TONE DEAF??? :dunno:

Seriously, I saw the popular post about Best Riding Music? so I think to myself "Why Not?"

Today, I put the buds in my ear, put my MP3 player in my jacket, and set the volume so I can hear it in my helmet. However, as soon as I'm on the road the engine noise just drowns it out. So, I pull over and turn it till it is loud. By this time I am on the highway and the music is barely audible. What gives? I would have to turn the volume up to dangerous levels before I would be able to hear it over my motor. This can't be good. My guess is the music is not canceling out the noise. It is merely louder than my surroundings. Therefore, I conclude from my experiement the following:

1) listening to music while riding would be a   (result in hearing loss over time)

2) wearing earplugs while riding your motorcycle would be HIGHLY    (engine/environment noise is louder than you think)


Am I just crazy or has anyone else had similar experiences?

sony makes a great set of "in the ear canal" type of earbuds, I use them, i can still hear my engine, but they effectively block out excessive noise, allowing me to enjoy my music, yet still focus on my surroundings when I choose to...
part # mdr-ex51Lp   cost about 35 dollars if i remember right... I got mine at best buy

Yes you would need a noise reducing type ear bud to hear the music at all.  I personally think I'd get wayyyy too many tickets if I could listen to my music.  Think speed metal, black metal, death metal, etc.  In other words, music that makes you go WFO :mrgreen:

(who knew there was different genres within heavy metal :lol: )

A company sold on Amazon known as "Shure" sells some of the top noise reducing ear buds but they aren't cheap.  The Sony's might be a good first choice.

i dont need it painfully loud.....just some background music....if i really wanted to listen to music i would just drive my truck.

Quote from: 70 Cam GuyYes you would need a noise reducing type ear bud to hear the music at all.  I personally think I'd get wayyyy too many tickets if I could listen to my music.  Think speed metal, black metal, death metal, etc.  In other words, music that makes you go WFO :mrgreen:

(who knew there was different genres within heavy metal :lol: )

A company sold on Amazon known as "Shure" sells some of the top noise reducing ear buds but they aren't cheap.  The Sony's might be a good first choice.

I bought Shure E-1 earplugs a while back. The plugs come bundled with changeable foam and rubber filters for best fit, both in different sizes. The quality of these plugs is astounding, but then again they are originally meant for in-ear monitoring equipment on live stage settings for musicians. Which also comes across painfully when you look at the price.  :x

Sound quality and clarity is spot on, even when riding in high speeds. My only grudge with the plugs is that they are quite bulky with sharp edges. This is not a problem when used without a helmet but after a 1 to 2 hours of riding my ears hurt so bad (because of the sharp edges) that I have to stop for a break.

E-1 model seems to be discontinued nowadays and Shure offers new models with more ergonomically shaped plugs. I strongly encourage everyone to try these, they ROCK!  

P.S. And yes, heavy metal is the way...  

I tryed earbud headphones once, I found my helmet really made them dig into my head. I found it so uncomfortable that I haven't done it since.  The samething (only worse) happened with a headset that fit into an FRS radio that I could talk to my friends over.

I would think that the music would need to be quite loud to be heard well.

I jsut sing my tunes out loud. Escecially at stoplights, people look at me strange

Quote from: FlashTONE DEAF??? :dunno:

2) wearing earplugs while riding your motorcycle would be HIGHLY    (engine/environment noise is louder than you think)

Am I just crazy or has anyone else had similar experiences?

Well, I've never tried music, but I've been using Hearos (sp?) foam earplugs since the beginning of this year.  Part of my gear now, never ride without them.  Low tech, but cheap and comfortable.

I noticed that after multi-hour rides, my ears had that old roller-palace/dance club buzz to them and I couldn't hear 100% for a while.  Now, that's gone.

Trev

I can also recommend Hearos. Good for loud bikes, great for live music when you don't want to just block all sound.  I think their design is more of a filter than a sound blocker.

I don't know where you guys ride but around here you need all your senses.

Quote from: mp183I don't know where you guys ride but around here you need all your senses.

Maybe it's just because I'm a newbie, but I can't imagine biking with the distraction of music.

I agree with the last two posts. I can't believe you guys wanna block your hearing while riding! I must be doing something wrong.

I always wear ear plugs when I ride.  If I am on the freeway for more than 5 minutes, my ears will be ringing for the rest of the day.  The ear plugs really help with fatigue and it cuts down on wind noise more than anything.  I can still hear my engine, other cars around me, and horns/sirens.

Earplugs are my choice everytime.  

I mean, damn, my beast is equipped with the badass V&H so you KNOW it's LOUD!!   :mrgreen: