Too Funny

g.bodder

Speaking of wind, do you (or will you) wear earplugs? It'* not something "real" bikers want to talk about (because they can't hear you) but at 50 mph and above, you are causing PERMANENT hearing loss after 15 minutes. If you want to hear your kids (or grandkids) voices years from now I encourage you to start wearing earplugs. If you're married to a nag and want to shut her out, then ride on! Kidding.

You will be amazed at how much more refreshed you feel after a long ride with earplugs in. You don't have to spend a ton of money either, the disposable ones by Hearos or Howard Leicht work great and don't block out traffic noise. You can still hear the car next to you but the damaging wind is blocked.

Not here to preach to you, don't know you, and I'm sure you're an adult capable of making your own decisions, and you probably think I'm a jackass (don't care) just want to give you a heads up.

Ride safely.

I'm 57 and worn half helmets for a little over 30 years. I have slight hearing impairment but not sure my bikes caused it. Grew up with a passion for hard rock and headphones, and bartended and bounced in many clubs back in the day. I still wear a half helmet when alone but have a padded full face Altura that couldn't possibly hurt your hearing when I ride with the wife. It is difficult to hear anything less than a siren with it on. Our full faces have mics and speakers installed and I have a RiderLink ST1 installed on the bike. Quite a communications marvel. It has built in FM radio, rider/passenger intercom, and inputs for MP3 player, GPS, radar detector, and GMRS walkie talkie. All connect itno their own inputs. And a savvy computer that mutes the intercom, FM, or MP3 when any of the others come on. Mic is voice activated except for walkie talkie which has a push to talk button mounted on the left handlebar.

If i can find something that'* not hideously obvious when I wear a half helmet I'll consider it. Otherwise, no.

I have to admit when I first starting riding I was dumb and didnt wear any protective gear. Until I was riding one after noon with one of my friends pulling wheelies on an isolated road and he lost control and went down. I called 911 as soon as I got off my bike after he went down. His arm was broke and he had a head injury. My friend died in my arms about 10 minutes before the paramedics arrived. They did there best to revive him but he was gone.I still relive that moment over ,over,over and over. I have taken CPR classes since and I never get on a bike without a helmet. If he would have been wearing a helmet he would have more then likely lived. The pain of holding a friend in their last moments and feeling when their life leaves their body is nothing that I wish on no-one. Call me crazy but I felt when his spirit lifted out of his body, it was like an peaceful calm when he left, it felt like I wasnt alone, it felt like thier were people standing all around me, almost like they were their to take him home. Their is not a day that goes by that I dont think about him or the feeling that I felt like a sense of a peaceful calm that overwhelmed me when he took his last breathe and I knew that I was not alone. God Bless you Josh and I will see you someday.