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Helmets

Its a choice thing I wore a half helmet here in Florida for the first time in my life until the law changed now I choose to ride without a lid
 
It is a choice, and yes full face helmet is preferred by those who do not like the noise, windblast and want protection to the chin area...matter of fact my gal prefers it. I for one have always used full face helmet, but when I got the Harley and rode it home with borrowed 1/2 helmet I just liked it better. Also, got a huge deal on a carbon fiber 1/2 helmet that I could not pass up, paid for goggles to go over my glasses, so we are both happy.

Full face helmet is safest, plain and simple...3/4 helmet next and 1/2 helmet the least. Both 3/4 & 1/2 helmets require goggles which offer better eye protection than just shield alonel. Let your personal preference be your guide as long as you wear A helmet...the single most proactive and effective thing a rider can do to prevent head injury without a conscious thought other than strapping it on.
I don't think "safest" is the best word here. Maybe saying a full face helmet offers the most head protection in the event of a crash would be a little more accurate. You can argue "safe" till the cows come home, but NO helmet makes a rider any "safer" than another.
 
Stand corrected WS...safe is more of an activity or action item...head protection denotes specific physical location and degree...
 
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Agree with WS regarding protection vs safest, I dropped my bike at about 50MPH with a Kevlar Carbon Fibre 1/2 helmet and received (along with broken left leg) facial damage that I do not believe I would have experienced had I had a full face helmet that I currently wear.

Although I do have a 3/4 with a microphone that I wear from time to time if I intend to use the communication systems on my Ultra.

I also agree, wear what you like. If you listen to others and try to make everyone else happy, that is all you will have time for in your life.
 
When i first started riding a full face helmet cost more than my bike so i got an old hand me down open face helmet but at the first opportunity i got a full face helmet riding in winter in north Scotland isn't fun with an open face helmet
I do have a fairly good open face helmet that i occasionally wear but with global weather changes seems to rain here almost all the time from mid May till mid Sept so full face for me most of the time

Brian
 
Normally wear a 1/2 helmet with goggle type glasses. When it get cold, OR STARTS TO RAIN, I switch to the 3/4 helmet with full faceshield. If I try to wear the 1/2 helmet in the rain, my glasses fog up and I'm not riding any more, I'm trying to aim at a very blurry/foggy target. Time to get off the road and find a nice warm place to dry out. :cheers
 
I took up riding when I was 55 and my fireman/paramedic son took me down to the dealer to get all the gear. Over the ankle boots, kangaroo skin gloves, 3/4 lenght armored jacket, and a full-face helmet. I felt like a fool and asked him if all this stuff was really necessary. He then gave me that long-suffering look that only adult children can give their parents and he proceeded to describe some of the motorcycle riders that he had treated at the scene of their accidents. So, I bought all the gear and still wear it all with some modifications.

Since this post is about helmets, I'll stick with that. I started with a full-face helmet but it was a pain to have to take my glasses on and off every time I put the helmet on or took it off. I also had problems fitting my glasses past the cheek pads and my glasses would often fog up. So, I went to a modular helmet. That at least solved the problem with the glasses. I used a Schuberth for a few years but it was expensive and heavy. I then switched to an HJC modular. It was lighter but still heavy. I switched earlier this year to an Icon Airframe full-face. It's lighter, fits better, and is better ventilated than the Schuberth and the HJC modulars. I figured out how to fit my glasses past the cheek pieces and all is good. I did buy a half-helmet with a short visor on my way back from Sturgis this year to deal with some 112 degree heat. I wear it for rides around the neighborhood, but otherwise it's always the full-face. I'm seeing more and more Harley riders wearing full-face helmets as time goes on.
 
As it has been stated nemerous times it is all about preference. I wear a 1/2 helmet most of the time but I wear a full face when weather gets cold. You shouldn't worry about what other people think just wear what you're comfortable with.
 
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