Helmets, music etc

[swanman]

Why is it that helmets are so noisy? Don't get me wrong some are a lot better than others. But without exception you will always hear loud wind and road noise inside your helmet. I am amazed with so called modern materials that a decent looking helmet can't be made that is virtually sound proof.

The other thing by contrast is actually getting music and stuff inside helmets. On long trips I end up singing, making strange noises :innocent: and even talking to myself in order to releive the monotony.I know you can buy clunky, wire laden and power intensive systems for helmets etc. Surely with modern electronics and light weight materials something simple and very effective could be made.

Combine this with a silent helmet and what a combo! Or do these things exist already? (I am not talking about hooking your walkman microphones into your helmet lining here.) :spudwhat:

[MikeL]

I don't see why the noise-cancelling technology used in some headphones couldn't be incorporated into a helmet without compromising the safety and comfort. It's just that they would probably end up costing tlen times as much...

[ajturbo]

i used to have a helmit with 4 speekers in it,, i put them in myself, yes they were the SMALL walkman type ones but i didn't put them next to the ear, just above and below, had a coil from the radio to helmit.... used to sing "i'm in love with my Bike (car)" and other great songs, ..is that why i'm a bit deaf now??? hmmmm

[Bob]

If you didn't hear wind noise... then there would be no air coming in. No air, don't worry about the noise as you'll have aspyxiated!

What I do find odd though - you'd think the more expensive the lid, the better the soundproofing. But it doesn't always seem to work out that way. I'm sure my Arai is noisier than my back-up HJC. Not that it is in any way noisy of course.

I don't know if it is possible to phase out all sound - to do that, you'd probably need "White Noise" playing in the background... and that'd drive you mad instead!

Best bet are those earplugs that you have tailor-made to your ears. Friend of mine has them. He said it is pretty gross when they make the moulds, but you end up with earplugs that are a perfect match of your ears.

As for piping music in, I wonder if those Bluetooth-enabled helmets allow for music to be played? If they've got mobile phone/cellphone style technology in them, then it wouldn't be much of a hassle to allow them to pick up and play music. If a phone can do it, then a helmet with the comms kit should be able to.

[RiderInBlack]

Want an IPod/MP3 player for mine. Have tried CD players a my bikes, but they couldn'd handle the vibs as I got around the 100KPH+. There are good cheap earphones @ The Warehouse, which fit well in most helmets.

[James Deuce]

There's quite a few threads about this topic guys. Do a search and you'll get some great positive and negative responses about the idea of music while riding, and different types of earplug.

[Devil]

I end up singing, making strange noises :innocent: and even talking to myself

Heh, if anyone could hear me in my helmet sometimes they'd think I should be locked up. CUCKOO. WEEEOOOEOEOEOEOEOEOE.
She turned me into a newt! :crazy:

[vifferman]

Why is it that helmets are so noisy? :spudwhat:There are many reasons:

The shape - it's a compromise, not the most aerodynamic shape possible.
The need for you to breathe and to hear what's going on around you. Otherwise, the helmet could totally enclose your head, and be soundproof.
The fittings - vents add a lot of noise. The visor is thin and conducts more noise than the shell. Noise is probably also conducted along hard, resonant parts of the helmet.
The interaction between the helmet and other things, such as the screen on the bike. Ideally, you'd test-ride a whole bunch of helmets on your bike, then pick the best, or alternatively, test and choose a screen that suits your height and seating position.
I've found a lot of the wind noise is actually caused by turbulence around the bottom (opening) of the helmet, especially 'dirty' air coming off the collar of my jacket. You can get 'spoilers' that fit under the chin of some helmets to reduce this.
You can test if turbulence under the chin is contributing to the noise by putting your left hand under your chin while riding.
Weight. Helmets for bike riders have to be light, so there's a limit to how much noise-reducing material is added to them. The shell is designed to absorb impact, not noise. The materials used are therefore not as acoustically dense as they could be.

[Hitcher]

The perennial issue of choice of helmet again rears its ugly head...

[badlieutenant]

buy those sony ear plugs with mini drivers. heres a reveiw (http://www.dealtime.com/xPR-Sony_SONY_MDR_NC11_Noise_Canceling_Earbud~RD-150049689220) of them. Im thinking of getting a pair for travelling on SH1. oh and I have got a 256Mb mp3 player. probably better than risking the vibrations or dropage of a Ipod as there is only one moving part (solid state memory), the track selector. costs heaps less too, got mine from accent in welly for 160. It can hold about 44 songs of resonable sound quality (192 kb/s VBR to 320) and will never jump.

[jase]

Why would you want a less noiser helmet....don't you like the sound of your bike

[swanman]

Interesting comments.

It is true that if you put your hand under the helmet whilst riding the noise calms down. So I think a lot of noise comes from that area underneath.

The blue tooth enabled thing for mobile phone sounds interesting, and could lead to other opportunities.

[RiderInBlack]

oh and I have got a 256Mb mp3 player. got mine from accent in welly for 160. It can hold about 44 songs of resonable sound quality (192 kb/s VBR to 320) and will never jump.Sweet, sounds like just what I've been looking for:Punk: What band is it and can you get memory stick or something like it for it?

[badlieutenant]

http://www.ascent.co.nz/mn-product-spec.asp?pid=335014
my one doesnt have the FM option but it is similar. usb 2.0 so just plugs into your computer and down load mp3's. It does come bundled with software for converting different formats of music and library manager etc but I just transfer using winamp. I tried it on the bike with my helmet it was alright to about 90km/hr but with those sony ear phones it would be much better. I prefer to listen to my bike but when sitting on the same rev for ages trying to obey the speed limit it would be good to have a distraction
the other option is to own a goldwing and just pump the stereo up..

[Holy Roller]

I've seen those skirts that reduce the wind and noise levels, they fit around the base of the helmet. I think it was on a UK site have to check my bookmarks when I get home to be more precise. Not much good with an open face though. I've tried the walkman thing but the wind noise was too great. May explain why my hearing is down, having to run the sounds at full blast to be able to hear them. :bash:

[badlieutenant]

im going to try these thingies (http://www.ipodcases.biz/modules.php?name=catalog&file=popup_image&pID=61&image=0)
there are noise cancelling ones but they cost alot more and reveiws dont really give them a glowing recomendation

[AMPS]

I've fitted some speakers from a Jaycar headphone kit, a simple piece of deconstruction and they went into my wife's HJC Symax no trouble at all. It plugs straight into her Ipod and she's happiness filled. It takes her mind off the pillion seat/bum interface.
BTW. The new Shoei Raid 2's have an optional noise/draft reducing skirt available for the helmet base.
We're going to check out some Nady Systems intercoms soon too, user reports so far have been good.
Lou

[Holy Roller]

Here's the link for the draft stop skirt
http://www.motrax.co.uk/Index_pages/clothingaccessories/stopwind.htm
http://www.motrax.co.uk/Images/Clothing_accessories/Stopwind_small

[AMPS]

Here's the link for the draft stop skirt
http://www.motrax.co.uk/Index_pages/clothingaccessories/stopwind.htm
http://www.motrax.co.uk/Images/Clothing_accessories/Stopwind_small

A true multi-purpose fitting, turn the helmet upside down and you've got an emergency potty.
Lou

[Motoracer]

A true multi-purpose fitting, turn the helmet upside down and you've got an emergency potty.
LouDuring winter, re-use of helmet then activates the "head warmer" function. Genius!

[Holy Roller]

One would have to figure out how to stop the eyes from stinging :pinch:

[Wonko]

During winter, re-use of helmet then activates the "head warmer" function. Genius!


I think that idea's full of crap

[AMPS]

My German assistant would call it der crappentodt.
Lou