Ear plugs and bullshit

[slofox]

Whilst ear plugs do not actually keep skin on the body, they do protect the hearing system from permanent damage. So I always use them. Hate to be without them - I can hear all the mechanical clatter in the engine and it always sounds like it is about to fall to bits. And they cut out the dreaded wind noise too.

I like 3M EARsoft FX plugs. I've always bought a ten pair pack for around $10. This week, I went to Blackwoods Paykel (Te Rapa branch) to replenish my supply. The assistant told me they were "only available in 200 packs now. The gummint has said we can only sell them in 200 packs."

"What the fuck?" was my immediate thinking. I left without buying anything (or voicing my thoughts on bullshit either).

Called in at the Killarney Rd branch of the same firm on the way home. Dude in there looked through all branches plus NZ Safety stores (part of the same group he said) but nobody had any in stock.

So I went online and ended up phoning 3M. They still sell the ten pack. They come in a box of 20 ten packs. And there is nothing to prevent the sale thereof. They put me onto a few stockists but none that I contacted had any in stock and seemed reluctant to order them in. So it seems that only large commercial users are catered for by these "safety gear" shops. Tough shit if you are a small company or a loony motorbiker not wanting enough plugs to outlast one's life expectancy.

Ended up buying some from eBay, UK. I get 20 pairs for $13.51, delivered. Cheaper and less fuss than a local purchase.

Makes me wonder how serious some local companies are about attracting all possible trade. No wonder the internet is eating into local sales.

[SMOKEU]

With the laughable prices and poor customer service that many retailers think is acceptable these days, no wonder many of them are going bankrupt.

I use 3M Skull Screws.

[G4L4XY]

Do you guys have loud aftermarket cans? The only loud thing when I'm riding is the damn wind. I only have the standard can as I'm too poor for that fancy shit. Also I listen to music most of the time and I can still hear the engine over it and all, kinda sounds like it works properly though slofox, should it sound like it's falling apart? Without the music I can still only just hear the engine from the level of turbulence from the wind.

[boman]

I bought a pair of plugs for lugs, 4 years ago. Bets money I have spent.

Moulded to fit my ears, and comfy. They never fall out, when I put helmet on.

And I can get as many pairs of ear plugs I need for free, from work.

[Vinz0r]

Do you guys have loud aftermarket cans? The only loud thing when I'm riding is the damn wind. I only have the standard can as I'm too poor for that fancy shit. Also I listen to music most of the time and I can still hear the engine over it and all, kinda sounds like it works properly though slofox, should it sound like it's falling apart? Without the music I can still only just hear the engine from the level of turbulence from the wind.

I need earplugs on my bike; when we did the cape trip I was using them but the bastards kept falling out no matter how I jammed them in, I think I have weird ears. Been trying some different styles but might just have to bite the bullet and get some custom ones made.
I find that with my shitty helmet the wind noise and exhaust noise are usually at around the same level; really fucking loud.

[SMOKEU]

Do you guys have loud aftermarket cans? The only loud thing when I'm riding is the damn wind.

The exhaust isn't excessively loud, but the wind noise certainly is without earplugs when going faster than about 80kmh.

[Moi]

I'm with you slofox on this...
already have some hearing loss and want to lose no more...
use these http://www.trademe.co.nz/health-beau...-674118461.htm which I find very good.

Tried the 3M screw ones... not very comfy...

As for listening to music... what better music than the sounds of a v-twin or single banger!

[G4L4XY]

I need earplugs on my bike; when we did the cape trip I was using them but the bastards kept falling out no matter how I jammed them in, I think I have weird ears. Been trying some different styles but might just have to bite the bullet and get some custom ones made.
I find that with my shitty helmet the wind noise and exhaust noise are usually at around the same level; really fucking loud.

Your bike sounds sexy, especially when you fanged past to get to the campground on-time....only to not know where one was going haha

[slofox]

Do you guys have loud aftermarket cans?

No. Standard factory muffler. The bike is actually pretty quiet (unless you red line it at 16,000rpm)...It's just that I am used to having high frequencies filtered out and only hear the lower growly bits of the engine noise. So without plugs, all that extra noise comes back.

I had plugz4lugz as well for a bit. But I have a narrow ear canal on one side and eventually the plug for that ear broke in half. I tried the FX plugs as a stop gap until I could afford more plugz4lugz and found that I preferred the filtering characteristics of the FX plugs to those of the P4L's. The plugz4lugz had more attenuation overall, but the FX's took out more wind noise. Which I like. So I have stayed with them.

The FX's, due to their lower overall attenuation, also allow me to better hear things like the bluetooth phone link and the TPX radar detector.

I tried another sort of plug this week supposedly having the same noise abatement capability (5) as the FX's but their performance was crap. They just didn't fill the ear canal as well as the FX's. So no more of those.

Overall, like anything, I guess we use what we like best.

[Kickaha]

Do you guys have loud aftermarket cans? The only loud thing when I'm riding is the damn wind. I only have the standard can as I'm too poor for that fancy shit. Also I listen to music most of the time and I can still hear the engine over it and all, kinda sounds like it works properly though slofox, should it sound like it's falling apart? Without the music I can still only just hear the engine from the level of turbulence from the wind.

Wind noise will cause hearing loss over time

I bought a pair of plugs for lugs, 4 years ago. Bets money I have spent.
Moulded to fit my ears, and comfy

Had the same until I lost them and I will be getting another pair when I can

[Gremlin]

Wind noise will cause hearing loss over time

What he said, and it's permanent.

I'm on my hmmm... 3rd pair of Plugz4Lugz. Lost the first pair (they warned me, but yes, black was a dumb idea if you put them on the road), 2nd pair broke (btw, I think they're using a new compound - depends when yours broke), now using the 3rd, probably 2-3 years old now, and have a 4th set on standby, as I couldn't be without them, until I had another pair organised.

[awa355]

Good ear plugs should cut out farting as well.

[pratik8890]

I bought a pair of plugs for lugs, 4 years ago. Bets money I have spent.

Moulded to fit my ears, and comfy. They never fall out, when I put helmet on.

And I can get as many pairs of ear plugs I need for free, from work.

Perhaps you should start a side business and sell them to us in a box with 10 or 20 so that we dont have to buy them from overseas ( ebay )

The exhaust isn't excessively loud, but the wind noise certainly is without earplugs when going faster than about 80kmh.

I couldnt agree more on this.

[pratik8890]

What he said, and it's permanent.

I'm on my hmmm... 3rd pair of Plugz4Lugz. Lost the first pair (they warned me, but yes, black was a dumb idea if you put them on the road), 2nd pair broke (btw, I think they're using a new compound - depends when yours broke), now using the 3rd, probably 2-3 years old now, and have a 4th set on standby, as I couldn't be without them, until I had another pair organised.

Hey Gremlim, Where to buy these PLUGZ 4 LUGZ ? Thank you

Good ear plugs should cut out farting as well.

Yes but you've to put them in your nose to do that so I dont think thats a good idea :P

[BMWST?]

Hey Gremlim, Where to buy these PLUGZ 4 LUGZ ? Thank you



Yes but you've to put them in your nose to do that so I dont think thats a good idea :P

they post on here every now and then. they travel around a bit