Hearing protection

[PuCaudata]

Do any of you wear hearing protection while wearing your helmet? I'm thinking maybe just earplugs slightly inserted into your ears to cut down on the wind noise.

I wear an Arai Quantum II helmet and the wind noise above about 60 mph is pretty loud. Any suggestions, solutions, or insights?

[mello dude]

Do any of you wear hearing protection while wearing your helmet? I'm thinking maybe just earplugs slightly inserted into your ears to cut down on the wind noise.

I wear an Arai Quantum II helmet and the wind noise above about 60 mph is pretty loud. Any suggestions, solutions, or insights?

I have been wearing foam earplugs for a lot of years now. There is of course less wind noise, but the bigger benifits are less fatique over time - less fatique equals more focus, and a better general ability to consentrate from the reduce wind roar. - I have got so I wont ride with out them.

The Hearos - Super Soft Series, foam ear plug are highly recommended. I recently found out that even the BMW rider group recommends them too.

BTW - my helmet is a current Shoei RF - 1000.

Good luck,

MD

[desertman62]

I'd strongly suggest to always wear earplugs. Like you said, the wind noise is pretty loud; in fact, it will eventually contribute to long term hearing loss. I occasionally will lose a set at work or when going to the store (I usually stuff them into my helmet along with the gloves) and riding at low speeds I'll be reminded just how nice the bike sounds, but then as I pick up speed that wind noise just drowns out the bike anyway.

Just my two-cent's worth. Do yourself a favor and wear them.

[PuCaudata]

Thanks a bunch for the insights, guys. I work in an environment where the ambient noise is barely above conversational volume, but is known to contribute to long-term hearing loss.

I just wanted to see what you guys had to say about it since some might have seen it as a safety issue (i.e. hearing horns, hearing sirens, hearing phone numbers as women scream them at you ). Thanks again.

[RVFR]

Yes on those longer than 50 mile rides, not if I'm just going to the PO

[KC-10 FE]

http://www.probuy.net/products/NEON.html

$20 for a box of 200? Sounds like a pretty reasonable price to protect your hearing. I'm lucky, I get them for free from the USAF.

KC-10 FE out...

[PuCaudata]

AAhhh!! Fraud, waste, and abuse!!

By the way...I'M KIDDING.

[Lgn001]

I like the EAR Classics. After I read an article about wind noise causing irreparable hearing damage in as little as 20 minutes, I use them most of the time.

[MarkBartels]

Unless it is a trip to work or to my buddies I always wear earplugs to protect my hearing and it really does help with fatigue.

[Tori]

Along with the foam ear plugs, i have also added one of these to my helmet.
http://a763.g.akamai.net/7/763/1644/...img002/img.jpg

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/NOJ-Q...spagenameZWD1V

These really help cut out wind noise. Im currently using my spare helmet that does not have it, and i miss it ....noticeably.

[PuCaudata]

Along with the foam ear plugs, i have also added one of these to my helmet.
http://a763.g.akamai.net/7/763/1644/...img002/img.jpg

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/NOJ-Q...spagenameZWD1V

These really help cut out wind noise. Im currently using my spare helmet that does not have it, and i miss it ....noticeably.

How hard was it to install?

[Tori]

Depends on the helmet. Take a look at how the foam attaches to the body of the helmet. They are made with a stiff lip that is supposed to just tuck up inbetween the foam and the helmet.

My AGV doesn't have a removable liner or pads, so the pads are glued directly to the body of the helmet, but i having one in my helmet is a must have, so i spent an hour one nite on the couch with a razor blade and glue. Carefully separating the pads from the helmet, fitting in the wind deflector, and re-gluing. That was years ago... still working beautifully.

[RedRover5683]

I wear 20-25 db earplugs which are available at Home Depot, Lowes, etc. (I have an Autocom headset intalled in my helmet, so I need to stay with earplugs in the 20-25 db range in order to better hear the Autocom in-helmet speakers.)

That said, so far I've found the Shoei TZR (full-face) helmet to be the most quiet sport-touring helmet (wearing earplugs, of course). I believe that this particular helmet is more quiet than most because it has only a chin vent and a top-front vent. It has no rear wind vents. The absence of a rear vent (when compared with a Shoei X-11, the Nolan N102, etc.) greatly reduces airflow through the helmet, and this in turn results in a much more quiet helmet in terms of wind noise. The downside to the Shoei TZR's reduced number of vents is that it doesn't keep one's head as cool as more vented helmets. During the worst summer heat, the TZR will feel hotter than more vented helmets. Thus, it's a trade-off between more quietness on the one hand, vs. more airflow and more cooling on the other hand.

Modular, flip-face helmets such as the Nolan N102 are very convenient, but their modular design (as compared to many full-face helmets) intoduces many more seams which high-pressure air will find and pass through. Modular helmets tend to be very noisy. (Modular helmets have also been associated with a higher incidence of lateral jaw, lateral head, and eye-orbit or "orbital blowout" fractures when compared to high quality full-face helmets.)

[skidvicious]

Hey, I've been an advocate of wearing hearing protection for a long time while riding the bike. I have had the soft foam earplugs (found them in a chemist/drug store) for awhile but recently got these:

http://www.earmold.com.au/content/view/25/39/

The silicon based material is mixed with a hardening agent that leaves the final product flexible but quite firm. When I had mine made it meant having a small foam plug attached to a thread inserted into each ear canal.

The guy then slowly injected the silicon with most of it being formed around the inner part of the outer ear for a snug fit. When it hardened enough everything came out (he used some stuff to stop it sticking to my skin) it was a perfect mould of part of the ear canal and inner ear area.

Inserting them is a bit of a talent, sort of a push/corkscrew movement but once in they seal noise pretty well. The other reason I got them was that I could later have them modified to take the tube/headphone set up for connecting to a MP3 player as shown in the link.

Maybe you guys have someone on your side of the pond who does something similar? - I think its worth checking out but its definitely not as cheap as the earplug option (which I still use occassionaly for around town).

Catcha!

[goinphaster]

AAhhh!! Fraud, waste, and abuse!!

By the way...I'M KIDDING.

It's not fraud waste and abuse when the military REQUIRES you to protect your hearing- even while off duty. I know you were joking, but I had to comment . I get tested once a year since I work on jets and when I told the tester that I rode motorcycles I was immediately barraged with info on decibel levels while riding motorcycles and nearly suffocated with different kinds of earplugs. Now I just get a new box from supply when I run out, and often as I ride it still lasts a year or two. Any crap that anyone spouts about not being able to hear while riding with plugs in needs to have their hearing checked because then they already have a problem. Everyone on the flight deck on aircraft carriers hear noises just fine with plugs and ear muffs and even carry on conversations.

wear plugs while riding. once your ears are damaged they are gone.

I SAID: ONCE YOUR EARS ARE DAMAGED THEY ARE GONE!

[PuCaudata]

I went for a ride today and wore earplugs for the first time. I will say I was surprised at how easy it was to hear the motor and traffic. I will definitely go rob our supply clerk for a box now. I'll do it with the helmet and mirrored face shield on...that way he can't identify me

[v4pwr]

funny you bring this up. i just read an article in the april edition of sport rider magazine about the long term effects of the wind noise decibles. i never really thought about it before, but im convinced to stat wearing ear plugs from now on

[Spike]

it is weird though, having worn them for years

when you first start out, they don't seem to really make much difference
but after you wear them for a while, when you forget one time to put them on, whoah, you really notice how loud the noise suddenly seems

[Nungboy]

Yup, being a musician (as a hobby) I love my ears. I always wear plugs when riding, when vacuuming, blowing leaves, etc. I even take them to concerts and some movies. Keep a set with you and you'll be happy. As Salamander points out, you can still hear horns, Harleys and hecklers just fine...just less of it.