Coming from Canada, I’m still shocked at the number of Americans riding hogs without helmets.
… Motorcycle helmets greatly reduce injuries and fatalities in motorcycle accidents, thus many countries have laws requiring acceptable helmets to be worn by motorcycle riders. These laws vary considerably, often exempting mopeds and other small-displacement bikes.
In some countries, most notably the USA and India, there is some opposition to compulsory helmet use …
Ah, right.
In America (and India) FREEDOM is more important than personal safety. Got it.
… Twenty-seven states have a motorcycle helmet law that only require some riders to wear a helmet. Three states (Illinois, Iowa, and New Hampshire) do not have a motorcycle helmet law. …
I assume that people forfeit their government and/or corporate insurance if they take a fall without a helmet.
It would be idiotic to expect others to pay for my brain damage, self inflicted.
By the way, does riding a Harley Hog make you fat? … Cause and effect?
Rick McCharles 
They should re-name the machines “murdercycles”.
I personally have known several people who died while riding them, know two people who have ended their careers due to them, and several others who have been injured beyond repair and are living life with artificial limbs or without certain organs and spent months in recovery. I can say that only personally know one person with similar issues due to a car accident and maybe 2 who have died. I’m just sayin’.
And Warren barely escaping serious injury in his youth.
I’m calling bullshit.
It’s how you ride not what you wear on your head that make the difference between a safe rider and and an accident prone one.
Keep your helmet on but experience from Australia shows Forcing everyone to wear a helmet does not make us any safer- Australia’s mandatory helmet laws are no example to follow, they fail to show any benefit and create misconceptions about safety and even encourage greater risk taking from people.
Helmet’s offer very little protection so yes wear one if you want but also realize it’s limitations if you make a mistake at higher speeds it’s bad news. Spare people the fines and let them make their own choice if they ride more carefully without they are probably safer than someone who rides with one recklessly while thinking themselves safe.
http://www.aaa.asn.au/saferroads/bikes.asp