Helmets don't save lives they just make it that you can have a open casket.....

My husbands former coworker was in a motorcycle accident 23 years ago. He was wearing his helmet. Was in a coma for months and rehab even longer. He will never even be close to who he was. OBTW The helmet was a full face and broke on impact, and another thing is he was riding a Honda Gold Wing. There are other cycles than just Harleys.

I've got it!!!!
How about a carbon fiber or kevlar dew rag???
Yeah, that's it!!!!!

"Arrrr. Did someone say pirates? What's with the HD costume anyway? And grown men with tassles on their handlebars...just like little girls. I can't figure it out. I guess they just want to be different...JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, which ends up making them all look the same?? Well, gotta run...I'm going to get a tribal arm band tatoo. Ride to pretend. Pretend to ride is my motto."
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Best post EVER!!!
Thanks tink!

http://www.bikersrights.com/nhtsa/codesa... RE: NHTSA CODES Study

There are other good reasons to wear a helmet, especially a full face helmet.

A good helmet will help to protect your sight and hearing.

I know most of the Harley weekend riders are not concerned with their hearing, and are more concerned with warning people BEHIND them that they have thankfully passed.

But if you have ever caught a Junebug, a cloud of gnats, a sparrow, or a rock thrown from another vehicle, it might change your mind about wearing a helmet.

Yes, wearing a helmet is choice in WI., and I'll take the helmet over a dew rag everytime.

Just ask the Tilt-a-Whirl guy...

That's hilarious Tinkerb45

LOUD PIPES ARE ANNOYING

Arrrr. Did someone say pirates? What's with the HD costume anyway? And grown men with tassles on their handlebars...just like little girls. I can't figure it out. I guess they just want to be different...JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, which ends up making them all look the same?? Well, gotta run...I'm going to get a tribal arm band tatoo. Ride to pretend. Pretend to ride is my motto.

Well janesvillegirl, if DRIVERS would pull their heads out of their asses and quit pulling out and turning left in front of bikes and pay attention to driving instead of texting, phoning, makeup and watching tv/gps, there wouldnt be too much problems would there?

Its funny that it really doesnt matter which of my bikes I'm on, I still get retards doing that. Even with my ultraglides spots on and the high beam, people still pull out in front of you. Same with my CBR (thats one of those evil "crotch rockets"), high beams in daytime doesnt help. Unless its a bigger vehicle, people just wont see you. I dont care for the way these kids act like retards either, but some of you clowns need to realise not every "crotch rocket" is a maniac with a death wish and not every HD rider is a drunk.

As for loud pipes, well most new cars are so sound proofed now that they can barely hear an emergency vehicle. You have to pay attention and expect the unexpected. Cant rely on your pipes. I like a decent low rumble, but dang, some of these make your ears bleed which is completely rediculous and just irritates residents.

As for helmets, wear them if you want to. Dont want to, fine. No skin off my teeth. I wish I kept my old helmet after hitting a dog with my old roadking and ending up faceplanting into the road. Chinbar and right side of the helmet (full face Arai) was chewed up big time. Just had a few rash marks where my jacket and pants wore through in a couple spots (Aerostich suits rock) and sore. 60mph toss to the road and slid on my stomach into the shoulder. Totalled bike and one dead shepard. Should had seen the dog, but didnt. Only thing I was concerned while sliding was the bike sliding right behind me was gonna slam into me when I stopped. When it hit the gravel it dug in and flipped over to the other side. I dont wanna guess what injuries I would had got if I was in "Harley dress code".

Hannah- I didn't say I don't use a seatbelt. i just don't think it is fair that the law is different for cars and motorcycles. I shouldn't have to be told I need to wear a seatbelt when I drive my car when my husband can take off on his motorcycle without a helmet (which he does wear) and doesn't have to worry about getting a ticket for not wearing one. A moving vehicle is a moving vehicle. It doesn't matter what it is. If the reason for wearing seatbelts is to protect people and keep medical costs and insurance costs down, wouldn't it make sense to make bikers wear helmets. Helmets help protect people and can keep medical costs down. Of course if helmets are mandatory, the need for the funeral industry won't be as strong and we can't have that.

How many are going to the bar afterwards?

How many riders in this weekends Tub Run will be wearing helmets? How many will be riding H-D's? How many will look like pirates?

Well said Spark. I am the mother of a teenager who desperately wants to get a motorcycle. Both his father and grandparents ride Harleys. There is no way in heck that kid will ever get a motorcycle as long as I am alive. Even as an adult, I will kick the thing over if he ever buys one. Why because I love him and see motorcycle riders as organ donors. Why because I have lived to see too many friends die or maimed because of their stupid actions or drivers that just plain don't see them. Driving home from Michigan last night on I-90 6 crotch rockets flew past us and cut into and out of traffic all the way through Chicago causing many cars to swerve around them. Both my son's grandmother and father have had serious motorcycle accidents. None of them wear helmets. Helmet or not teenagers should not have motorcycles, its us parents who end up paying for their mistakes. Adults,make your own choice, wear one or don't but please remember you have families who would like to see you alive, even in a wheelchair, but not brain dead or splattered

gmaof3 - You said by not wearing a helmet on long trips. Not wearing a helmet on little short trips and in town is just as dangerous, if not more. You have way more stop lights and people not paying attention in town than you do on county roads or highways. Most accidents happen in town. As far as the crotch rockets go. No, they aren't smart doing that and are risking it all. However, I get sick to my stomach every-time I drive by a bar and see the Harleys lined up. Fact is, a higher percentage of motorcycle accidents are of the older crowd, and alcohol related. I've owned both styles of bikes and it's a privilege to ride. If you abuse it, it will catch up with you.

That guy that runs that Tilt a Whirl at the county fair told me loud pipes save lives. I think he did a study on it, so it must be true.

I HATE wearing a helmet but NEVER put my car in gear, until I am buckled. I am very aware that many of these accidents involve inexperience and/or alcohol. In my wee mind, if someone has a death wish, by not wearing a helmet when taking long trips, then they are writing their own obit.
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However, for the casual Harley rider, as my husband and I are... I have seen more assinine stunts by young punks in their CAVALIERS, driving with NO regard for ANYONE! Cycles or cars or pedestrians. Then, the crotch rockets pulling wheelies for blocks down Hwy 26, headed North past the Interstate. I'm not quite sure why I keep seeing them there, but they are going to "lose it" one of these times, and be ground meat when they jump the median and hit the front grill of a semi!

First and foremost I want to extend my deepest sympthies to the familys of the departed,Second I cant get over how ignorant some people can be to believe it is not safer to ride with a helmet vs. not. I really think it is all about how good you look on the bike and that is what kills people. Where was it written that when you purchase a harley you have to buy the harley sticker for the truck the harley shirt the harley leather jacket, the harley boots the harley hats but I dont see to many people with the harley helmet. Why? because it's not cool to ride with a helmet, sure all the tough guys are now going to say a helmet doesn't save lives as in the story a person with a helmet passed away but I'll bet his chances at making it where better with a helmet than without. My view is this if I have to wear a seat belt when driving my car then anybody driving or riding on a motorcycle should have to wear a helmet. Seatbelts dont always save lives but it is proven that they save alot of lives something to think about.

Apparently these riders' pipes weren't LOUD ENOUGH since I've been told loud pipes save lives.

I'm one for the lowest common denominator...
head + pavement + motion = BAD no matter what the speed.
I ride ATGATT and put on between 8k & 10k miles a year. I'm pretty sure most of the riders crashing are doing it between bars or, from the bar to home.

+1 Spark.......I seriously doubt if Dr. Michael Yorgason has even thrown a leg over a motorcycle. To say that a helmet is a liability because it could lead to neck injuries is almost laughable. At that speed where you could get a case of whiplash, surely that would be a better option of having your brain spilled onto the street. The helmets that are on the market today are nothing like the fiberglass helmets of the 70's. We're talking about seriously light weight carbon fiber and kevlar blends, that are both light and incredibly strong. There's really no legitimate excuse....wear the helmet.....

I wonder if Dr. Michael Yorgason has ever conducted his studies or interviews with professional motorcycle racers that crash at speeds well in excess of 100mph as their helmet scrapes across the track only to walk away with nothing more than a bruised ego. Doubtful, because they would laugh in his face.
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I'm not picking on you bennetonf1. The article has some interesting points, I just think common sense is not used when it comes to some of these topics and how they are over analyzed with research.

Dr. Michael Yorgason, a surgeon at Montana Orthopedics and Sport Medicine, states that the findings from medical literature shows: “autopsy studies done after fatal motorcycle accidents have shown that neck injuries and fractures are equally likely, whether you are wearing a helmet or not.” Yet, most medical reports support the use of motorcycle helmets. They believe that the helmet generally decreases the risk of head and brain injury significantly and surmise that wearing them does not increase your risk of neck injury.

Major differences are held concerning helmet use or non-helmet use. Normal results compare death and injury rates are two and three times greater for non-helmet riders and increases in occurrence rates in repeal years that vary from 19% to 63%. On one side: the helmet verses the non-helmet study fails to consider these two classes of riders. Stating that helmet riders are more cautious by nature. One, they drive slower, thus have slower speeds in crash situations. Two, they are less likely to have an accident. Three, helmet wearers are less likely to drink and drive (alcohol or use of drugs). These behavior changes dramatically reduce a riders risk.

On-the-other-hand, factors to consider are: 1-average age of the biker 2-average miles driven each year, per biker 3-average experience of the biker 4-the size of the motorcycle driven. So, between the size of the bike, potential speed, age, risk taking and alcohol ingestion; simply, cannot realistically prove the effectiveness of helmet use. The Goldstein study did approach these variables in question. They reported a study that evaluates the effectiveness of motorcycle helmets in accident situations. The conclusions are: 1-Motorcycle helmets have no statistically significant effect on the probability of fatality. 2- Helmets reduce the severity of head injuries. 3-Past a critical impact speed of 13 mph, helmets increased the severity of neck injuries. The report then concluded that helmet users face a trade-off between reductions in the severity of head injuries and increases in the severity of neck injuries.

Under these circumstances a mandatory helmet use law cannot be reasoned to be an effective method to stop an individuals death or injury when involved in an accident.

Perhaps other choices need to be considered in providing safety in motorcycle use. Here are three suggestions. One, educate the general driving public (car and truck drivers) in road use with motorcycles. Two, educate inexperienced motorcyclists on accident avoidance (evasive action) and the proper use of these powerful machines. Three, create a strict enforcement of drunk driving laws. [Some studies show that alcohol consumption is the major factor in deaths and injury.]

I agree 100% 'Spark'. There was a time when Wisconsin was a progress state, but we seem to have forgotten how to lead. If Illinois can have a mandatory insurance law for many years now, why is that wisconsin can't. Too many times I or my friends have been hit by a driver with NO insurance and it ends up being a long protracted battle to get any compensation. I personnaly don't believe there should be a helmet law, but insurance companies should be allowed to adjust their rates so those that think they look cool while riding also pay for that coolness.

So which do you want to die from? Brain injury - don't wear a helmet. Broken neck - wear a helmet.

In roadking's link which is something to concider.
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As a result of (5) and (6), we establish that a tradeoff between head and neck injuries confronts a potential helmet user. Past a critical impact speed to the helmet (13 mph), which is likely to occur in real life accident situations helmet use reduces the severity of head injuries at the expense of increasing the severity of neck injuries.

After having a low speed motorcycle accident (under 30MPH) while wearing a helmet, I can say with ABSOLUTE certainty that I would have been either paralyzed or dead without it. Now, if someone chooses to ride without a helmet, their insurance coverage should be pro-rated (50% coverage) for any injuries they incurr in an accident. If the accident was not their fault, then they can sue the other driver for the damages.

nutty - You're right. If your life is not important to you, you should be able to be as ignorant as you want and fly out of a vehicle and possibly die. That should be your choice. Not one I would recommend, but maybe I have more common sense than some. Regardless, I really don't feel like paying more for insurance to do others poor decisions and until it's mandatory that you carry insurance and suffer the consequences for not doing so in this state, buckle up. Unlike what you said, it does effect everyone in some shape or form.

Why don't we just compromise and make seatbelts on motorcycles mandatory? :-)

How about this:
Repeal all seatbelt and helmet laws.
Insurance companies are then allowed to waive coverage of all injuries that would have been prevented by the use of seatbelts/helmets at their discretion.
At that point the choice is yours.

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/p...

I think mandatory helmet laws would be great thing. I always wear one when I ride, because I have seen first hand the consequences of an accident where a helmet was not worn. I understand that many Harley riders would be upset because their image would be compromised--people would have a difficult time seeing their cool shades and neat black & orange do rags, but the benefits of helmet use cannot be ignored. One could buy a black helmet and decorate it w/ stickers of skulls and eagles and make it just as cool as the do rag........

RoadKing - your website doesn't prove that they don't. It merely is stating that helmet LAWS don't necessarily save lives. Of course that site is going to be biased.
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Laws aside, all's it takes is common sense to know how your brain works.
And I agree with tinkerb45. The "it's not cool" to wear one is beyond childish. I wonder how cool someone feels after they crash. I came name a couple people that are vegtables and if they had been wearing a helmet, wouldn't be. Also know someone that crashed at 15 mph and died because they hit their head.
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/43...

Sounds to me like the rider that perished was riding beyond their abilities.

Sad. I bet I can guess the kind of bike the 'too-cool-to-wear-a-helmet' riders were riding.

http://www.bikersrights.com/statistics/g...
Please provide a link with factual information that covers all variables showing that helmets alone save lives.

Its unfortunate so many lives were lost.

I do think its ridiculous that helmets arent a law yet. In a vehicle, completely surrounded by metal, we are required to wear a seatbelt. Caught without it, and you get a ticket. But out in the open on a bike, nothing? It just doesn't make sense to me.

RetiredAirForce--Judging from your comments is it safe to assume that you have indeed survived a serious blow to the head when you were not wearing a helmet?

RetiredAirForce - You missed my point completely and yes those are extremely lame over exuberant reasons, so using them in this discussion is pretty pointless. I'm not saying I think it should be a law to wear a helmet. It should be your choice. However, if someone is going to sit here and tell me that they have just as good of a chance of surviving a blow to the head not wearing a helmet compared to wearing one, they are complete idiots. I could care less if someone actually wears one. I'm simply saying you don't need to have a masters degree in the human anatomy to realize your head is fragile and it will crack when it hits something hard.

I did see one did survive with the helmet. But the stats show more people die from not wearing one than , than from wearing one. Fact is when you have a accident on a motorcycle the majority of the time the riders will have serious to life threatening or ending injuries. It is pure ignorance and arrogance not to take every step possible to protect your self and your rider in any way possible including helmets.

"It is common sense to know that if your fragile head hits the pavement without anything surrounding it, your chances of survival are pretty much none."
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I guess if it is so common sense you have a helmet on 24 hours a day. Never know when you might slip and fall, have an object hit your soft skull, or be the victim of a meteorite. Yes, all of these are lame over exuberant reasons to make your non-sensibly argument futile. To make people really safe let's outlaw motorcycles, cars, sharp knives, and crunchy food; don't want anyone to choke either. The silliness can go on forever...because "doing good has no end".

http://www.abateny.org/leg/ny/helmets.pd...

chelleandlou - Helmets do not prevent death? You're joking right because that is al flat out false statement. So you're saying that nobody has ever escaped death when they were wearing a helmet?

It is common sense to know that if your fragile head hits the pavement without anything surrounding it, your chances of survival are pretty much none. A helmet is going to increase your odds. No question about it. If you don't believe that, go outside and smash your head against the cement wearing a helmet. Take it off and smash your head on the cement without it and tell me how it feels or what happens. Then get back to me with the idiotic comments that it's the same thing. Of course it isn't always going to save you, but I'll take the odds. Explain to me why racers that travel at speeds you can't even comprehend wear them? Explain to me how when they crash and hit their heads, they survive?

You can all adduce circumstances where a helmet was worn and the person died anyway. And of course the ever popular "what if your car burst's into flames and you can't get your seatbelt undone", but the fact remains you have a MUCH greater chance of survival if you're wearing a helmet or a seatbelt. Having been a bike rider for many years I hated wearing a helmet and oftentimes didn't but I was smart enough to know if my head hit the pavement with a helmet on I had a much better chance of keeping my skull intact. I also don't agree that it should be the individuals decision because it's "their life". Well, it's also my life that pays taxes to social security which ultimately ends up supporting the children left behind by the parent that chose to "exercise their right as an individual" to forgo the helmet/seatbelt. And it's also my taxes that help support the quadraplegic/paraplegic that remains of the small minded fool that thought he knew best.

People inside cars have died in crashes when wearing seat belts, so, if wearing a helmet is up to the rider, than it should be my decision whether or not I wear my seatbelt when I drive my car, without the risk of getting a ticket. I am much more protected inside my car than people on motorcycles.

I feel sorry for the family and friends to the three people in the story.

I also feel sorry for the small minded fools who think having other people place something on their head will allow them the hope they are right and physics is wrong.

Helmets do not prevent death. You really have nothing to protect yourself on a motorcycle. It's a chance you take every time you get on that bike. People don't pay enough attention to motorcycles.

I to feel for the loss of life,but curt. did you read the story? one wore a helmet & two did not,all three died! Wearing a helmet is up to the rider.

This is horrible :( My thoughts and prayers go out.

It should be law helmets are required. I feel for these families. It it to bad they did not think enough of their families to protect them selves better. No guarantees but a better chance with one than with out.