Total Motorcycle Community Forums

Itzamna,

The good news is you starting wearing the gear before you got hurt or killed. Everyone needs to learn like you have. Get the gear before you need it, not after.

I bought my helmet and jacket today. I got an HJC CL-14 helmet and TourMaster Cortech Advanced jacket. I tried on about 15 helmets and this one was by far the most comfortable. The people at the place were really helpful in helping me find the right fit. I had read the Helmet fit guidlines sticky here, it really helped me pay attention to things I might not have thought of on my own.

Right on! You're off on the right track! I hope others follow in your footsteps and I'm gald we could help. That's what this community is all about.

I haven't read the whole thread, but I know what you mean when you say you look at other bike/bikers. I am real observant of other bikers also, and there is no helmet law here in Arizona. I have found that Harley/chopper riders are least likely to wear a helmet and sport bike riders are most likely to wear a helmet. All my friends that ride sport bikes encourage fellow riders to wear helmets and all my friends who ride harleys think helmets suck.

Occasionally I ride without a helmet, and one time I needed a replacement screw for the hinge on my modular helmet so I rode without a helmet for a few days. Two friends at work that ride Suzuki sport bikes asked me where my lid was. On the contrary; a friend at work whose husband rides a harley asks me why I wear a helmet as if to say I should not wear one.

Some people will argue that helmets give you blind spots and reduce your hearing or whatever. I honestly like wearing a helmet because it keeps the bugs outta my hair

daveoner wrote:
Some people will argue that helmets give you blind spots and reduce your hearing or whatever. I honestly like wearing a helmet because it keeps the bugs outta my hair

I don't get this..... if I am moving faster than about 20 mph, all I can hear is the wind howling through the hollow of my head, and I can't see a dam thing cause my eyes water too much if I don't wear a lid. Aside from the protection, a lid makes it much more comfortable for me to ride.

Fropa wrote:Thanks for all the responses. I plan to always wear a helmet, but If I was still young and indestructible getting ready to ride for the first time, seeing so many riders that day without helmets would make me wonder if I really needed one.

I'm a new rider in Ohio. We don't have a helmet law either. It seems everyone on this site is in favor of riding with a helmet. I have never seen a Harley rider with a helmet (guess there must not be Harley riders on this site). A Harley rider told me that most of them won't wear one or will only wear one of those that look like a bicycle helmet. Guess I'm clueless but what is up with this Harley thing? It's like a religion. I stopped in a HD dealer yesterday that was having some tent sale with hot dogs, etc. I sat on a 800 Sportster and it was uncomfortable. It was as if I was sitting on a park bench. So I guess the peer pressure among HD riders is so great they will sacrifice their personal safety for looks. It must be a macho thing...maybe a hold over from the "outlaw" motorcycle days. Personally, I don't care what anyone thinks about my dress, etc. It's my skin, head, etc...they are not going to suffer, I will. They may hold a benefit for me which is nice but sure does not make sense when injuries can be prevented. I just bought a HJC CL-14 and love it. Newenough has them for $85 plus shipping.

They're mandatory in OR. I'd wear one whether it's mandatory or not though. As my drivers ed teacher said, "If you aren't willing to sprint headfirst into that wall [points to concrete wall], then you'd better be willing to wear a seatbelt."
Same goes for helmets.

Indiana doesn't have a law to mandate them but i still wear one. I think alot of them are either too plain or to much going on. If you have the money buy a plain jane looking helmet take it to a local airbrush shop. You will have a super cool helmet in no time!!!

As to the harley riders wearing helmets. I can say all 4 of my husbands siblings wear helmets!!!! They are the ONLY harley riders that I know that do. The rest are just nuts!!!!

BuzZz wrote:

daveoner wrote:
Some people will argue that helmets give you blind spots and reduce your hearing or whatever. I honestly like wearing a helmet because it keeps the bugs outta my hair

I don't get this..... if I am moving faster than about 20 mph, all I can hear is the wind howling through the hollow of my head, and I can't see a dam thing cause my eyes water too much if I don't wear a lid. Aside from the protection, a lid makes it much more comfortable for me to ride.

I agree, although I did buy a cool pair of sunglasses with foam padding around the eyes and they work great at keeping the wind outta my eyes. I can actually wear these with no lid (or an open face helmet) and no more tears. Wrap around goggles also work well at keeping the wind outta your eyes. Don't get me wrong, I am not advocating not wearing a helmet.

Anyone know what kind of accicents the photos of the scraped up helmets were in? Like OTB or high sided?

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