, but also many sportbikes.  i feel like i am unique when i ride, i am on a relativly rare bike and when people see me, im in full gear.  i tend to get a lot of stares.

Quote from: Pakhan on June 11, 2008, 07:42:40 PM
I've ridden in shorts, sneakers, t shirt, and no helmet.  Now I ride with leather boots, pants, jacket, full face, gloves all armored, and a t-pro back protector.  I am comfortable in it and it doesn't restrict at all.  IF there was no danger I wouldn't need the gear and would be in shorts, sneakers, t shirt, and no helmet.

thank you for understanding my point. thats what i meant when i started the poll. some feel uncomfortable without the gear on.  i feel that is partially because they are always used to wearing it. and of course its because of the type of bike they are riding. see quote below

Quote from: aaronb on June 12, 2008, 10:40:43 AM
CT must be like WI, we have no helmet laws here and i would guess that 90+% of the riders use it to their (dis)advantage, especially the weekend warriors, but also many sportbikes.  i feel like i am unique when i ride, i am on a relativly rare bike and when people see me, im in full gear.  i tend to get a lot of stares.

I don't think riding is about people staring at you, i rode a custom chopper that my friend built, and all kinds of people where staring at me.  I was annoyed. I guess all kinds of people ride for all kinds of different reasons. and thats fine but to me, the ride is all about the ride.

the ron [evil]

Quote from: the ron on June 12, 2008, 04:52:24 PM


I don't think riding is about people staring at you, i rode a custom chopper that my friend built, and all kinds of people where staring at me.  I was annoyed. I guess all kinds of people ride for all kinds of different reasons. and thats fine but to me, the ride is all about the ride.

the ron [evil]

sorry, here should have been a little sarcasm in that.  i could care less what people think abut me. but it is true that a geared rider in WI is definitely not the norm.  more power too them, if that's what 'em happy. 

Quote from: aaronb on June 12, 2008, 05:21:41 PM
sorry, here should have been a little sarcasm in that.  i could care less what people think abut me. but it is true that a geared rider in WI is definitely not the norm.  more power too them, if that's what 'em happy. 

Sorry, I didn't quite understand what you meant.  :) and, i see your point now, i tend to notice that more people in ct ride w/o gear, so it would get stares if you were wearing a lot of gear. but i have to tell you, on sunday (98 degrees in the shade)i was at marcus dairy and i saw this guy who had every piece of gear on you could imagine. he had this face thing that looked like a ski mask! it went overhis head, and had a flap that extended down past his chin all the way to the middle of his chest!   he had full leathers gloves everthing, he looked ridiculous. I mean if you are that worried about crashing why ride?

the ron [evil]

I'm a H-D guy and a card carrying ABATE member who happens to like to ride speedy bikes as well.  My gear choice depends on my intended riding.  If I'm on the FXDWG I only wear a lid if the law says I have to and then it's just a non-DOT with a DOT sticker (along with a bunch of others) .

When I ride speedy I'm usually in my Vanson jacket with the GP armor and my Shoei X-11.

I know that there are unpredictable events when you are riding, but contrary to the common wisdom most accidents are the direct result of decisions (twist the wrist) made by the rider.


Of the close to 100,000 miles I have on bikes the majority is lidless. 

Quote from: XTR on June 12, 2008, 05:48:26 PM
I'm a H-D guy and a card carrying ABATE member who happens to like to ride speedy bikes as well.  My gear choice depends on my intended riding.  If I'm on the FXDWG I only wear a lid if the law says I have to and then it's just a non-DOT with a DOT sticker (along with a bunch of others) .

When I ride speedy I'm usually in my Vanson jacket with the GP armor and my Shoei X-11.

I know that there are unpredictable events when you are riding, but contrary to the common wisdom most accidents are the direct result of decisions (twist the wrist) made by the rider.


Of the close to 100,000 miles I have on bikes the majority is lidless. 

facsinating reply. and good point, most of the times i have a close call or the one time i did go down was due to........ you guessed it, PILOT ERROR :-[

hey, welcome to the DMF.

the ron [evil]

Quote from: the ron on June 12, 2008, 05:51:58 PM
facsinating reply. and good point, most of the times i have a close call or the one time i did go down was due to........ you guessed it, PILOT ERROR :-[

hey, welcome to the DMF.

the ron [evil]

Do you wear your seatbelt?

Quote from: NAKID on June 12, 2008, 06:41:20 PM
Do you wear your seatbelt?

no, i ejected.

the ron [evil]

Oh, as to seat belts, I never drive without them, even in NH where they don't require them. 

i am so used to wearing a seatbelt, that i feel like i'll fall outta the cage without it

I've never gone above about 10 mph without a helmet. I figure that if your body is moving faster than it was designed to move (i.e. faster than running speed), you head isn't designed to protect itself anymore. It was fun though....

I'd say the danger of bugs hitting me in the face in itself is enough to make me want to wear a helmet at realistic riding speeds...

Quote from: Alex on June 13, 2008, 02:11:09 PM
I've never gone above about 10 mph without a helmet. I figure that if your body is moving faster than it was designed to move (i.e. faster than running speed), you head isn't designed to protect itself anymore. It was fun though....

I'd say the danger of bugs hitting me in the face in itself is enough to make me want to wear a helmet at realistic riding speeds...

thats why i listed danger aside on the poll. i guess we all worry to much :Dthe ron [evil]

Quote from: the ron on June 13, 2008, 02:28:29 PM



thats why i listed danger aside on the poll. i guess we all worry to much :Dthe ron [evil]

ah hell, danger aside i would jump out of an airplane buck naked!  Imagine the sensation!  IMHO that poll is rhetorical!

Quote from: deweey on June 13, 2008, 02:58:31 PM
ah hell, danger aside i would jump out of an airplane buck naked!

You worry too much!!!!  You'll be fine as long as the ground doesn't hit you.  [roll]

Quote from: deweey on June 13, 2008, 02:58:31 PM
ah hell, danger aside i would jump out of an airplane buck naked!  Imagine the sensation!  IMHO that poll is rhetorical!

at least we are all humble here. i have been hurt :'( deweey has made fun of my quote. i am going to go to the 696 apprieciation thread and pick on them to make myself feel better. :D

the ron [evil]

Quote from: the ron on June 13, 2008, 03:22:07 PM

at least we are all humble here. i have been hurt :'( deweey has made fun of my quote. i am going to go to the 696 apprieciation thread and pick on them to make myself feel better. :D

the ron [evil]

HAHA!   I just call it like I see it!


btw, You dont have to go there to pick on them.  i actually like the new 696 ;D

Quote from: deweey on June 13, 2008, 03:30:29 PM
HAHA!   I just call it like I see it!


btw, You dont have to go there to pick on them.  i actually like the new 696 ;D

but picking on them makes me feel better about myself ;D

the ron [evil]

Quote from: the ron on June 13, 2008, 03:36:51 PM
but picking on them makes me feel better about myself ;D

the ron [evil]

I suggest other forms of self-worth tactics.    [cheeky]

Back on the topic at hand:   If I could be absolutely assured no other road user was going to hit me, I'd still go full-face.   I've been hit by too many pebbles or even large insects that leave welts through leather or knock the head back if struck just right.   It's just more comfortable for me.