Why a WHITE helmet?

[Stig / Major Tom]

White and bright colors for scooters seem to be a good idea.

And I have read several places that the #1 visible item on a rider is the helmet. So, bright colors there - probably white is best for all light conditions.

But, to each his own.
To explain - a scooter rider wearing a bright jacket and helmet was struck in the side in an intersection by a vehicle driver who did not see him in time to avoid the accident.
So, following his rehab, and using some of the hefty court settlement,  he bought an expensive all matte black motorcycle and a matching matte black stealth helmet.

Obviously bright gear is not fool proof - but I'd bet my actuary dollar that that jazzy looking all "stealth-black" ensemble is going to be significantly harder for a driver to pick out.

Like I said, to each his own.
It seems that we might ride, the way we ride,  for many different reasons.

Search, "Are white helmets safer?"
"A study published in the World Health Organization's Helmet Manual analyzed the link between the colour of a biker's helmet and chances of his crashing. It suggested that policies that encourage white and light-coloured helmets can help prevent motorcycle crashes.

Wearing a white helmet makes the bike driver more conspicuous both during the day as well as at night, explained Madhu Khurana, chairman and managing director of a major helmet manufacturing firm. "Bike riders should wear only white or yellow coloured helmets as they become more visible, especially at night and chances of them being hit are greatly reduced. We make helmets in all colours, but eight out of ten people prefer to buy black-coloured helmets."

If a new rider is just now putting together his gear - this might give you something to think about.

Stig

[CROSSBOLT]

So all, well, most of the Harley riders responding to the herd motivation dress out in black or dark motif. Part of the IMAGE carried from the bad-boy days of Hollister. You meet the nicest people on a Honda blew the 60's apart with ordinary people trying two wheels. Bell Hemet originally available in white set the pace. I had one for years until it got painted to cover up the scuff marks. But I never got black! No black! Hated when all the morons in the 60's would remark about my motorcycle, a 250 Honda Hawk, and me: "You must be one o'them Hell's Angels, aincha!" Every one thought they were the original comedian. The Harley mystique is still alive and well but most of the riders are getting too old and feeble to hold one up and have too much ego to get something lighter so they just quit riding. Not all but most. Visibility is partly color, the rest is movement. The intersection "wobble" will produce instant recognition. And the rider realizing the driver is blocked by the door post takes Readiness Condition to RED.

[Iahawk]

if I was 20 it would probably be a matte black helmet with a smoked shield...but since I'm over 50 I'll stick with my white helmet and high viz jacket! As cool as a black one?..No...but I'd rather increase my odds of being seen.

[PaulF]

I like wearing a white helmet.   When I go for walks I would look at the motorbike or scooter riders and see which gear stands out and noticed that white helmets seemed the best.

[Viper254]

I don't have anything useful to add to this; I'm currently using a matt black helmet but I've alternated colours quite a bit over the years.

I wouldn't, by choice, own a black bike - but I do.

White would be nice but I never seem to be able to get the right helmet at the right size in the right colour.

There isn't much of a cruiser/Harley scene here in the UK. American motorcycles never really took off.

[CROSSBOLT]

There isn't much of a cruiser/Harley scene here in the UK. American motorcycles never really took off.

For good reason! We Americans copied the hand clutch, foot shift because it worked better and made more sense!

[klaviator]

All the helmets I have bought in the last 10 years have been either white or yellow. 

[EvilTessmacher]

My old PCX was black, but since I bought it from the first owner, I couldn't choose the color. The new Kymco is a beautiful matte Silver, as the only other option was black.

I wear high-viz gear, no matter what. My Spring/Summer mesh jacket is a fluorescent yellow Mesh-Tex:



and my Fall/Winter jacket is a modified Port West S-464 with added CE armor in the sleeves and back. Looks like this:



I have a modular helmet, as those half-helmets and open-face ones don't cut it for me. GMax GM-64 dual-visor:



I wear Ringers Impact Gloves, also in high-viz with the red palm, FWIW.

I just managed to talk my wife into the idea of going places 2-up, and bought her some gear to wear too. Found her a nice Firstgear Contour in Pink and White:



And a LS-2 Modular with dual-visor and butterflies for her:





Given that I am always in High-Viz gear, The only way I think I will ever be hit is by someone who will have to explain how they couldn't have seen me. How they could miss all that fluorescent yellow will be something they'll have to explain to the police and judge. I hope that I never have to find that out, but there's no way to miss me, unless you're on the phone, just not paying any attention, or are legally blind.

And on top of all this high-viz gear, I ride very defensively, with as much situational awareness as I can maintain.

[Stig / Major Tom]

My old PCX was black, but since I bought it from the first owner, I couldn't choose the color. The new Kymco is a beautiful matte Silver, as the only other option was black.


And on top of all this high-viz gear, I ride very defensively, with as much situational awareness as I can maintain.

Yep, defensive riding.
We have a member here who was T-Boned by a lady ---  he was wearing hi-viz yellow while riding on a yellow Can-Am Spyder type thing.

Stig

[Forbes1964]

My vote for visibility is school bus yellow. Lol.


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[jeeves]

My old PCX was black, but since I bought it from the first owner, I couldn't choose the color. The new Kymco is a beautiful matte Silver, as the only other option was black.

I wear high-viz gear, no matter what. My Spring/Summer mesh jacket is a fluorescent yellow Mesh-Tex:



and my Fall/Winter jacket is a modified Port West S-464 with added CE armor in the sleeves and back. Looks like this:



I have a modular helmet, as those half-helmets and open-face ones don't cut it for me. GMax GM-64 dual-visor:



I wear Ringers Impact Gloves, also in high-viz with the red palm, FWIW.

I just managed to talk my wife into the idea of going places 2-up, and bought her some gear to wear too. Found her a nice Firstgear Contour in Pink and White:



And a LS-2 Modular with dual-visor and butterflies for her:





Given that I am always in High-Viz gear, The only way I think I will ever be hit is by someone who will have to explain how they couldn't have seen me. How they could miss all that fluorescent yellow will be something they'll have to explain to the police and judge. I hope that I never have to find that out, but there's no way to miss me, unless you're on the phone, just not paying any attention, or are legally blind.

And on top of all this high-viz gear, I ride very defensively, with as much situational awareness as I can maintain.

To each their own, and no offense, but if I was that concerned about being hit I think I wouldn't ride.


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[klaviator]

To each their own, and no offense, but if I was that concerned about being hit I think I wouldn't ride.

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Personally I think that bright colors look better than black or dull gray anyway.  So when I buy high vis riding gear I don't feel like I'm sacrificing style for safety.  I have no desire to look like a "biker".

[CROSSBOLT]

I always enjoyed flying but always had one or more landing spots at any given time just in case the engine quit or came apart. Part of flying. Me, neither, Klaviator! No desire to look like a "biker!"

[EvilTessmacher]

To each their own, and no offense, but if I was that concerned about being hit I think I wouldn't ride.

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No offense, but if you're that cavalier, thoughtless, and selfish about your own safety, the safety of others, and the associated costs of having to send ambulances, EMTs, police, and other responders out to the collision in which you were involved, then perhaps you should stay off the road.

[barryparks03]

No offense, but if you're that cavalier, thoughtless, and selfish about your own safety, the safety of others, and the associated costs of having to send ambulances, EMTs, police, and other responders out to the collision in which you were involved, then perhaps you should stay off the road.

Been riding for years. .. You become invisible when you get on a bike (or cagers don't give a sheet). Every little bit helps. A head- light- Modulator is the BEST!  Wish I knew if they made one for the 200i.

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