How many still ride without helmets?

[Predator Slim]

I am 30 years old and have just bought my first helmet. I have been riding Atvs since I was 8. Most of the guys I ride with don't use them, so I never put much thought into it. Last weekend I got slammed into the ground, very hard. When I approach a ramp, I gave it some throttle to get the front up and it went to the right a little. Which caused me to land hard on the left side, launching me head first into the dirt. I hit the ground hard enough to knock the wind out of me and leave me slightly disoriented. Afterwards I thought if there had been a rock or any thing hard, that it could have been really bad. After 22 years of riding it took this to make me get a helmet. I am well known to learn things the hard way. At this point I don't care how cool I am, i wanna live.

How many still ride without a helmet? Hopefully my experience will cause at least one person to think about getting one.

[Ripitupfilms]

who doesnt wear a helmet.. most people that ride wear helmets..

[duke416ex]

I am 26 and similar to you, we used to never wear helmets. We rode hard for years, trail and hill climbs. We would try climbing anything, we never wore helmets unless we were on the track. When we started racing xc(we were a little older) we decided that if we were going to go fast in tight trees it was a good idea. We have tried to wear them ever since then, feels a lot safer now and none of us can really afford to be hurt either. It will be hard getting used to at first, but after a while you won't even think about it or want to ride without it.

[400exrider707]

People who ride without helmets look like total goons. I dont understand how people can even ride without one on? You must be riding in fields or something. Obviously never been behind a worked 450 throwing stone spray sandwich at your face, I hit so much stuff on my head in the trails and while racing, its not even funny. When I see those few goons who still ride without helmets I laugh to myself. Consider it natural selection....;)

[CRich[814]]

i wear one 99% of the time. the only time i dont is when i just washed my bike and i ride it up and down the driveway at 1/8 throttle to dry it faster.

[HB416EX]

Originally posted by CRich[814]
i wear one 99% of the time. the only time i dont is when i just washed my bike and i ride it up and down the driveway at 1/8 throttle to dry it faster.

Me too.In Arizona there are no helmet laws.I tried riding without one just to see how it felt.I went back 5 minutes later and put my helmet on.

[Slinky]

i wear a helmet almost all the time, and most of my friends do too....i know there are times when i went riding and didnt wear one and i'm lucky i'm still here today.

[Gray33]

in north west ohio hardly anyone wears a helmet they are all farmers and have utilty atvs so they ant realy going speeding. But for me i like wearing helmets because its exuse for me to get a nice helmet ever 3-4 years. I curretnly have a monster helmet and it is sweet. Very comfortable. But if i am goin down to ride on the road i never hardly wear a helmet i am like 50\50

[400EXTRA]

i wear one because i broke my jaw the one time i didint have it on

[4TraxRider]

Honestly, I had my first ride without a helmet yesterday. We were cleaning trails and never got out of second gear with the 4x4's and a Rhino. I felt so weird without it I could barely ride even though we maby hit 10mph 1 time the whole day. Never doing it again.

[HondaEXrider22]

Every once in a while I take a cruise without one. If am going out for the purpose to tear **** up, Ill put one on. But If I get a new part or feel like cooling off, Ill go ridin without one. I know my limitations without one and wouldnt do anything stupid.

[400exrider707]

Originally posted by HondaEXrider22
Every once in a while I take a cruise without one. If am going out for the purpose to tear **** up, Ill put one on. But If I get a new part or feel like cooling off, Ill go ridin without one. I know my limitations without one and wouldnt do anything stupid.

Everyone knows their limitations for the most part, but they call them accidents for a reason, no one intends to fall off and brake their head open...:rolleyes:

[CRich[814]]

Originally posted by HB416EX
Me too.In Arizona there are no helmet laws.I tried riding without one just to see how it felt.I went back 5 minutes later and put my helmet on.

me too, when i have zero idea where my powerband is without a helmet on. the bike runs way different because the sound is so much off.


Originally posted by 400exrider707
Everyone knows their limitations for the most part, but they call them accidents for a reason, no one intends to fall off and brake their head open...:rolleyes:

that is some true stuff.

[Pipeless416]

we also have a chest protector rule at my house :)

[tgreenz400]

i wear one all the time but one of my buds wasnt weariing one down at little sahara and him n one of his friends[wasnt wearing one either] crashed into each other drag racing, one just had his last surgery to save his face and for all the damage to his body n the other one is still in a coma...this happened 3 years ago:(
so ya i will always wear a helmet:ermm:

[Predator Slim]

Originally posted by CRich[814]
me too, when i have zero idea where my powerband is without a helmet on. the bike runs way different because the sound is so much off.


That is something that I have to get used to. After I got my helmet, I went for a little ride and found myself hitting the rev limiter quite often.

[esr250r86]

Originally posted by atvracer9m
who doesnt wear a helmet.. most people that ride wear helmets.. Yeah, thats what I thought. I know I wear a helmet and it has saved me so many times.

[spud400ex]

I dont always wear mine. I may take a quick rip down the street for while tuning a quad. At little sahara i wont go on to the sand without one on, more becuase of the other idoit the dont watch where they are going. Its the riders choice weither they want to wear a helmet or not. I choose to where mine most of the time but i wont be an a--hole and call people that dont wear them idiots.

[troyleepred719]

I wont say that Im not guilty of this, but I dont RIDE without one. I dont use a helmt after I was my wheeler, or if im putting it away after riding or something, but i wear a helmet when Im riding.


For those of you who Ride without helmets, keep doing it, ITS JOB SAFETY FOR ME :)

[ryanh250ex]

i always ride with one. I have friends that for whatever reason not where one, but if something happens to them, oh well. Darwin works 365 days a year.

[400exrider707]

Originally posted by spud400ex
i wont be an a--hole and call people that dont wear them idiots.

I will, it keeps our sport safe. It's idiots like those who dont wear helmets who give our sport a bad rep... if you had kids would you want them wearing a helmet?

[Pappy]

Originally posted by Pipeless416
we also have a chest protector rule at my house :)

i feel it is as important for safety as a helmet. ive seen folks that could have dusted themselves off and rode on but for the lack of a chest protector , they spent time in the hospital.


nothing will prevent everything...but stupidity will find you when you least expect it.

a friend of ours kids raced, after a race and at home, the kids went out on pedal bikes (6 7 and 8 year olds) the 7 year old wrecked in the driveway and suffered brain damage. you just never know when it will happen...

[mephyst]

I still swear up and down that my chest protector saved my life or at least saved me from being paralyzed. When I broke my back I cracked my chest protector in 3 different parts. I also messed up my helmet a bit. I will never even think about riding without either. I have always worn my helmet and would sometimes ride without my chest protector because I was just going on a "cruise." Well, thank God I had it on that day.

[400exrider707]

Originally posted by Pappy



nothing will prevent everything...but stupidity will find you when you least expect it.


couldn't have said it better myself!!!:o

[Mc. Muffin]

I don't need a helmet! Only pudds wears them:chinese: j/k

I wear my helmet almost every time I ride but I did decide to not wear my helmet for a 5 minute ride around my yard and I wrecked and flipped over my bars and hit my head pretty on the ground... I now wear my helmet regular

[BlaineKaiser450]

I always were A full set of gear and I look down on people who dont wear helmets. Helmets are ALWAYS a good thing 2 have so if dont wear a helmet and you read this please pick one up soon.

[Villageidiott23]

i guess none of you have heard of the new force field you can install. it makes safety gear obsolete.... but for the old skool people helmets are a pretty good idea.

im like 70/30 with the helmet. if im in the field doing some easy wheelies i wont use it. if im in the woods in like 3-4 gear, i'll have it on. although ive never needed it before

it really all depends on waht kind of terrein you do. since i only ride at my house, i made my own trails, only i ride on them, so i know where everything is. it all depends really.

go ahead and flame!!

[Mc. Muffin]

Originally posted by mjpridered10

go ahead and flame!!
Why would we flame? It's your body or should I say head:p

i said the same thing about how its someone elses body and their head, my thread got locked :rolleyes:

But it is all te riders choice, i think it should be a choice for roadbikes too. Although i usually wear my helment (about 95% of the time).

The real old riders wont wear helments for anything, ive meet a few of them. I dont wear a chst protector either. Just a helmet, jeans and depending on the weather, a T shirt, jersay, or a sweatshirt. I only wear gloves if i am riding with others

[450rJam]

I always wear my helmet, every time I ride.

I have 4 kids and a wife that may need me in the future and I need to set a good example so that when they are older they will understand the importance.

I will take a spin from time to time with work boots instead of riding boots but I never forget the lid.

my kids also have gas powered scooters that they are required to wear the helmets with also.

[m.h.s.c.#527]

how many of u strap the chin thing

[Mc. Muffin]

Originally posted by m.h.s.c.#527
how many of u strap the chin thing
I never strap my chin strap, unless I'm jumping...
Also my helmet is tight as hell on my head

[mephyst]

Originally posted by Mc. Muffin
I never strap my chin strap, unless I'm jumping...
Also my helmet is tight as hell on my head

lol... wow. You don't think that if you took a fall your helmet wouldn't come off in an instant? You are so, so wrong, my friend.

[Unverfehrt400ex]

Never wrecked in 10 years of ridin but i still wear one almost everytime. Only time i dont is when im takin a chick for a ride. Too hard to talk to em and it keeps hittin em in the head. I need to start doin it though. THe one thing i cant believe though here in IL. is that when ridin a motorcycle its not required. ya just have to have eye protection.

[Scro]

Originally posted by Unverfehrt400ex
Never wrecked in 10 years of ridin but i still wear one almost everytime. Only time i dont is when im takin a chick for a ride. Too hard to talk to em and it keeps hittin em in the head. I need to start doin it though. THe one thing i cant believe though here in IL. is that when ridin a motorcycle its not required. ya just have to have eye protection.

Florida is the same way, except I believe you don't even need eye protection. There is no way in hell I would be cruising at 80 MPH on the interstate without a helmet on:eek2:

[450raider]

i must admit i dont wear one 80% of the time mainly cause their uncomfy and i cant see as well with one on but the way i look at it, im very aware of my riding ability (im not the best but im not the worst either) and i mostly ride trails anyway and if the ol' R starts acting funny or tipping its simple... ill just let it go but so far ive been riding since 2002 and have had 0 pileups, and lastly ivebeen waiting to say this, now ill go riding with anybody but i dont like it when those know it all people (yall know who i mean) judge and say that if you dont wear one that you suck just because they have a friend that sucks at riding and wrecked while not wearing a helmet.

just my thoughts

[LeGaCyGiAnT124]

I couldn't ride without one. I do really tight trails and mud, rocks, and tree branches are everywhere. I would kill myself. I cant ride without goggles either, my eyes are really really sensitive!

[firefighterjosh]

I am n avreage of breaking 1 helmet a year. I have 6 concusions, (soccer mainly) and have 2 helmets that I broke the front chin part off.

I wear a helmet all the time. The only time I do not wear a helmet is when I am tunning my quad.

I take the quad down the road maybe 1/8 mile and drive it back tune it some more then do it again.

Other times I don't is when I am pulling my little cuzins around on the sled.

[1fst400]

It all depends on what im doing.


I wear a helmet 99% of the time im on my 450 or any sport type quad. And if my helmet is on my head it is buckled. My budie doesent buckle his ever, and I just dont understand it one bit.

But when im on my atc200 I dont usually. when im on that I dont ever go more than 2nd gear.


same as anything eltse, I wear my helmet and a 5 point seatbelt in my race car, But when I get into my daily driver I dont go curzing around town with a helmet on.

[Mc. Muffin]

Originally posted by mephyst
lol... wow. You don't think that if you took a fall your helmet wouldn't come off in an instant? You are so, so wrong, my friend.
Actually I truly doubt my helmet will just slide off my head, my helmet is a medium when I should be wearing a large... I have a hard time just taking the helmet off.
BUT of course their is always the things we all say that will never happen and it actually happens:scary:

[Project300EX]

Hmm. I've never worn a helmet while riding. Most of my riding is on the old fourtrax around the farm though. If not there it's on a slow trail. I'll wear sunglasses to keep dust out, but that's it. I'll probably look into one soon though for the project quad.

[firefighterjosh]

why I wear a helmet even when going slow. (http://youtube.com/watch?v=Gj36boHMXUQ)

Originally posted by 400exrider707
People who ride without helmets look like total goons. I dont understand how people can even ride without one on? You must be riding in fields or something. Obviously never been behind a worked 450 throwing stone spray sandwich at your face, I hit so much stuff on my head in the trails and while racing, its not even funny. When I see those few goons who still ride without helmets I laugh to myself. Consider it natural selection....;)

Not everyone follows a 450 as close as people do in races. Even though I trail ride and barely get out of 2nd, I still wear mine but hate it when others call people who don't wear it stupid or use Darwin's theory to excuse it.

But hey, you never know. My cousin's friends uncles daughter's best friend Teddy was riding his 4-wheeler down the road when he hit a rock that made him swerve into a ditch totaling his 4-wheeler. But thank God that he was wearing a helmet. Or else he might have knocked 100 points off his IQ.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Not everyone has those types of crashes.

[Ralph]

Always

[Villageidiott23]

that guy wasnt goin slow and that terrain is alittle different than putting around in the back yard on GRASS. NOT BOULDERS>>>

Originally posted by firefighterjosh
why I wear a helmet even when going slow. (http://youtube.com/watch?v=Gj36boHMXUQ)


who rides like that on an everyday basis? and besides, the guy clearly didnt know what he was doing. after he started slidding he should have stopped and though of another route, but instead he gave it more gas and leaned back, causing it to flip

Originally posted by Mc. Muffin
Actually I truly doubt my helmet will just slide off my head, my helmet is a medium when I should be wearing a large... I have a hard time just taking the helmet off.
BUT of course their is always the things we all say that will never happen and it actually happens:scary:


i know what you mean. i loved my old helmet, and they stopped selling them. it was a youth large LOL. anyways, it was soooo tight, but i liked it so much. but i went right up to an adult medium which is the correct size for my head. shows you how tight it was. OH, and the chin strap didnt even reach around my chin LOL

I always do. I rode my track one time with no helmit just so I could here how "sweet" it sounded but after one lap I put my helmit back on but it did seem more fun with out it on for that couple secs. But I always have it on because it gives you a racer look and helps work as ear plugs but i nevre have it tied so it would probably fly off if I crashed.:(

[400exrider707]

Originally posted by MrMan
Not everyone follows a 450 as close as people do in races. Even though I trail ride and barely get out of 2nd, I still wear mine but hate it when others call people who don't wear it stupid or use Darwin's theory to excuse it.

But hey, you never know. My cousin's friends uncles daughter's best friend Teddy was riding his 4-wheeler down the road when he hit a rock that made him swerve into a ditch totaling his 4-wheeler. But thank God that he was wearing a helmet. Or else he might have knocked 100 points off his IQ.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Not everyone has those types of crashes.



Well unlike you I dont have enough self control to stay under second gear:rolleyes: I will continue to call people stupid who dont wear helmets because they are. How is darwins theory excusing anything? It's like not wearing a seat belt, its just dumb, and doesn't make one bit of sense. Saying you dont fall off or you go slow so you cant crash, is just as dumb as not wearing one. You WILL eventually fall off. I dont care how slow you go or how little you ride, you are on an ATV and you will crash/rollover eventually.

Also to those of you who think you dont need a chin strap cause your helmet is tight enough, you might as well not even wear your helmet....:rolleyes:

[honda4life72]

the ONLY TIME i don't were one is when i am puttin threw the woods checking deer feeders lol on a 450r:D

[NacsMXer]

Originally posted by Pappy
i feel it is as important for safety as a helmet. ive seen folks that could have dusted themselves off and rode on but for the lack of a chest protector , they spent time in the hospital.


That is very true. I used to not wear my chest protector sometimes but now I wear it all the time. If i'm gonna take a handlebar to the rib or something like that, better it get to a thick piece of plastic first than me alone :eek2:

You NEVER know what's going to happen next. I was at a track jumping this 50 ft table i've jumped a thousand times. The second I land, my quad makes an immediate right turn and tosses me right off. Next thing I know i'm on the ground seeing my quad come crashing down on me pinning me to the ground. Took a nerf bar to the side of the face, good thing I had my Shoei on :cool: I was pissed b/c my back got all scraped up...if I had my chest protector on I would have been fine :rolleyes:

All that from a broken lower ball joint and I landed perfectly smooth. That was a real WTF moment for me but could have been a lot worse if I didn't have my gear on.

[bwamos]

I wont even get on, or off of my quad without my helmet on.

My luck I'd be getting off the quad.. trip up on the nerfs/nets, and end up doing a header into a rock and dying.. lol.

I am accident prone.. lol.

[400exrider707]

Originally posted by NacsMXer
That is very true. I used to not wear my chest protector sometimes but now I wear it all the time. If i'm gonna take a handlebar to the rib or something like that, better it get to a thick piece of plastic first than me alone :eek2:

You NEVER know what's going to happen next. I was at a track jumping this 50 ft table i've jumped a thousand times. The second I land, my quad makes an immediate right turn and tosses me right off. Next thing I know i'm on the ground seeing my quad come crashing down on me pinning me to the ground. Took a nerf bar to the side of the face, good thing I had my Shoei on :cool: I was pissed b/c my back got all scraped up...if I had my chest protector on I would have been fine :rolleyes:

All that from a broken lower ball joint and I landed perfectly smooth. That was a real WTF moment for me but could have been a lot worse if I didn't have my gear on.


This is exactly what Im talking about, you just never know whats going to happen, even if you are a perfect rider, doesn't mean the machine is perfect!!!

[700bRad]

I wear a helmet about 75% of the time. When I ride with my buds and I know were gonna be rippin then I wear one. But when im by myself making new trails and hills, or puting around with the old man I usually dont wear one. I know it sounds terrible but it really isnt, I know my limitations and dont push it to hard when I dont wear one. Sometimes I like to ride and look at scenery without the hindering view of a helmet. Like today I went back to the woods after I got off work and cut some new trails real quick staying in control. I really should start wearing one though when I do these things because its so hard to go slow the whole time. I will definetely take wearing a helmet into consideration when im jsut going out by myself.

[BlaineKaiser450]

I always use mine and have never ridden without one so im used to the vision being a little less

[firefighterjosh]

Originally posted by 700bRad
I wear a helmet about 75% of the time. When I ride with my buds and I know were gonna be rippin then I wear one. But when im by myself making new trails and hills, or puting around with the old man I usually dont wear one. I know it sounds terrible but it really isnt, I know my limitations and dont push it to hard when I dont wear one. Sometimes I like to ride and look at scenery without the hindering view of a helmet. Like today I went back to the woods after I got off work and cut some new trails real quick staying in control. I really should start wearing one though when I do these things because its so hard to go slow the whole time. I will definetely take wearing a helmet into consideration when im jsut going out by myself.

I know what you are talking about. I do not wear one when we make trails. If kinda a paint to ride 2 feet and cut a tree down. ride 2 more feet cut a log up. ride 2 more feett.....ect