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What stats are you talking about that don't lie?

Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) injury/fatality/cause factor studies from the whole years 1991-2004.
The recent fatality low was in 1997 (2116) and for all of 2004 nearly doubled (4008).

More than 50% of all motorcycle fatalities are attributed to head/brain trauma... and for those who live...

One of the overall and ongoing statistical conclusions is that a rider who crashes without a helmet is 5X more likely to incur serious head/brain injuries....

Pay your money... take your chances....

As I said in the original post...
Your freedom... your prerogative... ultimately..
Your choice...

All due respect for your many years of experience and activism.... My sincere thanks for your dignified aproach to the debate....(SAAAAA--luuute)...

I also have 31 years in the (aviation) safety business...
(These days renewing my riding enjoyment after completing one successful career -- now moving more toward significance than success; and graduating a houseful of kids that are all smarter than the old man).

Though all of the physics aren't the same, a few basic principles do transfer cleanly:
(1) If you want to win the (safety/survival) game -- stack the deck in your favor.... everytime... and
(2) Safety is an attitude ( or lack thereof)...

I hope neither of us suffer the opportunity to prove the point firsthand!
Enjoy the ride.... please do stay safe... be blessed!

Thanks for the conversation.

I appreciate your civil response! Seriously, I usually get flamed big time.

There are many sides to this problem. I have a problem with MSF stats too. I don't think their collection of data quite meets good practice. We argue strenuously with that bunch, while at the same time, we strongly suggest everyone take their course. Love/hate thingie.

We do know that fatalities in the last year, in PA and Fl, decreased. The predicted carnage did not occur.

At 70 mph, on the turnpike, a helmet is not going to do diddly except get in my way. I still wear the bugger around town though. Its a choice.

The problem with mc accidents is that it is not a controlled environment. The inside of a plane, the inside of a car, we pretty much know down to the millimeter, what is going to happen to your body. We do not know a thing about mc wrecks. No crash test dummy data. Nada, zip, nothing!! This may change though because we pushed to include such data collection in the last icetea budget. Win or lose, we will start to understand the dynamics a little better.

One more thing. In states that mandate helmet use, do they also mandate that the thing fit properly?? HHHMMMMM???

Cause of death, ill fitting helmet. Probably has killed more riders than we know, but again, that data is not collected at the scene.

Have a happy! (Going for light sport rating, trying to build a Pietenpol.)