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Earplugs and Helmets

I use these:

http://www.earplugstore.com/almonasomoea.html


They're pricey, but fit very comfortably in the ear and don't give you that "blocked / muffled ear" feeling that foam plugs do. You can hear traffic and cars around you while riding, and people talking when stopped, but it cuts everything down to a reasonable level.
 
Bondage said:
Wait, how are you supposed to hear your RPMs when you have earplugs in? I don't like looking at the tach, it distracts me.
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Are you serious? I use the same plugs as Revnort - also on the recommendation of a fellow Barfian - and I can hear the revs on my R1200R with stock exhaust just fine. The don't put you in a cone of silence.
 
I'm interested in the subject.

Can someone with custom earplugs comment on comfort and fit? Are they worth it?

Also, how do people prevent misplacement issues? I also seem to forget we're I place my keys. It would suck to misplace my $100 ear plugs.
 
Two things; I bought the Qwest because of the Webbikeworld review and it's alright, but not the game changer that they say it is. Also the venting is kind of sucky. I strongly suggest that you buy the best fitting helmet you can find. Second, once you find the earplugs brand/model you like get on ebay or amazon and buy a bulk pack of a 100 or more sets. It is a lot cheaper. I got a bag of earplugs, oh..... over ten years ago and I haven't run out yet.
 
DIY said:
Two things; I bought the Qwest because of the Webbikeworld review and it's alright, but not the game changer that they say it is. Also the venting is kind of sucky. I strongly suggest that you buy the best fitting helmet you can find. Second, once you find the earplugs brand/model you like get on ebay or amazon and buy a bulk pack of a 100 or more sets. It is a lot cheaper. I got a bag of earplugs, oh..... over ten years ago and I haven't run out yet.
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I also have a Qwest. Not that quiet, but as many have said on here time and time again, it's not just the helmet but your height, windscreen (or lack of), fairings, tankbag, blah blah blah.
 
monkeyneck said:
Are you serious? I use the same plugs as Revnort - also on the recommendation of a fellow Barfian - and I can hear the revs on my R1200R with stock exhaust just fine. The don't put you in a cone of silence.
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Actually I would go so far as to say I can hear my bike better. It cuts out on the wind noise and not the bike sounds. It takes a few times to get used to it, but after that You'll understand.
 
airrix said:
I'm interested in the subject.

Can someone with custom earplugs comment on comfort and fit? Are they worth it?
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I was considering getting custom plugs, but then I found several older threads here where there seemed to be a lot of people who had gone back to disposables due to better noise reduction. I may have to get custom plugs eventually anyway, because the others just don't stay put in my ears for some reason.
 
airrix said:
Also, how do people prevent misplacement issues? I also seem to forget we're I place my keys. It would suck to misplace my $100 ear plugs.
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Front left pocket of my jacket every time I take them out. Unless I am on a ride, I sometimes leave them on my handlebar (corded).

I have my original set and two backup sets, but I haven't lost them yet.

I can't help you if you are prone to misplacing things though. :laughing
 
airrix said:
I'm interested in the subject.

Can someone with custom earplugs comment on comfort and fit? Are they worth it?

Also, how do people prevent misplacement issues? I also seem to forget we're I place my keys. It would suck to misplace my $100 ear plugs.
Click to expand...

I use to buy middle/high end watches and would break/lose them all the time. I started buying Timex's and never broke or lost one of them. :wtf
You can buy cheap ear plugs at most MC places that come in individually wrapped packets and you can just stash a few in your kit or bags or where ever, and never worry about either losing them or not having them. I have packs of ear plugs every where on both my bikes and in my gear. You can shove a packet into your helmet lining and you probably won't notice it, but then you may not remember that they're in there.
 
revnort said:
Actually I would go so far as to say I can hear my bike better. It cuts out on the wind noise and not the bike sounds. It takes a few times to get used to it, but after that You'll understand.
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Word. I listen to music via my Sena when I'm not in traffic areas, and I can barely hear the tunes if I forgot my plugs. Plugs in, no worries - can actually hear the music and it sounds sort of ok. :thumbup
 
Kenister said:
I was reading webbikeworld and they stressed the fact that earplugs are mandatory if you want to keep your hearing later on in life. ...
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If you are riding CBR250R (as per your profile) you don't need earplugs at all. The engine is really quiet in comparison with other bikes. I really felt it when I changed from CBR250R to CBR600RR. I never weared earplugs with 250, but I cannot ride without them on 600. Once I did - I was "sick" for rest of the day, lost a lot of hearing ability. Not completely of course, but it felt really bad.
 
i am only 51 now but for some years i just can not get away from the ringing in my ears...no mater how fast i ride.

ANY activity were you are exposed to loud noise sharp sounds. you should have plugs on. sad i was not told about this 30 years back.

and this was just the payment for driving a commercial truck for some decades.


PROTECT your hearing while you can some plugs are better than others. get the custom made ones.

from:

soon to be deaf. but at least the ringing will be gone...i pray.


.
 
Guy by the name of David Hough (currently in the AMA hall of fame) is the one who has done the most research on this topic for motos. Department of Agriculture (believe it or not) are actually the ones that have done the studies on this.

This is what I recall on the topic

No helmet is safe from the effects of wind noise on hearing.

Even no helmet effects the hearing

So wear ear plugs whenever you ride no matter what kind of helmet you are wearing or not wearing.

What was said about when to wear, over 40 mph for over 20 minutes. I simply wear them all of the time. Apparently the bad noise is a low frequency wind noise that is always present when traveling at 40.

Had custom fit molded earplugs... they wore out. And some of my helmets would pop one of the plugs out when I took it off so I spent more time than I wanted to searching for that expensive little bastard that would bounce all over the place when it fell.

I have been wearing the 32Db disposable for years now. Just started buying the CVC brand, something like $4 for 10 pair. I usually wear a pair for about 4 days of commute, so 8 times. If they get really dirty I will throw them out sooner.

I can't ride without hearing protection anymore... too uncomfortable and I can hear the things going on around me just fine.

This is what I have read.
 
Just to repeat something... based on the info from Hough, the hearing loss is associated with the wind noise due to motion through the air....

Type of helmet or motorcycle is not the cause... they are also starting to find left ear hearing loss in people who drive cars with the windows down all of the time....

The problem is sustain exposure (more that 20 Minutes) to the wind blowing by your ears at about 40 mph.
 
Wear ear plugs. Cheap foam ones are as effective as anything else. A good helmet is not a substitute. Nor is a quiet bike. You only get one set of ears; you may as well protect them...
 
p4i1 said:
If you are riding CBR250R (as per your profile) you don't need earplugs at all. The engine is really quiet in comparison with other bikes. I really felt it when I changed from CBR250R to CBR600RR. I never weared earplugs with 250, but I cannot ride without them on 600. Once I did - I was "sick" for rest of the day, lost a lot of hearing ability. Not completely of course, but it felt really bad.
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no offense, but you have no idea what you're talking about (look at that. I didn't even use the word 'fuck' once).
the wind noise is what damages hearing, not the engine's fucking displacement. commuting on ANY motorcycle is damaging to your hearing. since it doesn't make you deaf the fourth time you ride, few riders seem to heed warnings.

OP, it sounds like you're set on the type (and even brand) you're getting. I personally use generic ear plugs. regular ol' foam ear plugs. brand doesn't matter to me. I buy a box every now and again, and keep handfuls in my jackets, in my moto bags, in my backpack..hell, I even have a bunch in my car for when I sleep at a noisy hotel, or camping.
 
p4i1 said:
If you are riding CBR250R (as per your profile) you don't need earplugs at all. The engine is really quiet in comparison with other bikes. I really felt it when I changed from CBR250R to CBR600RR. I never weared earplugs with 250, but I cannot ride without them on 600. Once I did - I was "sick" for rest of the day, lost a lot of hearing ability. Not completely of course, but it felt really bad.
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What does the type of motorcycle he rides have to do with the noise of the wind rushing past/in/around his helmet?
 
Just recently started using earplugs, and I will never go without them again. I use them anytime I play on riding over 35mph. Sometimes I stay on city roads where there is no wind buffeting so I don't bother.
 
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