I want to say first: I am a Rider, and I also have lived in Sturgis, so I see/have seen this A LOT.
We legally require people in cars to wear seatbelts, yet in many states, adults can ride motorcycles without even wearing a helmet. How does that make sense?
Motorcycling is inherently more dangerous than driving a car. You don’t have airbags, crumple zones, or a metal frame surrounding you. In an accident, your body is taking the impact.
I’m not saying motorcycles should be banned or that riders should be covered head to toe in racing equipment. But at the very least, helmets should be mandatory, and I think there’s a reasonable argument for requiring additional protective gear.
The usual argument is that adults should be free to decide what risks they’re willing to take. But couldn’t you make that exact same argument about seatbelts?
We already accept that the government can require basic safety measures when operating a vehicle on public roads. Why should motorcycles be the exception, especially when the consequences of an accident can be so much worse?