Some years ago I was riding a Yamaha 650. Helmets weren't mandatory but I always wore one. It just seemed like a good idea. It had started to rain a little and the streets were really slick. I came to an intersection and all of a sudden this guy in a BMW 520I throws a left in front of me. There was no way to stop or maneuver around him, so I laid it down. As I came down on the street my head went back and bounced off the pavement. I remember thinking, 'Man, that the best 100 bucks I ever spent'. I walked away without a scratch.
