Screens and helmet noise?

[nadroj]

Must have been riding a Hardley....

[Maha]

I'm looking at wearing ear plugs for longer open road rides but am curious as to why you don't wear them Maha.

I wear ear muffs all my working day, I am very concious of the damage noise can do to your hearing. Its a personal choice not use ear plugs when I am riding. Theres fuck all noise to be concerned about to be honest (for me anyway)
Wind nosie is what ear plugs keep out...I get bugger all wind noise.

[slofox]

I wear ear muffs all my working day, I am very concious of the damage noise can do to your hearing. Its a personal choice not use ear plugs when I am riding. Theres fuck all noise to be concerned about to be honest (for me anyway)
Wind nosie is what ear plugs keep out...I get bugger all wind noise.

What's with this NOSIE bit, huh? I thought I was the only one who did that stuff...

Interestingly enough, I find el cheapo foam plugs better at reducing wind noise than were my expensive custom moulded earplugs. The foams seem to take out the particular wind frequencies better than the pre-moulded ones did.

The custom plugs had greater overall attenuation, but the foams are better at wind noise. Weird.

The foams also are better at allowing me to hear a) cellphone or b) GPS or c) radar detector. Oh, and did I mention that they are cheaper?

[Maha]

.....some can listen to mp3 players and iPods etc while they are riding, I have had not inclination to do that either..
The voices in my head say otherwise...
Solitude is where I am at inside my helmet...me and my thoughts.
And those thought include ...whats for lunch?

[Zedder]

I wear ear muffs all my working day, I am very concious of the damage noise can do to your hearing. Its a personal choice not use ear plugs when I am riding. Theres fuck all noise to be concerned about to be honest (for me anyway)
Wind nosie is what ear plugs keep out...I get bugger all wind noise.

Thanks. I take it then that you've reduced the wind noise by adjusting the screen as per your earlier post suggestion and it's not a particular helmet brand that makes it less noisy.

[Maha]

Thanks. I take it then that you've reduced the wind noise by adjusting the screen as per your earlier post suggestion and it's not a particular helmet brand that makes it less noisy.

I always wear a make shift neck warmer (keeps what noise level there is to a minimum)
...add to that the new helmet and there you have it.
But yes, by adjusting the screen (forward) it deflects the wind away from the helmet area, still get a bit but thats because I am not in a car, cant get completely away from it on a Nekid...
Ultimately, I am just that concerned and I dont like wearing ear plugs...

[Zedder]

I always wear a make shift neck warmer (keeps what noise level there is to a minimum)
...add to that the new helmet and there you have it.
But yes, by adjusting the screen (forward) it deflects the wind away from the helmet area, still get a bit but thats because I am not in a car, cant get completely away from it on a Nekid...
Ultimately, I am just that concerned and I dont like wearing ear plugs...

Fair enough.

[sinned]

Well ive tried putting my feet on the pillion pegs and laying on the tank. Not sure if it was quieter but is was faster....

Standing up on the pegs is a quick and easy test of how much noise is from the screen. It also is a more accurate way of assessing the noise from the screen than removing it as it is difficult to remember how noisy it was in your last ride. This test works unless you ride a cruiser and cannot stand up on the pegs or have a really large high screen.

Ear plugs are a must for me, and these are the best by far: http://www.earplugsonline.com/

[gwigs]

I have an electric powered windscreen that can be raised or lowered by 100mm.
I usually have it down but you can notice the change in wind turbulence around the helmet when you adjust it.When its fully up its very noisey till you get over 140k(or so I,m told,I mean its against the law and dangerous to do that kind of speed or so I,m told)then it quietens right down.

[crystalball]

I brought a pair of windjammer 2 helmet silencer's for my helmet and my daughters to make the wind noise on the highway less noisier ( wont use in summer tho to hot probaly ). We can hear each other on the intercoms much easier now even tho still get bad windnoise sometimes (mainly side on wind ) when we are on the highway. When I ride alone listen to my music via bluetooth on it, I love riding to music and still can hear the bike eaisaly. But yes I have a givi screen and I also am gona take it off and see if there is any difference, Also getting caberg helmet this week so that be interesting to see if any change as well. "Earplugs thats for... lol

[nzspokes]

Well this morning I went out with the screen right back, and it was better for noise and buffeting. At lunch time I went to NZ safety and got some grade 5 plugs. Tonight I took the screen right off and fitted the plugs as per the 3M vid. Noise was a lot better, think that due to the plugs being in properly. Buffeting was better apart from at 100k which felt like I was being pushed off the bike backwards.

So I think the screen will go back on but al its lowest setting. Also will be looking for some lower bars as my bike is very upright. Think that will help as well.

And to finish off im in the market for a jacket. Probably a leather one that will again help as my textile one is a bit big and flaps around heaps.

[nadroj]

My experience is that you either need the airflow over the front to be hitting you in the chest up (nipple height) to have the helmet in undisturbed air or the screen needs to deflect the airflow just over your helmet as anything in between "unbalances" the helmet characteristics causing disturbed airflow and noise.
This is based on adjusting my lean and height on the Busa and with an electrically adjustable screen on the ST. Further adjustments are required if a pillion is on board and speed comes into play for the airflow to pass over them also. The width of the screen can also have an effect as I found after swapping back to stock clear from the wider tinted screen.

[awa355]

I ride a cruiser with a windscreen fitted. Definitely less windnoise without the screen, ( same helmet). but more wind blast on the chest, more bugs on the visor.

My other helmet, ( old, cheap ) is far quieter , more so than my $700. helmet. No turbulence to speak of with either, but wind noise differences are noticeble.

Both helmets are quieter with the visors 3/4 up.

Quietest yet, is my open face with a fixed peak and drop down visor.

[Hitcher]

As a rider who has probably ridden over 120,000km behind screens, I can say that they are greatly overrated pieces of kit. Your helmet will never be quieter to wear than it is on a naked bike. That's the only place it will consistently do what its manufacturer designed its aerodynamics to offer.

Behind a screen there is always wind chop and buffet going on. Electrically adjustable screens can tune out a bit of that noise. Adding a pillion or a mounted backpack or topbox further compounds what's happening behind the screen.