I've ridden all my life, and used to take every opportunity to lose the helmet.  That was when I was young and felt immortal.

I'm 64 now ... and don't get crazy like I used to.  Still, I refuse to ride without one.  If its really hot, I'll go with a half-helm, otherwise full-face helm all the way.

My father died as a result of a motor-cycle accident in 1979.  Some young girls cut him off trying to beat him into the left-hand turn lane.  They clipped the front of his bike and sent him head on into a 4x4 pickup.  Now, my dad was only doing 30-35 MPH according to witness, and so was the truck ... but of course that means, it was like him hitting that truck at 60-70 MPH ... he went over the hood, into the outside lane of oncoming traffic, was hit by another car and drug like 60 feet beneath it. 

A horrible crash.  Not his fault (even according to the witnesses), he was a safe experienced rider ... 49 years old.  He didn't die at the scene he died in the hospital later that night.  He had internal injuries and they had operated on him and stabilized him.  But they didn't sedate him sufficiently (today they would put you in a coma) and he kept wracking his body from the pain.  He tore the stitches internally, and before they could realize it, get him back into the operating room, and fix it, his bloos pressure bottomed out and they could never get it back up.

Now I don't tell that story for sympathy, that was 40+ years ago, and I'm fine with it.  He loved riding as muchf as I do, and had he survived he'd of gone right back to riding.  No, I tell the story because the one thing the doctor said when I walked into the hospital carrying my helmet ... he tapped on my helmet and said, "He going to be fine, but he'd certainly be dead if it weren't for his."  His helmet was destroy ... I mean destroyed.  His head wasn't.

I have a wife, a son, and a grandbaby ... its enough of a risk that I ride.  And while neither my wife, son, or daughter-in-law like that I ride, they don't say a word, they understand it makes me happy.

But I don't want them having to care for a drooling mental case just because I blew a tire and went down at 40 miles an hour and drug my skull across rough pavement.  I owe THEM that much.

This is just my opinion ... of course everyone has to decide for themselves.  I just personally don't believe their is a more serious decision you can make as a rider.

This post raised some good questions for me,like what about a helmet law that said for first year riders required FFH after a year on the road,then a rider can make the choice? I would interested to see what the stats are for newbies riding compared to veteran riders w/100,000 + under their belt.Mortality rates,miles driven etc.

I always ride with a FFH now days,too old for getting my head slapped around on the freeway or taking a lug nut to the head at 70mph.

stay safe & enjoy the ride