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SuzukiSavage.com
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Earplugs while riding /cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1302983302 Message started by mscepu101 on 04/16/11 at 12:48:22 |
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Title: Earplugs while riding Post by mscepu101 on 04/16/11 at 12:48:22 I have recently seen the thread asking how the S40 handles at highway speeds. My 1999 Savage holds its own but I wonder how many riders use foam earplugs under their helmet to reduce the wind stress coming through helmets. |
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Title: Re: Earplugs while riding Post by T Mack 1 - FSO on 04/16/11 at 12:53:33 Windshield works wonders at higher speeds. I'm no longer in the mind set to be hanging on to things at near hurricane force winds. |
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Title: Re: Earplugs while riding Post by Driller on 04/16/11 at 13:03:49 I have worn earplugs with my full face helmets since I started back riding about 10 yrs ago. Can't afford more hearing loss than has already occurred from not wearing protection. |
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Title: Re: Earplugs while riding Post by mscepu101 on 04/16/11 at 13:08:25 Do you use simple foam plugs or something more hi tech? |
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Title: Re: Earplugs while riding Post by Driller on 04/16/11 at 13:18:02 Foam plugs have worked fine. The ribbed silicone models become uncomfortable to me after a long time. I have considered the custom silicone plugs you can get at gun or bike shows, but don't want to shell out the $ since I would probably lose them. :P |
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Title: Re: Earplugs while riding Post by prechermike on 04/16/11 at 15:06:28 I'm with Driller. I have started using earplugs when I ride and can tell a real difference. I have lost too much of my hearing already and I am constantly telling the whipper snappers around me to wear protection when they are mowing, shooting, etc. I don't like the foam plugs, the ribbed silicone ones work better for me, but they are not all created equal. The ones from Tractor Supply seem to fit my ears the best. Someone commented on not being able to hear as well while riding and my buddy commented, "Why, it is not like anyone is going to blow their horn at you." :D |
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Title: Re: Earplugs while riding Post by Ed L. on 04/16/11 at 15:57:20 I have been wearing foam ear plugs for about eight years. My FFH gets real noisey at 60+mph. My hearing is already shot thanks to hitting rock concerts in the 70's, target shooting with no protection and being the pit crew for a buddy's dirt tracker late model for a couple of years. Anytime I fly I'll carry a pair. I had a flight on a turboprop with a wing seat that almost made my ears bleed because of the noise. |
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Title: Re: Earplugs while riding Post by arteacher on 04/16/11 at 16:02:30 I used to wear them then I bought a Draxtar P-104 helmet from Germany. It was originally designed for tank crew, modified for motorcycle use, and has headphone-like ear cups in it, and is VERY quiet. Someone standing in front of you has to yell loudly for you to hear them. BTW, as a teacher I am very concerned about how kids are literally deafening themselves with I-pods and the like, so I have a lesson I teach where I measure the sound pressure levels (SPL's) that they listen at with an SPL meter and tell them how fast they are going deaf. The AVERAGE level they listen at is 106 db, which is safe for 15 min per day. I have a little presentation which describes what happens to the inner ear at loud levels, and audio samples that demonstrate what how your hearing is affected at 25, 50, and 75% hearing loss. A few have actually turned them down to safe levels (which I also demonstrate). When called upon to do dance supervision, which thankfully happens only a couple of times per year, I wear earplugs and safety headphones, as I have measured DJs and live bands at 120-130 db, which is jet engine territory! :o |
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Title: Re: Earplugs while riding Post by BuckHMCC on 04/16/11 at 16:38:55 I wear a full-face helmet. I've read that typical noise level inside such a helmet is 110dB at 65mph. Sustained noise at this level will definitely result in hearing damage and permanent loss. I use Hearos blue foam earplugs with a noise reduction rating (NRR) of 33dB. They are comfortable enough over several hours. A small dab of petroleum jelly inside the ear canal helps to set the plugs for me. I have no problem noticing other traffic noises like horns, sirens, etc. When I was a kid I rode with an open-face Bell helmet on a naked bike and no ear plugs. I was not bothered by noise. With a full-face Shoei it's a different matter. |
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Title: Re: Earplugs while riding Post by Boofer on 04/16/11 at 17:10:21 I didn't see it mentioned, but you will not feel as tired after a long ride if you use ear plugs. Engine and wind noise drag you down after a while. |
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Title: Re: Earplugs while riding Post by s40fan on 04/16/11 at 17:34:05 noise cancelling headphones. and no i dont blast my music. besides, what can you really hear at highway speeds anyway? just a cheap mp3 player and some inexpensive in ear buds like those from skull candy. http://smr.newswire.ca/media/articles/38/cache/365_x_600_skullycandy_earbuds.jpg |
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Title: Re: Earplugs while riding Post by Routy on 04/16/11 at 20:18:55 Am I the first to say I'd quit riding first ? Maybe its my cheepo $50 helmet, Maybe its my larger fairing type (slip streamers) The noise I get while riding is not going to hurt my hearing, trust me. |
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Title: Re: Earplugs while riding Post by Trippah on 04/16/11 at 20:40:47 Back a couple of years ago when I was a practicing Audiologist, used to sell the Musicians custom made ear plugs by Westone..cost @$100. and you could get a variety of dB reductions ....but for most people, the foam plugs will take off 15-20 dB which combined with the short rides most take, should do the job okay. It gets a bit more complex if you want to get fit with custom ear plugs to receive music/telephone from your electronic goodies and still try to protect your ears from wind noise. Oddly enough, you have to go to a gun shop or equipment store to find ear plugs....of course cigaret filters will stand in (I recommend unlit) ;D |
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Title: Re: Earplugs while riding Post by JohnBoy on 04/16/11 at 21:00:51 ear plugs just may get you killed! |
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Title: Re: Earplugs while riding Post by justin_o_guy2 on 04/16/11 at 23:42:32 Ive enjoyed many miles of driving standard trans vans/trucks with no radio. Well, I had a CB in the van,, Ive a radio in the pickup, but Id rather listen to the engine,,Generally, the thots in my head keep me plenty well occupied. |
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Title: Re: Earplugs while riding Post by bill67 on 04/17/11 at 03:56:32 0B2E292F032E38410 wrote:
+ 1 on that |
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Title: Re: Earplugs while riding Post by kimchris1 on 04/17/11 at 04:24:35 Myself, I don't wear them I wear ff flip helmet and that seems to keep the noise down to a minimal.. My friend Rita wears them and says they help with the noise. Of course she rides a Yamaha.. ;D ;D ;D kim |
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Title: Re: Earplugs while riding Post by bluesrockdoc on 04/17/11 at 05:05:01 uh,,, thought's, or voices? ::) |
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Title: Re: Earplugs while riding Post by Gyrobob on 05/13/11 at 06:47:41 With the noise levels present in a helmet just from wind noise at 70mph, anyone who thinks his ears are not being harmed is a fool. I shudder to think what the Harley types are doing their ears, since you are not allowed to drive a Harley without getting rid of the stock exhaust system. I've lost a lot of hearing, especially in the left ear,.. mostly due to too much time in F-4s. So,.. I am very concerned about not losing anymore. I researched it a lot, and got some opinions from doctors. My only action available is to lose the rest of my hearing as slowly as possible. The ear plugs with the best protection are the soft foam kinds that roll up skinny, get inserted, then expand. I use the EAR plugs that have a 33db reduction. These are also the most comfortable and have the best frequency attenuation curves -- meaning they don't change much of what you hear, they just lower the decibel level. This is important to me because I can better hear the bike, traffic, etc. Often I see people using the foam earplugs with 3/4 of the plugs hanging out the side of their head. Worthless. The DB reduction when used like this is about 2,... about the same you'd get by sticking a post-it on your ear. When used properly, the outer end of the foam plugs will be fairly flush with the outer ear,.... in other words, fully inserted. |
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Title: Re: Earplugs while riding Post by mscepu101 on 05/13/11 at 07:12:37 I cannot agree more! It takes an extra 2 minutes to get earplugs inserted properly but the difference is huge! The wind stress goes way down and I still hear everything. As a matter of fact I was able to hear a small exhaust leak that was causing backfiring that I could not detect due to wind noise without earplugs. I will alway put on the plugs. |
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Title: Re: Earplugs while riding Post by kng254 on 05/15/11 at 22:35:05 I always wear my ear plugs when I ride been using them for at least the last ten years. If I don't have them in I feel naked. When I ride to work I put in my earphones so I can listen to sirius radio(130 miles round trip). I can hear my bike sounds more clearly also. |
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Title: Re: Earplugs while riding Post by Fish on 05/17/11 at 17:18:45 I got myself some Hearos ear plugs. I am SO glad that I did. I wear a full face and at highway speed the wind noise rushing around it just sucks. I pop in my plugs any time I'm going to be hitting the highway and it is such a much more comfortable ride. I couldn't imagine taking the 150 mile (each way) ride I had for Mother's Day without my ear plugs. 130 of those miles were all highway. I don't use them while in town, but I don't feel the need. At city speeds my helmet does well enough to keep the noise down to a decent level. |
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Title: Re: Earplugs while riding Post by Boofer on 05/17/11 at 18:26:39 765354527E53453C0 wrote:
I can actually hear better in ambient noise with ear plugs. I like the foam ones by E A R. They come in a cardboard sleeve. They are in the shape of a straight cylinder and are not slick, so they stay put. I don't like the tapered ones for my use. BTW they are rated at NPRR 29. |
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Title: Re: Earplugs while riding Post by Gyrobob on 05/17/11 at 20:31:51 Boofer, ditto. I can hear better for safety purposes with the plugs in while suffering through a noisy environment. Every few years, I buy a big box of the 32db versions (brite yellow and tapered slightly) that come in flimsy plastic sleeves. The only thing I don't like about them is that after you use them about 50 or 60 times they start looking a little yucky. (jk) http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh253/Gyrobob_theOriginal/dgfhjdfgh4567846758/EARearplugs01.jpg |
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Title: Re: Earplugs while riding Post by Boule’tard on 05/18/11 at 06:26:33 I also cannot afford to lose any more hearing (thanks to a pistol range and ineffective plugs) so I use silicone earplugs around anything loud. The best-per-dollar ones I've found are the "Mack's" swimming plugs. Washable, durable, and they block the high frequency wind noise to where you can hear other things better than with no hearing protection. I don't use them around town, only for high speeds. They also go into your ear easier than foam plugs. Wal-mart, Target and most any drugstore have them. http://www.kaboodle.com/hi/img/c/0/0/108/b/AAAADMgu1qUAAAAAAQi3Pg.jpg |
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Title: Re: Earplugs while riding Post by redwolf on 05/18/11 at 11:20:22 I've worn earplugs every time, ever since I've had my bike. |
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Title: Re: Earplugs while riding Post by Starlifter on 05/18/11 at 20:48:14 "Ear plugs just may get you killed!" Not true, all noise levels are reduced equally so no sound comprehension is lost. In fact, studies suggest that sound comprehension / identification is enhanced with ear protection. |
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