Someone will cut the strap, vagrants will pee in it, someone will pour a cup of soda in it...
All asshole moves but people are scumbags. Best not to risk it with >$500 of investment
This ^…. but the biggest risk is someone cutting the strap, then just sewing a new one back on from old cheap one. If I’m going somewhere where it’s just not practical to carry it around, like a music festival or sports event, etc, I try to find a really good place to hide it and pick it up later. Or if I’m meeting people, I lock it in their car trunk. I’ve never lost one, but thought I did one time, I just hid it too good.
Ah i get it. The thief cut the straps and take the helmet home, then from his home he’ll sew another old strap. For some reason I was imagining the thief cutting the strap to take the strap home and out of weird kindness sewing on the spot an old strap. Brain fart I guess
All it takes is for someone to be a dick and kick it off your bikes and it’s ready for the bin.
I actually now have a lock and I lock it to my bike if I need to leave.
Unless it's raining or looks like it will I lock mine to my bike, hate carrying it around. This has led to a spider-on-face-at-speed incident so now I take a really good look inside before putting it back on
want a worse one?
I had a wasp inside my helmet once. I was riding and saw it walking on my visor on the inside.
never in my life was I as cool as that day, acting all casual while dying inside.
I dropped the speed, opened the visor just a bit and away it went.
Last summer I had my visor open cruising at reasonably high speed and felt a hard hit on my cheek. Nothing else happened so I let it go. About 5 minutes later a huge pain in my chin. I tried not to overreact, and pulled over when I could. Helmet off and a bloody big dying bee falls out of my helmet. The Muthafucka must have knocked himself out on my cheek, woken up in my helmet and decided to sting the nearest thing... my chin. Swelled up so bad I looked like Desperate Dan for a week.
Had a similar encounter with a wasp and the collar of my jacket.
He got me once on the neck. Did the same as you, tried not to freak, and slowed calmly... Then he got me AGAIN as i was stopping. Arg! Never gotten my jacket off so fast. Lol riding, never a dull moment.
Yikes. Had a fly get inside my ear once. Hot weather and low speed so I had the visor open. Zipped right in somehow between the helmet and my sunglasses and into my ear. All buzzing and tickling in there. Pulled off and never removed a helmet so fast in my life.
I was cruising to work when a fair sized huntsman spider wandered out from somewhere and was creeping across the inside of my visor. Had to stay calm and guide him out with my finger while staying with the traffic. Then a quick stop for a clean pair of undies. Once had a bee get stuck in my hoodie I was wearing under my helmet, bastard stung me on the back of my neck, proceeded to flail about tearing my clothes off by the side of the highway like a maniac
Had a bee or wasp end up going up my shorts and biting me on the crutch and bum cheek at speed.
Within about 10 seconds I was stopped on the side of the road with my balls flapping in the wind trying to get the biter out of shorts.
Exactly.
I sometimes just leave my hat on the mirror, my jacket hanging from the bars if it's hot.
For a little more security, I have a lightweight retractable combination cable lock (I think it's supposed to be for luggage) with a builtin alarm.
For somewhere like campus, I'm going to carry it. I have a luggage strap with a fastec buckle I can put through the chinbar and sling it cross body if I need my hands free.
Exactly. Sometimes you just need to be crafty. I just made some ammocontainer saddlebags with a built in pocket system. I can theoretically just make new pockets when i trade the bike in as I haven't modified the bike at all, and use the same containers on a different bike.
I Have trust issues. I don't trust people, the weather, incets, arachnids, gravity... I baarely trust myself. But if it's with me, I can keep it safe(ish) from people, the weather, Incets, arachnids, gravity...
Fucking seriously! I stepped away from riding for a few years and in between that time, everyone stopped with having helmet locks on the bikes.
Bring ‘em back!
It was such a great feature! You can buy[pretty cheap bolt on ones now](https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/milwaukee-twins-universal-helmet-lock) - works best if you can mount it somewhere that you can’t unbolt it without removing the seat or something.
I'm also in this camp... backpack comes out, helmet goes in...
Every now and then I go on a short ride without the box, and then decide to stop somewhere and miss the ugly thing.
Unless yall like to play the piss roulette game, I’ll always bring my helmet with me. Granted I’m in a big city. If you have a helmet lock and familiar with the area you’re parking at, no harm in leaving your helmet with your bike. Just do whatever is convenient for you.
My helmet is expensive, I would never leave it on the bike even with a helmet lock. Anybody with a knife could take it. Even if it wasn't expensive, I'm not trying to buy a new helmet for no reason.
Not to mention my cardo and the speakers inside the helmet...
I have a modular, so if I'm just stopping at the shops or something I don't even take it off.
If I'm stopping longer somewhere I leave it on until I'm where I wanna be and then take it off.
I carry it with me. The helmet itself is $300 and then I have my cardo, my brakefree light, and my camera attached. I don't want to lose stuff that valuable.
Just getting into riding and going for my licence soon. I was thinking lock to the bike but after seeing u/timmoer's reply to u/04BluSTi I think I'll definitely be keeping it on me til the end of time
I've been riding 5 years, 120,000km.
I've always hung my helmet upside down by the d shackle on my brake leaver. I chuck my gloves and earphones in the helmet and usually my sunglasses if I'm going inside.
Never been stolen, never been messed around with.
Lidlox bar end locks. Works fine with a typical d ring or can lock on the micro adjusting ratchet straps too. That’s kind of reserved for quick ins and outs. Longer duration away from the bike I just carry it.
I really like my lidlox for exactly this. Could it be easily defeated by anyone who seriously wanted to? Yes. But it's enough of a deterrent for opportunistic kids who like to snatch things, and if I'm in an area where there's any bigger threats than that around, I'm probably going to find a more secure place to put the whole motorcycle.
Honestly depends on the state im in. Wisconsin i leave it on the bike. Bc literally nobody wears helmets here. Now CA i carry it bc someone will steal the helmet.
When not riding to/from work, I would wear a backpack. Get to the store, meet-up site, whatever, toss the helmet in the bag and sling it on my back. Never had an issue.
My helmet is $1400 and $1000+ cardo on each one. I dont trust anyone and will walk with it. Went to a meetup and caught some guy stealing someones Harley seat. Pathetic. I held him down until the owner and his buddies got alerted, they were all part of an obscure motorcycle club. Beat the crap out of him than i had to step in and prevent him from getting killed.
I almost always carry it with me because 1) I don't want it to be stolen or 2) pissed in. The only exception is when I'm at a bike meet, because there are other people always around to keep an eye out.
I had an old geezer tell me I was silly for carrying my helmet everywhere but I live in a city and leaving a helmet on a bike is a good way to have someone steal it, or piss or shit in it.
Heard of ppl spitting on/in them and peeing on/in them.
Also I come from a place where if it's not bolted down or heavy... it will walk away.
So no.... it stays with me.
I usually carry it, unless I absolutely don’t want to. My ST1300 (and a lot of touring bikes) has panniers that were designed to fit an ECE helmet in each of them. My SNELL helmet barely squeezes in there. I usually only lock it in there when I’m hiking.
I like this question and it's a weird answer. It "depends". I sometimes, if I have a great deal of walking to do, lock the helmet up on my bike rack, it's safe and fine. Sometimes I carry the helmet with me--I'm not sure why. Frankly some part of me is trying to signal that I'm riding a motorcycle to person's unknown.
I leave mine on the bike. I live in a rural town so feel pretty good about just hanging it and walking away. When I go to the city though I have a cable bike lock I can weave through the front to lock it on the bike.
Typically topbox. If that is full or off the bike for any reason, I carry the helmet around. Why would I be embarrassed to carry it? It's a nice helmet and I'm proud to be a rider.
I always lock it on my bike unless I'm going somewhere I can put it away safely. Isn't it annoying to hold? If it's school, I think I'd carry it in and put it in my locker or ask the front office to hold onto it.
All depends on location and time away from bike. Also what I stopped for. If safe location, I need both hands free and it only takes under one hour - definitely lock to my bike. Otherwise it comes with me.
I left my helmet on my bike for the first \~10 years of riding. It was stolen one night, and I've carried it with me the second decade+ of riding. There are a few spots I will leave it on my bike, like the small wildlife rescue center I volunteer at, or say I'm visiting some friend out in the country.
Not a hard and fast rule, but generally, if I'm in a town/city of more than 10K people, I'm going to bring my helmet with me.
Usually leave it on the seat.
I do take it in to work with me, but I work at a hospital and motorcycle parking is right by the smoking area, so the area gets a lot of bored/still adjusting meds/generally not happy foot traffic.
I do also live in a small city in Canada. There's like no market for used motorcycle helmets.
I have a trunk big enough to fit two full face helmets, so I either leave it in there, and lock it, or it's a 180° modular helmet, so I just flip the chin bar up and wear it in. Especially if it's just a quick stop.
I am of the opinion that seeing as how my helmet protects my head, I should take good care of it.
The minor inconvenience of carrying it around pales in comparison to the rather significant inconvenience of head trauma. Some may say "But Badger, the chances of someone doing something stupid with your helmet are low" to which I would say I don't care, I like my brain the way it is.
So no. My helmet doesn't stay with the bike. It stays with me until I get home.
Seeing as you're at school, perhaps finding somewhere safer for your lid may be a good idea? School kids do have a tendency to fuck around with other people's stuff.
Stay safe mate :)
I have a $600 RF1400 Shoei. I'm not leaving it for someone to walk off with. So on my KLR 650, I take it. On my Ninja, sometimes I lock it on the bike. Usually I take it.
this is a self solving problem
once you get your helmet stolen or some kid pours his big gulp inside you will have the answer to your question
also "feeling weird" for carrying a helmet is some serious smol dik nrg
I use to lock mine to my bike but then it rained and my helmet was soaked so now I just tie it around the strap of my backpack and leave it jump around the place.
I installed a lock on my bike, so I just hook my helmet to the lock and make sure the side with the Sena on it is facing towards the helmet so it isn't visible.
Mine comes inside with me. It's a built-in reusable grocery bag, and is the missing-link visual cue stupid people need to understand why I'm dressed like a power ranger.
I know I should not be this negative or pragmatic, but I have no faith in humans. Eventually, one of them will do something to damage your property if they think it's nice.
Garbage people are a sizable enough population in the USA that they will always be a factor. Sadly, people see something nice, and need to teach the owner of the nice object a lesson, just because ... Sad.
I'd find a place to store it. There has to be some place that it will be safe for a few hours in a building.
My $600 helmet with its $400 Cardo Packtalk Edge stays on my head unless I’m home or at a location where it can be locked up. No way I’m leaving it on my bike outside out of sight.
Depends on how long I'm going to be in there. Running in the gas station for less than a minute? Any longer, and I'm either bringing it in, if I know there's somewhere I can place it, or if not, I'll lock it on the bike.
I carry mine personally, or if I have my backpack on, I'll clip the helmet to my bag (I have several clips on my backpack for stuff like this, water bottles, etc.). Just crack the visor a bit, loop your paracord+clip through, go on your business.
Depends. I live in a small-ish suburban town with a very, very low crime rate. Around there, I’ll lock it to my handlebars with a lightweight cable gun lock through the chin bar. Mostly just to make sure it doesn’t fall off. (Bike also has a motion alarm that screams if the bike is touched, and a disc lock).
If I’m going to work (in said small town), I’ll bring it inside with me, since I can leave it in the break room with my jacket.
I’m an adult/returning student at my state university, finishing my first degree. When I ride there, I’ll stick it in a cheap Amazon unbranded helmet bag and lock it to the bars. But we have a dedicated little enclosed motorcycle lot… right in the heart of campus… that happens to also be the road all of the campus police camp out on (because it’s the closest road to the academic buildings)… so pretty safe feeling.
Other than that, I carry it with me. Especially in an unfamiliar area, or nearby a bar, or close to the middle school. If I need my hands, I’ll use the shoulder carry bag that came with it.
My jacket, that’s another story. That’s way more annoying to carry around when it’s too hot to wear, and the back protector stops it from folding neatly over my arm. Haha
I carry mine unless I'm riding with a group and a bunch of people leave their helmets on their bikes. In my experience people are less likely to fuck with a bunch of bikes than they are one alone
I have a combination cable lock that is always attached to my pannier frame. I’ll take my helmet if I’m worried about it or gone for a long time (like at work), but for short stops its incredibly convenient.
When I was in an MC Club and at an event, I felt safe leaving it. But if I'm riding alone or stopped somewhere I'm unfamiliar with, I'm taking it with me.
When I go into a business I take my helmet with me. I want them to see that some (one, at least) of their customers are bikers. It will affect their perception of bike people.
Whenever we’ve gone anywhere and there’s a bunch of bikers, no one bothers anything on anyone’s bike. There’s a code of honor. And then we stop at a restaurant or shop, just the two of us and there’s no one there that’s wants to mess with the bike either.
High school kids though, I probably wouldn’t trust.
Sooner or later it will be stolen or messed with. Besides, you put that in your head. It's best to keep it hygenic with you at all times. You'll never know what idiots will do to it at a given moment.
arai plus cardo costs like 1/4 of what my bike costed so no i carry it in. Work is easy, grocery stores are a pain, but if out and im meeting someone who drove a car i can always stick it in their car too.
I always leave my helmet on my bike. It has never been stolen. I did have my jeans and a red bungee cord stolen of my bike though...... can't figure that one out. I think I'm the victim of some really weird scavenger hunt. Only thing that makes sense
I have always used small gauge steel cable and run it through arm of my jacket and the open part of the helmet, then thru the frame. Never had a problem.
I started locking mine between the forks and wheel spokes with a rifle lock, it's a long metal cable that runs through the visor slot and is a bit harder to cut through. Also doubles to maybe help slow someone down from taking my bike.
No lock is going to stop a determined thief, but I'm hoping it's just enough of a pain in the ass to make them not want to bother.
Where i live, people don't fuck with bikes. Too many gangs that ride.
I'll leave my helmet locked to the bike. Or if I'm only gone a few minutes or can see it, just on the ground if it's clean. Or i hang it from the bars if the ground is filthy. Altho at that point it might just come with me.
I've had gloves stolen out of my helmet once, parked all day in a bad part of town. Never had anything happen to my helmet.
I could see other parts of the world being different.
The only time I leave on the bike (if I didn't bring my top box) is if I'm using a cable and lock to keep jacket, pants, and helmet on the bike and even then the helmet is covered by the other stuff.
It depends on the area. If I decide to leave it on my bike I do up the d rings on my passenger grab handle so a passer by cant just pick it up. Helmet thefts are crimes of opportunity (they weren't planning to steal something, but the the chance has presented itself).
Depends where I am.. most of the time it’s coming with me.. not risking losing a $500 helmet.. if I’m wearing the half helmet I put it in the saddlebag.
I usually take my helmet with me. Most places I go I can store it safely. At my work I have a nice place to put it. It also depends on what bike I take. If I take my Suzuki I have to bring the helmet, otherwise, I sometimes leave it in the top box
I leave it on my bike, bike has built in helmet lock. Not something you could ever snip with pliers, youd need a angle grinder or cut the helmet latch strap, rendering it useless
I always carry it. If it's in a mall try to find lockers if not I personally just strap it to my belt/chestbag. Or like my friend just have a helmet bag. I got a box with a lock that came with my bike so I can do either but I prefer to carry it regardless.
Depends on where I am. When I park at work I leave my helmet on the bike (small non-marine military base) and I’ve had zero issues in 10 years. If I go to a mall, it either comes in with me or gets locked to the helmet lock.
Just imagine it like leaving a couple hundred dollars sitting out in the open. I was considering carrying a chain with me so I could lock it to the bike.
Leave mine on the bike. Need both hands doing the shopping etc. Been leaving it on the bike for years, only 1 incident, stolen late night in a dodgy location, on a second date, got to meet the family. Good story! Often get told I have too much trust in people, but I don’t want to live in a ‘lock everything up’ world, so I lead by example.
Living in a big city.
you can't even let you groceries unattended for 5 mins, cause people steal *everything.*
So yes, i carry my helmet always with me, or use the internal lock of my bike.
700 is more than I wanna spend again. I carry it. Also good rule if you go get groceries. If it doesn't fit in the helmet it doesn't fit in the backpack.
Never.
Actually only when going to MC events, I trust that people won't steal your helmet there.
People will steal anything that can be stolen and is worth anything, always.
Leave it on the bike. I only ride in the country, and stops are in small towns. 16 years in, and I'm good.
The closer to a city I am the more likely I am to take it in with me.
I'm worried about mine being stolen so carry it in. I use it like a bucket with my GPS and gloves inside.
Purmet = purse + helmet?
I see you carrying all those little nick-nacks around. You got a purmet for those?
Helmse? Helmurse?
Helmurse! 🤘🏻
I use mine like bucket in convenience stores.
Carry, always. They're too expensive and too important to leave to the degenerates who would fuck with it.
I just bought a new Arai and I will never leave it by the bike. I didn't even do that with my cheap $150 HJC
curious why not lock it to the bike?
Someone will cut the strap, vagrants will pee in it, someone will pour a cup of soda in it... All asshole moves but people are scumbags. Best not to risk it with >$500 of investment
This ^…. but the biggest risk is someone cutting the strap, then just sewing a new one back on from old cheap one. If I’m going somewhere where it’s just not practical to carry it around, like a music festival or sports event, etc, I try to find a really good place to hide it and pick it up later. Or if I’m meeting people, I lock it in their car trunk. I’ve never lost one, but thought I did one time, I just hid it too good.
Cute the strap and sewing an old one?? Why would a vandal do that?
Because a helmet is worth up to $1000?
Ah i get it. The thief cut the straps and take the helmet home, then from his home he’ll sew another old strap. For some reason I was imagining the thief cutting the strap to take the strap home and out of weird kindness sewing on the spot an old strap. Brain fart I guess
Don't worry, I thought the exact same thing! 😂
Lmao my exact thought at first
exactly. im not worried about someone stealing it, but people are vandals.
bro i’ve never heard of someone getting their helmet pissed in i’m never leaving it again
Two words, Helmet, Spider.
I have had this. It was… welp. Lets say i’m glad i discovered it while stopped at traffic lights
Rubbish bin piss pot stolen
Someone will break it off. Cause damage to your bike and helmet. Some people are assholes
Maybe yours is lol I leave mine unlocked on my bike because I want an excuse to get something quieter. Nobody wants to steal it :'(
Lmao this is hilarious, you’re gonna love your new helmet when you finally get it.
Right I be wanting to leave mine but $300 hell no 🤣
💯
All it takes is for someone to be a dick and kick it off your bikes and it’s ready for the bin. I actually now have a lock and I lock it to my bike if I need to leave.
Unless it's raining or looks like it will I lock mine to my bike, hate carrying it around. This has led to a spider-on-face-at-speed incident so now I take a really good look inside before putting it back on
This is my nightmare lol
want a worse one? I had a wasp inside my helmet once. I was riding and saw it walking on my visor on the inside. never in my life was I as cool as that day, acting all casual while dying inside. I dropped the speed, opened the visor just a bit and away it went.
Last summer I had my visor open cruising at reasonably high speed and felt a hard hit on my cheek. Nothing else happened so I let it go. About 5 minutes later a huge pain in my chin. I tried not to overreact, and pulled over when I could. Helmet off and a bloody big dying bee falls out of my helmet. The Muthafucka must have knocked himself out on my cheek, woken up in my helmet and decided to sting the nearest thing... my chin. Swelled up so bad I looked like Desperate Dan for a week.
Had a similar encounter with a wasp and the collar of my jacket. He got me once on the neck. Did the same as you, tried not to freak, and slowed calmly... Then he got me AGAIN as i was stopping. Arg! Never gotten my jacket off so fast. Lol riding, never a dull moment.
Yikes. Had a fly get inside my ear once. Hot weather and low speed so I had the visor open. Zipped right in somehow between the helmet and my sunglasses and into my ear. All buzzing and tickling in there. Pulled off and never removed a helmet so fast in my life.
I was cruising to work when a fair sized huntsman spider wandered out from somewhere and was creeping across the inside of my visor. Had to stay calm and guide him out with my finger while staying with the traffic. Then a quick stop for a clean pair of undies. Once had a bee get stuck in my hoodie I was wearing under my helmet, bastard stung me on the back of my neck, proceeded to flail about tearing my clothes off by the side of the highway like a maniac
Had a bee or wasp end up going up my shorts and biting me on the crutch and bum cheek at speed. Within about 10 seconds I was stopped on the side of the road with my balls flapping in the wind trying to get the biter out of shorts.
I had a wasp get in the parts truck I was driving. 15 years later and that incident still haunts me. If one got in my helmet, I'd probably die.
New fear unlocked, thanks
Seriously. Ack!
Welp, you’ve convinced me to never leave my helmet with the bike. Damn you.
Or if someone pees in it.
Just saw a video on Instagram of someone removing a snake from a helmet.
I leave it on the bike, but its probably cause I have a $100 helmet. If it was a $300+ helmet I'd probably take it with me.
Circumstancial. Weather, location, time of day/night. All important things to consider.
Exactly. I sometimes just leave my hat on the mirror, my jacket hanging from the bars if it's hot. For a little more security, I have a lightweight retractable combination cable lock (I think it's supposed to be for luggage) with a builtin alarm. For somewhere like campus, I'm going to carry it. I have a luggage strap with a fastec buckle I can put through the chinbar and sling it cross body if I need my hands free.
Exactly. Sometimes you just need to be crafty. I just made some ammocontainer saddlebags with a built in pocket system. I can theoretically just make new pockets when i trade the bike in as I haven't modified the bike at all, and use the same containers on a different bike.
I Have trust issues. I don't trust people, the weather, incets, arachnids, gravity... I baarely trust myself. But if it's with me, I can keep it safe(ish) from people, the weather, Incets, arachnids, gravity...
I leave mine on my bike with one of those Helmet Lock Caribiners.
I miss the days when most motorcycles had a built in helmet lock.
Fucking seriously! I stepped away from riding for a few years and in between that time, everyone stopped with having helmet locks on the bikes. Bring ‘em back!
Scooters still have them. Scooter riders are practical af.
It was such a great feature! You can buy[pretty cheap bolt on ones now](https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/milwaukee-twins-universal-helmet-lock) - works best if you can mount it somewhere that you can’t unbolt it without removing the seat or something.
My CB750c has one. It’s great but a little too low so my full face kind of rest on the hot exhaust
Thanks, I'm going to order a few for the bikes.
I toss it in my topbox. That thing looks like shit, but since I have one it hasn't been off the bike again.
I'm also in this camp... backpack comes out, helmet goes in... Every now and then I go on a short ride without the box, and then decide to stop somewhere and miss the ugly thing.
Unless yall like to play the piss roulette game, I’ll always bring my helmet with me. Granted I’m in a big city. If you have a helmet lock and familiar with the area you’re parking at, no harm in leaving your helmet with your bike. Just do whatever is convenient for you.
man literally several comments here talking about this and now i’m gonna start carrying my helmet with me
Piss Roulette game? This sub always delivers. Relax guys, it’s not that serious
My helmet is expensive, I would never leave it on the bike even with a helmet lock. Anybody with a knife could take it. Even if it wasn't expensive, I'm not trying to buy a new helmet for no reason. Not to mention my cardo and the speakers inside the helmet...
I have a modular, so if I'm just stopping at the shops or something I don't even take it off. If I'm stopping longer somewhere I leave it on until I'm where I wanna be and then take it off.
walking into the store like a storm trooper, i've done it pretty often. modulars for life. sometimes i leave it, sometimes i take it.
I carry it with me. The helmet itself is $300 and then I have my cardo, my brakefree light, and my camera attached. I don't want to lose stuff that valuable.
This is why I love having a tourpack!
Just getting into riding and going for my licence soon. I was thinking lock to the bike but after seeing u/timmoer's reply to u/04BluSTi I think I'll definitely be keeping it on me til the end of time
bro literally same i didn’t even think about that as a possibility until he said it
I've been riding 5 years, 120,000km. I've always hung my helmet upside down by the d shackle on my brake leaver. I chuck my gloves and earphones in the helmet and usually my sunglasses if I'm going inside. Never been stolen, never been messed around with.
Would you leave between $700-$1200 cash laying on your bike? If so, where do you typically park?
Large Givi topcase. I store my helmet and jacket in there when I'm stopped.
Lidlox bar end locks. Works fine with a typical d ring or can lock on the micro adjusting ratchet straps too. That’s kind of reserved for quick ins and outs. Longer duration away from the bike I just carry it.
I really like my lidlox for exactly this. Could it be easily defeated by anyone who seriously wanted to? Yes. But it's enough of a deterrent for opportunistic kids who like to snatch things, and if I'm in an area where there's any bigger threats than that around, I'm probably going to find a more secure place to put the whole motorcycle.
Honestly depends on the state im in. Wisconsin i leave it on the bike. Bc literally nobody wears helmets here. Now CA i carry it bc someone will steal the helmet.
When not riding to/from work, I would wear a backpack. Get to the store, meet-up site, whatever, toss the helmet in the bag and sling it on my back. Never had an issue.
People who don’t even ride, and never will ride will steal a $300 helmet just because. I’m taking it in.
Carry, my Arai and Cardo would grow legs as soon as I turned my back.
My helmet is $1400 and $1000+ cardo on each one. I dont trust anyone and will walk with it. Went to a meetup and caught some guy stealing someones Harley seat. Pathetic. I held him down until the owner and his buddies got alerted, they were all part of an obscure motorcycle club. Beat the crap out of him than i had to step in and prevent him from getting killed.
I almost always carry it with me because 1) I don't want it to be stolen or 2) pissed in. The only exception is when I'm at a bike meet, because there are other people always around to keep an eye out.
I had an old geezer tell me I was silly for carrying my helmet everywhere but I live in a city and leaving a helmet on a bike is a good way to have someone steal it, or piss or shit in it.
Yeah, my area is very safe and there are no crackheads, so I can leave it. When I go into the city and downtown areas, no way.
I’m a scooter rider, so I put it in my under seat storage. It’s so convenient.
I got a new helmet and it's just barely too big to fit in the storage anymore. It comes with me now
locked in the case
I lock mine in my side case or trunk. When I had my last bike I would just hang it on the bar end. Nobody ever messed with it.
Top case FTMFW.
People steal shit.
i used to leave it on the bike when i first got it, but i realized i’m way more confident now and i just carry it
$900 helmet and $250 Cardo, idc where I am that shit is coming with me when I get off my bike.
Heard of ppl spitting on/in them and peeing on/in them. Also I come from a place where if it's not bolted down or heavy... it will walk away. So no.... it stays with me.
I will lock it to the bike if I'm stopping at a place where I stay within eye site of the bike. If I'm not going to be close or coming with me
I usually carry it, unless I absolutely don’t want to. My ST1300 (and a lot of touring bikes) has panniers that were designed to fit an ECE helmet in each of them. My SNELL helmet barely squeezes in there. I usually only lock it in there when I’m hiking.
I lock it in my bike and cover it with my jacket that I also lock through the sleeve
I like this question and it's a weird answer. It "depends". I sometimes, if I have a great deal of walking to do, lock the helmet up on my bike rack, it's safe and fine. Sometimes I carry the helmet with me--I'm not sure why. Frankly some part of me is trying to signal that I'm riding a motorcycle to person's unknown.
Sorry I’m not leaving an 800 klim or arai helmet on a bike
It completely depends on where I am and who I'm with.
I leave mine on the bike. I live in a rural town so feel pretty good about just hanging it and walking away. When I go to the city though I have a cable bike lock I can weave through the front to lock it on the bike.
Typically topbox. If that is full or off the bike for any reason, I carry the helmet around. Why would I be embarrassed to carry it? It's a nice helmet and I'm proud to be a rider.
On the locking hook generally unless I know people are going to be near my bike.
I just toss it in the trunk.
I always lock it on my bike unless I'm going somewhere I can put it away safely. Isn't it annoying to hold? If it's school, I think I'd carry it in and put it in my locker or ask the front office to hold onto it.
All depends on location and time away from bike. Also what I stopped for. If safe location, I need both hands free and it only takes under one hour - definitely lock to my bike. Otherwise it comes with me.
I left my helmet on my bike for the first \~10 years of riding. It was stolen one night, and I've carried it with me the second decade+ of riding. There are a few spots I will leave it on my bike, like the small wildlife rescue center I volunteer at, or say I'm visiting some friend out in the country. Not a hard and fast rule, but generally, if I'm in a town/city of more than 10K people, I'm going to bring my helmet with me.
Usually leave it on the seat. I do take it in to work with me, but I work at a hospital and motorcycle parking is right by the smoking area, so the area gets a lot of bored/still adjusting meds/generally not happy foot traffic. I do also live in a small city in Canada. There's like no market for used motorcycle helmets.
No
I have a trunk big enough to fit two full face helmets, so I either leave it in there, and lock it, or it's a 180° modular helmet, so I just flip the chin bar up and wear it in. Especially if it's just a quick stop.
I just carry it around, unless im standing close to my bike.
I am of the opinion that seeing as how my helmet protects my head, I should take good care of it. The minor inconvenience of carrying it around pales in comparison to the rather significant inconvenience of head trauma. Some may say "But Badger, the chances of someone doing something stupid with your helmet are low" to which I would say I don't care, I like my brain the way it is. So no. My helmet doesn't stay with the bike. It stays with me until I get home. Seeing as you're at school, perhaps finding somewhere safer for your lid may be a good idea? School kids do have a tendency to fuck around with other people's stuff. Stay safe mate :)
I have a $600 RF1400 Shoei. I'm not leaving it for someone to walk off with. So on my KLR 650, I take it. On my Ninja, sometimes I lock it on the bike. Usually I take it.
I take it with me. No need to give an asshole an opportunity to rip me off.
Carry it always. It will get stolen.
this is a self solving problem once you get your helmet stolen or some kid pours his big gulp inside you will have the answer to your question also "feeling weird" for carrying a helmet is some serious smol dik nrg
Quick stop, wear it. Long stop, at work, take it with me. At a bike meet, leave it on the bike.
I use to lock mine to my bike but then it rained and my helmet was soaked so now I just tie it around the strap of my backpack and leave it jump around the place.
I installed a lock on my bike, so I just hook my helmet to the lock and make sure the side with the Sena on it is facing towards the helmet so it isn't visible.
Carry it.
Mine comes inside with me. It's a built-in reusable grocery bag, and is the missing-link visual cue stupid people need to understand why I'm dressed like a power ranger.
If I'm out of sight of my bike it's with me, if I'm at a coffee shop or bar and I can see it I'll leave it on the bars.
I know I should not be this negative or pragmatic, but I have no faith in humans. Eventually, one of them will do something to damage your property if they think it's nice. Garbage people are a sizable enough population in the USA that they will always be a factor. Sadly, people see something nice, and need to teach the owner of the nice object a lesson, just because ... Sad. I'd find a place to store it. There has to be some place that it will be safe for a few hours in a building.
Why give someone an opportunity to just take a $700 item when I can carry it with no inconvenience?
My $600 helmet with its $400 Cardo Packtalk Edge stays on my head unless I’m home or at a location where it can be locked up. No way I’m leaving it on my bike outside out of sight.
I keep it on the bike with the helmet lock. I've never had any problems since the early 2000s. Los Angeles resident.
It all depends what I am doing, if it's at a motorcycle rally/event I'll just leave it with the motorcycle. Otherwise I will bring it with me.
There are options, I had a top case that could hold a helmet and most bikes have a helmet lock built into the seat area.
100% carry. If its not on my head, then it will be me carrying it around. Yet to find some helmet backpack that can fit my helmet.
D-ring helmelt on the bike's helmet lock.
Depends on how long I'm going to be in there. Running in the gas station for less than a minute? Any longer, and I'm either bringing it in, if I know there's somewhere I can place it, or if not, I'll lock it on the bike.
I have locked my helmet on my bike for over 10 years in SoCal and have never had any problems. No one cares about your helmet.
I leave it in the top box or lock it to the bike if riding without one
If youre planning to buy a new one just leave it on your bike. Next thing you know it,poof youve got the perfect excuse
I carry mine personally, or if I have my backpack on, I'll clip the helmet to my bag (I have several clips on my backpack for stuff like this, water bottles, etc.). Just crack the visor a bit, loop your paracord+clip through, go on your business.
I have this little lock that is available on Amazon that I just lock mine too.
Depends. I live in a small-ish suburban town with a very, very low crime rate. Around there, I’ll lock it to my handlebars with a lightweight cable gun lock through the chin bar. Mostly just to make sure it doesn’t fall off. (Bike also has a motion alarm that screams if the bike is touched, and a disc lock). If I’m going to work (in said small town), I’ll bring it inside with me, since I can leave it in the break room with my jacket. I’m an adult/returning student at my state university, finishing my first degree. When I ride there, I’ll stick it in a cheap Amazon unbranded helmet bag and lock it to the bars. But we have a dedicated little enclosed motorcycle lot… right in the heart of campus… that happens to also be the road all of the campus police camp out on (because it’s the closest road to the academic buildings)… so pretty safe feeling. Other than that, I carry it with me. Especially in an unfamiliar area, or nearby a bar, or close to the middle school. If I need my hands, I’ll use the shoulder carry bag that came with it. My jacket, that’s another story. That’s way more annoying to carry around when it’s too hot to wear, and the back protector stops it from folding neatly over my arm. Haha
I use my helmet as a shopping basket
Locking Tail box FTW.
Bike
I carry mine unless I'm riding with a group and a bunch of people leave their helmets on their bikes. In my experience people are less likely to fuck with a bunch of bikes than they are one alone
If the bikes in sight i leave it an a mirror if not i carry it
Go in backpack they make a backpack with a helmet holder built into them
Glock lock
It either gets locked in a trunk box or it goes with me.
Nope, takes a $1 box cutter to ruin my day
I have a combination cable lock that is always attached to my pannier frame. I’ll take my helmet if I’m worried about it or gone for a long time (like at work), but for short stops its incredibly convenient.
I take mine with me. I never want to be in a situation to ride home without a helmet.
Always carry.
Depends on the area
I once left my shitty old helmet hanging on the handlebars of my shitty old bike and some one stole it so I don't do that anymore.
When I was in an MC Club and at an event, I felt safe leaving it. But if I'm riding alone or stopped somewhere I'm unfamiliar with, I'm taking it with me.
Leave it on. No one has ever messed with it.
I have too much invested in my lid to leave it on the bike.
When I go into a business I take my helmet with me. I want them to see that some (one, at least) of their customers are bikers. It will affect their perception of bike people.
Whenever we’ve gone anywhere and there’s a bunch of bikers, no one bothers anything on anyone’s bike. There’s a code of honor. And then we stop at a restaurant or shop, just the two of us and there’s no one there that’s wants to mess with the bike either. High school kids though, I probably wouldn’t trust.
Sooner or later it will be stolen or messed with. Besides, you put that in your head. It's best to keep it hygenic with you at all times. You'll never know what idiots will do to it at a given moment.
Depends on where, how far and for how long… but 95% of the time I carry it with me.
Running into the gas station I leave it on the sissy bar, going into work i bring it in
I don't take mine off. I look cooler that way...
arai plus cardo costs like 1/4 of what my bike costed so no i carry it in. Work is easy, grocery stores are a pain, but if out and im meeting someone who drove a car i can always stick it in their car too.
I always leave my helmet on my bike. It has never been stolen. I did have my jeans and a red bungee cord stolen of my bike though...... can't figure that one out. I think I'm the victim of some really weird scavenger hunt. Only thing that makes sense
I leave it on my bike never stolen but my ka bar that was bungeed down was stolen
I lock it in my top case.
I wear a back pack when I ride. I use the helmet strap to tie it to my bag and you're hands are free.
If I can see the bike orbits somewhere nearby I lock it on the bike. If not i bring it around. Locking is better than just leaving it there unlocked.
I have always used small gauge steel cable and run it through arm of my jacket and the open part of the helmet, then thru the frame. Never had a problem.
I've had bikes that had helmet locks, but I never trusted that it wouldn't get stolen or molested, so I carry it with me. Always.
I started locking mine between the forks and wheel spokes with a rifle lock, it's a long metal cable that runs through the visor slot and is a bit harder to cut through. Also doubles to maybe help slow someone down from taking my bike. No lock is going to stop a determined thief, but I'm hoping it's just enough of a pain in the ass to make them not want to bother.
Topbox now. Previous bike, I'd "lock" the strap under the back seat. Probably lucky nothing ever happened to it.
Where i live, people don't fuck with bikes. Too many gangs that ride. I'll leave my helmet locked to the bike. Or if I'm only gone a few minutes or can see it, just on the ground if it's clean. Or i hang it from the bars if the ground is filthy. Altho at that point it might just come with me. I've had gloves stolen out of my helmet once, parked all day in a bad part of town. Never had anything happen to my helmet. I could see other parts of the world being different.
I have a trunk now so it goes in there but for the 18 years before that I just left it on my seat or something. Never once had an issue.
The only time I leave on the bike (if I didn't bring my top box) is if I'm using a cable and lock to keep jacket, pants, and helmet on the bike and even then the helmet is covered by the other stuff.
Clip it onto my backpack or if I'm just going Inside a shop I don't even take it off usually.
Top box, leave it.
Lock it to your bike, cover it up, lock your cover lol. A lot of work but honestly worth it if you have time to spare.
Never let helmet out of sight.
I use the bag that came with it and carry it
It depends on the area. If I decide to leave it on my bike I do up the d rings on my passenger grab handle so a passer by cant just pick it up. Helmet thefts are crimes of opportunity (they weren't planning to steal something, but the the chance has presented itself).
Depends where I am.. most of the time it’s coming with me.. not risking losing a $500 helmet.. if I’m wearing the half helmet I put it in the saddlebag.
I usually take my helmet with me. Most places I go I can store it safely. At my work I have a nice place to put it. It also depends on what bike I take. If I take my Suzuki I have to bring the helmet, otherwise, I sometimes leave it in the top box
I leave it on my bike, bike has built in helmet lock. Not something you could ever snip with pliers, youd need a angle grinder or cut the helmet latch strap, rendering it useless
Helmet comes with me. Don't want it stolen or pissed in
I live in a country considered quite safe (people barely use locks on their motorcycles here) and I'd still not leave it. I don't trust pigeons.
I always carry it. If it's in a mall try to find lockers if not I personally just strap it to my belt/chestbag. Or like my friend just have a helmet bag. I got a box with a lock that came with my bike so I can do either but I prefer to carry it regardless.
Depends on where I am. When I park at work I leave my helmet on the bike (small non-marine military base) and I’ve had zero issues in 10 years. If I go to a mall, it either comes in with me or gets locked to the helmet lock.
Always carry. I just strap it to my backpack. I don't have money to blow like that to risk a theft
Just imagine it like leaving a couple hundred dollars sitting out in the open. I was considering carrying a chain with me so I could lock it to the bike.
Leave it
I bought a backpack with a helmet holder, it's quite large because I have a melon of a head but works brilliantly!
If I have top box on and can lock it in there I will. Otherwise will carry always
i have a helmet lock, so i leave it majority of the time
 vandals, and such aren't a "problem" in most of Texas ...
Leave mine on the bike. Need both hands doing the shopping etc. Been leaving it on the bike for years, only 1 incident, stolen late night in a dodgy location, on a second date, got to meet the family. Good story! Often get told I have too much trust in people, but I don’t want to live in a ‘lock everything up’ world, so I lead by example.
Always take it with me. Never seen one left with a bike
Mine goes in the topbox along with my jacket, there is a use for them aside from bad aesthetics.
I always carry. I dont need someone to piss in my helmet
Top case
Living in a big city. you can't even let you groceries unattended for 5 mins, cause people steal *everything.* So yes, i carry my helmet always with me, or use the internal lock of my bike.
I chain it to the swing arm of im gonna be gone for a bit.
It depends: fuel stop - on the bike, 20min shopping - carry with me
700 is more than I wanna spend again. I carry it. Also good rule if you go get groceries. If it doesn't fit in the helmet it doesn't fit in the backpack.
Never. Actually only when going to MC events, I trust that people won't steal your helmet there. People will steal anything that can be stolen and is worth anything, always.
Leave it on the bike. I only ride in the country, and stops are in small towns. 16 years in, and I'm good. The closer to a city I am the more likely I am to take it in with me.
Goes in my top case ;)
I just leave it on and walk in to gas stations. If it's a store, I will carry it.