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Sorry if my answer isn't worthy of all the build-up, but it never really crosses my mind. No, I don't look down on people who wear more gear than me, or think they're less of a person or biker. I don't leave the helmet at home to make an impression on anyone else, it's for my own enjoyment.

Now, on that same token, in the off chance that I'm actually wearing gear, if I pass by one or more bikers going helmetless I do get pretty jealous and wonder if they think I'm a newbie on a 1600cc cruiser. But, if I'm going really far into unknown territory or know that I'll be riding in the dark and/or cold, I'm more inclined to grab my 3/4 helmet so I can actually wear my prescription specs (yes, I'm very much near-sighted) and keep my head warm. I look forward to the day when I own a GoldWing and can carry a FF in a side bag and make those decisions on the fly.

I really don't care about what other people wear, what concerns me is thier riding skills when they are around other riders...

I've lost two friends in the past couple months because either they or someone else was eating crap on the road, and yes they were both wearing full gear. Keep your eyes on the road and stop worrying about what people wear or don't. That's just a general statement, not geared towards anyone.

When I started riding no one except professional racers wore helmets. I rode many, many miles without a helmet. Today I probably would not ride without some kind of helmet, but I have never found a helmet that lets me enjoy the ride as much as I did with no helmet. I have never tried a "beanie" helmet but I have heard from folks on this forum that the "beanie" is about as close to the no helmet feel as you can get.

Do 3/4 helmets, half helmets, and beanie helmits offer significant protection; I don't know that answer. But certainly any protective gear that you wear offers more protection than no gear at all. As for what I think about those who wear all the gear; as long as they don't ride like they think they are bullet-proof and can survive any foolish mistake I don't care what they wear. I must admit however, that someone wearing flip-flops instead of boots impresses me as a person that I don't want to ride with.

JR

Great topic for this forum....well I live in CALI...so we must wear a helmet..by law. I have both a full face and a half helmet. This year on my 15 day trip across most of the states....I took advantage of the freedom other states have...and rode without a helmet on more than one occasion. At first...I really liked it....the wind felt like a massage for my head!! But one day rode the whole day w/out it....and had a sunburn on my forehead....and the heat seemed to give me a headache....so after that I only did it for a couple hours at a time.

One more thing...I saw someone write on this topic...that they felt a 1/2 helmet is like not wearing a helmet at all...I would disagree...I have a few friends that went down wearing a DOT approved 1/2...and after looking at the helmet.....without it....they might not have lived!

either way....ride safe...and do what is best for YOU!!!

Interesting thread. The first I've ever seen on a motorcycle forum where the vast majority of people didn't try to browbeat people into wearing helmets.

Virginia is a manditory helmet state, and I'm 99% sure I wouldn't ride without one anyway, but don't like the government telling me I have to. I'm a big boy, and make those decisions from myself.

I wear a full faced helmet, an armored jacket, gloves, jeans and steel toed work boots when I ride. When I went down back in the spring the jacket and boots saved me some hide. (My helmet didn't have a scratch so apparently I never hit my head and I skinned my knee, but didn't tear my jeans. ) Having said that, and knowing how valuable the jacket is, I still choose to ride some this summer without it. At 105 degrees, I figured it was safer to be as cool as I could be and stay alert, than to wear the coat, get overheated, and drowsey.

Now that it's getting cold I wear everything I own except a tuxcedo.

Nebraska, you must where helmets. I ride in Iowa a lot where you dont have to ride with helmets. I have ridden only a few times without a helmet.

CajunBass wrote:At 105 degrees, I figured it was safer to be as cool as I could be and stay alert, than to wear the coat, get overheated, and drowsey.

Just as a point of reference, if the air temp is greater than body temp, you're better off covered up.

-Holiday wrote:I personally wouldnt ride without a helmet, but i respect other peoples decisio n not to.

Do you have a problem with people who don't wear seatbelts? I dont.

Im just about to get back into riding after 20 years and My state WA. has the helmet law so I think IL at lest make it something fun to wear if I got to .
anyway who many cops stop a rider and check a helmet to see if it stamped road legal approved?

that is an interesting bucket???? Is it a DOT approved helmet???

Locopez wrote:that is an interesting bucket???? Is it a DOT approved helmet???

In China its a PLA millitary hemet where they make it.

Anyway who many cops stop a rider just to check a helmet.