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Two people, one helmet: who should wear it?

sanjuro

sanjuro

Rider
Joined
Jul 1, 2009
Location
Oaklamd
Moto(s)
GSX-R 1000
Name
Steve
If you have a rider and passenger but just one helmet, who should wear the helmet?

There was a point many years ago that the passenger should wear the helmet because of potential traffic ticketing. I don't remember the exact logic, but possibly the penalty is worse if the passenger is helmetless?
 
The rider.

If the passenger gets hit by a bug or a rock or whatever in the head, it's unfortunate and perhaps painful, but not as potentially impactful as the rider.
 
IMHO, the person without a helmet should not be riding on the motorcycle.
 
I would agree the rider unless a slow trot around the block.
 
I’ve only cycled once with no helmet. On the island of Myconos in Greece. I was a bit unsure about riding without a helmet but my wife and I lived to tell the tale.
 
And anyone who goes to the Greek islands and rents a two wheeled vehicle should know they don’t always operate as you think they should. I rented a scooter on one of the islands so the two of us could see the sights. We were zooming along in top gear and I went to grab another gear and the scooter then dropped neatly into first at speed. I quickly shifted up a few gears so the skidding rear tire would get under control. Only the fact that I was an experienced motorcycle rider saved our asses.

And in the bars in the evening, there seems to be a preponderance of people sporting a lot of road rash.
 
+1 Bill. A rider without a helmet rides more conservative if they normally wear one.
 
So no wheelies??
 
what if the rider wears an extra small and the passenger wears an extra large?
 
I think "traditional" thinking is the passenger should wear the helmet: if stopped the rider gets a ticket for no helmet. If the rider is wearing the helmet then he gets a ticket for the passenger without a helmet, and the passenger gets a ticket for no helmet.
 
I think the situation would dictate who wears the helmet.

Where are you going?... and how fast is expected?
Would the helmet fit the passenger?
Is the passenger a loved one or a stranger?
Etc.

I agree with Alan on the traditional take, but many variables would need to be considered.
 
I crossed path with that dilemma years ago in San Francisco. Picked up a girl in Sausalito and crossed over the Golden Gate bridge for our date. We stopped by Fisherman's Warf for lunch. I locked up my HJC and her Shoei helmets on my bike. Came back from lunch and her helmet was stolen.

I let her wear my helmet as I had on sunglasses. Heavy traffic as usual so we didn't get up to 50MPH until we crossed the bridge back to Sausalito.

Friggen thieves.
 
There ya go a real life situation.

If your helmet was stolen probably would have been the same dealio and potentially mandated by helmet size.
 
If is my son and we must have to ride, I will give it to him. If is my mother in law, the helmet probably won’t fit her.
 
I once rode with a passenger on my Honda Hawk and had only one helmet. I gave it to her and when I pullet the throttle open on that nekked Hawk she fell off! Second attempt was more successful.
Good times.
 
if it were in the era of helmet locks under the seat, it could be locked on there!
 
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