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Ear protection

I wear earbuds 99.99% of the time. They account for about 15dB of passive noise attenuation, plus I can listen to my audiobooks while I ride.
...
So you attenuate the natural sounds all around you and replace it with recorded noise pumped straight into your ear drum, that never seemed right to me. I'm not starved for entertainment, when I ride I want to experience the whole riding thing.
 
Can't stand anything jammed into my ears and my helmets do a pretty good job of keeping sound tolerable. My hearing is not something I want to impair when I'm riding a motorcycle there are too many important sounds to hear, not hearing them would make things more problematic or potentially dangerous imho. I rarely even have a radio on when I drive my truck, I'd rather hear everything going on around me so statistically I don't exist.

Really love people who install intentionally loud pipes on their motorcycle and then wear ear plugs to dampen the racket <- don't be that guy.

you can hear all the sounds you need to hear with ear plugs in, what you don't hear is the wind noise that reduces fatigue and is actually safer
I've switched over to the custom fit ones a few years ago and will not go back to the regular foam ones
 
I use Hearos Xtreme. They claim to have 33 NRR rating and I can tell the difference between others
 
....My helmet covers my ears that I find it helps block enough out, but still lets me hear things around me. I find the road noise from cars etc is helpful to know what is going on around me, and if some jerk is racing up next to me.

Thought similar decades ago, then started wearing them for long rides. Found it better than just the helmet, so wear them all the time riding now. I can hear everything around me of consequence. 'cept ppl talking at you, and that's not a big deal.
 
I have tinnitus that I really don't want to get any worse. Disposable foam plugs for short rides.
Bose active noise cancelling for longer rides. They're expensive, hut turning them on is like turning the volume down on everything. I can still hear traffic, sirens, etc; possibly even better without the wind noise.
The down side is having to recharge the battery, and an occasional 'popping' sound from the earbuds from wind buffeting; usually when I'm behind a large truck

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I have tinnitus ...

I had that real bad for a while, I tried altering my diet and it seemed to work :| might have been all the Pomegranate I was eating.
 
My hearing is not something I want to impair when I'm riding a motorcycle there are too many important sounds to hear, not hearing them would make things more problematic or potentially dangerous imho.

You impair your hearing AND damage it just riding a motorcycle above 90 kph.
The wind noise is 90-100 db and your ears affectly shut down to protect your hearing.

Ear plugs attenuate sound - they do not block sound. You can still hear what is going on around you.....just at a safe level
You are far off base on this and putting your hearing at risk.

Riders risk 'permanent hearing damage ... | Visordown
www.visordown.com/motorcycle.../riders-risk-‘permanent-hearing-damage-after-just-...
Feb 21, 2018 - Motorcyclists who regularly ride at motorway speeds without earplugs are at risk of Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL), which can occur when exposed to long or repeated sounds 85dB or above. Prolonged exposure could result in tinnitus, a form of permanent ringing in the ears.

Protect Your Hearing When Riding Motorcycles | Cycle World
https://www.cycleworld.com/prevent-hearing-damage-when-riding-your-motorcycle-r...
Nov 23, 2016 - Did you know that long-term noise exposure inherent in riding motorcycles can contribute to permanent hearing loss?

Between -30 to -33 dB attenuation gives a quiet ride at any speeds.
Good earphones ( not earbuds ) with the correct tips give 23-26 db attenuation.

Box of these ( 200 pair individual wrapped )

-Howard-Leight-Max-Earplugs.jpg


https://www.amazon.com/Howard-Leigh...1&sr=1-4&keywords=ear+plugs+Howard+Leight+200

Last me years as I re-use them.
I also use them when I want a really deep sleep

SENA sets can also be used with earplugs in.

They are maximum attenuation - they have a few levels.

For Earphones Shure SE215 fit well under a helmet due to design
s-l300.jpg

and are durable. I'd take the -37 db attenuation claim with a grain of salt but they are very good and the design lends itself to motorcycling with replaceable cables.
 
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Hmm. I don't eat much pomegranate. I think it's from not using hearing protection with power tools when I was younger
for me it would be chainsaws, early snowmobiles with ratty exhausts and 1970's 2-strokes with full chambers, you know when your ears hurt from loud that's not a good thing so hurt loud would include several Toronto subway stations, closing time at the zoo plus every rock concert or live band pub I ever attended.
:D isn't life grand if you don't go deaf blind and crippled first!
... I just finished moving 4 tons of huge rocks by hand and my wife says they are all in the wrong place :laughing1:
 
It seems quite common to ride with ear plugs?

My helmet covers my ears that I find it helps block enough out, but still lets me hear things around me. I find the road noise from cars etc is helpful to know what is going on around me, and if some jerk is racing up next to me.

they make ear plugs for Harley dudes too :)

joking...

a lot depends on your windshield
if you have one and the shape/size
your roadspeed
and how quiet your helmet is

I've been plugging my ears on rides for awhile
changed bikes a few years ago
installed a large, adjustable touring screen
and just recently bought a much quieter helmet

around town I don't need them if speeds are <80
for longer days, still wear them out of habit
but will usually take a break from them mid day for an hour or so

http://[img]https://i.imgur.com/Cizryyy.jpg[/img]
 
I can’t believe anybody rides without earplugs no matter how quiet your helmet is, and I don’t buy the argument that they block out too much – anybody who says this has probably never actually ridden with them. The one in only thing that they block out that bothers me is conversation with another rider at a stoplight or intersection. For all the other benefits including just a more relaxing ride in general, I’ll take that as a worthy gripe.
 
I can’t believe anybody rides without earplugs no matter how quiet your helmet is, and I don’t buy the argument that they block out too much – anybody who says this has probably never actually ridden with them. The one in only thing that they block out that bothers me is conversation with another rider at a stoplight or intersection. For all the other benefits including just a more relaxing ride in general, I’ll take that as a worthy gripe.

I agree 100%. I wear the foam disposable ones all the time. I keep a handful in a ziplock bag in one of my panniers that I give to friends on trips and keep some in a small storage compartment on my tank for myself... along with toll cash if needed. I listen to music through my helmet as well and have no issues with sound, if anything it is better as there is no wind noise, or most of it is gone anyways. I ride with my visor up most of the time. Ear plugs are cheap and the benefit is great, no reason to not wear them when riding.
 
they make ear plugs for Harley dudes too :)

joking...

a lot depends on your windshield
if you have one and the shape/size
your roadspeed
and how quiet your helmet is

All good.

I do have a windshield, maybe that is helping me, and not one of those tiny one's either.

I think I may just pick up a pair of plugs and test it out (non tassels). Better safe then sorry.
 
All good.

I do have a windshield, maybe that is helping me, and not one of those tiny one's either.

I think I may just pick up a pair of plugs and test it out (non tassels). Better safe then sorry.

screens are funny
I went through 3 of them on my last bike trying to reduce the head buffeting/noise
none of them reduced it to the point I could ride without ear plugs
the mid size one was the worse than the little (stock) one
no screen at all was quieter than than the stock one
ended up with a silly-large Cee Bailey screen that reduced the blast to a tolerable level

new bike with stock screen was fine for noise
but almost no weather protection
it's a balance to find the protection level vs noise
 
I am on my second pair of molded ear plugs and couldn't be happier. First pair lasted about 7yrs. Worth every penny. They are the quietest and most comfortable ear plugs I've ever owned.
 
I normally use ear plugs, I've tried a bunch of foam ones from different brands and worked in construction. Best ones I've used are the 3M Tekk ones, so soft and never even notice them, block just the right amount of sound too. I have a Shoei RF-1200, its fairly quiet, but wind gets fatiguing quick.

3M Tekk Plugs
 
I use Surefire EP4. It works wonders for cutting down on wind noise but doesn't interfere with my packtalk or general road awareness. Super comfy so I constantly forget I have them in when I'm off the bike and no problems hearing conversation with them in.
 
but wind gets fatiguing quick.

That's another important aspect - you are much more relaxed without the noise fatigue, you are more alert and can ride longer.

Pilots are particularly focused on this aspect and areas like tank crew have very high attentuation to be able to function properly especially over time.

Doing errands around town under 80 kph is one thing without ear protection....anything above that ...not so good.

One tip ...there is a resonance cavity in most helmets designed to accommodate SENA etc. It can really magnify the noise.
I solved mine ( 2 days on the prairies at 140+ I was motivated ) by packing 5-6 foam earplugs into each side. ( I used the packaging for one and stuffed the others into it. )
Worked the charm.....accidental discovery ....when I tipped the helmet up the sound levels reduced.
 
I used to ride with earbuds until I got me sena and they did a great job at cutting wind noise, but after about 1.5hrs of being on the road they would start hurting my ears. i am using the extra thick velcro pads that were included with the Sena Bluetooth. If you use the thick pads and put the foam pieces over the speakers, it is actually quite comfortable and cuts out almost as much wind noise as the ear buds did. The only thing is that when I put my helmet on, there is such little room (where my ears are) that my ears fold down and I need to tuck them back up...but I kinda just got used to doing it now.
Would I be better using the thinner Sena velcro pads and using ear plugs? I tried before, but the damn plugs kept falling out of my ears when I put my helmet on so I just gave up.
 
Hmm I have a large fairing up front (HD Electra Glide) with a decent windshield. I haven't noticed any wind fatiguing. Buffeting now and then.
But noise fatigue is that really a thing??

Excuse the dumb questions just started all this last year, some things I am still figuring out.
 

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