It’s better than sex.
Oh no, wait a minute.
So, some form of light bar with high powered LED or HID bulbs, a set of Illegal Skyburners a KITT scanner bar and more, look like a UFO? 
I’m thinking a set of driving lights like on the classic Kawasaki CHP cycles on CHiPs would look good, since the bike is styled like a Harley Cruiser
Upon closer inspection, the stormtrooper helmet was lower end than the helmet at the bike shop, it only had the chin vent, and is missing the forehead vent
So I canceled the order, I want something like my existing helmet with chin and head vents
I always heard it as “dress for the slide, not the ride.”
I believe the actual stats are more like 15% fatal bike-vs-deer in our state. My buddy was the off-duty Statie who died that way near Gettysburg several years back. Biggest I’ve hit was a wild turkey on the wing out past West End. Broke some stuff on the Sportie but I managed to keep it upright. The ones I’ve always been frightened of ----- groundhogs.
I’m relieved: that storm trooper helmet wasn’t Snell approved. Be very sure that any helmet you buy is Snell approved. DOT approval is meaningless.
I use “I can wash sweat off. I can’t wash skin back on.”
That’s too bad, I didn’t realize it wasn’t SNELL approved. Sorry about that.
I am not sure what the current laws/standards are but at one time DOT basically meant the company did some paperwork and paid some fees. It was one of the reasons for the original protests in this state. PA back then was DOT approved required which meant the JC Penny piece of crap what what I had to have for inspection (or legally should have had riding) was wonderful but my Bell Magnum 120, which was the primary bucket for racing, wasn’t.
Bilt are one of my main go-to’s right now and I replace every two years at most or one fall from knee level.
And again, like most gear, I have varieties depending on conditions. Full face 80% of the time, 3/4 for certain conditions, and a half shell for running around the block doing a tune-up or parades. The full is Bilt, the 3/4 is a Bell, and the half is a cop model made for Harley.
Regarding high beams during the day, motorcycles only have one headlight and need to be as visible as possible. Sunlight is a lot stronger than the headlight on my bike. I’ve never once been flashed at on my bike, and I’ve never been blinded or even annoyed by a bike headlight. So I run high beam.
I’m gonna disagree a little. While it’s true that the DOT testing is self-certified, there’s been no evidence that any of the reputable manufacturers are cheating, and the fact that most DOT helmets are concurrently approved under the EU standard as well (which is not self-certified) indicated that their DOT approval is on the level.
I myself am not a big fan of the Snell certification, although the Snell org has taken some steps in recent standards updates to correct some issues with their methodology that were the cause of a lot of controvery in the 2005 and 2010 standard. I’m at work, avoiding a couple unpleasant tasks so I can’t dig for some of the links I know I’ve got bookmarked, but I can come back to add those if there’s interest.
Personally, after a lot of reading, some of which I even understand, I look for ECE and SHARP ratings first, DOT for legality, and Snell not at all (largely 'cause they will not certify a helmet with an integrated sun shade; see my posts above).
Last but not least, I don’t buy budget brand helmets, although I recognize this is an argument that relies on faith and trust more than a library of facts.
https://www.bikebandit.com/blog/motorcycle-helmet-faqs-dot-snell-and-ece
Y’know, I’d be lying if that little voice inside my head wasn’t screaming “DANGER, WILL ROBINSON, DANGER!!!” Every time I sat on the bike, that little voice is saying “it’s more dangerous now than in 2004/5 what with distracted drivers, sell the bike, it’s not worth the risk!”
The other little voice is saying “you’re still a novice rider just starting over, of course you’re nervous and scared, you’d be stupid not to be, just be careful, cautious and conservative and you’ll be fine, like riding a bicycle”
The first voice then says “texting drivers!, cell phones! Lazy/inattentive drivers due to Nannyware!”
The second voice says “freedom, the wind, being in nature, not a box!”
The first voice says “gravel, leaves, pine needles, wet roads, broken pavement, deer crossing the roads!”
The first voice says “great fuel economy”
The second voice says “VW Golf TDI!”
The first voice says “Diesels don’t like short trips, DPF regens burn up valuable fuel!”
The second voice says “okay, you got me there, but it’s still more dangerous out there than before!”
The first voice says “touché, you have a point”…
This mental discussion goes on and on and on, with no sign of resolution…
…sigh, what to do…
What to do? Remember …
4 wheels moves the body, 2 wheels moves the soul
Ride! Ride sharpening your cognitive and physical skills to the max. When I ride, especially in a threat rich environment, I am focused and alert pretty much unlike any other situation in my life these days. Probably the only similar experience I get is when I’m flying an airplane or racing a sailboat, both things that I do far too little of these days.
Not only that but riding makes me a better car driver in general. I’m more observant and watchful than when I’ve been solely driving a cage.
That’s the thing that always stuck with me from the previous time on the Virago Midnight, I’ve always been hyper aware and observant, head on a swivel, constantly tracking multiple bogeys in a target rich environment, I observe and evaluate like a cyclist even when driving a car.
I’m sure my confidence as a rider will return, it’s just the other road users I don’t trust…
I think I’m going to try my first actual ride, out to the mailbox rack and back, perhaps once around the block at low speed, just to wet my feet again… not leaving my housing area yet, not going close to surface streets
Sounds like a reasonable approach. Look, I never want to talk anyone into riding, or even contribute to encouraging it — it is such an important and personal decision with risks of critical consequences.
Well, I’m back, what I was intending to be a quick mailbox run turned into…
…a 15 minute putter around the housing development roads, a relaxing meander at speeds of no more than 20 MPH, I actually got into second gear a few times, it was GLORIOUS! 
My confidence is returning, it did take some adjustments to learn the basics of how the bike handles, at speeds below 5 MPH, the steering is extremely heavy, but starts to lighten above 7-10, at around 15 I’m getting more into lean-steering, the basics are coming back to me
I definitely want to take a refresher course though, I need to polish my technique, thankfully the roads in the development are meandering enough that I can learn in a safe environment with minimal traffic.
I’m nowhere’s near ready for surface streets yet, but I’m learning and remembering
Still paranoid and don’t trust other drivers though…
It’ll take time, and I’ll probably keep the bike, after all it cost me nothing out of pocket, I’ll just treat it like a scooter on steroids
I’m feeling a little better now, just found a chart of the “most dangerous states to ride a motorcycle in” from the NHTSA, and New Hampshire is the LOWEST ranked/safest state, statistically in New England
NH ranked 47th out of 50
ME ranked 28th out of 50 (my last state of residence)
VT ranked 34th out of 50
…Mississippi was first (worst)
Montana was last (safest)
Somehow, I thought Massachusetts, California or Florida would have been first…
Mass.? 42nd?!? The data must be flawed! no way is a state filled with massholes safer than ME, Or VT
… I know, it’s because all the massholes drive into other states and wreck there instead of in their home state…
Glad you got out there, there is nothing like a motorcycle ride. You just have to experience it. You see, hear, and smell so much more. It’s like you’re sitting on a couch flying down the road.
My rules to keep safe are to plan as if every driver is trying to kill me, only ride rural low-traffic roads, stay slow, and don’t ride in groups.
Actually you can, but I’ll spare you the gruesome details.