ear protection

[FzerozeroT]

I use some super soft ones fluro yellow ones with a big flange on the back from protector saftey, I tried about 10 pairs of different ones and these kick ass. especialy for 60cents a pair.

[toads]

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.&nbsp

hmmm, well speaking as someone nearly 50% deaf already I value what I have left of it!, I'm gonna use the ear plugs! I know a couple of totally deaf people and they have quite an isolated life, your Dad is old enough to know better, I hope his dinosaur is well LOL!!

[Devil]

I have a pair of Cabot ER20 HiFi Ear Plugs. Prob cost me $45-$50 a year and a half or so ago. Havent used them on the bike yet though.

[sparrow_34]

I use those rubber yellow ones too, and found that by cutting off part of the rubber tit that sticks out of your ear they are much more comfortable, and don't snag on the inside of the helmet and feel like there poking into your brain.

[Coldkiwi]

if anyone thinks new helmets are mousey quiet, try riding with ear plugs in and then go for a good fang. BIG difference and helps with fatigue too. Helmets can only do so much with aerodynamics because they are limited on their aspect ratio (width to length...longer=more streamlined=quieter) to part the wind. And no one is going to build a heavier helmet to deaden the noise because it tires the head too much (I for one have a sore enough neck as it is!).
ear plugs are a simple and darn cheap solution and really very convienient once you get used to putting them in right. I've never had plastic custom ones but the foam jobbies work very nicely for me and don't dig into my ears

like has been said before... if you don't wear them on the open road- you should!

[Devil]

if anyone thinks new helmets are mousey quiet, try riding with ear plugs in and then go for a good fang. BIG difference and helps with fatigue too. Helmets can only do so much with aerodynamics because they are limited on their aspect ratio (width to length...longer=more streamlined=quieter) to part the wind. And no one is going to build a heavier helmet to deaden the noise because it tires the head too much (I for one have a sore enough neck as it is!).
ear plugs are a simple and darn cheap solution and really very convienient once you get used to putting them in right. I've never had plastic custom ones but the foam jobbies work very nicely for me and don't dig into my ears

like has been said before... if you don't wear them on the open road- you should!

Im just an L plate noob, and ive been pretty good with my 70km/h limit, but ill try wearing mine when I ride next. I have the plugs I posted above due to spending time playing in metal bands, they are bloody excellent. All they do is lower volume, but dont affect tone. I can hear people talking perfectly fine in them, nothing muffled, but cuts out shitty noises.

Im naturally a little hesitant about riding with earplugs, because I dont want to affect my senses in regard to other vehicles n stuff in close proximity! But ill get used to it I guess.

[FzerozeroT]

I found that most of my helmet noise comes from underneath (i.e. the big hole that you stick your head into! ) and my neck warmer cuts down quite a bit on noise. Still use plugs though cause 2T's are LOUD

[FzerozeroT]

sorry scratch that loud for TINNY

[XRNR]

Same
but I got mine from protector saftey not only use them on a trip but during the day when I'm tring to sleep after a night shift. they work very well in both situations.

Snap.
I have had to use these things for work or sleeping, as well as riding. After several hours of them being in, my ears get too sore.
So I went to an audiologist and got some made for for my own ears for about $50.

[vifferman]

I found that most of my helmet noise comes from underneath (i.e. the big hole that you stick your head into! ) and my neck warmer cuts down quite a bit on noise. Still use plugs though cause 2T's are LOUD

Reading all this stuff about quiet versus noisy helmets, I must throw my 2c worth in. I too have found that most of the wind noise comes not from airflow around/through the helmet itself, but from other things. My AGV helmet is quieter on the Firestorm than it was on the VFR, because the bike's screen is lower, so the airflow is directed more at my upper chest than at myshoulders/head as it was on the VFR. Still, most of the wind noise comes from the collar of my jacket and the airflow around the bottom of the helmet. By using your hand to deflect air, you can test this for yourself. The vents are very streamlined and seem to make little discernible difference to how noisy the helmet is.

I use earplugs whenever I travel on the open road for more than a few minutes, as I suffered from tinnitus (ringing in the ears) for ages after riding long distance on my VF500 a few years ago. This resulted solely from wind noise, not engine noise, exhaust noise, or whatever. Incidentally, I found that the plastic bead around the edge of the VF's screen made the airflow from it much more turbulent, and therefore created more wind noise and helmet buffeting. So I took it off, and put it back on again only when I sold the bike.

Yes, the earplugs do make it hard to hear some things, but to stretch that argument to its ridiculous conclusion, you could wear one of those "shorty" helmets so you could hear *everything*. I don't want to hear THAT much. Ever tried riding your bike near home, with NO helmet? Man, it's awful hearing all those clattering, clicking, rattling noises. Sounds like it's about to blow up!!

Arguments for not wearing earplugs are, in my opinion, totally spurious. Yes, it's a bit weird the first time you use them, and Yes, some plugs hurt your ears. Try various brands until you find some that work for you. There are even some that have holes so they cut out only the harmful frequencies, and some that enable you to wear stereo earbuds on long trips, while being protected from hearing loss.

Anyway, they're your ears, do what you want with them, but don't bitch to us when you're deaf.

[k14]

Totally agree. I reckon everyone should wear them. Cause in 40 or so years time it will be ACC paying the $4000 bill for you to get hearing aides. I always wear them if i am going for a ride. Got a decent supply from work that should last me atleast till the end of the year. Most ear plugs filter all the high frequencies like buffeting etc that are the most harmful to your hearing. You will be very surprised how quite it is with them in. You can still hear your bike aswell, probably better than without them.

[pete376403]

ACC doesn't pay for hearing aids or anything else unless you can PROVE that your hearing loss is the result of an accident - work related loss (ie noisy environment) doesn't count. I've been deaf for over 40 years and ACC has never contributed 1 cent.
(Currently trying to grub up the $40,000 needed for 1 cochlear implant)

[Coldkiwi]

I think people worry too much about not being able to hear warning sounds etc with ear plugs in. How much sound do you think you can hear in your car with the windows up?? quite a bit less than if you have just your helmet on and are outside so the relative difference with ear plugs added would be less than you think.

even though I have plugs in at all times, I seem to notice emergency vehicles approaching long before the cagers do.

anyway, the foam plugs generally drop all the frequencies by the same amount so the overall environment is quieter (except maybe on thumpy v-twins with loud bass-OONST! ) and your ears respond accordingly.
besides, when was the last one anyone got knocked off their bike by an ambulance or fire engine?! (they're some of the best drivers around)

[k14]

I reckon i can hear other noises better with ear plugs in.

Example, i have my radar on my bike. I can sometimes hear it doing around 100kph without earplugs. I can always hear it with ear plugs in and i don't need to try hard to listen for it. I mount my radar on my screen and just have the speaker turned up loud.

But thats just my opinion, but I will always wear earplugs. Doesn't worry me I mightn't hear something.

[k14]

ACC doesn't pay for hearing aids or anything else unless you can PROVE that your hearing loss is the result of an accident - work related loss (ie noisy environment) doesn't count. I've been deaf for over 40 years and ACC has never contributed 1 cent.
(Currently trying to grub up the $40,000 needed for 1 cochlear implant)

Ok, my bad. I'll rephrase what I said then.

In 40 or so years time YOU will be paying the $4000 or so to get hearing aides, or if it is really bad you will have to get a cochlear implant.