Call me crazy, but full face helmets and cruisers just don't mix! I can see "touring bikes" on a long haul but cruisin' the open road? Come on! For me, Harleys mean freedom. Why have a full face helmet? If you want to feel protected and enclosed, buy a car! If you want to feel more secure, buy a big car! If you want go fast, buy a Japanese bike and then you can use your full face helmet. But don't go cruisin' to enjoy the scenery and wear a full face helmet. To me, you look like a Mexican wrestler! Sorry if I offend anyone, but this is just my humble opinion! Now that I have my Harley, it's a half helmet and shades only because I'm in California and there's a helmet law! Freedom and enjoying the scenes and sounds of the open road! Now that's what it’s all about!

 

OK, you're crazy! Either that, or you put too much sugar on your Cheerios this morning.

 

I'd like my family to be able to have an open casket if they want. Not too mention if I do live through an accident I'd like to still have my nose and chin.

If you see the helmet graphic that was posted a while back the majority of damage on helmets are in the face area. I will agree that I would not mandate helmets, but I would still wear one most of the time. I wore a full face helmet on my Sportster and I wear a full face on my Ultra. I still get the feeling of freedom and the open road, but I am protecting myself. In the end it is all about what risks you are comfortable with taking. My comfort level varies and at times I'll take my helmet off for a short jaunt.

I guess what I'm saying is your statement is pretty narrow-minded. In order to appreciate someone else's viewpoint you have to be able to see their motivations and you are only seeing your own.

 

Point taken Crashin'! It is my own view and only my own and I don't pretend to speek for anyone else.

 

To each his own but when face meets asphalt it makes no difference if you were riding a Harley or a Hayabusa.

 

I'm glad I have the freedom to be unfashionable.

 

The full face is nice @ 50 degrees F @ 75mph

 

My apologies to everyone! I was looking at it through the eyes of a Californian. The weather here in central California gets extremely hot and there are lots of beautiful things to see. Especially cruising the coast. I agree that there are circumstances where a full face helmet would be beneficial, i.e. highway speeds, inclement weather, etc. And I know some locations make it next to impossible wearing anything but a full face helmet. I spent six years in Michigan and I would never wear anything but a full face helmet there. But, when conditions are optimal, I think a cruiser would be much better off in a half helmet. When you're sweating your as@%$ off at slower speeds in a full face helmet, it's kind of hard to enjoy anything! Just a thought!

 

Then you buy a flip up, best of both worlds

 

No worries Greenfed. You'll get thousands of opinions on HDF about helmets. I know where you're coming from with the hot weather being here in AZ myself. During the warmer months I wear an ACC half helmet but also sport a Shoei modular when the weather gets cooler. Most of the guys I ride with wear no helmet at all. That's something I've just never felt really comfortable with.