Thoughts on music and riding...

[James Deuce]

Never ceases to amaze me that people think that putting headphones instead of earplugs in the ear will help save their hearing. A "quiet" helmet with no earplugs at 100km/hr is already into the "OSH will kill your factory foreman if you don't wear ear protectors" level.

If you spend $400 on decent noise canceling earbuds then fine. If not, forget it. When your hearing is rooted, that's it, nothing can fix it.

[warewolf]

I found tunes useful when doing long boring miles in Aussie. NZ is too twisty; I need/want to concentrate on the ride much more here.

But the hearing damage is a real issue.

I like music in the car, because otherwise it is wasted time.

[DUCATI*HARD]

RIDING SUX WITHOUT MUSIC

[Waihou Thumper]

I found tunes useful when doing long boring miles in Aussie. NZ is too twisty; I need/want to concentrate on the ride much more here.

But the hearing damage is a real issue.

I like music in the car, because otherwise it is wasted time.

What was that? Pardon?
I say, go for it then right?

[blossomsowner]

sometimes use an mp3 player...........volume set at a level so gentle highway cruising the music is quite loud but once winding things up the music can't be heard much at all.............
would be keen on trying better earphones to see the difference.

[Waihou Thumper]

sometimes use an mp3 player...........volume set at a level so gentle highway cruising the music is quite loud but once winding things up the music can't be heard much at all.............
would be keen on trying better earphones to see the difference.

The thing is, the best ones were a fortune. I also had to get phones that stayed in the ears and I was recommended these Etymotic isolator ear phones and these are great!

[KoroJ]

I've used an MP3 for the last 2-3 years and recently tried using earplugs but hated it.

Sometimes I find myself tapping and bobbing to the music, other times I don't even notice it's on....much the same as a car. The in ear noise reducing earphones are much better though and I have it set at a comfortable normal volume setting so if the pace gets up and I can't hear it, so be it. I don't want to damage my hearing.

[NordieBoy]

If you spend $400 on decent noise canceling earbuds then fine. If not, forget it. When your hearing is rooted, that's it, nothing can fix it.

I spent $20 on some in-ear Sennheiser copies and they are almost as good as my foam ear-plugs at blocking out noise.

Some Enya or James Wilkinson whilst tootling through the trails can be great.

[pampa]

Anything above 80Db is damaging your hearing ... wind + engine is already above that ...

it's also true that once damaged hearing cannot be fixed ...

I don't think riding here is dangerous, traffic wise, road wise is very dangerous cause most of the time there is not should and there is either a cliff, or a ditch. That said music doesn't distract me when riding have more problems with scenary anyway

[Badger8]

The only time i ever really feel the desire for music is when i'm sitting on the motorway / SH1 heading straight for home at the end of a long day in the saddle. Just something to break the monotony of noise at steady revs and wind-noise in the drag to get home as straight and soon as possible. But in those odd occasions i just sing (or scream, as the case may be) to myself, and before i know it, i'm home
Wouldnt really want it for most of the roads i ride, i reckon it'd mess with my concentration. But that's just me, i get too into music when i listen to it, would end up grabbing the front brake to the beat and not realise it or something!

[warewolf]

What was that? Pardon?
I say, go for it then right?

Uh, no, you'll only make it worse. You may be taking the piss but ppl might get the wrong impression.

I'm not convinced extensive riding time is the main cause of damage to my hearing, but it has to have contributed. Basically I didn't consider using earplugs until after my hearing was a problem. My hearing is about 20% down on normal and it's enough that at pubs/restaurants I can only talk with ppl next to or directly opposite me - that's if they face me while they talk, and it's not too noisy. It's a big PITA.

[young1]

I have never tried it. Why?
1) I am worried about the effect on my hearing. I tried my IPOD once under my ear muffs on my ride on lawn mower, it was fantastic! However when I turned the mower off I realised how loud the music had been.

2) I am not the best rider in the world so do not want anything else to break my concentration.

3) And with music I wouldn't be able to hear that awesome popping sound that comes out of the exhaust when I downshift (and please no one tell me that that is an expensive noise!)

[NordieBoy]

I wouldn't be able to hear that awesome popping sound that comes out of the exhaust when I downshift (and please no one tell me that that is an expensive noise!)

Is it your exhaust or the knuckles on your clutch hand?

Arthritis can be expensive.

[Highlander]

I got some of the "Wired" ear plugs from Plugz 4 Lugz ( http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/member.php?u=8783 ) and they are fantastic.
I have my iPod turned down quite low and can still hear it clear. My bike is reasonably quiet, and it is quite normal to hear the bike infront / behind me if riding in town (open road I strech out my following disatance and cant ussually hear them).
A couple of times during trips the iPod battery has gone flat I have just had the Plugs as ear plugs, and they are better than the foam roll up jobbies just for blocking wind noise.

I was a bit cautious about spending the money, but the Plugz 4 Lugz are great, no regrets.

I voted for the "Gotta be cool" option, but not sure about the rest of the statement.

[fireball]

music when riding is important for me, it helps me concentrate with an over active mind like mine anything that catches my eye would land me in a ditch, music helps with the focusing on what i need to as the crazy part of my brain is already working on something else.