Riding with ear plugs

[animalwithin]

My friend who rides says I should ride with earplugs or I will eventually lose my hearing. What do you guys think? Do you wear earplugs when you ride?

[BB3Lions]

Depends on the output on your machine mate and of course if you ride with a helmet or not.

Some do in the UK but I don't personally as i like to hear the engine noise

If you dont wear a helmet i would suggest you do, and of course wear one


BB

[animalwithin]

Well I have the stock exhaust on my Shiver and I do wear a helmet all the time. I also like hearing the wind and engine noise, he just made it sound that overtime your hearing will deteriorate if you dont wear earplugs with your helmet.

[daesimps]

I have a stock Shiver and am in the UK so always wear a lid (Schuberth C3) which is pretty quite.

Even so, I always wear plugs and have a set of custom molded ones. In fact I can't stand to ride without them.

I actually think that it helps me hear the engine better. It cuts down on all the wind noise and leaves me able to hear the engine and what's going on around me better.

I was sceptical at first, but I've also noticed that when out for a long time I also feel much less fatigued. I guess subconsciously without earplugs the constant drone must wear me out even though I've switched off to it.

I also know far too many people with tinitus created by not wearing plugs over a long period of time.

Dae.

[Aprilia Tha Hun]

I just wear the headphones that fit down in my ears so the helmet doesnt create pressure on my ear and found it to be a good compromise between no plugs and real industrial strength plugs since I do like to hear what's going on around me as well emergency vehicles, screeching tires, horns etc.. and you have the option of music, but usually just listening to that nasty v twin ruckus

[potere]

Riders don't have enough data, they can only give an accurate report on themselves. The ones whose answers count are those who are over 50 and have been riding a lot for 20 years. Statistically, you'd need to get around 50 people to answer before the result would be enough info to make a decision. It's complicated though because many have listened to loud rock music in their youth or have had a job at noisy locations (construction for example).

Ask several ontolaryngologists, you will get the same answer from 90% of them. Their answers count because they've seen the hearing test results of many riders who've ridden a lot of miles.

[animalwithin]

I see, I'll look into some light ear plugs, nothing heavy that will drown out all noise.

[bms]

Earplugs attenuate the higher frequency noise, so you'll still hear all that bass; perhaps more of it actually as the wind noise kind of goes away. I think most earplugs knock off about 15 dB; it makes a big difference. I used to have ringing in my ears after extended rides at 65 mph or above (wind noise starts hitting 85 dB somewhere around 60 mph for most helmets and permanent damage can begin with long term exposure). Haven't had the ringing in a long time unless I forget and ride all day without the ear plugs. There was a really good article in Sport Rider or Cycle World a couple years back on this topic.

[vfr_nz]

I suffer from noise induced hearing loss thru not wearing hearing protection in a very noisy environment over a long period of time. In my younger days while racing bikes (2 strokes) use to wonder why others wore hearing protection. Now I know.

Since I have been back riding I always wear protection, started cheep with foam plugs but now have personally molded plugs.

Can still hear the engine but it does get rid of the high frequency wind noise.

Much happier but the damage has been done.

Cheers

Wayne
In New Zealand

[animalwithin]

I suffer from noise induced hearing loss thru not wearing hearing protection in a very noisy environment over a long period of time. In my younger days while racing bikes (2 strokes) use to wonder why others wore hearing protection. Now I know.

Since I have been back riding I always wear protection, started cheep with foam plugs but now have personally molded plugs.

Can still hear the engine but it does get rid of the high frequency wind noise.

Much happier but the damage has been done.

Cheers

Wayne
In New Zealand

Sad to hear that happened Wayne, thanks for the advice, will definetely go pick up a pair of good plugs as soon as I can.

[DownUnderDorso]

I suffer from noise induced hearing loss thru not wearing hearing protection in a very noisy environment over a long period of time. In my younger days while racing bikes (2 strokes) use to wonder why others wore hearing protection. Now I know.

Since I have been back riding I always wear protection, started cheep with foam plugs but now have personally molded plugs.

Can still hear the engine but it does get rid of the high frequency wind noise.

Much happier but the damage has been done.

Cheers

Wayne
In New Zealand

I couldn't agree more !

I've been riding with plugs for ~20years now... For me, the wind noise is unbearable without them.

[Bigralphie]

well I do wear earplugs but only for the last 8 years or so ,in fact I ride better with earplugs in , less distractions
As said its not engine noise but wind noise that seems to be the issue
I know my hearing has been damaged by a life of riding but not hugely

[hareynolds]

Please drop by the Futura section, where we're running a POLL on ear protection.

Us Fut owners are a little crotchety (who can blame us, Aprilia left us hanging 6 years ago), but a talented and enjoyable lot.

http://www.apriliaforum.com/forums/s...d.php?t=233541

[shekel]

Wear earplugs - you will hear the engine, you will be faster, and much fresher after a long ride. I'm well over 50 with a degree of noise-induced hearing loss and suffer from tinnitus. I should have worn hearing protection when I was much younger. I now try to use my custom molded plugs on every ride. I will be using them today.

[Tommi]

Same story here, over 50 never wore ear plugs in noisy enviroment and also suffer with tinnitus and hearing loss.

One point that needs to be made strongly is that there is no cure for tinnitus, you have to learn to live with it.