[goldwingrick]

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How many of you use hearing protection while riding?



I use the foam earplugs in my helmet with the headphones when I plan to ride continuosly for more than 2 hours at a time. I notice that I don't feel as exhausted at the end of the ride. I think having to listen to the air noise really drains on a person.

I do know I have a hearing loss and could benifit from the use ofhearing aides, I wonder if it's from riding for 30 years or just old age!



And also I hear the "Emergency Vehicles" just fine also

 

[Richardrwg]

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To be honest I have never tried wearing and ear plugs. Between the windshield and the helmet I never felt as though there was that much noise from the wind.

Although with this new exhaust system I may have to try it.

 

[Golden Girl]

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If I'm just boppin' around town I go without. But, on longer trips I almost always use the foam type ear plugs. REally cuts down on the wind noise from the helmet.

Years ago, when I was actively racing cars, I learned that having a 120db engine screaming just 2" behind my head and listening to Pink Floyd turned up to 11 will, in fact, have detrimental effects on my hearing.

Now, if I could just get Linda to wear them.....she doesn't always hear me (or says she doesn't!)

 

[GLester]

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Been riding over 40 years, never use them on the Goldwings, but did use them on the 75 Harley and a couple of other bikes. I've done several 15 hour days in the saddle and never felt any worse for wear or tear by not having them, because they have a tendency to make my ears itch on the inside, and I can't scratch with my helmet on.:shock:BTW, my eyesight is not as good as it was when I was 20, but my hearing is still pretty darn good for an old fart.:smiler:

Gene:action:

 

[WingerDave]

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I've never used ear-plugs and I have beter than average (for my age, 52) hearing.

Never had a problem after riding for hours, either. But then i've only ridden Goldwings since the 90's and i've heard my share of ticks, groans, whistles and even a bang above the engine noise.

Just the nature of the beast, I suppose. Some people are more sensitive than others.

If you feel they are helping and are not in any way making you deaf to ambient sounds such as emergency vehicles, wear them. No problem. Go with it.

Dave.

 

[jwhitmore44]

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I'm surprised that folks talk about helmet wind noise when on a wing. The fairing and windshield work quite well to keep your helmet out of the wind. Sometimes with a cross wind it gets a little noisy, but for the most part my head is out of the wind. I tried a half helmet on m last trip and still didn't feel like i needed ear plugs. My XR has no windshield and my 600 has a small one that puts my head in the wind. In those situations the ear plugs help. My friend that rides a Harley with a smaller windshield uses earplugs/stereo ear buds.

 

[BrianInPA]

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Normal riding - No. If I know I am going to be spending a lot of time on the freeway I will put a pair of ear plugs in, but the amount of noise doesn't really bother me too much.

 

[papabee49]

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I wear them on long trips or with my shorty helmet, but my new helemt has enough foam padding around the ears that I don't get much wind noise. Ritde safe and enjoy the road :waving::waving:

 

[MNSNOWMAN]

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My helmet must stick up just enough past the windshield to catch a little wind. My wife and I both wear HJC Modular helmets and the noise is TERRIBLE! Very, very loud. Must just be in the design of the vents. I am going to try to attach our intercom headsets this weekend and hope that playing a little music inside the helmet "might" soften the wind noise?? There are no pockets for the round speakers that need to go in the helmet, so not quite sure what I am going to do about that.

 

[gladmaker]

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I have the HJC helmets and installed headsets in them. You have to remove the liner and cut out some of the foam the same size as the speakers. I used a razor knife. The foam will pull away enough to slip the wires behind it. Then install the liner and you don't see anything.

 

[peterbilt]

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the wind at highway speeds blows past the ear covers on my 1/2 helmet and makes a annoying whistling sound plust i can barely hear the radio goin 70 to 80mph

when im goin around town i dont wear ear plugs but on extended highway trips over on the interstate mainly i wear ear plugs

 

[tmdriverwannabe]

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Someone posted earlier about the wind noise for the rider. Its not so bad for us cuz we have the protection of the windshield. But depending upon what windshield you have the passengers experience can be much different. We tried a tulsa tall to see if it helped and for the passenger the turbulence was worse and pushing her head forward. When we went back to a memphis shades shield turbulence much less even though its bout 8" shorter. We have not tried the ear plugs as of yet, in windy conditions if i keep the intercom turned up then i do get a lot of wind noise from the passengers intercom. Have turned mute button up and down and it doesnt seem to help with it. We use full face GMAX helmets and she almost always rides with visor closed. Do not know if ear plugs would help or not..

 

[Wolfman]

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I've worn ear plugs for years now. I started when I read an article on hearing loss on motorcycles. The constant air flow from the wind does more damage than any noise that you might have.



It doesn't matter if it's short ride or a long ride, I always wear them.

 

[FeButter]

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Having a windshield and a fairing does not mean that you will have an acceptable level of wind noise. All of the work that is done to new helmet design to reduce wind noiseis done in free air. Helmet manufacturers have no idea of what kind of turbulence your particular bike produces. If you are riding withouthearing protection you are damaging your hearing, period..

 

[jnel57]

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I only use them when I ride the super slab, which is not very often

 

[awingandaprayer]

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Like MNSNOWMAN, I have a HJC modular. I ride behind a tall Tulsa and am amazed at the wind noise. Granted, I keep the face shield up for airflow, but even though I'm looking through and not over the windshield, the noise is deafening. The radio is useless due to the noise; sometimes I wear ear plugs, other times I use the earbuds with my MP3 and that seems to work just as well.

I've spent a life time being careful to protect my hearing, whether I was flying small planes or running saws in my woodworking shop and I think it has really paid off. My goal was to be able to hear the cry of my grandchild one day...

I don't have a headset yet, so don't know if that would help or not, but I will have to figure out a solution soon for this resurrected hobby called motorcycling.

 

[BenMilner]

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I've never used hearing protection. Most of the bikes I've owned were quiet. A quiet helmet helps protect your hearing against wind noise.

 

[Cousin Jack]

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Whaddya say? Huh? Say again?

 

[FeButter]

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CJ, I heard that!

 

[Wolfman]

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I recommend this article on the subject:

http://www.msgroup.org/Tip.aspx?Num=150&Set=&SearchTerms=hearing