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I bought it when I owned a scooter, but have been riding my Sportster in it now. Problem is, after about an hour, the top of my forehead gets sore. So it took it off the other day for a quick ride and wow, so much better. Not only having all that weight on my head, but I could hear things, including my Screamin Eagle II pipes.
Alot of cruiser riders here opt for no helmet, it's not required if you're at least 17 in AZ. So I was thinking, why not a skateboard helmet as a happy medium? It's still better than no helmet. I used to wear one when I skated ramps at a much younger age. They're lightweight and so comfortable. And they're designed for for whacking your head against the concrete lip of a swimming pool! Seems good enough for 45mph cruising which I usually go.
Get a DOT approved full helmet....your face will thank you after you lay down your bike and still have a intact jaw. Ive walked off some serious accidents with just broken bones and road rash.....face still 100% intact.
A skateboard helmet is better than nothing I suppose. Big YMMV... But I would compare helmet standards...
If you are going to do any kind of motorbike riding you need the appropriate safety gear the helmet being the most important item, Go to your local bike shop and try on a few helmets,find one you like at the right size and either buy it right there or come home and order it on line, expect to pay at least $250 for a cheap one or maybe as high as $1000
pknopp said it, it's your head (life), do with it what you please. Personally, in the 20+ years I've been riding and racing, the times I've gone asphalt surfing on public roads have a) not been my fault, b) came Completely out of the blue (always hit from behind while doing 5~10 over the speed limit for me, I learned to watch my mirrors better) and c) I have hit chin first EVERY time.
Statistics say that better than 60% of all accidents DO hit chin first.
Buy a GOOD helmet and you'll never know it's there. They're light, comfortable, vent well when it's warm out, block the cold air when it's cool out, keep the bugs/rocks/road debris/rain/hail/wind/sun off your face (and all the pain/damage that comes from each of those), etc... they do *NOT* block your vision, and I wear earplugs 100% of the time as safety gear (because I want to hear better than my father does when I'm 70). Ironically, ear plugs allow me to hear Better... plus, I'm a stock exhaust guy, I don't have anything to compensate for by shouting "LOOK AT ME!!!!"
If your helmet hurts your forehead, chances are Very good that you have a more oval than round head, and a more round than oval helmet. That means that the helmet itself is pushing on your head in uncomfortable ways and you'd have the same pain if you just sat around with it on in your living room. Wrong helmet for your head type.
I absolutely do NOT agree with the pricing listed above. You can buy a top tier, high quality helmet for $100~150 that will offer the Same level of protection as something that costs $1000. Personally, I only wear Arai (fits the best for my head), and haven't paid more than $300. They're considered a premium brand helmet.
I'm reading the responses and taking it all seriously. BTW, I will be sticking with a real motorcycle helmet. And I should stick with a full face one. They all look so dams space age though.
pknopp said it, it's your head (life), do with it what you please. Personally, in the 20+ years I've been riding and racing, the times I've gone asphalt surfing on public roads have a) not been my fault, b) came Completely out of the blue (always hit from behind while doing 5~10 over the speed limit for me, I learned to watch my mirrors better) and c) I have hit chin first EVERY time.
Statistics say that better than 60% of all accidents DO hit chin first.
Buy a GOOD helmet and you'll never know it's there. They're light, comfortable, vent well when it's warm out, block the cold air when it's cool out, keep the bugs/rocks/road debris/rain/hail/wind/sun off your face (and all the pain/damage that comes from each of those), etc... they do *NOT* block your vision, and I wear earplugs 100% of the time as safety gear (because I want to hear better than my father does when I'm 70). Ironically, ear plugs allow me to hear Better... plus, I'm a stock exhaust guy, I don't have anything to compensate for by shouting "LOOK AT ME!!!!"
If your helmet hurts your forehead, chances are Very good that you have a more oval than round head, and a more round than oval helmet. That means that the helmet itself is pushing on your head in uncomfortable ways and you'd have the same pain if you just sat around with it on in your living room. Wrong helmet for your head type.
I absolutely do NOT agree with the pricing listed above. You can buy a top tier, high quality helmet for $100~150 that will offer the Same level of protection as something that costs $1000. Personally, I only wear Arai (fits the best for my head), and haven't paid more than $300. They're considered a premium brand helmet.
I'd recommend going one step further than DOT. DOT is bare minimum and, quite frankly, a joke. Look for a helmet that is either SNELL or ECE-approved.
Buying a helmet online can be a real pain. More than any other piece of gear you wear, the fit is critical, so spending some quality time with it on your head prior to shelling out the $$$ is a must. Local bike shops or Cycle Gear would be your best bet for finding a good selection on-hand. Wear the helmet for at least 15 minutes in the store before you buy. Any helmet can feel OK for the first few minutes; it's what happens after it's been on your noggin for a bit that will make the difference. That being said, most helmets come with different pads that can be swapped in for a more individual fit, so don't be afraid to play with those, either.
I have been riding for over 45 years and have always worn a helmet. Either a full face or one with a full face shield, the one time I dumped a bike due to accelerating too hard out of a sandy corner I scraped the face shield and was damn glad it was there. I now wear a "modular" helmet with my face covered when riding and open when stopped at traffic lights or scenic overlooks and similar. Even though I just received VA hearing aids I wear earplugs under the helmet when riding even though my 650 Burgman is about as quiet as a bike can get.
I understand how great it feels to ride without a helmet but I consider it far too risky to indulge. You make your own decision.
Slightly more protection than a ball cap, but betting your life on it?
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I'll stick with a real helmet.
