[DakotaMK]

So Monday I was at work and one of the guys came in... limping horribly with a fretting wife by his side. Long story short- he asked if I had heard what happened and I said no. When they were leaving work last Friday morning after working midnights, he had to stop his bike- a full, dressed out HD Road King- for deer crossing the road.



He was hit from behind- at about 40mph by a smaller SUV. One of the other employees ran into him. I don't know if she was tired from midnights, distracted (it was 8am and they were headed west on a road with good shade so it's not an issue of the sun being in her eyes.)



He said nothing was broken- but his whole left side is bruised and sore... and the damage on the bike (surprisingly) is almost all cosmetic damage. I asked him if he was wearing his gear.. he said he was wearing his leathers. I asked about a helmet, he said no.



They were probably less than a quarter mile away from the property edge- half mile from our entrance.... and hit by a coworker.



And yet I still plan on riding in to work when the pieces come back....... but still.. wtf?

 

[kingston73]

Goes to show bad stuff can happen anywhere, anytime. I hear people say they don't get fully geared up if they're only going to the store near their house or similar, but an accident's an accident and doesn't matter how far away from home you are or how long a ride you're going to go on.

 

[Trickster]

Statistics say most accidents occur within a 4 block radius of where you live. Not a real stretch to figure that out,



since you are more likely to be in a 4 block radius of that area more often. I feel safer on the highway at an



obviously higher speed, because it is easier to see the traffic and there are few or no "intersections" to get



"intersected" at. City rushour driving can get stressful.

 

[DakotaMK]

It's just something that bothers me..... the guy riding is fairly experienced. The person who hit him is nice, but comes off as kinda spacey. I've started thinking, should I see who will be working before I decide to ride in? Then I look at the time I come in, and decide I should be OK as far as getting hit by coworkers.... the deer? We're almost to rut, and that's when they do stupid things, no matter who or what is coming down the road.

 

[Gene McCall]

DMK, I hope your co-worker realizes just how lucky he is! Years ago, when I lived in Atlanta, a neighbor triipped and fell in his driveway. Cut the back of his head & he went to the E room. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, talking to his wife and was about to leave after being examined. Suddenly he fell over, dead of a massive bleeding in the brain! It does not take a hard blow to the noggin to do you in! All The Gear All The Time, there's a reason for that!

Gene

 

[DakotaMK]

DMK, I hope your co-worker realizes just how lucky he is! Years ago, when I lived in Atlanta, a neighbor triipped and fell in his driveway. Cut the back of his head & he went to the E room. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, talking to his wife and was about to leave after being examined. Suddenly he fell over, dead of a massive bleeding in the brain! It does not take a hard blow to the noggin to do you in! All The Gear All The Time, there's a reason for that!

Gene

WOW! I just painted my helmet. Not the greatest paint job- but it's black now and not gloss white. It was a $350 helmet that I got when I worked @ JC Whitney- at their tent sale, with my employee discount... and I paid close to $35 when all was said and done- so I couldn't pass it up, even being the wrong color. I haven't wanted to wear the shiny white helmet with a black bike, so while the parts are still away, I hit it with some paint. It'll do. It doesn't need to be really pretty if it does its job- Almost got a black one this summer but Troy hit me with the "What do you need ANOTHER one for? You already HAVE a helmet!" So I set it down, and walked away.... he bought it anyway since I'm so hardheaded, and told me I can 'use his helmet anytime'. This is all his code for "I know you set it down cause I gave you crap- so if I pay for it I can say it's mine but we both know who is really going to wear it."



But I'm stubborn enough I just painted mine and have left his alone! LOL

 

[Gene McCall]

WOW! I just painted my helmet. Not the greatest paint job- but it's black now and not gloss white. It was a $350 helmet that I got when I worked @ JC Whitney- at their tent sale, with my employee discount... and I paid close to $35 when all was said and done- so I couldn't pass it up, even being the wrong color. I haven't wanted to wear the shiny white helmet with a black bike, so while the parts are still away, I hit it with some paint. It'll do. It doesn't need to be really pretty if it does its job- Almost got a black one this summer but Troy hit me with the "What do you need ANOTHER one for? You already HAVE a helmet!" So I set it down, and walked away.... he bought it anyway since I'm so hardheaded, and told me I can 'use his helmet anytime'. This is all his code for "I know you set it down cause I gave you crap- so if I pay for it I can say it's mine but we both know who is really going to wear it."



But I'm stubborn enough I just painted mine and have left his alone! LOL

DMK, your actions are so familiar! Over 48 years of marriage I can't count the number of times my wife & I have pulled that stunt, actually going both ways. BTW you will find a black helmet is hot! My current helmet (HJC) is white and I added a red reflective eagle to each side. The red does not quite match my ST & my GL 650 but it is close! My helmet just prior to this one is black. I broke the chin bar on it by dropping it with the bar up. I have it in reserve to serve as an open face when someone riding in the hack wants a helmet.

Gene

 

[DakotaMK]

DMK, your actions are so familiar! Over 48 years of marriage I can't count the number of times my wife & I have pulled that stunt, actually going both ways. BTW you will find a black helmet is hot! My current helmet (HJC) is white and I added a red reflective eagle to each side. The red does not quite match my ST & my GL 650 but it is close! My helmet just prior to this one is black. I broke the chin bar on it by dropping it with the bar up. I have it in reserve to serve as an open face when someone riding in the hack wants a helmet.

Gene

I've heard the black ones are hotter..... but whatever, if I'm going to end up with helmet hair anyway.... I can always take the visor off the helmet and put my safety glasses on- that makes it MUCH cooler, and it's a triple vented one, so I'm not worried about that.



From the one picture you posted it looks as if your one passenger is so tiny, they could ride IN your helmet in the hack!! LOL - LOVED IT!

 

[DavidfromWisconsin]

I've heard the black ones are hotter..... but whatever, if I'm going to end up with helmet hair anyway.... I can always take the visor off the helmet and put my safety glasses on- that makes it MUCH cooler, and it's a triple vented one, so I'm not worried about that.



From the one picture you posted it looks as if your one passenger is so tiny, they could ride IN your helmet in the hack!! LOL - LOVED IT!

Don't believe that black is hotter. The inside of a helmet is nothing but foam insulation. The outside of the helmet might be hotter, but not the inside.



On another note ... do not repaint a helmet without checking with the manufacturer first. Many are composites that will break down and weaken when subject to using painting chemicals and paint on the shells.



In other words you may wreck the integrity of the helmet.

 

[DakotaMK]

On another note ... do not repaint a helmet without checking with the manufacturer first. Many are composites that will break down and weaken when subject to using painting chemicals and paint on the shells.

too late. It's been painted and put back together. Their paint surprisingly flaked off easily. With air.

 

[cxlover]

I've thought about repainting my KBC. Its blue and the bike is silver w/ a dark blue side cover. But I use the same helmet for all 3 of my toys. I'm poor lol. I figure to leave it and people might see the contrast better than all matching. The only bike it matches is my triple which still needs 2 front brake hoses and me to get off my ass and make my steel line

 

[Randall-in-Mpls]

WOW! I just painted my helmet. Not the greatest paint job- but it's black now and not gloss white.

You should have left it white. A black helmet won't catch drivers attention nearly as well. If your friend had been wearing a white helmet, he might have been seen in time.



Yes, my helmet is a color other than white. I chose red thinking it would be conspicuous, only to learn later that white is best for visibility.



I've added some black retro-reflective tape to the black parts of my helmet. It shows very nicely at night. You may want to consider that. It's fairly inexpensive on eBay.



R

 

[gopher]

White seems to be considered the safest colour for helmets and there may very well be a reason why it is in the context of visibility for motorcyclists.

Human eyes have receptors for green, blue and red colors. Yellow-green is placed in the centre of the visible wavelengths where it triggers the most number of receptors. This makes it stand out. The colour technically is chartreuse, seen on fire trucks and safety vests.

Can't say I've ever seen a chartreuse helmet.

 

[RAFster122s]

Scorpion voids their 2 yr warranty on a helmet if you paint it.

So, I had bought a helmet with the intent of repainting it. Didn't get repainted, ended up buying a USA Flag helmet skin from "Skull Skins" to cover it.



The fabric it is made from is very stretchy polyester like and with some good sewing skills you could make one that you could paint to be whatever you like.

It uses some velcro on the top of the opening for the shield and the rest is just stretched in place.



Figure I'll change it one day and make another or buy a blank one from Skull skins if they will sell me a couple that way.





There's another product called Helmet Halo that I have on one of my helmets and I bought it from a Parts Direct catalog. It is a 3M Scotch reflective ring you put on the bottom of your helmet.



I ended up having a cop do a U turn on me one night as a result of it I think. I was in my apartment complex and off the bike before he reached me so he kept going...

Was looking for me with his spot. Don't know why he was looking for me as I wasn't speeding or doing anything illegal.

 

[DakotaMK]

You should have left it white. A black helmet won't catch drivers attention nearly as well. If your friend had been wearing a white helmet, he might have been seen in time.



Yes, my helmet is a color other than white. I chose red thinking it would be conspicuous, only to learn later that white is best for visibility.



I've added some black retro-reflective tape to the black parts of my helmet. It shows very nicely at night. You may want to consider that. It's fairly inexpensive on eBay.



R

I deal with "professional drivers" all day. Every day. I have learned that while the white is more visable to you or I, if somebody is not going to pay attention- the color doesn't matter. Really. Neon yellow signs, bright red stop signs- drivers will do stupid things and then argue with you as if it makes them 'less wrong'.



His bike was a really glossy, flashy, attention grabbing white..... and it was a big bike. Large and noticable- and he still got hit.



People see what they want to see, no matter the color, shape or size.

 

[Randall-in-Mpls]

White seems to be considered the safest colour for helmets and there may very well be a reason why it is in the context of visibility for motorcyclists.

I think it's a matter of contrast. It would be easy to lose chartreuse in the right foliage, but unless you're SidecarBob, pure white isn't very common in your riding environment.



R

 

[Randall-in-Mpls]

There's another product called Helmet Halo that I have on one of my helmets and I bought it from a Parts Direct catalog. It is a 3M Scotch reflective ring you put on the bottom of your helmet.

That's one of the places I put the retro-reflective tape. I bought 3-1/2" strips, and cut them down to 1/2" using a paper cutter. I ringed the base of the helmet, and cut in some small pieces around the front vents. I still need to cut a few wider chunks for the rear vents.



I should take some day and night pics, and post them in the thread that gave me the idea. (Darn it, now I can't find it.)



R