ear protection

**Kiwi** · 13th April 2003, 22:17

Hearing loss is preventable. If you ride for any length of time without ear protection, you will suffer irreversible hearing damage

Remember

If you damage your motorcycle, you can either have it mended or you can buy a new one.

If you damage your hearing, you can’t have it mended and you can’t buy a new pair of ears!

see ya

Kiwi

**wkid_one** · 13th April 2003, 22:22

Soft Orange Plugs from CycleSpot made by 3M are the best

**MikeL** · 13th April 2003, 22:31

I always wear ear plugs - the soft orange ones - even when commuting to work. But I have a problem: no matter how hard I push them in, before long they seem to work their way out - not all the way, but enough to reduce their effectiveness. Do I have abnormal ear canals?? Too much wax in the ears? Or is it the fault of the plugs - perhaps I need to have them custom made? Someone please advise, before I go completely deaf.

**SPman** · 13th April 2003, 22:48

I prefer the soft yellow ones with the orange rings

**twistymover** · 14th April 2003, 04:24

I too wear earplugs and have done so for years. I am 50 years young and my hearing is still very good.I put that down to good hearing protection, whether nightclubs,concerts, motorbike riding or work related(I used to drive trucks). I've tried many different types, shapes and sizes over the years. It's up to you to experiment in order to find the one which suits your ear- canal size. We are all different in that regard. Too small, and the earplug's effectiveness will be reduced or they might come out. Too large, and they may become painful during a long ride. Earplugs bought from a chemist, although convenient, are too expensive. In my experience,New Zealand Safety along the Grt. Sth. Rd. just Sth. of Greenlane near the Ellerslie turnoff is the best. Their earplugs are cheaper and they have an excellent range of shapes and sizes.But probably most safetyware places would have a good selection.
Cheers.

" At the feast of ego, everyone leaves hungry."

**bluninja** · 14th April 2003, 10:03

Eh? what's that you say? can you speak up?

I wear earplugs all the time on the road. 10 minutes at 130 kmh is enough to start damaging your hearing.

Yesterday I left them out for racing....probably cos I only got above 130 k for about 1 second....also the SV is so quiet you can hear all the other bikes behind you, just before they scream past.

TTFN

**Coldkiwi** · 14th April 2003, 12:29

Ahhh.. another topic in my engineering field of alleged expertise (acoustics!)

Yeah, I always wear them.. the 250 makes enough din to wake the dead and destory my hearing and although the 600 is plenty quiter, the wind noise around my helmet is pretty unpleasent above 90kmhr. The noise at 250kmhr at Puke (after I lost my plugs) was pretty much unbearable!! I've never done it but it sounds a lot like i would imagine standing under a 747's engine prior to releaseing the brakes!

Anyway, its so much more enjoyable with them in

AS for difficulties putting them in, I can offer some good advice.

Prior to putting them in, roll them reasonably tightly in your (clean) fingers. Then quickly (before they expand) reach over your head with your left hand and pull the top of your right ear up (not so it hurts but so it straightens the ear canal). You will then find that your rolled up plug slides in quite easily (be sure not to push it so far it touches your inner ear.. you'll know because it feels uncomfortable). Release the top of your ear while still holding the plug in place with yourright hand until it has expanded fully (you should be able to hear sweet sod all!).

Repeat for the left ear.

Works a treat and prevents the plugs from getting knocked out when sliding your helmet over.

**Coldkiwi** · 14th April 2003, 12:33

BTW, I use ones from work (har har!) that are very good. They're soft orange bell shaped ones by Howard Leight hearing protection and have a Noise Reduction Ratio (NRR) of 33. If you're buying different brands, make sure you get one that has been properly tested and has a good rating (the higher the better).

**bluninja** · 14th April 2003, 12:36

Good advice....that's the way I put them. I do know a few people that having squeezed and rolled them they moisten them so they slide in easier......not sure I'd want to moisten them after they've been in once or twice

TTFN

**750Y** · 14th April 2003, 12:52

a big turn out from the v-twin boys.

**Kiwi** · 14th April 2003, 21:31

I personal wear custom-made earplugs. The are quick to fit, easy to clean and quite comfy. Custom-made ear protection reduces the noise up to 36 dB.

See ya

Kiwi

**Kwaka-Kid** · 14th April 2003, 22:17

Oh My God! is this thread some sorta joke? Are you trying to fool me? have i been kept in the dark about this? Do i not pay attention? so many questions, yet i cant hear the answers...

IM THE ONLY ONE THAT CLICKED NEVER! jesus crhist i thought it was a joke? IVE NEVER even HEARD of ear plugs on motorcycles? My Old man says Harden up to yall :P Mind you hes old as hell (forty somthing) and had a pet dinosaur as a kid :P. No im serious now, erm, my 250 is friggin loud, the slow plodding drone on a single cylander constantly with the throttle wide open to get anywhere... and yeah after say 5mins i get soreish ears, but i actually only notice it when i take off my helmet and stuff, same as my 750 without my washer-restricter, but my 400 with std pipe is so friggin quiet. Anyways back to the point, Earplugs? WTF? arnt helmets ment to like help that? ive honestly never even noticed! im sure on our ride to kawa kawa bay etc i noticed non of u guys with earplugs?

Jesus christ, and i got Heaps of those orange 3M earplugs @ work for when i use the compressed air to blowout intrsuments (that go in ur body when u crash) but half the time i cbf because it requires effort and they dont seem to fit my ears properly? or maybe im doing it wrong? So much for having an Education Officer. haha. anyways wow, this is going to be talk-topic of the week for me and my old man and his mates. thats just crazy. well ill wait for your replys before i go on more and more, im just so amazed.

**bluninja** · 14th April 2003, 22:32

KK, forget your engine/exhaust noise...it's the wind rushing past your helmet at high speed that does the damage

And unfaired bikes give you more trubulence and wind noise than faired bikes (or those with screens). So the real reason Harley riders ignore you when you yell Hi is that they can't hear you, as they don't wear earplugs...lmao.

BTW just like with tyres the plugs lose their effectiveness after a few years when they go all hard

TTFN

**Motu** · 14th April 2003, 22:34

Yeah,I got heapsa ear plugs too,some come in a little compact like a shelia would use,very smart.But I don't use them much,wrecked my hearing decades ago,putting them in means I just can't hear a bloody thing.With my bike at the moment I seam to get a buffeting in certain conditions that hurts my ears,then I have to stop and pull them out,less hassle to not put them in.I know,I know,I'm a dick head.

**Kwaka-Kid** · 15th April 2003, 06:24

All i can say about the wind noise is go buy a new helmet...

My old Helmet (CMS GP1) hadsome noise, but on pukekohe i dont remember that being an issue? and now ive got hte newest model (GP3) with a few extra things, tighter, smaller outsides, and i cant hear a thing, Wind noise? and i mean, these are some of the cheapest helmets around. And i have enough trouble with my new helmet hearing the bike, i couldnt hear the chain problem wearing it basically. But it doesnt matter, because all that new gear i bought, i only used for the rack and weekend rides, im too scared of scratching it so wear my old crap smacked up helmet every day to work and shoes etc

mwahaha. So i will always have a nice clean unsmaced helmet for the racetrack/weekend blats.