new motorcycle owner

[LittleHorse]

My street helmet is an HJC CL-15. I think they're being phased out so you could probably pick up a leftover last years model for under $100. Brand new they were still only $115-$130.

I don't believe that spending more will get you any better protection, provided they are DOT and/or Snell. What the extra dough gets you is quietness, and low weight. You can spend $450 on a Shoei or an Arai and it won't protect your head any better than my HBC, but it will probably weigh about half because at that price point a lot of them are carbon fiber.

The most important feature to me aside from DOT/Snell is comfort. Before you buy anything I suggest going to a shop and trying on every brand of helmet they have to see what fits you the best. Take a note of the model and size and then go home and buy it on the internet.

When I was buying a motocross helmet I tried on O-Neal, One Industries, and several others that just didn't feel right. They were tight in some places and loose in others. I ended up with a Fox Tracer 'cause it fit my head like a glove.

The HBC I wear is on the small side so I have to cut my hair every 2 weeks or so for it to fit right. I keep a #1/2 buzz cut, so a couple weeks means my hair is about 4x longer than it started out. I'd love to find a helmet just a bit bigger so it could tolerate more hair growth lol, but the next larger size is too loose and moves around on my head too much when I hit bumps.

 

[crbnunit]

This is from somenone who has been riding since he could walk. My parents dated on a motorcycle. I have raced both on and off road and lost many friends on motorcycles.

Get this into your head right now. You are going to crash. If you realize this up front you will be a safer rider. It is GOING to happen so prepare for it. Minimal riding gear is a full face helmet, full finger gloves, a jacket, jeans and boots that at least cover your ankles. This is MINIMAL gear!

Never, never, never ever ride without a helmet. EVER! A full face helmet is a must. The protection it will give you is far superior and you will not survive smacking your head on the ground... even if you just fall down. ALWAYS wear a helmet. Oh, and having a grasshopper smack you in the eye at 70 is not fun. You might let go of the bars and you will not be able to see out of either eye. Ask me how I know.

Gloves. Your hands are the first thing to hit the ground 90% of the time. Don't cheap out here.

A jacket. At the very least, a jeans jacket. It will help. Leather is awesome and you can pick up some great deals. Leather resists abrasion and will save many layers of skin but it doesn't do much for impact absorption. For that you need specialized riding gear. Again, don't cheap out. It is you life we are talking here. In the greater scheme of things, the cost is minimal compared to a lifetime of pain... If you survive.

Pants. At least jeans. Again, leather with knee, shin and hip protection is better.

Boots. There are some pretty stylish riding boots out there now. The best will have good ankle and shin protection. It is no fun when your foot gets trapped under a heavy motorcycle that is skidding down the road. Wear good boots!

Cars are your enemy. All it takes is one 16yr old bimbo yaking on a cell phone to end your life. Ride paranoid. Others here have heard me say this before... It is called situational awareness. Always be aware of everything going on around you and plan ahead. Expect people around you to do stupid things and you will not be disappointed or surprised. Always have an escape route planned.

Be careful. Morotcycles are a great source of enjoyment and freedom but you are much more vulnerable when riding.

 

[ZMan]

welcome to the club. Since everyone else is doing it...heres mine, put my freshly painted tank and side covers back on last night.

 

[Jason]

FULL FACE!! The most common fatal head injury in a motorcycle crash is a hit to the chin.

My current bikes.

 

[Sunk]

Oh, and having a grasshopper smack you in the eye at 70 is not fun. You might let go of the bars and you will not be able to see out of either eye. Ask me how I know.

I've had a few bugs hit my face at around 50 and they hurt, but I had a big 'ol bumblebee fly straight into my eye at around 30 and that effing SUCKED. Luckily I was almost to wear I was going so I just pulled over and waited a minute. I was only blind in that eye, but it was not fun.

 

[LittleHorse]

here's mine - 2008 Suzuki DRZ400SM

crashed once...as mentioned before I high-sided at about 55mph. I broke a wrist, ruined my helmet and got some wicked road rash on my forearm and on my back above my right hip. The bike needed a new handlebar mount.

A key thing I would recommend is a jacket designed for riding. I was wearing a leather jacket but it wasn't designed for riding, so it didn't have the ability to cinch up around the wrists and waist - so the sleeve and the bottom of the jacket both slid up, exposing my bare skin. Now I have a textile jacket with elbow, spine, and collarbone armor.

 

[Bryan22]

all i'm gonna say is, if you think your head is worth 50 bux then buy a 50 dollar helmet.

 

[lil red]

all i'm gonna say is, if you think your head is worth 50 bux then buy a 50 dollar helmet.

to be honest with you, once im comftorable on my bike im going to be wearing a skid lid(novelty helmet, just enough to keep the law off your ass) or none at all in PA(no helmet law,and the border between nj and pa is 15 min from my house(where george washington crossed the deleware river)) but until then i have my fullface, and thats my own choice, cuz my parents know im already scared of other drivers, even in my ranger.

so yes buy the fullface, and from what iv heard, ICON is the best you can get as far as weight and comfort, there also $250 for the base cheepo heavy model and aroung$3-550 to get the airframe(lightest, and kickass paint)

o and when you are rideing, just think, every car around you is trying to kill you, if that thought scares you, you shouldnt be on a bike

and one more thing, if you want to add some power and saftey
Loud Pipes Save Lives!!!!

(iv heard some shit for that before, but its gospel to me, im the TRS motorcycle Nazi apparently.......)

 

[Jason]

so yes buy the fullface, and from what iv heard, ICON is the best you can get as far as weight and comfort, there also $250 for the base cheepo heavy model and aroung$3-550 to get the airframe(lightest, and kickass paint)

Whoever told you Icon is the best should no longer be consulted on anything motorcycle related.

Arai and Shoei are the best, but too pricey. Next best thing is Scorpion. Google the Scorpion EXO-700 and EXO-1000. the 700 should be very reasonable now and is a superior helmet to the Icon. I still have an Icon mainframe sitting here that I hate wearing.

 

[LittleHorse]

to be honest with you, once im comftorable on my bike im going to be wearing a skid lid(novelty helmet, just enough to keep the law off your ass) or none at all in PA(no helmet law,and the border between nj and pa is 15 min from my house(where george washington crossed the deleware river)) but until then i have my fullface, and thats my own choice, cuz my parents know im already scared of other drivers, even in my ranger.

that worked real well for my uncle. He dumped his harley on gravel at about 25mph, got a closed head injury (no skull fracture, his brain just bounced around in his skull), spent a week in a coma, and in the subsequent 10 years went from being a successful private practice attorney and owner of an apartment complex to living in his '73 Chevy truck and hooked on methamphetamine and cheap prostitutes. Even without the drugs, his weight fluctuates like crazy because the part of his brain that tells him he's hungry or full doesn't work. He also can't tune out ambient noise to listen to a conversation in a busy restaurant. He couldn't be an attorney anymore because he randomly mixes up words or can't come up with the word he wants to say (i know it happens to everybody, but not in every other sentence). Not exactly a useful talent for cross examining a witness.

But hey, I'm not here to tell you what to do. Just know what you're risking. I don't want to see anybody end up like my uncle. If you crash and you don't die, there's still a chance you'll end up wishing you had.

 

[Jason]

http://sportbiketrackgear2.homestead.com/geronimo.html

http://www.kneedraggers.com/details..._Extra_Small_CO2785_DISCONTINUED--640309.html<---RECOMMENDED I have the EXO-700 Fury. LOVE IT!!