Obviously, I'm a squid but I've always wondered if it was safe to ride while listening to music on headphones.  I've gotten different opinions from my riding friends some stating that people use earplugs so why not headphones.

Thanks in advance for any advice

If  I am riding for long distances without a stop say 30min or more I wear an MP3 player with the earbuds that go in the ear. Around town riding etc I dont because as much as I might stop and take off my helmet it takes that much longer to get the headphones on and right etc.

basically the same as jason for myself.  if i'm around town i like to be able to hear cars/other noises around me; but if i'm on a long highway trip out cruising, i figure how much can you really hear on the highway anyway with the wind and everything?  so yeah i'll listen to music on long trips, or trips outside of the cities.  but in city limits and around town riding, i don't feel right doing it.

http://home.ama-cycle.org/amaccess/laws/

check your state laws on the subject, too.  Some states allow one earpiece, some none at all.  PA only allows "communications devices" (i.e. no music, only two-way radios).  Some states also outlaw earplugs.

How loud do you have to have the music to hear it?  I've thought about using an mp3 player for longer rides... but, I figured I'd go deaf, since you have to have it loud enough to overcome wind/engine noise.  Plus you can't wear earplugs.

I use the Koss "plug" that goes in the ear like a earplug. Dont have to be too loud to hear it, I'm not trying to drown out everything.

I ride with music almost all the time. I wire it up through my jacket, and into my helmet. its quite inconspicuous. I have very small earphones. Usually I keep in only one earpiece. I love to have a little Kid Rock, or Metallica, even Blur blaring while I ride. It makes me do bad things.

Quote from: longhorn44 on April 13, 2004, 11:22:17 AM
Obviously, I'm a squid but I've always wondered if it was safe to ride while listening to music on headphones.  I've gotten different opinions from my riding friends some stating that people use earplugs so why not headphones.

Thanks in advance for any advice

Just got back into riding after a 11 year hiatus. I use my iPod with Sony earphones that have the little speaker that points forward as opposed to ear plug type phones. I've found that listening to music takes the edge of nervousness that comes with getting back in the saddle. I usually keep it at a moderate volume which permits me to hear some traffic. Thankfully my 2008 GS500 is a fairly quiet bike which doesn't interfere much with neither the music or hearing traffic.

I listen to my iPod while riding pretty regular. I have a chatterbox installed and it has an aux input that i plug the iPod or shuffle into.

They also may an adapter where you don't need the chatterbox unit, just the helmet kit. That would be a cheaper route to go and a lot easier than trying to put and keep earbuds in.

I used to listen to music while riding.

M'boy talked me into agreeing to wear foam earplugs instead, for just one month.  After one week, I knew I would never go back.  With earplugs, fatigue is severely lowered - and you don't realize how much music distracts you until you try earplugged riding.

I can still hear important noises, but the wind buffeting and exhaust drone that tires one out and causes hearing damage is gone.

Quote from: Mezzaluna on October 03, 2008, 08:41:50 AM
I listen to my iPod while riding pretty regular. I have a chatterbox installed and it has an aux input that i plug the iPod or shuffle into.

They also may an adapter where you don't need the chatterbox unit, just the helmet kit. That would be a cheaper route to go and a lot easier than trying to put and keep earbuds in.

How do you like the chatterbox? Have you tried either the intercom function or hooking up a cell phone to it?

Quote from: Roadstergal on October 03, 2008, 09:01:34 AM
I used to listen to music while riding.

M'boy talked me into agreeing to wear foam earplugs instead, for just one month.  After one week, I knew I would never go back.  With earplugs, fatigue is severely lowered - and you don't realize how much music distracts you until you try earplugged riding.

I can still hear important noises, but the wind buffeting and exhaust drone that tires one out and causes hearing damage is gone.

I totally agree. I have sweet custom silicon ear plugs that make riding so much better! They are super crazy comfortable and they have a little valve in them that only attenuates when noise levels get above 80 db so I can hear quiet stuff at stoplights, but once I start moving they kick in and make the wind noise way less loud.

I use MP-3 regularly with Etymotic Research noise reducing inserts.  The music can be quite low and still audible, but wind noise varies grealy per your helmet and windscreen.  Deaf people drive all the time, no problem as long as you are alert otherwise.

prs

Quote from: Pigeonroost on October 03, 2008, 11:27:15 AM
I use MP-3 regularly with Etymotic Research noise reducing inserts.  The music can be quite low and still audible, but wind noise varies grealy per your helmet and windscreen.  Deaf people drive all the time, no problem as long as you are alert otherwise.

prs

Yeah, but deaf people mostly drive cars with huge "deaf driver" stickers on them. I think there is a lot of value to being as alert as possible on a motorcycle since the stakes are so much higher if you crash or get crashed into...

Commuting to work: nope

Weekend blasts: nope

Weekend tours ( >1 hour ): I'd like to, but we usually break up the time into 30-45 minute blocks and take pictures.

As far as around town, heck no. I don't even wear plugs because I  want to heck everything I can with all the cages around.

I used to make/take phone calls through my phone/mp3-player combo, but it was all voice activated. Looking back, a very bad idea.

Earplugs treat me sooooo much better anyway.

Not much into the whole media-drenched world business.

I find music highly annoying.

A bulk box of foam earplugs does wonders though.   

i listen most of the time while riding but the best head phones ive found are from nike for the ipod. they are meant for running but fit with my helmet perfect.

I take my bike daily to work and it's a 30 minute commute each way.  I listen to my iPhone and have some Skull Candy in ear buds.  They fit nicely inside my helmet, I don't have the music too loud, just enough to hear and block out some of the wind noise.  What's nice about the iPhone is that if I get an incoming call the music will mute, the ringtone will play for a minute, then back to the music automatically.  I'll usually then pull over to see who if anyone important called or just move along.

in my opinion wearing ear buds or any headphones for that is dangerous. I don't care how long you've rode for the fact still is People don't see bikes like they should.  and with gas prices where they are there are so many people out there on bikes that have absolutely no business on them.  Any kind of attenuation while riding is dangerous. A helmet attenuates certain frequencies to prevent ear damage. I seen were they have bluetooth for your helmet now so you can talk on the phone on your bike and that is just asinine. Just another distraction that cause accidents. But again my opinion take it for what it worth to you

its illigal in VA and i like the sound of the bike anyway haha