Total Motorcycle Community Forums

cb360 wrote: Bull - Dale earnhardt was killed becasue he wasn't wearing the HANS system.

Precisely, CB, but motorcyclists aren't wearing a HANS device either are they? So the very thing that snapped Dale Earnhardt's neck (the weight of a helmet which is something a neck is not deisgned to support) also acts upon a rider when he or she wrecks. So all the instances where a helmet made contact with the pavement are NOT examples of where a helmet saved a person from head injuries. I would say a significant portion of them are from occasions where head contact would have taken place, but the frequency and severity is poorly represented by helmet damage statistics.

Let's not misunderstand what I'm saying here. I'm not trying to talk anyone out of wearing a helmet, nor am I trying to argue which choice is safer. But I am trying to make it known that riding sans helmet is not as "crazy" or wreckless as it's made out to be, especially around here. Dozens of 4-wheeler accidents, many of them head-first, have demonstrated to me that through reflex alone a person will protect their head at all cost, and will be more likely to sustain abdominal injuries or broken appendages.

Is wearing a helmet safer than not wearing one? Of course! I'll concede that point without hesitiation. However, the question of how much safer is debatable. Riding without one is not a death wish, it's just a little bit more risk added to an already very risky activity (riding bikes in the first place).

The NHTSA says you are 40% more likely to die if you crash with no helmet. This figure doesn't address brain injuries, which are even more numerous, just outright deaths. A helmet seems like a small sacrifice if it prevents dying or drooling your life away in a nursing home.

I get what you're saying - didn't wish to sound testy.

But I don't think the Hans device is there just because of the weight of the helmet. The human head weighs far more than the helmet. The HANS device is there to prevent whiplash and whiplash occurs with unhelmeted cage drivers every day.

Now that would be something - a head and neck restaint system on a motorcycle! There's a piece of safety equipment I'd gladly do without.

Your head would probably stay with the bike in a crash instead of following your body.

So how did this question turn into a debate over a HANS device?

It must be brain damage from wearing a too heavy helmet.
Everybody knows that spraying your head liberally with super hold hairspray provides all the protection anybody needs.

LOL...yeah that stuff is usually loaded with Kevlar & Titanium isn't it? Makes ya wonder why they don't make helmets out of the same material they make combs and brushes from cuz they can penetrate that stuff!

basshole wrote:Trying to decide what style helmet to get. Looking at either a half helmet or a full face flip up. Any opinions on these? Any feed back on half helmets? Can you ride with a flip face in the up position? Thanks

Getting back to the original question....

Yes, you can certainly ride with a flip-up up. Obviously, it depends on the particular helmet, whether you have a fairing/screen..... but I do so regularly. Its very useful to be able to flip-down for speed; flip-up when you hit a line of traffic; flip-down when it rains; flip-up to enter the parking lot; .....

Have a read of this: Caberg Flip-up review

Well I ended up buying 2 helmets. First i got an HJC CL-21 Half Helmet and also a Scorpion EXO-700 full face helmet. I really like the Scorpion!!!

ZooTech wrote:

cb360 wrote: Bull - Dale earnhardt was killed becasue he wasn't wearing the HANS system.

Precisely, CB, but motorcyclists aren't wearing a HANS device either are they? So the very thing that snapped Dale Earnhardt's neck (the weight of a helmet which is something a neck is not deisgned to support) also acts upon a rider when he or she wrecks.

That would be true if we bikers were strapped in via a five-point racing harness. Thankfully, this is not the case.