Don’t get me wrong, I definitely believe in learning and growing. I just think that—as a commuter/average rider—you can do that a lot better by not emulating a racer.
Never having a crash is not something to be ashamed of. Having had a crash or two? Not something to be ashamed of, but nothing to be particularly proud…

I’ve only been riding 8 months, and my worst “crash” so far is dropping a 250 at low speeds during my MSF class. So maybe I’ll feel differently about this after I’m a wise old veteran, but for the time being I’d like to say that I simply don’t agree with the nature of this article.

Yes, and so much so that the moto world has lost all touch with what “normal” means. I think that bikes like the Bonneville, XSR700, etc. are to motorcycles what Levi’s 501s are to pants; simple, understated, but with a timeless style. But those qualities are some crazy “retro” trend in moto-land; see the recent…

Huzzah, sir. Well put. And I take it a step further and say that the lack of standard, classic bikes is a large part of the reason that motorcycles are such a niche market in the US. Few people want to be either a Hell’s Angel or a Crotch-Rocketeer, but those are the only segments of the moto world that get serious…

Other than my helmet, Kriega R25 is hands down the most essential and versatile piece of riding gear I own. By which I mean, those two pieces are the only things I wear whenever I’m on a bike, regardless of weather or activity. My R25 handles my daily commute, motorcycle camping and even modest grocery shopping rain…

I'll have to take your word for it, but thanks!

Oh, sure, I watch those videos all the time. They're pretty informative. Despite the fact that he talks like he's advertising energy drinks on an FM classic rock station and looks like he's on the way to shoot Jaeger Bombs at the Jersey Shore.

Went hunting for more info and all I could find was this:

Thanks for the honest reply! Refreshing to see someone actually answer a question instead of falling back on stupid hipster jokes.
I just started riding this Spring and am still on my first bike, a TU250X (which I love) and looking test drive similar looking bikes (Bonneville, V7, the usual suspects) after I get a…

Vehicle inflation. I assume there are market forces at work that I don’t understand, but everything just has to keep getting bigger and more powerful in a market full of bikes that are bigger and more powerful. Pretty soon we’ll be in the same situation pick-up trucks: what used to be small and manageable and…

FYI, Sean, my question about the ECE rating was not a rhetorical question or a challenge; I honestly want to know. I’m looking to replace my first helmet, an Icon Alliance Dark, for something that is more visible during my early morning commute. My list of priorities, in order:
1. Fits well and comfortably
2. ECE rated
3.…

I just bought mine last May and I’ve already had to replace the entire pivot kit. No accidents, just normal use.

Also, I’ve read more than a couple glowing articles about the Bullitt from folks who are also published reviewers like yourself, so an appeal to authority isn’t really convincing here.
My plan is to try on a helmet that looks good to me, make sure it’s ECE rated, and that it fits comfortably. Isn't that the advice Wes…

You forgot to include the link to your review of the Bell Bullitt.

Visibility: I assume you haven’t tried one of these on. Compared to my Icon Alliance, looking out of these things is vastly superior. The eye port is enormous.
Ventilation: I haven’t used on of these on the roads, but the fact that it does, in fact, have ventilation puts it above 1970 standards.
Aerodynamics: No…

Does the ECE rating not take this into account?

I don't find wearing glasses to be all that problematic once the

To be clear, I’m not talking about an internal visor or flip down. It’s a transitional visor that darkens in sunlight and fades to clear when dark. the same way some glasses do.

Good article, but have some niggles about the visor advice. Wes states that changing the visor takes 5 seconds. The Icon Alliance—that I bought at Wes’s suggestion—takes, much, much longer and it’s a clumsy and annoying process to boot.
I have to wear glasses anyway, so my solution is wear transitional lenses. The…

I know that last reply came off as prickly and I should mind my internet manners more, but I truly am curious. If basic, simple designs like these inspire you to think of ostentatious wealthy poseurs, I really am curious what kind of gear you wear/would recommend.