chillinjust via Wikimedia CommonsRiding a motorcycle is a lovely thing. Cars are great, don't get me wrong, but there's something that is just fantastic about being so deeply connected with the world you're passing through. Let me say this right off the bat, though: if you ride your motorcycle without a helmet, you are an irredeemable dummy. No, I don't care if it's legal or you're worried about messing up your hair. If you ride on a motorcycle and don't protect your brain, you're making a pact with your creator when things go sideways. With that being said, some states like to play it fast and loose with the safety of their motorcycle-riding public.Because of that, it can be confusing to know when it's OK to put your brain at risk on a hog and when it's not. Don't worry, Jalopnik has you covered. We're breaking down which states make you wear a helmet on a motorcycle, which states don't, and everything in between.States where you don't have to wear a helmetAtsme via Wikimedia CommonsThis is a small, "freedom-loving" list:New HampshireIllinoisIowaThat's it. Those are the only states where you don't have to wear a helmet without exception. Oddly, both Iowa and Illinois had laws on the books requiring helmets, but they were repealed in 1976 and 1970, respectively, according to Steel Horse Law.States where everyone needs to wear a helmetLukas Gojda/ShutterstockAs you may have guessed, this is a much longer list:AlabamaCaliforniaGeorgiaLouisianaMarylandMassachusettsMississippiNebraskNevadaNew JerseyNew YorkNorth CarolinaOregonTennesseeVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaIn these states, if you're on a motorcycle you'd better have a helmet on, regardless of age. For whatever reason, most of these states are on either coast. I wonder what that's about.States with age restrictionsAntonio Garcia Recena/Getty ImagesAt this point, eagle-eyed readers have probably realized that we haven't listed all 50 states yet. Well, that's because there's a secret third category: states with age restrictions. Basically, there's a whole slew of states that think young folks are worth saving, but once you're over a certain age, you should get to decide if your brain turns to mush. Here's what we're working with:Riders 25 and under need a helmet:MissouriRiders 20 and under need a helmet:ArkansasFloridaKentuckyMichiganPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaTexasUtahRiders 18 and under need a helmet:DelawareRiders 17 and under need a helmet:AlaskaArizonaColoradoConnecticutHawaiiIdahoIndianaKansasMaineMinnesotaMontanaNew MexicoNorth DakotaOhioWant more like this? Join the Jalopnik newsletter to get the latest auto news sent straight to your inbox, and follow us or add us as a preferred search source on Google.