Acording to our government

http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pdf/nrd-30/ncsa/TSF2004/809908.pdf

What stands out to me is the age group data comparitive from 1994 to 2004 and the CC displacement data. In 1994, the over 40 group was lower than the middle age which was lower than the youngest. However, the old farts caught up with the kids in fatalities in 1994. Displacement, middle weights to 1000cc (larger number of sport bikes) was the highest in 1994 by a good margin. But, in 2004, the over 1000cc category caught up. This tells me what many of us have suspected, there are lots of older riders buying cruisers for the first time and getting creamed due to lack of skills. There are the Hayabusas, ZX12Rs, and lots of sport tourers and touring metrics over 1000cc, of course, but the age data follows the trend.

I brought up the issue of the danger of motorcycle riding on another board. The general response was '"So what.. we're gonna die anyway, so's it might as well be on a bike. 'Sides, we don't like wearing helmets, and drinkin' a beer won't hurt none."

It's foolish to ignore the implication of these NHSTA facts. Wearing a helmet, not drinking and riding, and paying attention will ameliorate the inherent dangers of riding a motorcycle.

Ok. Go ahead. Don't wear a helmet. Have beer. Just invite me to the funeral.

Painter.

We had a 26 year old kid on a new Ninja kill himself here in Las Vegas yesterday. No helmet..speed supposedly an issue..hit a brick wall. Can't say the Darwin theory didn't play out here, but this is a helmet required state..what was he thinking? Hell..I wear a fullface now days even in states where there's no helmet law.

Alcohol is definitely stupid to do if you're riding. I think what I read in these statistics beyond helmet use is all the newbies riding big cruisers that don't know what the heck they're doing. No doubt they are into the "lifestyle" thing and no doubt they're not wearing helmets and they are going to bars. But, beyond that is that they're new riders and lack skills.

Yes, I wear a helmet. I do, however, know how to ride if I take the helmet off. Don't get in an accident and you won't need the helmet, except just for comfort which is a major benefit for me. I can't imagine riding very far without it, but I hardly ever put it on to go down the street to the store. I think an aweful lot of older people are getting big bikes that don't know how to ride, that's what I'm seeing here. OF COURSE, there has ALWAYS been the young, dumb squids on their performance bikes that get in wrecks. Used to be the wisdom that if you survived your 20s, you'd make it to retirement. Now days, I'm not so sure about that old wisdom. Look at the '94 statistics and look how the old farts caught up with the kids in the '04 stats! That's what jumped out to me.

None of that really affects me, though. I just found it interesting. Yeah, I know the fatalistic attitudes you allude to, Painter, heard it many times. I think some of those types have a death wish or something. I mean, yeah, I figure when my time is up, it's up, but there's really no sense hurrying the process by getting $--- faced and hitting the highway.

Protective gear is a good thing. The more you feel you need to wear, good on ya. It's a personal decisison. I get sport bike guys jumping on me on sport bike boards for not wearing full leathers on the street! In TEXAS HEAT???? I mean, if all you have a bike for is fall, winter, and spring back road rides, fine, wear your leather. But, I've had road rash before. I don't wanna die of heat stroke cause I ride year round for transportation and won't ride without leathers. That's my personal choice. Skin grows back, a skull is another issue. Still, helmet use only affects the wearer and, as such, it's a personal decision.

I do like my full face out on the rode, though. Lots of bugs down here, if nothing else. I'm wanting a new flip front real bad, eyeing a new AFX flip front. I had a Nolan N100, but it never fit quite well enough. I don't have a Nolan head. I have an AFX and it's a super quality helmet that fits for not that much money. Mine's snell approved and I race in it. Now, I want a flip front for my touring. That Nolan was so convenient!

ain't it funny how......

I'm gonna die anyway so....[fill in the blank] I've ridden lots without helmets in the past and i'm not proud to admit it but I've also had a few "pops" and ridden..a loooooong time ago. I don't do that now and haven't for a long time. If a person wanted to go out and "off" himself without affecting anyone else....ok, who am I to talk? However: this is seldom the case someone else is more often than not affected. soooooo I'll ask the person who wants to get boozed up and ride to please do not take me out when you run off the road and think of otheres before you get totally stupid, you probably have family somewhere. I got out on the ski hill and had a crash recently..i'm now wearing a helmet on the hill..safety gear works..may not be pretty..but it works...I don't drink and ski either.

Well, see Bob, that's where we differ. I'd have to be stupid drunk to strap on a pair of 1x4s to my feet and slide down a mountain! ROF!

Something's wrong with this picture, if you can slide both ends of a bike on any surface imaginable you can put on a pair of planks and cruise down a hill..lots of edge, turns like a modern sportbike and all that good stuff...it can be a little chilly at times tho

Well, there's not a real tradition of skiing in south Texas. It's not so much the lack of hills as the lack of snow. I mean, last Christmas we got a HUGE snow fall, 12 inches in Victoria. I think it was 204BC the last time that happened. Anyway, kids found cardboard and tin sleds and freeway overpasses made for good fun. Now, there aren't really too many mountains down here, either. There's Damon's mound, a 200 foot rise in the prairie. It's on top of a salt dome. That's really about it unless you count the fire ant mounds which if you mow over them, can resemble a mountain to your mower.

<edit> BUT, Bob, I'm ridin' and YOU'RE NOT!

Ever been on a bike at 170 mph with no helmet???? Of course, I had a full suit on, too, but wow, talk about wind blast! It was a 78 GS750 with full race Yoshimura 850 motor making about 140 hp. Down the straight at TWS, stick your head above the number plate on the front (superbikes didn't have fairings then) and it felt like the wind wanted to rip your head off your shoulders. I've been on 600s in endurance races running a buck 60 since, but they have that nice plastic faring and wind screen you can hide behind, unless you're on a freeway doing a stand up and one of your flip flops blows off. ROFL!

We used to do a Christmas toys for tots run every year over to an orphanage in Beaumont from Baytown back when I was a San Jacinto High Roller member. I can remember some COLD weather. Either I've gotten more used to it, or I have better clothing (Bob, the vest still works!), or it's global warming, but I don't think I can remember being all that cold on a bike since then. I had a XS650F, no fairing, for some of that. Miracle of miracles, but that run is one of the few that thing didn't break down on. LOL! Anyway, it wasn't real pleasant in cold weather. By contrast, I left Dallas several years ago after going to the bike show with Grif and Sandy (remember Grif? I haven't seen him in a good while) with ice all on the roof tops. We rode home in 40 degree weather with a strong side wind gale, and I still didn't get all that cold. But, I can remember on that XS my hands getting so numb I couldn't grip the throttle and would constantly have to readjust my throttle hand. Wow, talk about miserable cold.

One other possibility, I'm about 20 lbs heavier now. Maybe it's the insulation?

The riding is all done..cooler weather moving in. No ice racing for me this year>Goose I'm glad the vest is still working for you. I still have mine but I got a Gerbings Jacket liner from Marc...their stuff is really good.