helmetless riders...
- Andrew
- Legendary 500
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- Location: San Antonio, TX
Not, and I do not want to speak for him. In some manner this topic comes up once and a while and with the majority of the people on this board so opinionated against those who don't wear gear, he seems to be one of the only people who are vocal on the other point of view.
2004 BMW K1200RS
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- storysunfolding
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I think more people on the forum are into gear because they look into the world of riding more. Some guys get a bike, hop on it and ride. Some take an MSF, some think the MSF is like going to college. The people on the forum are taking a much more proactive approach to learning about motorcycles. Part of that is encountering nasty pictures, statistics and stories about riders from riders (as opposed to the guy that your mother's friend's dog's counsin's owner knew that died while thinking about riding a motorcycle). When confronted with that there are generally two choices
1.) wear gear and feel safer
2.) Don't wear gear and enjoy the unique sensation.
1.) wear gear and feel safer
2.) Don't wear gear and enjoy the unique sensation.
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- VermilionX
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- storysunfolding
- Moderator
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- Location: Reston Virginia
I am the only one I know that wears a FF helmet, always a jacket, gloves, boots and 99.9% of the time, chaps. I get cold!
No one ever ribs me about that one thing - that I wear full gear. Lots of other things, but not that.
Most people I know do not wear their jacket when it's warm, could wear their gloves or not, and consider chaps to be for when it's very cold, dark. Ride in Tshirt, jeans, sneakers. We do have a helmet law in NY, and I have seen alot of novelty (non DOT) helmets...
Lots of people I meet have commented I should get a 1/2 or shorty helmet. My feeling is that at least two people I know plus Rothesburg (sp) broke their jaw in their crash. I don't kid myself that just wearing a helmet will protect me 100%, I assume the risk, BUT I figure if I can try to avoid what seems like a somewhat preventable thing, why not try?
And when I see the tank top shorts flipflop wearin' guys, I say, "Now that's GUSTO!" and think, "What do they have that I haven't got? COURAGE!"
No one ever ribs me about that one thing - that I wear full gear. Lots of other things, but not that.
Most people I know do not wear their jacket when it's warm, could wear their gloves or not, and consider chaps to be for when it's very cold, dark. Ride in Tshirt, jeans, sneakers. We do have a helmet law in NY, and I have seen alot of novelty (non DOT) helmets...
Lots of people I meet have commented I should get a 1/2 or shorty helmet. My feeling is that at least two people I know plus Rothesburg (sp) broke their jaw in their crash. I don't kid myself that just wearing a helmet will protect me 100%, I assume the risk, BUT I figure if I can try to avoid what seems like a somewhat preventable thing, why not try?
And when I see the tank top shorts flipflop wearin' guys, I say, "Now that's GUSTO!" and think, "What do they have that I haven't got? COURAGE!"
Candy 750
- t_bonee
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I don't care what anybody wears or not. Their choice and like Andrew said, there is no correlation between helmetless riders and increased insurance rates. That's just fear mongering and misinformation by the pro-helmet groups.
That being said, Ohio is a non helmet law state but I choose to wear one. Not always my other gear, but always my helmet.
That being said, Ohio is a non helmet law state but I choose to wear one. Not always my other gear, but always my helmet.
A dog had his chain reduced one link at a time, every few days, until his chain was so short he could barely move. He never resisted because he was conditioned to the loss of his freedom slowly, over time. Are we in this country becoming like the dog?
- DivideOverflow
- Legendary 1000
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But what will you have that they won't in the event of a crash?Candy750 wrote: And when I see the tank top shorts flipflop wearin' guys, I say, "Now that's GUSTO!" and think, "What do they have that I haven't got? COURAGE!"
Your skin and your face.
I personally could care less about everyone tooling around in whatever they feel like wearing. I hate people that ride in flipflops though. Had one of em drop his bike right in front of me because his flipflop came off at a light, and he tried to pick it up without getting off his bike.... To me, that is the type of person who rides flip flops when they ride: Idiots.
I've heard a lot about the helmet vs no helmet debates, it comes down to personal choice. It is all about assumable risk. Some people say "I would rather be comfortable 99.999% of the time and forgo the extra protection in the event of a crash". In some states, that is their choice... in some, it is against the law. People are going to do what they want.
The simple solution is don't crash!

2008 BMW K1200S
2003 Z1000 - For Sale
1979 KZ650B - Work in progress
2005 Ducati SS 1000DS - sold :'(
1994 VFR750 Interceptor - sold
1984 VF700F Interceptor - sold
2004 Hyosung GV250 - sold
2003 Z1000 - For Sale
1979 KZ650B - Work in progress
2005 Ducati SS 1000DS - sold :'(
1994 VFR750 Interceptor - sold
1984 VF700F Interceptor - sold
2004 Hyosung GV250 - sold
- Flting Duck
- Elite
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I ride the whole spectrum, from jeans, t-shirt and no helmet to full ATGATT gear. I really don't care what other people wear and I could care less what others think of me.
The only people I pass judgement on are people who demonstrate that they have no business being on bike by their riding, not by what they wear.
The only people I pass judgement on are people who demonstrate that they have no business being on bike by their riding, not by what they wear.
93 BMW K1100LT "The Green Hornet"
91 BMW K100RS 4V "Kato"
IBA #17739 (SS1K, BBG, 50CC)
91 BMW K100RS 4V "Kato"
IBA #17739 (SS1K, BBG, 50CC)