Another helmet question.......
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 5,914
Likes: 3,205
From: On one of 10,000
My heart goes out to all of us that have lost friends & relatives due to motorcycle accidents. Biking can bring so much joy, and so quickly it can turn.
My bike is stored for the winter now, I have made it through another riding season safe and sound. I'm very thankful for that and will say a little prayer for all of us.
Ride Safe, always!
My bike is stored for the winter now, I have made it through another riding season safe and sound. I'm very thankful for that and will say a little prayer for all of us.
Ride Safe, always!
Cruiser
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 151
Likes: 0
From: Colorado
Well I'll change the somber tone I guess. Yea I went down with no helmet going fifty or so. Not wearing my gloves proved to be the biggest mistake as my hands were used to protect my head. I'm all good. Biggest lesson learned though was just not to wreck.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 9,254
Likes: 283
From: Lake City, Florida (Native)
Well to answer the OP .. Yes been down without a helmet, suffered a broken leg and lots of road rash, no head injury, head never touched the ground, road or anything else..
Thread Starter
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Road Master
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,136
Likes: 93
From: Andrews, NC
I've went down twice. The first time, the front tire lost all air pressure. I couldn't
steer it with just wheel on the pavement. A scraped knee, a bruised ego, skinned
the wifes leg. Minor damage.
The second time, I hit the road so hard, it busted my helmet. The small visor I had
on the helmet cut my forehead. I smashed my right arm/wrist, broke 5 ribs, other
internal injuries. Smashed my wife's right leg. Thankfully we had helmets on.
Still, I say it should be a choice. I choose to wear a helmet.
steer it with just wheel on the pavement. A scraped knee, a bruised ego, skinned
the wifes leg. Minor damage.
The second time, I hit the road so hard, it busted my helmet. The small visor I had
on the helmet cut my forehead. I smashed my right arm/wrist, broke 5 ribs, other
internal injuries. Smashed my wife's right leg. Thankfully we had helmets on.
Still, I say it should be a choice. I choose to wear a helmet.
Back in the late 70's I was run off the road by a taxi. No helmet, just levi's, summer jacket and boots. Only thing that hit the road was my backside and elbows pretty much. Broke the shoulder sliding into the curb, but my head was fine.
You'd think I would have learned. In the mid to late 90's I was going around a bend in the road and ended up having to let the bike go when a van was in my lane and I had nowhere to go but off the bike and the road. No helmet but a decent scrap on the forehead with a little dirt mixed in.
Now there's a helmet law, so I wear one. My general rule was if I was in town...no helmet. Road trip ( day ride or more) ...helmet. You get used it it after awhile.
You'd think I would have learned. In the mid to late 90's I was going around a bend in the road and ended up having to let the bike go when a van was in my lane and I had nowhere to go but off the bike and the road. No helmet but a decent scrap on the forehead with a little dirt mixed in.
Now there's a helmet law, so I wear one. My general rule was if I was in town...no helmet. Road trip ( day ride or more) ...helmet. You get used it it after awhile.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 9,007
Likes: 5,532
From: Wilkes Co.- N.C.
haha.....taxpayer life support....LMAO!!....prolly just had a cig....and was frickin ridin in tennis shoes too!................I sometimes never wear a helmet...
Road Master
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 972
Likes: 23
From: NC
I'm all for it being let up to the individual to make the choice. Here's a question for those of you who choose to NOT use the safest helmet that you can when you ride on the street:: If you *knew* that you had to get on your bike and go for a ride and you also *knew* that during that ride you were going to be involved in an accident, and you were given the choice to go on that ride with no helmet, or to put on a full-faced DOT helmet, what choice would you make then? None of us know when it's gonna be our time. My point is that if you answer that you would choose to wear the helmet if you KNEW you were going to crash, then why would you not normally wear the helmet since there's just no debate over the fact that none of us know exactly when we're going to get into an accident. My answer to my own question would be I'd wear the helmet with no doubt in my mind that I'd have a better chance of surviving the accident with the helmet on than with no helmet or a novelty helmet. Again, I'm all for it being left up to the individual and having said all of what I have said, I actually ride with no helmet at all probably 10 miles a year on average on the backroads, and I do almost all of my offroading on the dirtbike with no helmet at all. So I'm NOT preaching. Just trying to ask a question that might make people think for a minute. 
Last edited by Shag67; Dec 1, 2010 at 01:43 PM.
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Road Master
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 1,024
Likes: 3
From: OC SoCal
I'm all for it being let up to the individual to make the choice. Here's a question for those of you who choose to NOT use the safest helmet that you can when you ride on the street:: If you *knew* that you had to get on your bike and go for a ride and you also *knew* that during that ride you were going to be involved in an accident, and you were given the choice to go on that ride with no helmet, or to put on a full-faced DOT helmet, what choice would you make then? None of us know when it's gonna be our time. My point is that if you answer that you would choose to wear the helmet if you KNEW you were going to crash, then why would you not normally wear the helmet since there's just no debate over the fact that none of us know exactly when we're going to get into an accident. My answer to my own question would be I'd wear the helmet with no doubt in my mind that I'd have a better chance of surviving the accident with the helmet on than with no helmet or a novelty helmet. Again, I'm all for it being left up to the individual and having said all of what I have said, I actually ride with no helmet at all probably 10 miles a year on average on the backroads, and I do almost all of my offroading on the dirtbike with no helmet at all. So I'm NOT preaching. Just trying to ask a question that might make people think for a minute.
Come-on. That's a silly question. I guess we don't have the choice NOT to ride if we knew we were going to crash, so of course I'd wear all the protective gear I could.
Same as if I KNEW I was going to wreck in my car. I'd choose a safety harness, fire suit, and FF helmet.... wouldn't you ?? So you never know when you're going to crash in your car. So what's up?
And don't give me any BS about less likely for head injury in a car. A women I work with has now been in a comma for over two weeks due to an accident. I just found out yesterday. Feel so sorry for her.
And you don't wear when you ride in the dirt ?? I don't know what kind of riding you do, but my idea of dirtbike riding would be more likely to go down than on the road, so I always wear FF helmet, gloves, and boots when riding offroad.
Road Master
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 972
Likes: 23
From: NC
Come-on. That's a silly question. I guess we don't have the choice NOT to ride if we knew we were going to crash, so of course I'd wear all the protective gear I could.
Same as if I KNEW I was going to wreck in my car. I'd choose a safety harness, fire suit, and FF helmet.... wouldn't you ?? So you never know when you're going to crash in your car. So what's up?
And don't give me any BS about less likely for head injury in a car. A women I work with has now been in a comma for over two weeks due to an accident. I just found out yesterday. Feel so sorry for her.
And you don't wear when you ride in the dirt ?? I don't know what kind of riding you do, but my idea of dirtbike riding would be more likely to go down than on the road, so I always wear FF helmet, gloves, and boots when riding offroad.
Same as if I KNEW I was going to wreck in my car. I'd choose a safety harness, fire suit, and FF helmet.... wouldn't you ?? So you never know when you're going to crash in your car. So what's up?
And don't give me any BS about less likely for head injury in a car. A women I work with has now been in a comma for over two weeks due to an accident. I just found out yesterday. Feel so sorry for her.
And you don't wear when you ride in the dirt ?? I don't know what kind of riding you do, but my idea of dirtbike riding would be more likely to go down than on the road, so I always wear FF helmet, gloves, and boots when riding offroad.