Hearing protection

[Over]

I've always been taught that if you are in a loud or noisy environment, you should wear hearing protectors.

 

Whilst I've only been riding motorcycles for a couple of years now, I have always used ear plugs and not long after getting my first bike (ST1300) got a set of custom moulded ear plugs. These take a while to get in each time, and to get comfortable, but with the in ear speakers they are fitted with, mean you can listen to MP3 or connect to Bluetooth.

 

At BMW main dealer yesterday, chatting to the parts manager about a System 6 full face with comms. Id said that with my Scuberth C3 Id had the speakers removed and a 3.5mm jack put on so I can connect into my ear plugs. He replied that in 20 or so years of riding, had never used ear protection (and no, I didn't have to shout) and further more, with a RT the fairings and windshield made it so quiet that the speakers in the helmets were able to be heard OK.

 

What do you do to protect your ears (if anything)?

[moshe_levy]

A standard set of E-A-R brand protectors, which in all my years of riding, are the most comfortable (including custom molded). I use the kind shown in the middle and I cut the stem off so it doesn't interfere with getting the helmet on and off:

 

 

YMMV as everyone has different taste. When it comes to speakers, I use the now discontinued Etymotic ER6i, again hands down the most comfortable earbuds I've ever tried.

 

While it is true that the RT is relatively quiet, I've found hearing protection leaves me much less tired after a very long ride, and I hesitate to take chances with my hearing that I don't have to. It's not like the bike has some soul-stirring engine note that you just HAVE to listen to for hours on end. My Moto-Guzzi, by contrast...

 

-MKL

[enfoman]

Here is what I use...........

 

http://www.howardleight.com/earplugs/pilot

 

 

The plastic stem helps guide and slide the plug in the ear canal for a firm fit.

 

I find them very comfortable for the long ride.

 

 

[Caddis]

I already have tinnitus (not caused by motorcycling), so I never ride without ear plugs. Otherwise, my ears really start ringing, and the noise really gets to me quickly.

 

I find these cut down the noise, but aren't so quiet that I can't hear things that I want to hear. Like other traffic, attendants at park entrance booths, and other people trying to talk to me. And for me, they are comfortable.

 

If I want to make it even quieter, I use these. The NRR rating is actually not as high, but for me, they seem to cut out more noise. I'm not sure why.

 

I found it really useful to get one of these sample packs so I could try out lots of different ear plugs to find out which ones I liked best.

 

[HeliMark]

I also have tinnitus from a number of years of not using hearing protection while flying, shooting...etc.

 

For the bike, I use custom earplugs with the speaker in them from Plugup (http://www.plugup.com/custom_made_earplug_speakers_stereo_earbudss_s/73.htm). About the only thing I do not like about them is the wire is a little thin, and I have had to send it back to have the wire fixed at the plug.

 

I saw that Bose now has an ANR earplug for motorcycles. It was reviewed on WebBikeWorld. Not a good review. I am hoping that over the next several years it will be improved to a level similar to the ANR headset I use flying.

 

Mark

[Claudio]

with a RT the fairings and windshield made it so quiet that the speakers in the helmets were able to be heard OK.

 

What do you do to protect your ears (if anything)?

 

I ride an RT and have a great hearing protection setup.

 

I use an Autocom for my communication and audio. It, of course, has in helmet speakers. Most days on an RT, I don't need hearing protection, but a strong cross wind or just a long haul day can change that.

 

I bought a new lead for my Autocom that provides a 3.5mm socket and I use earfuze earbuds on windy/noisy days. Earfuze are affordable custom molded earbuds that have good noise dampening qualities. When in use, I adjust my volume downward relative to the in helmet speakers.

 

Links: Autocom lead: http://www.rocketmoto.com/index.php/products/audio-communication/autocom-coiled-headset-lead-with-3-5mm-socket-for-earbuds-part-2130.html

 

Earfuze: http://www.earfuze.com

[upflying]

I went to a hearing aid place and had them make a pair of custom molded ear plugs.

 

About $60

[Dave_in_TX]

I have an RT and wear a Shoei RF1100 which is considered to a very quiet helmet. If I keep my speed down (about 50mph or less) I probably don't need hearing protection. However, for extended high speed riding, I always wear earplugs since the noise volume can get high at times especially with side winds. I use the bullet shaped soft foam earplugs because they work best and are the most comfortable for me. Differences in anatomy might make a different style better for someone else.

[Over]

I forgot to mention that I ride with a Cee Bailey screen, as I'm 6'5" and this lifts the airflow up and over my head, so the airflow noise is low, were it not for the insect in the face risk. I would ride with the outer visor up and the sun visor down.

 

The custom plugs are a good fit, and I'll continue to use them on longer rides, but for short local runs, I'm going 'commando' for a trial period.

[SK_in_AB]

I have been very happy with etymotic earphones. http://www.etymotic.com/ephp/epcomp.html

 

The ER 5i is what I have - they don't make that anymore, but the hf5 looks similar.

 

They provide great sound isolation, and pretty good fidelity. I use them 60 min a day on my bicycle commute, when doing yard or shop work, on flights and on my RT. The sound from them is quite loud - on airplanes you need to set the movie volume to lowest setting before you start it.

 

They have a disposable filter which lasts ~ 3months (probably 100 hours or so) So when you order them be sure to order 10 pairs of filters, and extra rubber tips and you are good for a couple years.

 

My only complaint has been the jack wire breaking off at the 90 degree bend. First time they replaced it for free.

 

 

[elkroeger]

My Grampa drove logging trucks and worked as a mechanic all his life. Hearing protection didn't exist back then. He couldn't hear a damn thing in his old age. I think he liked it that way. My Grandma was always yakkin' at him and he was oblivious. Just sat there with a smile on his face when we came to visit. So maybe there's a benefit...

 

I always wear foam disposable earplugs. Some are better than others. I find that I can hear the helmet speakers well enough if I turn it up a bit. My wife claims it's absolutely quiet with earplugs in, so maybe it's not for everybody.

 

Buy according to Noise Reduction Rating (NRR). Best I think I've seen is 33dB.

 

3M Pistonz are rated at 29dB, but they are WAY COOL!

 

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

At BMW main dealer yesterday, chatting to the parts manager about a System 6 full face with comms. Id said that with my Scuberth C3 Id had the speakers removed and a 3.5mm jack put on so I can connect into my ear plugs. He replied that in 20 or so years of riding, had never used ear protection (and no, I didn't have to shout) and further more, with a RT the fairings and windshield made it so quiet that the speakers in the helmets were able to be heard OK.

 

The first road trip I took on my 1100RT, I wore a Shoei RF-900. It had a reputation as a very quiet helmet, and with the bike's windscreen up, everything seemed reasonably quiet.

 

But my ears were ringing after 400 highway miles. Hearing experts will tell you this is a sign that you are damaging your hearing.

 

I started wearing earplugs for long highway journeys after that. My weapon of choice is the Howard Leight Max plugs. NRR=33, about as high as you can get. I have a box of these in the basement, and another in the garage, and I wear them any time I'm doing something noisy: riding the bike, mowing the lawn, using power tools. Heck, even pounding moderately-sized nails into wood with a hammer is injuriously loud.

 

My R1200RT has more wind nose than my R1100RT ever did, and the newer Shoei helmets are noisier than the older ones, too (the tradeoff is better ventilation). In 2003 I upgraded to an RF-1000, and I had to start wearing earplugs even for non-highway rides. Now with the R1200RT, I don't even like riding short distances (e.g. a 10-mile warmup ride for a TB sync job) without ear plugs; the wind noise is just too harsh.

[eddd]

Everybody should be wearing hearing protection no matter how quiet you think you bike/helmet is. Helmet speakers are a poor idea in that they require you to raise their volume to overcome the wind noise. I use foam plugs or er6i for everything beyond a ride to fillup with gas or a trip to the post office or cafe. All those rides are below 30mph.

 

The first time I tried my er6i earphones I was truly amazed. I heard things in the music that I had never heard on my home system, and I heard them while riding at 70mph.

 

If you really think your bike and helmet are quiet, take an hour ride at speed with the protection in place. Then stop, remove the protection and resume your ride. It shouldn't take you long to want to pull over and put the protection back on.

[smiller]

Everybody should be wearing hearing protection no matter how quiet you think you bike/helmet is.

Yes. Hearing damage from noise is based on both intensity and exposure and for longer rides of several hours noise can be well below the uncomfortable level but still be potentially damaging due to the length of exposure. There is no helmet/windshield/whatever combination available that is quiet enough to be safe for an all-day exposure, and many (perhaps most) are not safe for even relatively short periods of exposure as levels of 100 dB+ are not uncommon at all.

 

TABLE G-16 - PERMISSIBLE NOISE EXPOSURES (1)

______________________________________________________________

|

Duration per day, hours | Sound level dBA slow response

____________________________|_________________________________

|

8...........................| 90

6...........................| 92

4...........................| 95

3...........................| 97

2...........................| 100

1 1/2 ......................| 102

1...........................| 105

1/2 ........................| 110

1/4 or less................| 115

____________________________|________________________________

 

 

Add in sound from helmet speakers (loud enough to be heard over the already high level of ambient noise) and the situation is even worse. The Etymotic ER-6i is an excellent choice for hearing protection w/music as they are one of the few brands with a published NRR (noise reduction rating.)

 

 

[Kathy R]

The white noise drone is tiring, so wear your earplugs to not only save your hearing, but to prolong your seat time. Ask your parts guy's wife if his hearing is all that great

[algover]

Too late for me; I have hearing loss. Probably started early in my life enduring Allied bombings in Germany.

 

I currently use Lyric hearing aids - the best I've had so far - that are embedded in the ear canal. The sound is much more natural than other hearing aids I've used, and, an added benefit, I can turn them off and they become effective ear-plugs.

[Rogue_Trader]

I'm very sensitive to the hearing issue, after too many years of acid rock! To preserve what hearing I have left, I wear Moldex "Spark Plug" foam earplugs. Cheap and effective. When I am in a group, I move to the Etymotic ER-6i to get bike-to-bike comm via the Sena SMH-10.

[Shaman97]

I work in facilities that have large boxes of foam ear plugs at the entrance to the machinery spaces. I grab a handful of them when running low. Keep a bunch in the car, and a bunch on the bike. Makes the bike run smoother, too.

[John Bentall]

Hello, fellow Londoner..

 

Is it not clear to you that hearing loss is not going to happen to the parts guy.....nor will he ever fall off a motorcycle .

 

Personally I use in ear monitors, that have 3 advantages.

a) Hearing protection

b) Less tiring on long motorway cruises

c) Do not have to turn up music/GPRS volume with increasing velocity.

 

Regards,

 

John

 

 

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

I work in facilities that have large boxes of foam ear plugs at the entrance to the machinery spaces. I grab a handful of them when running low. Keep a bunch in the car, and a bunch on the bike. Makes the bike run smoother, too.

 

If your workplace is like mine, then these are individual earplugs, no wrapper. You can buy them by the box, and each pair is individually wrapped, which makes them convenient for stashing in places like your bike's glovebox or luggage. Works out to about ten cents per pair; ear protection for a two-week trip ends up costing about $1.40 (use a new pair every day).

[longjohn]

I've been wearing hearing protection for decades, since doing small arms training in the service. I have some custom made ones but these Hearos Xtreme are the ones I use as they give better protection. NRR 33. I get 3 packs of 14 pair for about $13. I wear my old molded ones at work still, and do get the occasional inquiry about them.

[Guest Kakugo]

I use Ohropax silicone earplugs. I have very weirdly shaped ear canals so any foam/rubber plug will just pop off and I have tried multiple brands/shapes/materials.

 

Very nice product: they are made of medical grade silicone so no problems and when they are dirty or don't stick anymore you just throw them away.

 

I also have a box of beeswax earplugs somewhere but I have never tried them...

 

As per music, I use a Sony Walkman MP3 player with Sennheiser ear buds. The little Sony has an excellent noise cancel function and the Sennheiser do such a fine job of keeping the noise out I can keep the volume low. They have other issues however...

[na1g]

Whether you are using the disposable* foam ear plugs, or the reusable flanged rubber kind, it's easier to get them properly inserted in your ears with some lubrication. Rather than use Mobil 1 or moly grease, use saliva. Just lick the plug before insertion. Works great; no mess, no fuss, no cost. Tastes a bit off after a couple of uses.

 

Ear plugs are cheap. Hearing aids are not.

 

* "Disposable" plugs are not one-use plugs. After several uses they don't seem to spring back as quickly or completely so I toss 'em after 3 to 5 rides, or when they get dirty.

 

pete

[Kathy R]

Tastes a bit off after a couple of uses.........Ear plugs are cheap.

 

BLECH! They are cheap enough that I'd use a new one every time.

 

I find that the foam plugs go in best if I (follow directions on the package) roll the plug between my fingers to make it smaller. Then I insert it into my ear. It then unwinds and grows, filling the ear after a moment.

 

As for the custom plugs, my only regret is having the left and right made in the same color. I have to stare at them in order to figure which one goes where.

[lkchris]

Lots of folks are doing fine with custom earplugs, but they don't work for me because they're rigid as opposed to flexible.

 

1. This makes them weigh more than foam plugs and that creates more discomfort with time.

 

2. My helmets are always pretty close at my ears and the customs I've had contact the helmet, so no good.

 

I'm for sure sick of the foam plugs after a long day, but they're the lesser evils.

[AnotherLee]

I hadn't been riding with earplugs because my used bike was new to me and I wanted to listen to anything it had to say.

 

2 years later on a long ride on a 2-lane blacktop road, we stopped at a small country store for a drink. Sitting beside the road and hearing vehicles go by I realized how loud the hiss of their tires was. I also realized how I was getting tired of hearing any more noise.

 

Hoping against all hope, I asked the store person if they had any ear plugs. She pulled out a pair of foam Howard Leights for about $1.25.

 

I had a very quiet and enjoyable ride home and it made a believer out of me.

[Charles Elms]

As for the custom plugs, my only regret is having the left and right made in the same color. I have to stare at them in order to figure which one goes where.

 

Just put a dab of RED fingernail polish on the right plug. Then remember the old boaters mantra: RED, Right, returning.

[DiggerJim]

As for the custom plugs, my only regret is having the left and right made in the same color. I have to stare at them in order to figure which one goes where.

Had to laugh at that one. When I was getting mine made at the BMWMOA Rally I had them made in 2 different colors (the right being Red for Right & the left is green for Left - okay Lime for Left ) and a couple of people getting theirs made at the same time were scoffing at me being "anal retentive" but I can't tell how many times I'd have put them in wrong if I didn't have the red one (I think it was stretching to think that I'd keep Green = Lime = Left straight, it's the red one I pick out).

[John Bentall]

When I was getting mine made at the BMWMOA Rally I had them made in 2 different colors (the right being Red for Right & the left is green for Left - okay Lime for Left ) and a couple of people getting theirs made at the same time were scoffing at me being "anal retentive" but I can't tell how many times I'd have put them in wrong if I didn't have the red one (I think it was stretching to think that I'd keep Green = Lime = Left straight, it's the red one I pick out).

Mine are different colors. What remains of my brain cells must be saved for higher tasks than working out which plugs belongs in which ear!

[MacGruber]

Tastes a bit off after a couple of uses.

"Alas...earwax." - Albus Dumbledor

 

Two weeks ago I went for a ride, first long day trip on the bike, and forgot my earplugs. No ill effects, but I need to remember them. Yesterday I went out again, this time with the earplugs (NRR30). My bike has a Remus exhaust on it and I could hear it more with the plugs than without. When I stopped for gas, the hearing on the left was noticeably more dull than the right. Definitely considering looking for a stock muffler.

[EddyQ]

Back in 2010 I made some relative sound measurements in my helmet. Based on that data, I believe at lower speeds (30-40mph) with my RT, my helmet and relative head height, I am well below OSHA sound limits. At about 50mph, the sound level inceases quite dramatically. 80mph, best I could measure could very well be 100dBSL, which would certainly cause hearing damage. 33dB earplugs would bring this high level down to the same level as a 30-40mph ride on quiet roads with no cross winds.

 

I'm not expecting anyone to believe the data I present here. But with what others have reported and my data, you really should wear ear plugs.

 

2010 Thread

[Oldironken]

I am wrestling with the best solution to the noise issue.

 

- At 65 with my stock screen all the way up and my face shield up the noise level is comfortable. The only trouble i have is that the back pressure wants to knock the shield down if there's any wind or if i go faster.

 

- The moment i lower the face shield the noise level increases dramatically.

 

- I am currently searching for a new helmet. I've settled on a Shoei Qwest or an RF1100 they are reported to be quite safe and quiet.

 

- I currently wear earplugs with multiple "fins" that seem to work the best, but i am sure have a lower NRR rating. There is still a lot of noise, but i can handle them for a few hours.

 

- If i wear soft 32NRR earplugs the sound actually seems worse. It becomes a booming sound. It's like a bad head cold and the sound gets pounded through my skull. I can hardly stand the soft plugs 32NRR plugs for 30 minutes.

 

So i am approaching this one piece at a time, earplugs, then helmet, then maybe an aftermarket windscreen replacement...

[WBinDE]

+1 on reducing fatigue. I find myself fresher after 4 hours with plugs than after an hour without. I use foam earplugs but they have to be "installed" correctly. Just mashing them into my ear won't do the job because my helmet knocks them out. There are YouTube videos that demonstrate the technique but I can't figure out how to embed a link - sorry.

 

Oldironken - Shoei designed the Qwest for the more upright seating style of a touring bike, and the RF1100 is more for sportbikes. Has to do with the location of the vents - more forward on the Qwest so you get better airflow. I liked my Qwest until it sacrificed itself during my hit/run accident, but am looking to replace it with either a GT-Air or a Neotec.

[EddyQ]

I am wrestling with the best solution to the noise issue.

 

- At 65 with my stock screen all the way up and my face shield up the noise level is comfortable. The only trouble i have is that the back pressure wants to knock the shield down if there's any wind or if i go faster.

 

I believe the problem with the RT windshield is that it creates a high velocity stream of air that hits your helmet in the forhead area.

That impact causes all sorts of noise in the same way a air hose would if directed at a wall. With your helmet visor up, the air may hit at a more grazing angle, producing less noise.

 

Do this, while riding at speeds were the noise is high, put your hand across your forhead. You will be amazed at how quiet it becomes.

 

So you may be able to help the problem with a new helmet, but the real problem is the stream of air. This air, if 2-3 inches higher, would completely fix your issue. The only way to do that is a new wind shield or a modification to the one you have. My 2 cents.

[elkroeger]

...Just put a dab of RED fingernail polish on the right plug. Then remember the old boaters mantra: RED, Right, returning.

 

That's all backwards. Red is Port and green is Starboard.

 

(Port = Left, for you landlubbers)

[Kathy R]

...Just put a dab of RED fingernail polish on the right plug. Then remember the old boaters mantra: RED, Right, returning.

 

That's all backwards. Red is Port and green is Starboard.

 

(Port = Left, for you landlubbers)

 

Me? Nailpolish?

[hopz]

The channel marker mnemonic IS correct.

 

The idea, when returning to port is to keep the Red Marker on YOUR RIGHT....

[Paul In Australia]

The channel marker mnemonic IS correct.

 

The idea, when returning to port is to keep the Red Marker on YOUR RIGHT....

That depends where u are in the world. Can be different in some locations. But generally correct

Regards

[elkroeger]

Sure, red right return is okay. But red on port, green on starboard is more logical as the earpieces, like nav lights, are on your vehicle, whereas the buoys are not.

 

the mnemonic for remembering Port = Left is: Is there any port (red wine) left in the bottle?

 

A much better mnemonic, in my opinion...

[DiggerJim]

Sure, red right return is okay. But red on port, green on starboard is more logical as the earpieces, like nav lights, are on your vehicle, whereas the buoys are not.

 

the mnemonic for remembering Port = Left is: Is there any port (red wine) left in the bottle?

 

A much better mnemonic, in my opinion...

Although I do some boating I find for my bike adventures that Red ® = equals Right ®. R=R is about as complex a mnemonic as I want to deal with when riding

 

[Charles Elms]

Me? Nailpolish? rofl

 

Get some. Lot's of uses for red nailpolish. For example, all my metric sockets and wrenches have a red dab of polish on them so I don't grab a 3/16 when I want metric. I started doing that when my metric tools were the minority.