Leather up helmets

[Elvis]

Heads up fellows, I ordered a Leather up distributed outlaw 1/2 face helmet with leather on the outside, it looks great but it stated that a 2x was large enough , my wife measured my head we I should have had 1" to spare, anyway I can't get it on and now I will be out $15 just for trying it out. This is the last time I will risk this on a helmet, boots, or jacket as it never fails that chinese made stuff never works out.

 

[Sidecar Flip]

Isn't your melon worth a bit more than half?

It's interesting. I live in a mandatory helmet state and I belong to ABATE which is anti-helmet but I always wear a helmet, usually a full face and rarely a 3/4 but never anything less.

I go to rallies and all the ABATE members have those little half helmets and I think to myself...'you've never seen a human head slap the pavement because if you ever did, you'd wear a helmet that would at least keep the mess from getting all over'. I've seen a human head slap the pavement. Imagine a watermelon getting slapped with a 2x10 and you'll get the idea.

The only thing that little saucer is gonna do is mark the spot where the coroner is gonna do his investigation. Thats all.

Like I said. It's your melon not mine.

 

[Baggage1]

See lots of half helmets around here especially on those, can't get out of their own way scooters. I got scratches on the tip of my full face flip to remind me how it saved my scalp. Lost the face shield and glasses which were found nearby. At 75 weird things happen very fast. Do I still go 75? Bet your ass, everytime I get on it. Do I do 75 around corners? Not lately!

 

[Sidecar Flip]

Maybe it's not a good way to look at it but..... It's not if you are going down, it's when.

Sooner or later, you are going to go down. Hopefully, it's like me and just drop the bike in the motel parking lot (I'll count that as a 'go down''), but your chances of a 'close encounter' with the pavement increase everytime you take your bike out.

Me, I'd rather be prepared. I know leather jackets, riding pants and body armor is hot in the summer and full face helmets are cumbersome but the pavement is like coarse sandpaper and I've had gravel rash before and I'll tell you, there is nothing better than a pretty nurse picking gravel out of your arse with tweezers in one hand and the iodine abrasive scrub in the other.

I don't always wear my full leather outfit, the pants are extremely hot in the summer, but I do wear my leather jacket and my lid.

The people I wonder about are the ones riding their scooters in shorts, tank tops and flip-flops with no lid.......Death wish......and yes, those 'riders' who have no business riding in the first place...Scary.

I believe there is a point at which a person should give up riding motorcycles as well. At some point in life, it becomes too much to balance a bike or handle it in slow traffic situations. Rather that 'graduate' to a 3 wheeler like HD is building now or a Honda conversion, it may be time to become an armchair participant.

We could get into the discussion and the debate of 'big brother' and mandated helmet laws and the right to ride with as little or as much protective clothing as possible. I, for one, believe in as little mandated requirements as possible, to have a free choice about what to or not to wear or place on your melon but, given a choice, I prefer to wear as much as possible, whenever I can. Riding a bike puts you on the bottom of the food chain, why take a chance.

 

[KingOfFleece]

Always a dicey topic, eh? Those who choose to ride without the gear most likely have not witnessed what happens when a body gets removed from a bike, as Flip said.
I stopped "preaching" a while ago-those folks will either learn the hard way or get killed. I know lots will have another opinion, but I say support your dealer on helmets. Most will come close to mail order price and if you send it back one time your savings are out the window anyway.
By the way, the chin area is 40% of all hits when and if you fall off. That's your teeth, jaw, and nose. Woman do NOT like damage in that area!

 

[TxRIIIRider]

I will say this.. I've seen the results, I've even been the results, though not of anything too major.

I think comfort is the biggest safety concern, next to paying full attention and not being an idiot in inappropriate places. IMHO, violating any of these three principles is the biggest cause of motorcycle "accidents", even if the "accident" ends up technically not the motorcyclists fault.

If you are not comfortable (i.e. soaking with sweat rolling down your butt crack, or cold and wrapped in a cocoon so tight you can't turn your head) then you're not paying attention to the ride, you're paying attention to how miserable you are..

I wear the most comfortable clothes I can within reason. My usual attire is a short sleeve t-shirt, jeans, boots, and a 3/4 or full face helmet. The main reason I wear a 3/4 or full face helmet is because I can't stand the wind noise above 60 MPH or so..
However, I do tend to wear my full face more lately, because I love my HJC Symax and it flows air just right and is actually cooler than my 3/4 helmet.

Not paying attention is a biggy, even if it's the other idiots on the road. I try to be always aware of my surroundings within as far a distance as possible at all times, what car is pulling out where.. is that driver aggressive? Do I need to out accelerate all of these stupid idiots so they can crash into each other without me being involved?
Now... The Rocket has me gotten me in a bad habit. With the Rocket, I will use the acceleration of the bike to get me out of trouble more often than I use the brakes. I had a truck running over into my lane in Louisiana, and instead of slowing down, I knew I could get to the shoulder and pass him before he could do anything.. SO, I down shifted.. and blew passed him, with him in my lane like he was standing still..

As far as being an idiot.. We all have 150 or so HP to play with.. Most of us didn't buy the Rocket to just toodle around on, it's a FUNNNN BIKE! and.. I am guilty of spinning a rear tire running down on on-ramp, I'm guilty of racing with a Corvette at 100+ MPH around Loop 410.. Stuff that should only happen on a closed course. and I do need to hit the drag strip some time.. Never done that on a bike, can you believe that! But.. I am no longer guilty of drinking alchohol and riding.. I've done that quite a bit, have a few scars from it, and THAT was being an idiot. I also do not split lanes, ( I can only imagine, what would happen passing a driver with cell phone in one hand and lipstick in the other!) or pull wheelies on the highways, etc..

Wow.. I wrote alot of crap! And to think, I'm getting paid while doing it!.. lol

 

[RocketDaryl]

I think folks know the risks involved with motorcycles. It boils down to personal choice. *I* wouldn't jump out of a perfectly good airplane or jump off of a bridge with a rubber band strapped to my ass, but others find pleasure in doing so. Again, we all have to make our own choices.

Frankly, I find it amusing how knee-jerk our legislative bodies are. We're REQUIRED to "Buckle UP" in a car, but we don't have to wear a helmet on a motorcycle. How stupid is that? Personally, I'm in the camp that believes it should be a personal choice to do either. I don't care for Uncle Sam telling me I HAVE to wear a seatbelt. *I* would do it regardless. It's just principle.

I'm with Tx on the safety gear. I look at the picture. I wish I could bundle up in full leathers and a fullface helmet in the summer, but the fact of the matter is I wouldn't have to worry about crashing if I did. If I did that, I'd die of heat stroke in about 30 minutes flat (Florida is HOT).

I wear long pants, long sleeve shirt (usually), boots, gloves and a half helmet in the summer. I wear leather (chaps and jacket), boots, gloves and fullface in the winter.

 

[Elvis]

I can see your point

Maybe it's not a good way to look at it but..... It's not if you are going down, it's when.

Sooner or later, you are going to go down. Hopefully, it's like me and just drop the bike in the motel parking lot (I'll count that as a 'go down''), but your chances of a 'close encounter' with the pavement increase everytime you take your bike out.

Me, I'd rather be prepared. I know leather jackets, riding pants and body armor is hot in the summer and full face helmets are cumbersome but the pavement is like coarse sandpaper and I've had gravel rash before and I'll tell you, there is nothing better than a pretty nurse picking gravel out of your arse with tweezers in one hand and the iodine abrasive scrub in the other.

I don't always wear my full leather outfit, the pants are extremely hot in the summer, but I do wear my leather jacket and my lid.

The people I wonder about are the ones riding their scooters in shorts, tank tops and flip-flops with no lid.......Death wish......and yes, those 'riders' who have no business riding in the first place...Scary.

I believe there is a point at which a person should give up riding motorcycles as well. At some point in life, it becomes too much to balance a bike or handle it in slow traffic situations. Rather that 'graduate' to a 3 wheeler like HD is building now or a Honda conversion, it may be time to become an armchair participant.

We could get into the discussion and the debate of 'big brother' and mandated helmet laws and the right to ride with as little or as much protective clothing as possible. I, for one, believe in as little mandated requirements as possible, to have a free choice about what to or not to wear or place on your melon but, given a choice, I prefer to wear as much as possible, whenever I can. Riding a bike puts you on the bottom of the food chain, why take a chance.

I can see your point and I hope you can see mine, I would quit riding today if I was required to wear a full face helmet, long sleeves, boots, and gloves everytime I rode. 99% of the fun in riding is being out in the open. FYI, I was in an accident 10 years ago on a Honda Valkyire, I broke my little toe, 2 ribs, and a thumb. I was wearing a half helmet that day and hit a truck right in the side.

The only reason I ordered the helmet was for TN as I avoid that state because of their helmet law and they have great roads. If I rode like some of you guys at 75-100 mph 99% of time I might consider wearing one then but most of my riding is at 60-70 mph.

 

[crazyman]

I'm with Tx on the safety gear. I look at the picture. I wish I could bundle up in full leathers and a fullface helmet in the summer, but the fact of the matter is I wouldn't have to worry about crashing if I did. If I did that, I'd die of heat stroke in about 30 minutes flat (Florida is HOT).

I wear long pants, long sleeve shirt (usually), boots, gloves and a half helmet in the summer. I wear leather (chaps and jacket), boots, gloves and fullface in the winter.

I'm with you. FL is too **** hot and HUMID for full gear. I make the CHOICE to wear 1/2 or 3/4 helmet, always long pants, always gloves, and more if I can stand the heat. I've tried mesh jackets, and they are not too bad in the mornings. Not so nice in the heat of the day. Sure, I'd be better off wearing full armor and a full face, but I'd pass out in about 30 minutes. I'm not going to give up riding just because of the weather.

 

[Sidecar Flip]

Like I say to everyone....... It's your melon and you decide. I want something other than my 60 year old melon slapping the pavement. Took a long time to store all that **** in there...I don't want it stink'in up the street.