Should I sell my full face helmet to be cool?

[FatBoy03!]

There are some very interesting, and insightful, comments here concerning the subject of helmets. There are also a couple of side aspects, one being do what you want and not worrying about what others think. Another is getting some friction from your "buddies". I know getting a ribbing from your friends about certain choices is normal, so maybe he doesn't mean it in a serious manner.

On the other hand, years ago I was involved in a business where I had an insurance policy with an interesting clause written into the policy. It basically said "...payment(s) will be excluded if suffering from head/brain injuries as a result of operating a motorcycle without a helmet...". I've been wearing a helmet ever since. I occasionally putt about the neighborhood without a helmet, but when I'm riding to work or on a trip, I wear an ICON Mainframe Halo full-face helmet.

Do what you want, don't worry about the others. Let your own heart and head tell you what to do!

 

[dr robert]

I don't worry about what others say or think about what I wear. I wear my perforated leather jacket in the summer, and it is hot. I feel safer though, and that is what really counts. As far as helmets go, I would just keep wearing the full face, or like a previous poster said, look into the Shark or something similar. Just for your own comfort, not to please your buddies.

 

[bignew]

Wrecking a few weeks ago you would think would have changed my attitude about helmets. I had other serious injuries but still received 6 staples to the noggin. I was only going to wear a helmet to satisfy my family members but after reading this whole thread I might go from wearing a half helmet to a full. It sounds as if you already know what the right decision is regarding your safety.

 

[marcus22]

no one looks cool laying in the road with their head smashed in. I have seen plenty of accidents working on a fire dept. and ambulance and believe me the coolest thing is at the end of the day you can walk into your house and see your family.

WEAR the HELMET!

Marcus

 

[Roadking5641]

I am having a hard time with the abuse I get from some riders on my use of an Arai full face helmet. I am coming to my first Harley, an 09 Deluxe, with the experience of always riding with a full face helmet. I have always felt safer with the added protection and know from my years of dirt biking how many times I bashed the cheek and chin areas. I've only had two accidents on the road and one included being hit by a hit and run driver and being forced over the curb up against a brick fire station and wearing off the right side of a helmet. I was very lucky to escape with no injuries. I could have worn off my lower right jaw! My best friend riding buddy is all about style but I'm not there with him. I think about what could happen and wanted the experts advice. I did paint my helmet with base coat clear coat in antique white and deep turquoise but that didn't make my buddy any happier. Do I just need to do what makes me happy because that is what I normally do. I never have felt compelled to follow the crowd. I will follow the crowd with my choice of this great bike and hopefully others to follow! Give me your honest opinions.

No;you shouldn't sell your helmet to please a bunch of POSER"S who obviously don't care about you personally one bit!! I wear a half helmet most of the year.But; I live in California! In the cold of winter I swap over to a 3/4 or full face just to offset the freezing temperature's here in the high desert! You do what you need to do for you and forget the TOOL'S that you hang around with.They are only worried about looking cool.Be a leader not a follower and get some new friend's!!

 

[larryjmiller]

I wear my "SILVER" ARAI full faced helmet almost exclusively because it fits like a glove and has so many more features than most helmets. I dare anyone to say something...Luckily I ride with a bunch of professional riders in our HOG chapter which is always safety first. And I wear a silver (non HD) mesh jacket in the summer because it is cool, I mean really cool. On chapter rides I throw on my chapter vest over my jacket. Really, I can't imagine anyone saying anything to one of the other guys (or women). If you are riding with a bunch of label conscious people that don't like your choices, find another group to ride with. There's plenty of normal folks out there to ride with. It's your head, and you need to "ride your own ride" at all times and this includes your personal gear. A HD is a large, powerful, and heavy piece of machinery. You should wear the proper PPE. I wear heavy duty steel toed boots and I have marks on both boots where the boot has taken a blow and my feet were protected. You never know when something can happen and as we learned in Boy Scouts, Be Prepared!

 

[Ungaii]

I wear a half helmet myself but thinking about a full face, the bugs always seem to hit me between the glasses and the helmet, right in the forhead.

 

[y2kflhr]

It may have been mentioned in this thread before, but I did not see it...

I currently have a half helmet, but I am not sure I am comfortable with it for safety reasons. I wore nothing but full face when I rode sport bikes, but I remember how hot those were at times. And hard to sip a drink from, and hard to kiss the girl with, and so on and so on, unless you took the helmet off. Even having a conversation at a light was tough over engine noise and yelling into a flat surface an inch in front of your face.

So I looked for options. After looking at a lot of the convertible helmets I have become real interested in the Shark Evoline 2. The thing is way too expensive, and heavy, but the reviews seem to be good. People are saying the weight is not noticeable when on, and balances well when in the converted mode. Basic idea is that is goes from full face to three quarters by moving the chin bar up and behind the head. It is one of the few I found that is fully DOT approved even with the chin bar locked back. Most say to only flip the top up at a full stop, and to make sure it is locked down if the bike is moving. With the Shark you can ride in either mode and be assured that at least it was tested and approved.

Now I just need to find a place that actually carries them around Denver. I am not going to order one on-line and deal with it not being the right shape, getting the wrong size, and the hundred other issues that would cause me to have to ship it back and forth until I was happy with the feel.

So I can not endorse it directly, but it sure piqued my interest. Lots of good vids on it, so do a search and take a look if you think it might work for you.

I have an evoline, I always wore a novelty helmet...the weight doesn't bother me at all, yeah its heavier than a toy helmet, but that's the trade off I made for protection, my leather is heavier than my denim! The helmet is awesome in my opinion, riding to work in NY traffic I pull the chinbar down, when I am in a comfortable area, I push it up.....

 

[Cagetender]

I ride a 2008 Harley Sportster with a full face flip-up Harley Davidson helmet . I also wear a red and orange Harley parade vest . I guess Im cool at not acting cool.

 

[pigrider]

I have 2 full face, 1 -3/4 helmet, and 1- 1/2 helmet . By far my full face helmets get worn the most, haven't wore the 3/4 in forever, and 1/2 usually only gets short trips into town or when it's just so darn hot that I opt to be a little cooler,temp wise not looking. The only ones I ever think aren't cool are the ones riding in their shorts, tank tops, flip flops, and a novilty helmet, just shake my head and think, (EDIT) that's gonna hurt.


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