Why don't cruiser riders wear helmets?

[rockethead]

I am wondering why cruiser (mainly harley) riders think it is smart and manly to not wear any protective gear, especially a helmet? This rant stems from a conversation I had tonite with a fellow student (who rides a Victory Vegas) about to wear or not to wear helmets... so the conversation went...

Jon " My friend says he wears a ballcap on backward because it's the only thing that will stay on his head while riding"

Rockethead " I bet that hat will protect a lot when he wrecks"

Jon " welcome to Ohio, we don't wear helmets around here, a REAL MAN don't wear a helmet. West Virginia has a helmet law don't they?"

Rockethead " yeah, I will wear my helmet weather it's the law or not. I want to walk away from my crash"

Jon " If I wreck that bad I don't expect to walk away from it, just bury me and be done with it"

Rockethead" Oh yeah, i'll be sure to tell your mother that, Sorry mrs. risden, I know you miss your Son, but remember... Real men don't wear helmets"


I have a family and friends and a good life to worry about. I always wear leathers, gloves boots, helmet, eye protection. I mean why risk it???

Now I know harley riders don't go fast enough to hurt themselves in a crash j/k but I wonder why they think they are invincible?

Sorry for the long rant, couldn't help it. people who don't wear helmets are Darwins way of weeding out the dumb people

[Fastfrog007]

Your last sentence summed it up. I say If ya wanna ride barebeaned, go for it, ill keep wearing.my lid.
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[Mythos]

If you wear a helmet, no one will be able to see who you are on your ohsocool assornament.

[Mythos]

Have to admit, i love being looked at on my bike. No one knows who I am but that's okay. To each his own.. Glad I can be a poser safely

[DEMMYM]

I think it may also be a comfort issue, I never wore a helmet before I got the Busa, Never really gave crashing alot of thought, Riding without a helmet is very comfortable and very free feeling, With that being said I ride with a Helmet and probably will from now on.

[Blanca BusaLess]

Fastfrog007 did you say........Barebeaned as in Barebeaner riding around barebeanin' with his bare bean exposed ?

[Irish]

Okay, i might be able to shed some light here as i have both a harley and a busa.. -woot for me- I do NOT wear a helmet on my harley cause im a dumbass. no seriously, im just dumb. I am not dumb enough however, to put my leg over my busa without my shoei on my head. tell you what, its a fashion thing if you think about it. harley riders that do wear helmets wear dinky half shell gimmiks or army style helmets that would do no good anyway. A nice fullface helmet and padded, armored jacket with pants that have knee sliders shows that you live to ride your sport bike. Conversely, a leather vest, leather chaps, leather jacket (all black of course) some aviator sunglasses and all of a sudden you live for harleys. fashion my friend. fashion.

[GsxrBots]

Fastfrog007 did you say........Barebeaned as in Barebeaner riding around barebeanin' with his bare bean exposed ?

Mwahahahahaha!!! Just peed a little..

But seriously, I'm a firm believer of do what you want. When its your time, its your time... Lost my Brother-in-law 6 years ago and he had full gear. Crashed at a low-speed corner, and hit the guard rail in a way that broke his ribs which in turn punctured his lungs and other things. Died pretty much instantly. He wouldn't have been any worse off without a helmet on.
On the other hand, I had a pretty bad crash about 15 years ago that without a helmet would have been REALLY ugly. I even had clear oakley's on under my helmet and the shield on the helmet cracked and scratched my clears. Just one of those things, ya know...
To each their own, but when the big man says its time, its time...

[Gpmo]

I hate wearing a helmet, i don't like the feeling of being caged in. Untill i started riding sport bikes i never wore one. The only reason now is because my wife and i made a deal. I know its most likely the better idea. Still don't care for it.

On a side note the first time going down on the street was the one time i didn't wear my helmet so now superstition has set in.

[Blake051300]

GsxrBots I think you hit the nail on the head. I do wear a lid but but when its your time its your time.

[cqt1414]

I ride both sport bikes and big v-twins, and i'm tall and handsome. I always wear a full face helmet on both. It feels weird if I don't have one, or if I don't have gloves. Even with the unbelievable wind protection my Nomad provides I still feel best with a full face. thanks for reading...

[twotonevert]

This debate has raged on for years. An impact at 17mph to the bare head is enough to kill you. That is the same impact force as being dropped from a height of 12 feet. It doesnt take much.

[BUSA CRUSEN]

I would never wear anything less then a full faced helmet. Last year I was up on White Pass and came upon a knarley harley accident. The rider had already been airlifted to the hospital so my buddy and I talked to the state patrol who were taking pictures of the accident. According to them the harley rider was wearing an open faced helmet and hit a bump on a left corner, lost control, lost most of his face as it slid down the road, bounced off of the guardrail posts and came to rest where the big pool of blood was in the road. (the blood came from where his face was) That is why I think that people that don't wear full faced helmets are stupid. But I guess we are all adults and can choose for ourselves.

[Chemmy]

I had a Harley once years ago and I still wore a full face helmet. This was a time that I was on active duty in the Corps and it was mandatory for the base I was one. I have never gone without one even riding through states that do not have the laws and I do not intend to ever.

I was riding in a charity event back in Illinois around 2005 and I pulled up next to a harley rider who was trying to make fun of me for wearing a full face helmet and gave me the same line of a real man doest wear a helmet as well as a real man rides a harley. I simply looked at him and said nope a real man joins the military as well as he is prepared to give his life for his brother in arms.

I know the military isnt for everyone just like wearing a helmet isnt for everyone. But I also believe that it shoudl be law for everyone man or woman to serve at least two years in some way shape or form. I think this would bring back some of the lost values that this country has misplaced over the last couple of decades. I'm just saying

[red1100cc]

im gonna pass this time.
just do a search on "barebean, barebeaner, bearbeaned," ext.

[Busa_Powered]

Harley riders are not only buying a bike, they are buying a lifestyle.

They buy the harley shirts, bandanas, etc etc.

They spend all this money on their bike and image, that they want to be seen.

My personal opinion of course

[war69]

I also own a busa and a m109. Ill allways wear my helmet on the busa but rarely ever on the 109. I have no reasoning why but thats what my wife and I do. Were trying to get into the habit of allways wearing one but its tough to do. In Wisconsin theres no helmet law right now and untill they make you wear one I love the freedom of choice.

[Tufbusa]

Boy howdy, helmet/gear threads really tend to seperate the men from the boys, eh?

Or maybe it's the seperation of the level of intellect that's most apparent? Eh? ???

[Dan]

I made a promise 20+ years ago to my wife to always wear a helmet. I think I would be very uncomfortable without one now.

[rockethead]

Harley riders are not only buying a bike, they are buying a lifestyle.

They buy the harley shirts, bandanas, etc etc.

They spend all this money on their bike and image, that they want to be seen.

My personal opinion of course

thats true. you can tell who rides a harley (or equivalent) because they have harley coats, shirts, hats, keychains, zippos. they have to show it off i guess...