Bonneville America Forums Forums Rider Safety Forums Helmets and Gear novelty helmets

I know this issue always gets some folks hackels up but anyways. Last weekend a guy on a harley roadking left one of our local club houses. The road being freshly paved had a very low shoulder which he ran off of. He had to make a quick decision as he was running out of room and his only choice was to try to bring it back on the road. He didnt make it. Got the front wheel back up but the back wheel kicked out and he went down. He suffered major head injurys.He will survive most likey but best estimates are two years to recover. With maybe sixty percent brain function. He had no other broken bones or serious injury. Had he had being wearing a proper helmet in this particular case he probably would have walked away. Just a thought.

There was a huge rally around here in Kennesaw GA today. I rode through I couldn't help but think of a quote from this site. "Harley's...like the bikes but just don't care for the costume party". Also thought about the helmets they all wear as part of their costumes. I don't think I saw an honest to God helmet in the 1000+ bikes and riders there. I mean, I get wanting the look and all, but I just don't get it.

I'll take it even one step further, if you don’t have a windshield, I don’t know how anyone can ride without a full face helmet. I took a good ride today, and I can almost safely say that there are no longer any bugs between Scappoose and Forest Grove. I killed them all. My face shield was so bad, that I had to stop at a gas station to clean it. I can't imagine getting hit with them all with an open face helmet, much less one of those novelty helmets.

But, back on the subject, there are some helmets that are almost beanie style that are DOT approved. You would think that some company somewhere would make DOT approved helmets that are as novel as the novelty helmets with the 3D flames and stuff. But I guess they still wouldn’t be as cool as genuine novelty helmets.

Soren

Trash, there are lot's of "novelty" DOT approved half helmets with flames and stuff. Most cruiser riders (at least around here) don't think ANY helmet is cool. Most of the guys I ride with wear no helmet. It's very uncommon that I ever ride with another person on a cruiser with a helmet. There is no helmet law in MN, unless you are under 18 or only have a permit. It's rare to see anybody in MN on a cruiser with a helmet on.

I am the exception. I have 3 helmts that I use for different things, but one of them is always on, and they are ALL DOT helmets. I would say it's about 80% half helmet, 19% 3/4 helmet with face shield, and about 1% full helmet. Most of my riding is during the day when it's nice out, and that's almost always the 1/2. If it's cold, evening (bugs), or lots of traffic (sand & rocks) it's the 3/4. I would probably only ever wear my full helmet if I knew it was going to rain. But then I probably wouldn't ride anyway. The 3/4 helmet is a new acquisition, and it's replaced about 99% of the use of the full.

I don't like the full because I have to actually move my head around more to look at things due to some blind spots. I have to move my head down to see my tach or speedo well, and it takes my eyes off the road longer than I like, especially in traffic. With the 3/4 and the half I can just move my eyes down for a quick glance.

In PA there is no helmet law however you are required to wear a seatbelt in the car. The novelty helmet was cool when the law required a helmet. Now that PA changed to no helmet law I see no reason to wear a helemt that does little more than protect you from bugs or rain. I mean to say save your money dont buy the novelty helemt get a true DOT approved helmet or none at all. I just picked up a 1/2 helmet for $39 DOT approved. The novelty helmets were more.
Ride safe live long ride again tomorrow. I see a lot of guys buying their first bike These guys should really have a helemt.

Novelty helmets are really bad news. They have all the bad habits of a real helmet with near zero protection. That guy may have fared better bareheaded because then he wouldn't have had the extra weight making sure that he banged his head.

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I don't like the full because I have to actually move my head around more to look at things due to some blind spots.

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I am surprised at that statement. If the full face fits properly then there should be no more blind spots then if you wear wearing a 1/2 helmet, 3/4 helmet or no helmet.

I was lead to believe that part of todays Motorcycle Helmets design was that they offer the same amount of peripheral vision as some one who is not wearing a helmet.

What full face helmet do you wear. I wear a HJC and have the same vision up, down, left or right as I would with no helmet.

mark

It's very close to no helmet (or half helmet) from side to side, but it's not the same. Looking down is totally different. If I look down to glance at my tach, I see the bar that runs infront of my nose/mouth/chin. I have to physically move my head down to peek at it.

The full helmet is a standard HJC that is fitted correctly.

I mainly prefer the half helmet for the wind. For some strange reason I am like a dog in that I love the wind in my face. When I see a car go by and the dog has his head out the window, I'm like "I GET THAT! I UNDERSTAND YOU!"

This had been a big dilemna of mine for years until now. Because Ohio has no helmet law (except for under 18 and novice riders), it is seen as uncool to wear a helmet. I rarely wore a helmet in my 20's (36 now). As I got older I guess I just said screw it...if I'm going down (which I did alot when I was younger), I'm gonna give myself the best chance of walking away.

What also irks the sh&t outta me is that Ohio has just a written test that gets a 6 month learner's permit...which allows you to ride without taking a riding test or the MSF course...granted you are supposed to wear a helmet, stay off of freeways, and not carry passengers...But of course every year I see guys spending $20k on their first bike (so big they can barely control it), getting a learner's permit, and riding around with a passenger, no helmets or any protective gear whatsoever.

Yeah dude you're really cool...if stupid is cool. Most people are gonna go down sometime...and it's usually in the first few seasons of riding. Heck I was down 3 times in the first 2 years before I was 18. Had Ohio not required a helmet for under 18...I wouldn't have walked away from one of them.

Umm, I can see that. I guess you would have to move your head to see the tacho, but in defence of your helmet makers, looking down at the tacho is not something that the helmet makers would think of. Most bikes dont have a tacho on the tank.

Mark

I think they design them more for sport bikes, where they would never look down. It's really not a *big* deal. It's not like I have to look at my tacho a done anyway. I think the 3/4 offers great protection and visibility for those times when I want to wear it. My wife is always trying to talk me into the 3/4 every time I leave, but I normally opt for the half.

I've only known wearing Full Face helmets. I've tried 3/4 and dont like them. I like the feeling of having a wrap around protection. I have been off a few times and it hurts, so I try not to take any chances, particually with my head.

mark