ear plugs

[redhawkdancing]

Tried riding with earplugs once and now I don't ride without them. I tried washing a pair of the disposable ones yesterday, and once they dry, they are good as new!  So now they aren't so disposable.   

[EndlessProject93]

I wear earplugs with my half helmet. not too worried about reusing earplugs. I work in aviation so we have foamie boxes everywhere.

[tt_four]

I bought a package of them because I liked the idea, but for the majority of riding I just thought it was worse. I would still use them on a long highway trip, but around town they're awful. they quieted down the exhaust but magnified other things. Just general body moving, feet on the ground, head moving around. You never notice those things normally, but try sticking your fingers in your ears and then let your teeth touch. Way louder, I ended up getting a headache after a while, plus my ears always feel weird after from having something stuck in them.

[redhenracing2]

Ear plugs? How does the sound get to them? I use these:

[redhawkdancing]

Ear plugs? How does the sound get to them? I use these:

what are those? do they cancel outside sound?

[centuryghost]

Nah. He listens to music while he rides.

I commute back and forth to work with earplugs. They make the trip so much more comfortable. Something about the the wind noise and such muffled takes the edge off.

[redhenracing2]

what are those? do they cancel outside sound?

SkullCandy earbuds, the best headphones you'll ever buy, at the low cost of $10. They work perfectly for riding, small size so they aren't disturbed by putting on/taking off your helmet. They cancel outside noise VERY well, not that I would purposefully just block out sound. If I'm not listening to music, I'm listening to the angelic tone of my exhaust pipe   

[k.rollin]

Ear plugs? How does the sound get to them? I use these:

I've never had a pair of Skullcandy earbuds last more than three months, so I've stopped buying them. I tried Smokin' Buds, Ink'd Buds, and the FMJs, and they all died prematurely. Skullcandy's customer service was lousy too when I tried to get warranty replacements.

[tt_four]

Maybe I'll look into a pair of those for the random occasion that I actually have to use the GPS in my phone to find my way home, haha. Once or twice I've had to keep pulling over to check my phone to see where I'm supposed to turn.

Aside from the other noise I hear, I've gotta say I'm horribly uncomfortable riding with my hearing muffled. Even though the majority of what I hear is wind and exhaust noise, I definitely value my hearing as far as my ability to ride goes. I feel almost unbalanced when I can't hear anything. If you guys are gonna try it, make sure you do it when you're not around a lot of traffic.

[EndlessProject93]

Ear plugs? How does the sound get to them? I use these:

I know guys who ride with music. I've always kind of avoided it because of the distraction factor. hampton roads isn't the safest place for motorcyclists anyway so I do everything I can to be on the ready 

[redhenracing2]

I've never had a pair of Skullcandy earbuds last more than three months, so I've stopped buying them. I tried Smokin' Buds, Ink'd Buds, and the FMJs, and they all died prematurely. Skullcandy's customer service was lousy too when I tried to get warranty replacements.

Interesting, I have had a few pairs of the Ink'd in green, purple, and currently bronze and none of them died before being damaged by something else:

one set, my pit bull got ahold of;
one pair took a trip through the washing machine/dryer and still worked perfectly, but then my gf borrowed them and slammed them in the door of her car somehow


I will never buy another brand of headphones. I also have some of their dj style headphones (the 'Hesh' model w/ 40mm drivers) and they sound absolutely amazing. I would recommend any of the company's products to anybody, sorry that you've had a bad experience with them.

[Big Rich]

I read somewhere before that wearing ear protection on a motorcycle also keeps you healthier. Assuming wind is passing over your ears, it can cause an ear infection or something.

For quick jaunts to work (8 minutes) or to the local store (4 minutes) I don't wear them. But for any longer trips they are rather comfortable IMO. There are so many different types of foam plugs: some are narrow and offer less protection but can be more comfortable.

[ohgood]

Ear plugs? How does the sound get to them? I use these:

I've never had a pair of Skullcandy earbuds last more than three months, so I've stopped buying them. I tried Smokin' Buds, Ink'd Buds, and the FMJs, and they all died prematurely. Skullcandy's customer service was lousy too when I tried to get warranty

replacements.

woot.com, watch for the KOSS noise canceling buds for $5 a pair shipped. excellent bass,  excellent cancelling. I use them in the machine shop. good for -20 DB or so too.

[dohabee]

I use these when I ride http://www.amazon.com/Zune-JDA-00001-Premium-Headphones-v2/dp/B000VWOL3O

Best in ear headphones I have ever had.

They are the only headphones I use on or off the bike and they are still working perfectly after over a year.

[Adfalchius]

For highway rides I use 'Hearos'.  I bought them from the local music store- I prefer them over the foamy kind.  A bit expensive- around $15.

-K

[Shepa]

http://www.webbikeworld.com/Earplugs/earplugs.htm

[tt_four]

I read somewhere before that wearing ear protection on a motorcycle also keeps you healthier. Assuming wind is passing over your ears, it can cause an ear infection or something.

I think that's something to do with how my ears feel weird after I use them. My ears often feel weird after a ride, whether I used the ear plugs or not, almost like there's water in them or something. I've thought I might have an ear infection for a while now, but I rarely go to the doctors for a checkup, so I'm not sure. I used to get them when I was little sometimes, and I never even noticed until I had a checkup and the doctor would tell me, so I figure chances are good that might be what's going on.

[mister]

You think $15 is expensive for ear headphones? Man, you guys need to come down to Aust. $15 Might get you the cheap useless pair. Maybe a good pair for $70!

I tried riding with headphones in once. Too distracting at lower speed. And to hear them at speed the volume was uncomfortable at low speed. The cords were annoying. Blech. I'd rather listen to the sound of the helmt cutting through the air, the noises the bike makes, etc., and be in my own thoughts.

Sometimes I use earplugs - foam ones. We get them free at work. Either the conical shaped ones or the cylinder shaped ones - both which you roll between your fingers and poke into your ear a tad. If you find such things uncomfortable in your ear canal, don't push them in so deep. They general have a 27dB noise reduction. You might not want/need to much reduction. In which case, put them at the opening of your ear. It won't force the canal open but will give you some reduction.

Michael

[madjak30]

I very rarely ride without them...we get them for free from work, so yeah, I wear them all the time...if I'm staying in town and only going for a quick ride to run an errand I may not put them in, but that's pretty rare.

I've lost enough of my hearing due to music and shop noises, I'm not taking any chances.  Plus I find it quite peaceful having them in and can just enjoy the ride.

Later.

[tt_four]

I've tried not pushing them in as far, but they just fall back out. I'll find the right answer some day.