I love riding without a Helmet...Wrong??

[SHIRO HAYABUSA]

Who cares? Me

Is it their decision? Absolutely, but I hope they make the best decision and wear a helmet.

Are they hurting me. Yes, it hurts me alot when I see a member killed or injured riding his or her bike. Will gear save you everytime, no. we lost a very special person on this board a couple of years ago, and myself as well as many others still hurt everyday because of the loss, and he wore all his gear all the time. He was one of the best riders I have ever ridden with, with over 45 years experience, but a freak thing happened and he is gone. You can't make motorcycle riding 100% safe, but you can make it safer with gear. I just can't buy into any arguement that it is safer without a helmet, can't see, can't hear bla bla bla.

If this makes me a gear Nazis, I'll wear that title with pride!

Hope you all get the best helmet you can afford, and wear it every time you get on the bike, even if it's just to go up the block to the store.

Wish I could have met/ridden with him. :cry: I've read and hear TONS




What if someone had a medical condition like being partially blind or something? Is it ok for that individual to be on a bike after assessing all risk and potential harm for their self? Is this not similar?

[2Wheels2Live]

While I would never ride without a helmet I think helmet laws violate our rights. I also believe natural selection should be allowed to run its course

Natural selection will run its course no matter what. Some folks just aren't meant to survive.

I do find it quite amazing though how many folks (including me) have had a bad fall and had a helmet save their life....I suppose it just shows how well helmets do their job if you choose to wear one

[2Wheels2Live]

Funny.... "we are all smart" ????? Then why so many rude responses??? Surely smart people would give me a fully argued and reasoned response?? Not insults

A reasoned response to what? Why you should wear a helmet? So maybe when you fall off you're bike you won't die or become a vegetable? Is that reasoned enough for you?
Are you seriously asking why you should wear a helmet? And expect us to take you seriously? C'mon dude.....my 8 year old nephew knows why he wears a helmet on his bicycle, and why I wear one on my busa. Its really pretty basic common sense Whats there to reason and argue about? You wear a helmet and crash, and most likely you're head will survive intact and functioning. You don't wear one and a minor spill will be enough to kill you or cause brain damage for life. Those are the facts. If you choose to ride without a helmet thats fine, but it doesn't change the facts
If you came here looking to get stroked and praised and have everybody tell you "go ahead and ride without a helmet, we all do, its cool", then you came to the wrong place

[VIPER]

i dont mean to be a jerk here but i dont think we are going to here too many stories about a helmet not saving a life as it didnt work for who ever would have told the story. I dont always wear a helmet and i am a rebel and i detest anyone who tries to make me do things that are my own choice to decide. I think enough of our rights have been taken away and for all of us who love riding you better keep your eyes open because anti bike poloticians are on the rise. Topics like this are excellent eye openers. It refreshes everone to the fact that there are laws being drawn to further erode our freedoms and we had better do something about it before its too late.

Lastly to all of you who think it comes out of "your" pocket for long term care. You are wrong. Social security is were it would come from. And let me be the first to tell you there isnt any social security left! So get used to it. It funded everything but what it was supposed to. It isnt your generation thats going to pay for it. Its our kids generation. Just like we are paying for all of our parents addictive habbits they had when they were young.

[Flicka]

Lastly to all of you who think it comes out of "your" pocket for long term care. You are wrong. Social security is were it would come from. And let me be the first to tell you there isnt any social security left! So get used to it. It funded everything but what it was supposed to. It isnt your generation thats going to pay for it. Its our kids generation. Just like we are paying for all of our parents addictive habbits they had when they were young.

I don't know about everyone else, but I could have second Busa for what I've paid into S.S. this year. Somebody is paying for it...

Maybe we should do away with helmet laws. I'd go for it, granted that riding without one were considered implied consent for a DNR if your crash results in catastrophic head injuries. Call that a slippery slope if you want, it's only my opinion.

[Vonderbach]

Wow, we have some real ignorant jerks on this forum. I'm embarrassed for some of you.

[Flicka]

Wow, we have some real ignorant jerks on this forum. I'm embarrassed for some of you.

Directed at me? Thanks, pal

[Vonderbach]

It's directed at everyone that is being a class-A hypocrite. We're riding a 200hp death machine and we're preaching to people about wearing helmets? The audacity of some of you to suggest that what you're doing is somehow safe because you strap a shell on your head, it's just hilarious. Reducing risk is one thing, but some of you act as if you're defying death simply because you wear a helmet.

[semi]

this is the last appeal to please keep from slamming each other, this is not directed at any one member or response in this thread...we want everyone to feel free to discuss your personal experiences, convictions, or gear opinions but not when it is directed in a negative manner toward another member or group of members...thank you for understanding and abiding by the agreement you made when you joined this board

[Flicka]

Non-riders sometimes ask if I think riding is dangerous. I tell them it's every bit as dangerous as Mom always said it was. All those years I wanted a bike and couldn't have one make sense now.
If I ever said anything that could be taken as meaning that what we do is at all safe, I probably misspoke. However, I do believe in mitigating risk where it is reasonably possible. That said, it's my belief that wearing a helmet does not detract from the enjoyment of riding enough to warrant the added risk of not having one. Again, it's just my opinion.

Vonderbach, I respect you for your intelligent posts, even though we may not always agree.

[Vonderbach]

Vonderbach, I respect you for your intelligent posts, even though we may not always agree.

Likewise. This is something we can both agree on and I appreciate the mutual respect. My post above wasn't aimed at you....more so some of the others that seem to have no respect for fellow members. Opinions can be strong, but I hope respect is stronger.

You know, I've been a member of a few other similarly sized forums in the past, and this is the only place where I have ever been witness to the morning of a cherished member, and not just one, but a couple that I know of. That's a really scary statement, and it fits the statistics. I suspect we would be mourning more people had they not been wearing helmets, but that's the extent of it. We all risk our lives for something we love, some of us take bigger risks by riding faster, taking extreme corners, etc. Some of us ride without helmets, and it's ALL dangerous and quite deadly, helmet or not.

[SHIRO HAYABUSA]

Likewise. This is something we can both agree on and I appreciate the mutual respect. My post above wasn't aimed at you....more so some of the others that seem to have no respect for fellow members. Opinions can be strong, but I hope respect is stronger.

You know, I've been a member of a few other similarly sized forums in the past, and this is the only place where I have ever been witness to the morning of a cherished member, and not just one, but a couple that I know of. That's a really scary statement, and it fits the statistics. I suspect we would be mourning more people had they not been wearing helmets, but that's the extent of it. We all risk our lives for something we love, some of us take bigger risks by riding faster, taking extreme corners, etc. Some of us ride without helmets, and it's ALL dangerous and quite deadly, helmet or not.

Perfectly said.

[piratediverjefff]

I rode for 25 years without ever owning/wearing a helmet(no helmet laws in IL or AZ)and when i bought my first Busa in SoCal('02)had to finally wear one...good thing because when some joker pulled out in front of me and i T-boned him at 60 mph i flew 90' through the air and landed on my face.Even with a full Shoei i still broke my nose/teeth/30 stitches across my forehead but without it i'd probably have been a goner.

[StwBusa]

It's directed at everyone that is being a class-A hypocrite. We're riding a 200hp death machine and we're preaching to people about wearing helmets? The audacity of some of you to suggest that what you're doing is somehow safe because you strap a shell on your head, it's just hilarious. Reducing risk is one thing, but some of you act as if you're defying death simply because you wear a helmet.

Well said Sir!!!

[moloko]

YES!!! Perfectly acceptable and legal riding gear.

[/IMG]

[busabeast]

i love riding...
and with that said- i went out and bought all the gear i COULDN'T afford, just so i could continue riding and have the feeling of being safer whiled geared up...
not safe, but safer...
now- i fully believe that it should be a choice whether to wear a helmet or not (and a seat belt too- my record shows that)
but i would hope that the coice made would be the safer one...
but to each his own...

[macon454]

I would have to say that a helmet has saved me several times, But on occasion the wife and I still like to ride to bike night without one, We know the consequences but we do it anyway.

[dirty dave]

It sounds like most agree wearing a helmet will decresse the chance of ur melon getting split so why cant we agree to stop insulting those of us who choose not to wear a helmet? Live and let live?

[StwBusa]

It sounds like most agree wearing a helmet will decresse the chance of ur melon getting split so why cant we agree to stop insulting those of us who choose not to wear a helmet? Live and let live?

Seems there are people who can only express themselves by insulting others (That's why)...I am glad I posted this thread..it has shown up a few people in not such a good light.... Peace

I never said that wearing a helmet does not have HUGE advantages but... I do like the feeling of no helmet and sometimes I truly wonder if it doesn't enable a greater awareness of ones surroundings and a more heightened sense of the inherent dangers of riding a bike... just a thought

[moloko]

It sounds like most agree wearing a helmet will decresse the chance of ur melon getting split so why cant we agree to stop insulting those of us who choose not to wear a helmet? Live and let live?

Or... Live and let die you mean?