Buzz, that doesn't surprise me in the least. In Nevada, we have a mandatory helmet law. When I leave the state and ride in the rural parts of either Utah, Arizona, or Colorado I remove my lid. However, when I enter the city limits I put it back on. Riding in any town/city is not something I do.

 

Sry mate. Nvr did hear it b4. But then I am old and forgetful.

Also I think saying $10 really puts a GOOD picture in your head.

Right.
Someone else said the same thing my friend abt riding in the city. That is, in the city YES. outside the city, nope.

 

Not to start anything, but.....

Dale Earnhardt was wearing a helmet in the Daytona 500. How did that come out?
CobraRacer was not wearing a helmet and how did that come out?

There are pros and cons on both sides of this argument. I wear a helmet. Michigan is a helmet optional state. This is my decision to wear helmet. I won't make comment to you, face-to-face about you wearing or not wearing a helmet. This is your decision. I guess I can't quite see why the intensive arguments over this fact. I can't see why you criticize me because I don't wear a helmet. Why should you care? But then why do you call me names when I don't use your brand of oil? Or why do you make fun of me because I hold my gas cap in my hand when I fill my bike? I think the one thing I dislike most, and find somewhat entertaining with some of the idiotic comments, is the fact that some people take great offense to those who disagree with them, or don't hold the same values as you do. Does it really matter? Is your life that shallow you won't allow others their own thoughts and opinions? If so, you lead a narrow and shallow life.

Flame away

 

Yes I was wearing a Bell 3/4 helmet (pretty costly for a 17 yr old back then), the face shield took out my teeth, it was called a vari-shield the kind that slides up and down. The Jaw injury was from impact on the the car rain gutter, the base line skull fracture was the deflection of my head and spine from the impact.

I do not remember anything about the accident, just woke up 3 days later in the ICU. From the damage to the car and the impact marks on the helmet the best reconstruction of what happened is when the car went through the stop sign, my bike impacted the car (1968 Chevy Nova) between the front and rear doors, throwing me into the car head first. The frontal impact marks on the helmet (about forehead level) looked to be against the rain gutter taking the majority of the impact and major damage to the helmet at the impact point.

My head probably deflected backwards bringing my face shield then my chin in contact with the car doing the jaw and teeth damage. If I was wearing a FF it might have saved my face some, maybe not, could have killed me - who knows.

Back in 1970, riding gear was not like it is today. Additionally, no MSF or other courses on how to ride back then. I was lucky, but young and dumb on a motorcycle. If MSF existed back then and I had the course, I probably would have anticipated something like that, or been able to lessen the impact with proper braking (brakes were not that good back then either).

Just because you wear a helmet does not mean you will not have injuries, concussion, neck injury and face impact injury are still possible depending on the helmet 1/2, 3/4 or FF. And if you have ever seen one of those plastic injected cheap helmets splinter and crack with an impact they can do some damage to your head also.

Apologize for the long post, just sharing my experience but it is up to the individual to decide what to wear, what to ride and what level of training/experience/risk to take or have. As many posts above have stated helmets do not prevent accidents, just lesson the impact when you have one. Today I ride like every vehicle out there is trying to kill me. So far it has worked for me but I still get that gut feeling or start to jump on the brakes if a car comes up at an intersection to fast or I see the wheels moving after they stop. I expect there is something in my brain that I cannot remember that has that accident embedded in there if that makes sense. Hope this answers your question and is not too much info. Best Regards - CB

 

I totalled an 08 Ultra at 75 mph on a highway with no helmet, nothing happened to me besides some scratches and bruises,still here to talk about it and still wear no helmet.

 

 

I have been in the commercial insurance claims business for 32 years now. I have seen many things that most people don't see, accidents that would blow your mind, injuries that would make you cry. My business is all about risk and of course on the claims side it's about getting the best possible outcome after a loss. I have always worked on the carrier side of things. I've seen dead riders with eyes wide open and a nice helmet on. But a TBI is much worse for the survivor and their family and I see WAY more of those. My choice is to wear a helmet to minimize the risk to me and my family. Everyone has to make their own assessment of risk and what they are willing to accept. Pretty simple really. Helmet laws are largely in place because of the burden that catastrophic injuries place on society when the injured party or responsible tortfeasor are unable to pay.

 

My neighbor saw a Harley Davidson truck pull up and she asked "what is that"? I told her that "I am either a badass or a dumbass, that is the replacement motorcycle". "It is identical to the one that was totaled, only this one doesn't have my blood on it".

When I went back to work I delivered to the surgery dept. at the same hospital. I told them that as far as I am concerned you saved two peoples lives. If I hadn't made it I would not have known it, it is my 18 year old son that would have had to deal with this for the rest of his life. For saving his life I am indebted to you for the rest of my life.

For a year and a half when asked about my injuries I say that it feels like 5 guys jumped me at a bar and one of them hit me in the back of the head with a bat. Thankfully the bat part stopped about 2 months ago.