| Author | Message | ||
     Jb2 |
Mikej, You musta been standing there, you hit the nail on the head! :-) Freedom first. Then it's your choice. JB2 | ||
| Henrik |
Dropping your helmet will not hurt the impact absorbing capabilities of the foam, but if the drop is hard/high enough it could hurt the shell and should be checked. If you fall and hit your helmeted head hard enough, the foam may have compressed in the area that you hit (and thus done it's job) and is now done for = replace helmet. I've heard helmets have a 5 year max shelf life. 5 years after manufacturing the helmet should be replaced whether it's ever been worn or not. Ozone, UV light, sweat etc. shortens the life span of a helmet. So, Charlotte - the 6 year old Bell may be up for retirement  Henrik | ||
| The Setta |
Thanx everone for the input, and yes, my head is worth it. The Setta | ||
| Whatever |
Well the helmet was slightly too big for my tiny little brain anyway (I am blonde, but I scored 720 on the math portion of the GRE last winter, howzabout that, my verbal was even higher). Side-tracked. So a new helmet is probably in order anyhow. Seems like the fuzzies inside are multiplying too. Thanks. Charlotte | ||
| Dark_Ninja |
One thing you may wish to inform Mr. Statistics... "My stats were taken from the state of Illinois publication on motorcycle death statistics. It's a few years old. The numbers have probably gotten lower since then, largely because the riding population has aged and old farts like me don't take as many dumb chances as the younger guys (in part because I'm more conservative, in part because I've gotten better at recognizing the difference between a dumb chance and a smart chance)." Men above the age of 47 have the fastest rising percentage of crashes/injuries of any age group right now. "Old guys" like him are injuring/killing themselves in record numbers, and the rate is increasing. Thought I saw a stat somewhere that showed men over 47 are very close to rivaling first time bike owners now... As to the topic, I usually wear a full face lid...for all the reasons listed above. I understand the gentleman who took his helmet off at sturgis. I'm not far from there and I KNOW allll about those magic summer days where low speed putting is the order of the day and a lid seems superflous. | ||
| Blake |
UV degrades a helmet?! Through the paint?! Sorry, not buying that. Perspiration and body oil is damaging as it infiltrates and weakens the inner shell of a helmet. It also grunges up the liner pretty quickly which is why I always wear a bandana. Whatever: Nice work on the GRE! I gotta brag on this, nonahya will believe it, but I aced the GRE math poertion a few years back. Never woulda' guessed it would ya?  | ||
| Court |
Wear a helmet, don't worry about UV, inspoect helmet, clean, remember the visor of part of the "system", if you have an Arai remember yoiu can "fit" it. (I use 10mm oversize cheek pads), a helemt that doesn't fit is worse (debatably) than no helmet. 6 year old helmet?....bye byyyyyyyyyyyye. Court [helmeting to make up for a pronounced lack of skill...in er, riding, math tests and MENSA exams. But, I did score fairly well but lack Blake's finely honed looks...] | ||
| Jmartz |
The title of this subdiscussion needs to be ammended to: Do you wear a helmet? (If you live in a freedon of choice state), otherwise any discussion is irrelevant. | ||
| Henrik |
UV: unclear from my original post, but I was referring to the styrofoam liner. Of course your head should be blocking the light and thus make it less of a concern Pridmore has a "nice" helmet sample he shows at his school. A quality helmet cut in half, clearly showing the liner shrinking and falling apart. Supposedly due to "aging". Henrik | ||
| Blake |
Henrik: As to "shrinking and falling apart" I hear that happens with age. I think Court alluded to having a similar problem. Not sure where he was shrinking though. It's not outwardly apparent.  | ||
| FB |
everybody knows who Clement Salvadori is, right? the following excerpt is from a piece he did called "The Limits of Safety", in American Rider's Annual Harley Buyers Guide, May 2001. ol' Clement's been around the block more than a few times, and i think most everyone probably respects the man's opinion when it comes to the world of motorcycle riding. i offer a portion of his words up for several reasons, one of which is to say i take exception to an earlier post in this discussion calling me an imbecile for sometimes not wearing a helmet when i ride. (yep, that little statement's been bugging me ever since :-) ride to lean, Ferris "In my mind once we have reached our maturity, which is when we can vote and shoot people (as a member of the armed forces, of course), we should be responsiible for our own decisions. I do not want any paternalistic jerks in a state capitol, who suck up tax dollars, probably drive Lincoln Navigators or Volvos, and have never ridden a motorcycle, to be telling motorcyclists what they must wear. Like helmets. "I look at it this way. If you are young, exuberant and inexperienced, I hope you are smart enough to wear protecive gear. If you are not smart and you crash, killing or severely injuring yourself, that improves the gene pool; brutal but efficient. If you are a good rider, wise and experienced, and like to feel the wind in your thinning hair, good for you." | ||
| Jmartz |
Wow! I never expected a contributor to a "reputable" motorcycle publication to express an opinion in favor of riding w/o a helmet. Good for you Clement Salvadori... | ||
| Court |
Frequently, and I am not saying it is in this case, it's not so much FOR riding without a helmet as it is AGAINST government telling us what makes us safe. I am very much FOR wearing a REALLY good helmet. I am very much AGAINST being told I have to. Frankly, Henrik and I live in a town where you can tell a school simply by seeing the bars on the windows, 7 patrols cars providing safety and the locked 12' fences around the "playground". Over 50% of the HS students in this town flunk out....and the most likely by product of a public education is a child. These folks, in my PERSONAL and humble opinion, have much better things to concern themselves with than passing legislation to convince me that if I fall off a motorcycle, while moving, and whack my noggin that I can get hurt...... Please. Freedom and common sense both demand vigorous participation and responsibility from each and every one of us. And by the way. . . leave my pistol and my pilots license alone as well. I know that all 3 of my habits, motorcycles, handguns and aeroplanes, can give Courtney an ouchie. Court | ||
| Court |
.....killing or severely injuring yourself, that improves the gene pool That is a neat idea until one or many of us end up footing the $100,000+ tab to put a non-fuctioning head back in place. Motorcycles, like work related injuries, do their most harm to "society" when the poor victim forgets to die and evolves to a "lingering liability". Not meant to be brutal, just a simple fact. | ||
| Anonymous |
The sate burden to care for the number (10 or so)of head injuries in Florida was a small fraction of what cost the 100,000 residents who owned motorcycles to buy helmets. 100,000 x 250 = 25,000,000 10 x 125,000 = 1,250,000 |
