How many here/ Riding without helmuts

[Skyryder]

There's a fair mixture of ages here, some young, some even younger.

When I first started riding (Tiger 100) some time in the early sixties helmuts were not compulsary. While I would not ride without a helmut now even if I could I do sometimes miss the wind in my hair. The traffic was less and there were not the same kind of hazards that there are today (cell phone use to name one). In those days riding with a helmut was considered.............a little prissy. Some did not many.

How many of us here can remember riding without helmuts and do you miss the wind parting your hair? It was a good feeling.

Skyryder

[Sutage]

Aint been riding long, always been compulsory, i never ride without a helmet, even i just go to the dairy.. when i see ppl riding in movies without them, like in Top Gun etc, Quadrophenia etc etc it always looks great fun, but those are just movies :msn-wink:

[texmo]

A school kid from up north had no helmet on and when he went to take off he though he would doo a wheelie to be cool he did a flip and smacked his head on the curb....

[Oakie]

I did it once at night on a country road for 3 minutes one night many years ago. Never felt the urge to do it again.
If you're ever tempted to give it a try, can I suggest you first eject a good solid head size pumpkin from a car at 100kph ... or even 70 kph. The results will put you off going lidless. (Yes kiddies, when going out on your bike, always make sure your pumpkin is wearing a helmet)

[Ixion]

I remember riding helmetless. Don't miss it.

[Wolf]

In those days riding with a helmut was considered.............a little prissy. Some did not many.

Or, in my uncle's case, be considered a hoon. The cop that pulled him over (one of those pudding basins with the dinky peak and the leather side flaps, FFS) pretty-much accused him of being some kind of racer-wannabe. I can't recall why he was stopped, but he was doing the legal limit at the time so the disparaging comments were entirely due to the helmet. I guess the cop just didn't believe anyone travelling at legal speeds would need a helmet.

Used to ride without a helmet on the farm and dad took us up the road to school (both me and my brother) on the farm bike a number of times - no helmets, no protective gear, no rego, no warrant (country roads, bugger-all traffic back then, too).

Then again, "back in the day", we'd all pile on the back of the flat bed truck - us kids in the centre surrounded by adults - wearing nothing more than a pair of togs and a towel draped over our shoulders and travel through Waipawa to go for a swim. Cops saw us and couldn't give a damn. If we'd been cavorting about on the back of the truck and running the risk of falling off, I'm sure they'd've been concerned, but so long as we were sensible the cops weren't going to hinder a tribe of kids and adults from going for a swim on a hot summer's day.

[Motu]

I started riding when helmets weren't compolsory...below 30mph that is.I used to love the no helmet - long hair streaming behind...turn to look behind (no mirrors either) and the hair would flick around into your eyes,riding pillion you would get the riders long hair in your eye too.Lot's more noise,cold ears in winter,eyes streaming water back to your ears....very wet in the rain.

I had a white pudding basin when I got my Bantam - Mum said I should wear it,but I was so bloody embarassed I wouldn't be seen dead in it.When I started off road riding I got a helmet because we were falling off so much it seemed a good idea,but I didn't use it on the street.

16 to 20 with no helmet - the years you crash...and I crashed,many times - but the only time my head hit the ground was when I jumped backwards off a moving van and hit my head on the concrete footpath...no injury,not even a headache or bump.

When I rode trials in the 80s we didn't wear a helmet either,I wore the traditional cheese cutter,what a cool dude eh? I only remember seeing one minor head injury in trials,and we started to wear helmets from our own accord,thinking that if we weren't obviously seen competing without helmets they wouldn't make it compulsory....but they did.Still,a trials helmet is less restrictive than any other helmet....not road legal though.

[zadok]

Wouldn't even consider it. :nono:

[R6_kid]

i only ride without a helmet when im going up and down my street at 10-20kmh to check changes to fix 'noises' that you cant hear so well with the helmet on, otherwise its a big no no for me - always wear it

[Kickaha]

Got a ticket for it once cost me $50, used to ride a few back roads on the trail bikes without one, but we recently rode part of Ruapuna without helmets and I didn't like it much at all

[texmo]

I saw a picture a while ago but cant rember the web site i saw it on with a dude who was wearing a 1/2 face helmet he came off on the motorway and landed on his chin... not nice

[Motu]

I saw a picture a while ago but cant rember the web site i saw it on with a dude who was wearing a 1/2 face helmet he came off on the motorway and landed on his chin... not nice
Come and have a look at my face sometime - I've crashed with NO helmet,many times...it's not a pretty sight believe me!

[Holy Roller]

Never wore a helmet on the farm or going between paddocks on the open road. Though I did wear a peaked cap to keep the rain out of my eyes and the glare from the sun. Its just what one did then. Though out on trail rides I did don a lid.

[dhunt]

Yip use to ride all the time without helmets, made my eyes water though when you did more than about 80k most of my riding was off road though.

[Odin]

I can't say it's something i do. First I'm a father and owe it to my kids to be a bit responsible and try to stay alive long enough for them to take care of them self. second I don't really want to look like Niki Lauda. Third its illegal
But...
When i sold my fist bike (a savage 650, back in 95) It had been standing still for about 3 months and i was fighting it for a while trying to get the thing started. So when i finally bump started it I was not about to stop it and go find my helmet and all that so of i went for a blast on some nice windy, hilly country roads with little or no traffic. And even though it was a bit drizzly and that i enjoyed the hell out of that ride. I did have a pair of sunnies on to keep bugs from blinding me but other then that i was lid less. I wasn't pushing it or anything, just prattling along and having a Great time.

[Zed]

I saw a picture a while ago but cant rember the web site i saw it on with a dude who was wearing a 1/2 face helmet he came off on the motorway and landed on his chin... not niceSome people would probably be better off if they gave the helmet a miss?? :killingme

http://www.cybersalt.org/cleanlaugh/images/e-h/helmetback.jpg

[Goddess of Goof]

Every Rally I go to, I luurve riding about with my lid off, hair streaming behind.... if it's sunny and warm ..... bare arms and black gloves ......

:yes: :love: I love the feeling of the air rushing over my skin.....

yeah right, at 15 ks !

Wouldn't go faster - even at a Rally something could go wrong and you're down on your arse and everyone hooting with laughter ....

On the open road ? Helmet, Helmut !

[Ixion]

Come and have a look at my face sometime - I've crashed with NO helmet,many times...it's not a pretty sight believe me!

Yeah, but I've heard that it looked far worse before you crashed !

[Big Dave]

*I* wouldn't wear a helmet all the time if i didn't have to. most of the time i would, i have 3 top of the range units to choose from and fark getting hit in the gob by the amount of rocks and debris that flies about on the main roads here - but i also used to dig cruising at a leisurely pace up a country byway sans lid every now and then - wind in the hair, rattle of the cam chain, smell the flowers - nothing better.

I'll add - not for newbies you keep yours on.

[N4CR]

I learned the helmet lesson the hard way on a push bike. Hit a boulder at 40kmh+ (no brakes :/) bent the whole front wheel 30-40 degrees out, sent me doing a full flip and a 180 lateral rotation for a couple of metres before landing with a curb between my arse cheeks.

Not the nicest thing but it made me realise that if I didnt fully flip and land backwards on my butt I wouldn't have had the mental capacity to be typing this message right now :o

Always wear your helmets.. please!

200th post :D

[Indiana_Jones]

Aint been riding long, always been compulsory, i never ride without a helmet, even i just go to the dairy.. when i see ppl riding in movies without them, like in Top Gun etc, Quadrophenia etc etc it always looks great fun, but those are just movies :msn-wink:

Top gun isn't just a movie, it's a pop culture, like star wars :D

But, yeah riding without a lid isn't very smart

-Indy

[badlieutenant]

Some people would probably be better off if they gave the helmet a miss?? :killingme

http://www.cybersalt.org/cleanlaugh/images/e-h/helmetback.jpg
lol thats classic. makes me think of "wallace and grommet" she must be his missus :D

[John]

Only time I never wore a helmet was when I was on the quads or 2wheelers on the farm, wouldnt even consider riding on the road without one!
My shoei saved my life in my last crash if I had an open face I would have looked alot like that fellow in that highway crash...

[John]

I learned the helmet lesson the hard way on a push bike. Hit a boulder at 40kmh+ (no brakes :/) bent the whole front wheel 30-40 degrees out, sent me doing a full flip and a 180 lateral rotation for a couple of metres before landing with a curb between my arse cheeks.

Not the nicest thing but it made me realise that if I didnt fully flip and land backwards on my butt I wouldn't have had the mental capacity to be typing this message right now :o

Always wear your helmets.. please!

200th post :D
HAHAHA SHAME YOU LANDED ON YOUR FAT TELLYTUBBY ARSE!
:lol:

[eliot-ness]

Bin there dun that. Not much cash around in the (good) old days. Bike came first. Gumboots. Raincoat. Wool gloves.Scarf wrapped around mouth. Ex air force goggles and leather flying helmet. Boy!! we must have looked real pratts. Bloody cold too in the north of England. Got the the gear in order of importance.Helmet,gloves,jacket,pants, boots. Open face helmets, copied I think from american flying helmets were out in 59 but pudding basins were the only ones with ACU approval for racing up to 64. First set of racing leathers, hand made to measure cost me 22 quid. Had a lot of fun in those days but wouldn't go back. Modern stuff is far better



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When all else fails, read the instructions.

[Lou Girardin]

I don't feel right without a helmet on, or seat belt in the cage. I've seen a workmate do a face plant wearing an open face, it was not pretty nor was the process of cleaning the crap out of his face.
I believe in the freedon to choose, but I prefer to not advertise my stupidity too widely.

[Pwalo]

When I learnt to ride in the 70s my dear old Dad (who is a rider still, and did some dispatch riding in his CMT days), always made my brothers and I wear helmets, gloves, and decent footwear.

I've only ever ridden up my drive without helmet and gloves and it felt wierd.

[merv]

Helmets became compulsory at all speeds about December 1973. I had a few years riding on the road without them. Great way to dry your hair after a shower if you didn't mind the knots.

As Motu says trials competition didn't require them either until recently. Pic attached is me in 1973 when I had a good head of hair - its a bit of a scratchy scan off an old slide picture. One day I will scan all my slides with my new fancy scanner.

[ManDownUnder]

Only if off road and going slow (i.e. rounding up cows or teaching possums to jump (i'ts easy... a small piece of lead doing 2 miles a second will do it everytime - they're QUICK learners... but then seem to forget it all again...)


but I digress

Lids on unless crawling up my road (a dead end) listening for noises or similar... or when taking the kids for a slow ride so I can hear them saying "faster" or "slower"

Otherwise - lid every time!
MDU

[phantom]

got my license in 1969 and have always worn a helmet, possibly had something to do with my Dad being an instructor at the motorcycle training school they had in Palmy then ( on BSA Bantams )

[inlinefour]

No helmet, no ride. That simple...

[RDJ]

33 years' riding... never without a helmet. Frankly, would never want to risk it. Not because it's the law, but because it's my head...

[nsrpaul]

mate of mine crashed into a lamp-post with out a helmet , some how he lived , not very prety any more tho , and admits he was the worlds biggest idiot

[Zed]

...and admits he was the worlds biggest idiotThe worlds biggest idiot because he crashed into the lampost or because he wasn't wearing a helmet? I guess both combined would qualify for the title!:thud:

[crashe]

When I first got my license....so so many years ago...lol
I wore a helmet (yellow one) and never went without it.

One night a dude came around and was going to ride his m/bike up the road to get something.... he had no helmet but for some unknown reason I made him wear my helmet... It took a lot of persuasion (think he did it to shut me up lol)
Anyways he eventually came back after a long time... we all wondered where he was. Well he had crashed his bike into a tree, lost it and went up the curb into a tree.... and he said that the helmet saved his head as my helmet was busted. Hmmmm come to think of it the swine never replaced my helmet I had to go and buy another one. His bike was pretty well written off as well.
I was really pleased I made him wear my helmet that night.

The only time I dont wear my helmet is after I have washed her and want to ride her up the street to blow the last of the water off her. Yep it is nice to feel the wind going throu ya hair. But that is only a short ride once in 4 to 6 months when I give her a really good washing.

Otherwise I always wear my helmet.