So if you are stuck on your freedom expressed as not wearing a helmet, this is not for you.
For the rest of you, I am a life long rider with more miles, bikes and years than I want to mention. I've meant to post this several times over the years but never got around to it. We are in the process of moving and I found this helmet while I was packing. This is the helmet that saved my life and I've kept it as a reminder of that high speed crash years ago I had that I survived without a cracked skull or even a concussion. I wont get into the crash except to say that I was going at a high rate of speed when my front end came apart and I was medi-vacced by helicopter to a trauma center.
You'll get a laugh at the stickers stuck on the helmet by riding buddies on trips over the years and hopefully a bit shaken by the gashes and scrapes that would have been my skull if I hadn't been wearing this helmet.

 

I'm sure you are not alone thinkin' about helmet/ no helmet. Feels so good to ride without. I ponder the same question every time I ride. I do not wear my helmet but somehow it is always in the back of my mind right before I go.

I think those who rant about no helmet really aren't talking about the safety factor, their comments seem more directed to whether they should or should not be mandated to do so. JMO

 

Thanx for the story. And for the good reminder of what we face out there. I too have had a helmet save my life. No details but I will say that the helmet was toast but I still have a face.

The odds are stacked against us. Too many people in cages, too wrapped up in that next omg, lol, my bff!! They don't have the time, or inclination, to watch out for us.

Riding is serious fun. Deadly serious. Gear up. That way we can live to ride some more.

Ride safe

 

In the 70s, I wore one only when it was a law. But back then, the cell phone wasn't around, diverting everyone's eye off the road. Now, I won't leave home without it.

 

I've always worn a full face helmet since I started riding. I'm sure it feels great without one, but you can't ride if you're dead. I may not be the most attractive guy, but I'm pretty sure if my face ever got grated off it would not be an improvement lol. I do ride in a T shirt and jeans so I hope I don't ever find out what it feels like to go down, but I feel better knowing my head is safe.

 

I crashed back in 2001 and happened to be wearing a full face. It saved my face as I came off the bike running 65 mph. To this day I don't like a full face except for the cold winter months. I have settled for wearing a 3/4 during hot weather months. I have pretty much retired my 1/2 helmet.

 

I went down at 55mph trying to miss Bambi. My full face Arai has deep gouges on the left, front and right sides as I did the barrel roll down the blacktop. There is no doubt in anyone's mind that it saved my life. That was 35 years ago, and I still keep the helmet on the shelf.

I do love riding a Harley with just a ballcap. I love the sounds, vision and smells of the road. But I just can't bring myself to do it, even though it's legal to not where one in Colorado. I have a 1/2 helmet, a non-DOT skid lid and a modern full face with ventilation and retractable visor. I wear the full face about 98% of the time.

Wearing a full face on a Harley is becoming much more common. Even on poker runs where everyone is dressed like a pirate. However, I had one group of 20-30 somethings tell me they don't wave at anyone wearing a full face...(WTF?)

I do love Colorado's helmet law. Required under age 18, then it's your choice after that.

 

It was a 1/2 face DOT helmet that saved my ***!

 

I've been riding for 50+yrs. and only wore a helmet when riding cross country where they were required. However about 4 yrs. ago a riding partner suggested we buy a Cardo system so we could communicate on a long distant ride. I liked the feature of listening to the radio or listening to my music from my Ipod so much that I started wearing the helmet on my daily commutes to work. One night on the way home I had a crash, and my helmet was skinned up from the left side across the face shield, around the right side all the to the back of the helmet. when they picked me up off the pavement they said I was unconscious for a short time. From that day on I will not ride my bike with out a helmet. The helmet I was wearing was a modular, and the chin bar received the most damage, so I suggest if your inclined to wear a helmet wear a helmet that covers you face. That's just my experience, and by no means am I trying to convert the non helmet wearers

 

Thanks for the testimonial- no change in my beliefs, freedom isn't negotiable.
Everyone has their own path.
The Dude Abides.