Full or Open Face Helmet?

[meowguy_imp]

Why don't the Harley guys ever wear full face helmets? The only people I see wearing full face are riding "metric" bikes. When you do see a Harley guy wearing a helmet (only when required by law) it's one of those "in your face" half helmets that would only protect you if you fell off a bicycle.

A famous psychiatrist (Eric Erickson?) said all behavior has meaning. What does this behavior mean? It means "I frankly don't give a damn about myself and I don't give a damn about you." Myself because I am willing to spend the rest of my life in a constant vegetative state, and you because you are going to pay for it because I don't have any insurance.

[oldgoat01_imp]

Why don't the Harley guys ever wear full face helmets? The only people I see wearing full face are riding "metric" bikes. When you do see a Harley guy wearing a helmet (only when required by law) it's one of those "in your face" half helmets that would only protect you if you fell off a bicycle.

A famous psychiatrist (Eric Erickson?) said all behavior has meaning. What does this behavior mean? It means "I frankly don't give a damn about myself and I don't give a damn about you." Myself because I am willing to spend the rest of my life in a constant vegetative state, and you because you are going to pay for it because I don't have any insurance.

A central component of H-D's marketing is to sell the lifestyle/image aspect of their products and they do so very successfully. As a result, many HD riders are buying the image as much or more as the bike. There are lots of riders who won't even look at other brands just because they aren't HD and, therefore, not part of the image/lifestyle. For example, if you randomly asked 100 people to describe what a typical HD rider looks like, you'd get a very consistent answer. If you asked them to describe what a typical Honda/Yamaha/Suzuki rider looks like, you'd get a blank stare. This is not to say all HD owners are like that. There are lots that just like a bike, they bought it, and it just happened to be a Harley.

The sad part is that the image requires a brain bucket helmet. On the other hand, how often do you see someone on a Goldwing wearing a full face helmet? So it isn't limited to the HD crowd

[meowguy_imp]

Why don't the Harley guys ever wear full face helmets? The only people I see wearing full face are riding "metric" bikes. When you do see a Harley guy wearing a helmet (only when required by law) it's one of those "in your face" half helmets that would only protect you if you fell off a bicycle.

A famous psychiatrist (Eric Erickson?) said all behavior has meaning. What does this behavior mean? It means "I frankly don't give a damn about myself and I don't give a damn about you." Myself because I am willing to spend the rest of my life in a constant vegetative state, and you because you are going to pay for it because I don't have any insurance.

A central component of H-D's marketing is to sell the lifestyle/image aspect of their products and they do so very successfully. As a result, many HD riders are buying the image as much or more as the bike. There are lots of riders who won't even look at other brands just because they aren't HD and, therefore, not part of the image/lifestyle. For example, if you randomly asked 100 people to describe what a typical HD rider looks like, you'd get a very consistent answer. If you asked them to describe what a typical Honda/Yamaha/Suzuki rider looks like, you'd get a blank stare. This is not to say all HD owners are like that. There are lots that just like a bike, they bought it, and it just happened to be a Harley.

The sad part is that the image requires a brain bucket helmet. On the other hand, how often do you see someone on a Goldwing wearing a full face helmet? So it isn't limited to the HD crowd

You are right the Goldwing crowd are into the lifestyle, but you rarely see them with no helmet even in states that do not require them. They go for an open face 3/4 most often with Blue Tooth.

[furious_blue_imp]

Why don't the Harley guys ever wear full face helmets? The only people I see wearing full face are riding "metric" bikes. When you do see a Harley guy wearing a helmet (only when required by law) it's one of those "in your face" half helmets that would only protect you if you fell off a bicycle.

A famous psychiatrist (Eric Erickson?) said all behavior has meaning. What does this behavior mean? It means "I frankly don't give a damn about myself and I don't give a damn about you." Myself because I am willing to spend the rest of my life in a constant vegetative state, and you because you are going to pay for it because I don't have any insurance.

I'm a Harley guy, I only wear full-face or flip-up helmets, and I know I'm not the only one, so this categorization isn't generally true.

[eladoppel_imp]

I'm a Harley guy, I only wear full-face or flip-up helmets, and I know I'm not the only one, so this categorization isn't generally true.
[/quote]

I also ride a Harley from time to time and I have a cute story. I was on a group ride from LA to Milwaukee for the Harley 100th Anniversary party. My buddy Bob and I stopped at a Starbucks in Colorado and were sitting outside when a guy on a BMW airhead came over to talk to us. He looked at us (both ATTGAT) and then at our Road King and Road Glide...and then back at us. The he said he was an MSF instructor and wanted to know if we were with the Harleys. Bob said "Yeah, we're cross-dressers!" The MSF guy shook his head and didn't say another word.
On the helmet issue, I recently switched back to a Shoei RF1100 from a Nolan 103. I agree that the modulars are convenient (I wear glasses), but I only ever really needed a helmet once and I was staring at concrete 1" from my nose through my trusty Bell Star. I decided to go back to a full coverage.

[furious_blue_imp]

I'm a Harley guy, I only wear full-face or flip-up helmets, and I know I'm not the only one, so this categorization isn't generally true.

I also ride a Harley from time to time and I have a cute story. I was on a group ride from LA to Milwaukee for the Harley 100th Anniversary party. My buddy Bob and I stopped at a Starbucks in Colorado and were sitting outside when a guy on a BMW airhead came over to talk to us. He looked at us (both ATTGAT) and then at our Road King and Road Glide...and then back at us. The he said he was an MSF instructor and wanted to know if we were with the Harleys. Bob said "Yeah, we're cross-dressers!" The MSF guy shook his head and didn't say another word.
On the helmet issue, I recently switched back to a Shoei RF1100 from a Nolan 103. I agree that the modulars are convenient (I wear glasses), but I only ever really needed a helmet once and I was staring at concrete 1" from my nose through my trusty Bell Star. I decided to go back to a full coverage.
[/quote]
That story does give me pause. My RF1100 has been sitting unused in the garage for about 6-7 years since I'd gone to flipups.. sometimes I *do* wonder..

[Yoyodyne_imp]

FWIW, my Arai Signet-Q makes putting my eyeglasses on a snap, much easier than my previous Signet GT. The Signet-Q is the best, most comfortable helmet I've ever owned but it is pretty darn expensive...

[Tortuga_imp]

I'm sorely tempted to buy an open face, either an Arai or Davida.

I've always worn Arai full face, currently have two old ones (out of date) and two new ones.

Not sure why I'm hankering for the open face. I'd only dare to use it to ride locally up to around 40-50 mph. Would I really use it ever?

Wouldn't buy a flip front. It either more of what I have, or dicing with mutilation and death in the interests of being and maybe looking cool.

[Flynbulldog_imp]

Why don't the Harley guys ever wear full face helmets? The only people I see wearing full face are riding "metric" bikes. When you do see a Harley guy wearing a helmet (only when required by law) it's one of those "in your face" half helmets that would only protect you if you fell off a bicycle.

A famous psychiatrist (Eric Erickson?) said all behavior has meaning. What does this behavior mean? It means "I frankly don't give a damn about myself and I don't give a damn about you." Myself because I am willing to spend the rest of my life in a constant vegetative state, and you because you are going to pay for it because I don't have any insurance.

I'm a Harley guy, I only wear full-face or flip-up helmets, and I know I'm not the only one, so this categorization isn't generally true.

I'm a Harley guy, I only wear full-face or flip-up helmets, and I know I'm not the only one, so this categorization isn't generally true.
That statement is absolutely generally true, but as with anything its not always true.

There are exceptions to everything, I have a buddy who loves Harleys and rides with a large group of other Harley enthusiasts, He wears a full face helmet but gets crap from his other Harley friends constantly. He's always the only rider in his group with a helmet. The vast majority of Harley riders are compelled to wear the costume.

[Lord Popgun]

I got a Shoei open face when I got the bike, but I wear glasses and putting on the goggles got to be a pain. So I got a full face Shoei Quest last early Fall and really like it. Hope I can stand it this Summer.