ear plugs

[Big Rich]

I believe the most recent studies actually point to the most damage to your hearing being done by the helmet itself transferring of the sound directly threw your bones to your inner ear (making ear plugs, ear buds etc entirely useless)


http://www.motorcycleinsurance.org/motorcycle-helmets-may-cause-hearing-loss/

Just checked this link - while they say that it's not the bike that causes hearing loss, it's the wind crossing over the helmet. But they fail to mention how loud wind is going over unprotected ear canals can be.

Without doing my own research, even the wind going over a helmet would act as a buffer to what's going over our ears. This same research about the noise being transmitted through bones making earbuds useless was also brought up with rifles. There was research saying that the rifle blast was still reaching the inner ear from the stock and into the ear - I've spent WAY too much time at a rifle range without ear plugs, they make a huge difference.

[madjak30]

I agree with Rich...they may not make you immune to hearing loss, but they reduce the risk...

You do what you want...I'm wearing them, it makes riding better for me...

Later.

[tt_four]

Well I do and if I have to chose between AC/DC or my Grandchild the first time she/he says Grandpa, I choose the latter.

[ohgood]

I believe the most recent studies actually point to the most damage to your hearing being done by the helmet itself transferring of the sound directly threw your bones to your inner ear (making ear plugs, ear buds etc entirely useless)


http://www.motorcycleinsurance.org/motorcycle-helmets-may-cause-hearing-loss/


And no I don't turn up the headphones to drown out the air noise over my helmet, at highway speed I am unable to hear it, but since 90% of my hour commute to work is 35 mph or less, I like to have a little music to keep myself from falling asleep while waiting for traffic to get outa my way =P (kidding about the falling asleep part, its mostly for live traffic reports so if I need to take a different route I can but the music is nice too)  Also my headphones have a built in noise sensor that will raise and lower the volume a little bit depending on the ambient noise around me.

The headphones are not doing any more damage to my ears as just wearing the helmet in the first place, and considering I am wearing a modular helmet THAT'S probably doing more damage to my hearing then anything (thus why I am saving up for an x-twelve ....)


Also most hearing damage is caused by regular constant noise (such as the wind noise at 60 mph for 2 hours at a time) anything that causes variations in that actually helps save your hearing, its interesting what you learn when you work for an agency like NASA ....

i'm with you on the part about continuous noise being detrimental to hearing: every single machinist i know says "HUH ?" immediately upon being spoken to. low, constant din of machines clanging along... some drone, some whine, but they all make noise.

i've noticed some ringing myself, and started wearing earplugs, or noise canceling headphones. i have fewer headaches, fewer BACKaches, and fewer exhausting days. same job, same pay.

i'm not what most folks would consider nasa-grade brain power, but i catch on fairly well to blatant mistakes made by other humans close by:

cover up your noggin and you won't likely die in a crash. cover your ears, and the canon fire doesn't make your head ache. cover up your eyes, and you can't see the truth.   <--- just a friendly ribbin

[JB848]

Bunch of wise acres...I saw your post tt_four! I actually saw them live in 1986 ARCO Arena Sacramento, CA. It was cool I was young and had fun.

I think you guys missed the point I was trying to convey to you. After my Father got old in his golden years he couldn't hear me on the phone most of the time so there was no point in talking to him most of the time on the phone. I cherished that man more then he knew. But I was relegated to "What", "Pardon", and never could really talk to him unless I was in person which was rare since I was 18 and joined the ARMY.

I don't care what you think, your hearing is as if not more important then your eyesight, and I think people take it for granted it will always be there?

So I wear ear plugs all the time. Do I look silly? Maybe, but so what. I will hear the things I want to hear when it comes time to hear it. LMAO, I have all ready heard AC/DC very loud once that was enough smart ARSE!

[Toogoofy317]

My doctor recommends that I wear ear plugs when riding. But, in the state of Florida it is illegal as well as riding with stereo earphones. I got some cheap helmet speakers for like $10 and they are amazing for music. I don't listen to it very loud I mainly only hear it when at lights or on a straightaway with no traffic. When I'm concentrating on the road I never hear the music.

I am a die hard skull candy fan I have two pairs that have lasted about three years now. I heard that on Black Firday Radio shack will have skull candy on sell for $5!

Mary

[tt_four]

hmm... my sister wants some ear phones for christmas, I'm about to head to target to pick her up a pair. Maybe I'll grab a pair for myself as well to try them out. Again yesterday I rode somewhere that I could've really benefited from being able to hear my gps on my phone while I was riding, but luckily the old directions electrical taped to the gas tank trick worked ok.

[Firstoni]

tt_four, the nice thing about my velcro in set is they are bluetooth also if you wanted to use it (i don't, I just use it for the built in FM radio and no wires into my jacket design)

http://www.2wheeltoyz.com/Scala-Rider-Cellular-Helmet-Headset-With-FM-Radio-p/scala002.htm

I hate having that mic there since I will never use it but I like the other features

[The Buddha]

Whaaaat ... did you say hair plugs. OK I think its a little personal, but I have hair plugs. I like em. But I think they interefere with my hearing. All the hair comming out of my ear looks really cool but I cant hear nothing.
Cool.
Buddha.

[tt_four]

Before I went out I remembered my wife had a pair of those skull candy ear buds. I tried them out but couldn't even get them to stay in my ears. I couldn't figure it out. I've never had luck with ear buds staying in my ears though, I think my ears must be shaped weird. I ended up not getting myself a pair. May try to find a small pair of speakers I can put in my helmet. Even with the cord it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. I think my arai even has little pockets for speakers.

I also tried to use ear plugs when i went out for my ride, and have to say I really hate them. I stood next to my bike with my fingers in my ears for 5 minutes waiting for the plugs to expand, and when I tried to put my helmet on they just pulled them out anyway. I could only get them to stay in one ear at a time, and it takes so long for them to expand I could only try it twice. Same thing with my ride home. I may have to try some of those shaped ones that people sent links for earlier. I can get them to stay if I put on a bandana or something like that so the helmet isn't actually rubbing on my ears, which I may try, but that's still more hassle than I'm really looking for.

Why can't they just make a helmet that's quiet?? My car is bigger than my helmet and it doesn't make roaring noises everywhere I go.

[JB848]

Removed

[tt_four]

Maybe my ear canals are short? I rolled them up as small as they'd go, pushed them in all the way, and held them there. The ends still stick out just enough for the helmet to rub them it's sliding on and pulls them out. Who knows. 

[madjak30]

If you are having problems getting them to stay in, try the racers secret weapon....a piece of duct tape to cover the ear...racers use them to hold the ear plugs in when putting on their helmet...it will also help to hold in ear buds, if you choose that direction...

As for the car not being noisy...try just openning all the windows about two inches...it's the sound of the air passing by the open parts of the helmet that make it so noisy...the more foam around the bottom of the helmet, or anything for that matter, that will direct the air away from the openning will make it quieter...

Later.

[tt_four]

a piece of duct tape to cover the ear...racers use them to hold the ear plugs in when putting on their helmet...

the more foam around the bottom of the helmet, or anything for that matter, that will direct the air away from the openning will make it quieter...

I can't tell if you're being serious about the duct tape or not. Regardless, I think that's a little bit out of my desperation level.

I know what you mean about the foam at the bottom. From experimenting in my time on the highway, I know that I can put a hand on the bottom of my helmet to cover the gap between the padding and my neck and it gets a bit quieter, but I also get some noise from the 'dead space' behind my helmet as well. I can tuck down to get the bottom of my helmet out of the wind, but that just runs the air over my helmet even harder and makes that noise even worse.

[Twisted]

You guys must have some pretty damn noisy helmets? I have owned a Shoei and now a Shark and have never had issues with bad wind noise to the point I need to wear ear plugs.

[Shaddow]

You guys must have some pretty damn noisy helmets? I have owned a Shoei and now a Shark and have never had issues with bad wind noise to the point I need to wear ear plugs.

No some people just care about there hearing and realise any noise for a long time is going to do damage. Well thats my take on it. I have more wind noise on my GS then my old GN but the GN had none (due to a custom screen) and riding the KTM is just all noise. Strangely the wind noise is less on my mates Harley than the GS but then the bike is stupidly loud. So as a rule if I'm on it for more than 10 mins, put plugs in, preserve what hearing I have.

[GI_JO_NATHAN]

a piece of duct tape to cover the ear...racers use them to hold the ear plugs in when putting on their helmet...

the more foam around the bottom of the helmet, or anything for that matter, that will direct the air away from the openning will make it quieter...

I can't tell if you're being serious about the duct tape or not. Regardless, I think that's a little bit out of my desperation level.

I know what you mean about the foam at the bottom. From experimenting in my time on the highway, I know that I can put a hand on the bottom of my helmet to cover the gap between the padding and my neck and it gets a bit quieter, but I also get some noise from the 'dead space' behind my helmet as well. I can tuck down to get the bottom of my helmet out of the wind, but that just runs the air over my helmet even harder and makes that noise even worse.

Sounds like you may want to try what was posted by bettingpython a few posts back.

http://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcycle-helmets/helmet-noise.htm

[ohgood]

a piece of duct tape to cover the ear...racers use them to hold the ear plugs in when putting on their helmet...

the more foam around the bottom of the helmet, or anything for that matter, that will direct the air away from the openning will make it quieter...

I can't tell if you're being serious about the duct tape or not. Regardless, I think that's a little bit out of my desperation level.

I know what you mean about the foam at the bottom. From experimenting in my time on the highway, I know that I can put a hand on the bottom of my helmet to cover the gap between the padding and my neck and it gets a bit quieter, but I also get some noise from the 'dead space' behind my helmet as well. I can tuck down to get the bottom of my helmet out of the wind, but that just runs the air over my helmet even harder and makes that noise even worse.

Sounds like you may want to try what was posted by bettingpython a few posts back.

http://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcycle-helmets/helmet-noise.htm

that's pretty good information. seeing the noise peak at less than 40mph was something. in the past i would only put in earplugs for hour or more long rides. think i'll be doing it for trips to get gas now.

i still have very good hearing for now. so good, that i wouldn't mind a drop or 10 in the amount of stuff i can hear outside. cars, planes, trains (closest is 14 miles away), leaves falling on the ground (from inside the house), all are welcomed distractions. i do have some ringing in my ears, that i attribute to riding quite a bit without protection. it's not terrible, but i would like ot prevent more of it

music is something that changes my mood, improves my day, and brightens my life. i can't imagine not hearing subtleties in the songs i know now, and really want to preserve all those notes forever. i'll keep plugging my ears and enjoying the ride

[tt_four]

 I used to want one of these just for colder air, but now that I've been annoyed with the noise I think I'm finally gonna try to pick one of these up and see if it helps...

http://www.webbikeworld.com/r2/windjammer/helmet-wind-blocker.htm

[trumpetguy]

I stayed out of this thread because I have commented on similar threads, but here's my $0.02:

I'm a professional musician and music educator.  My hearing is not only important to my emotional wellbeing but also my livelihood.  I wear hearing protection when standing in front of loud musical ensembles (Pricey ones from Etymotic Research made by an audiologist with ear molds). 

When riding, I wear ear plugs OR my Etymotic Research ER-6i sound isolation headphones.  I find that the noise level is decreased so much that musical details are easy to hear even at moderate sound levels.  I can still hear other vehicles. my engine, and car horns, etc.  My fatigue level is much lower when wearing plugs or phones, and my concentration ability is heightened as a result.