Earplugs

[Dan_Ashley]

This is not a real exciting topic. But it is something I've been "messing" with the last week or so.
I noticed that I was getting a lot of road noise at freeway speed. Maybe I noticed it because I'm getting older--maybe not. Anyway I looked up on the internet and found that wind noise at 65 MPH could exceed 125 decibels. That is loud...really loud. So I got some ear plugs. Foam ear plugs. It reduced the noise a lot. So I decided that I would get some molded ear plugs that fit just fine.

The last time I was at Las Vegas Bikefest there was a vendor selling custom earplugs for $67. So I called a few audiologists in my area. I live about 80 miles East of Los Angeles. The audiologists charge between $95 and $145. I went over to the local Honda motorsports shop and he had some do-it-yourself kits for $30. I then checked Amazon.com and found a do-it-yourself kit for $19. I bought the $19 version.

It came. I read the instructions two or three times and followed them exactly. As expected the earplugs came out just fine. No problem

So today...me, the earplugs and my RT up on the super slab. 77 MPH. Much quieter. Much nicer. I also noticed a couple of other things that seem to have changed by wearing the earplugs: 1) I no longer have a tendency to shift at too low an RPM. My shifting is naturally well within the power band. This is good. 2) The wind-head-buffeting from trucks and cross winds doesn't bother me as much. I understand #1, but not #2.

Any ideas why #2....why did the wind buffeting seem less?

[Some Guy]

The air pressure changes from the buffeting isn't affecting your inner ear as much as it did before the ear plugs.

[Bob Denman]

on a wise choice!
Buffeting bothers you less, because a large portion of it is the noise generated by the airflow...
...the very thing, that you've protected yourself from!

[boomerkc]

would be appreciated. 2 yrs ago, at Spyderfest in Cuba, Don from TX was there making the Big Ears custom earplugs, approx. $60. Got a pair and they're great for blocking out the noise. I found just the opposite that I was used to shifting by sound more than looking at tach. One time I looked down as I was accelerating onto a highway and saw I was at 9,500 RPM. Oops!!!!

[bmwlarry]

I have two sets, both custom made. I had one set made at a BMW Rally and they are for use with an iPod. The second set was made by my audiologist and are purely for hearing protection while riding. Both were expensive but you get what you pay for when it comes to effectiveness and comfort. I think the protective only ones were made by Beltone.

[NancysToy]

We have used earplugs for years. Another benefit that is hard to understand is that you will actually become less fatigued during a long trip, for some unknown reason. One of the biggest benefits is that you don't take an hour to hear again normally after your ride ends. Nancy and I currently use the Big Ear plugs.

[Copperman]

We have used earplugs for years. Another benefit that is hard to understand is that you will actually become less fatigued during a long trip, for some unknown reason. One of the biggest benefits is that you don't take an hour to hear again normally after your ride ends. Nancy and I currently use the Big Ear plugs.

I've been wearing earplugs for years. I just use the foam ones but I just might break down and buy custom fitted ones.

[Bob Denman]

Those D.I.Y.s from Amazon "sound" interesting...

[crazycanuck]

​custom protect ear......great investment

[Bob Denman]

Question: How long can you get away with wearing them around the house, before they figure out that you're not actually listening to them?

[wyliec]

Question: How long can you get away with wearing them around the house, before they figure out that you're not actually listening to them?

Have you checked the missus' ears lately?

[Bob Denman]

All I need to do, is try to open the BRP Accessoires catalog, and she's on me like a Hungry Pit-Bull!

[crazycanuck]

This is clearly a premeditated action to bump up post count

[jaherbst]

We have used earplugs for years. Another benefit that is hard to understand is that you will actually become less fatigued during a long trip, for some unknown reason. One of the biggest benefits is that you don't take an hour to hear again normally after your ride ends. Nancy and I currently use the Big Ear plugs.

Ditto!

Never leave home without them. If your not wearing them now you will already have lost some hearing.

I wear Bluetooth Helmet speakers and foam ear plugs. Ear plugs cut out the wind and road noise and you can hear your MP3 or XM more clear than ever. Also Big EAR makes a killer molded ear headset that plugs into the GPS or Bluetooth Ear Molds are just being developed.

Ear plugs will also work with the OEM radio on the Spyder but you will certainly P/O anyone around you. Get a Helmet headset and make everyone around wonder what your listening to and why you have that Spyder Grin.

[BajaRon]

Ear plugs are great. The only way to fly. I use them all the time. Generic 32db models. Never tried custom fit versions. Maybe I should look into them.

I've found that I sleep better when riding with ear plugs than without...

[jScotD]

foam things give me a headache from the pressure .. I can do the moldable wax stuff as long as I don't hit the pressure points in my ears.. and they fall out eventually.. I have always been destined to have the wind in my ears.. I can't even wear reading glasses for over 15 minutes because of the pressure. and I read lips

[daveinva]

Bought 200 of these three years ago; not even through half the box yet:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Comfy enough and they do the job.

And, contrary to assumption, you hear the traffic around you *better* with earplugs in than without at anything about running speed-- plugs block the bad sound but let you hear what you need to hear.

(Oh, and yeah: I can hear my Sena just fine through the plugs, too!)

[Dan_Ashley]

Question: How long can you get away with wearing them around the house, before they figure out that you're not actually listening to them?

She already believes I do not hear her. I do not want to give her un falsifiable evidence.

[blambert]

I have the custom molded ear plugs with the imbedded amplifier in each ear piece. When I plug into my music I dont even hear my hindle or kewl metal air intake, all I hear is music - I shift based upon vibration, because I can't hear anything beyond the music. Its the best.

[NancysToy]

foam things give me a headache from the pressure .. I can do the moldable wax stuff as long as I don't hit the pressure points in my ears.. and they fall out eventually.. I have always been destined to have the wind in my ears.. I can't even wear reading glasses for over 15 minutes because of the pressure. and I read lips

I have much the same problem. I even wear my glasses elevated above my ears because they hurt otherwise. I also have very tiny earholes, so even the moldable plugs or the smallest available silicon ones bother me. Try the Big Ear custom plugs, or one of the alternative products. I have no pain at all from them. They are worth the money and the half hour or so it takes to have them made and coated.

[Bob Denman]

I've found that I sleep better when riding with ear plugs than without...

Well THAT's an eye-opener!!

[NorthStar]

I went to a local hearing clinic a few years back and had the Audiologist/HIS craft me a set of custom ear plugs. She made the molds and sent them away for processing. Within a week I went back for a fitting. I wore them for a week or so at her suggestion and went back again to fine tune the fit. She was aware that I would be wearing the plugs under a helmet and wanted to make sure that there were no pressure points experienced from wearing the plugs with a helmet. The final adjustments were made and the plugs are indeed a custom fit.

i can wear them all day without discomfort and they definitely block out wind noise and make riding the bike much more enjoyable. Another side benefit I discovered is wearing these plugs while sleeping in a strange bed while traveling makes for a better sleep every time. Blocks out all those unfamiliar and annoying sounds like the infamous rattling window air conditioners we run into in the less pricey motels that we tend to stay in while on the road.

The process to custom fit the plugs took multiple visits and I do admit to feeling a tad guilty at only paying $100 for the finished product. This was compounded a bit when I lost one of the plugs while on a road trip six months later and they were replaced at no charge.

Any type of ear protection is beneficial and I would recommend going the custom fit route based on my experiences with ear plugs.

[Some Guy]

I always use some sort of hearing protection when I ride. I use these when riding one-up and listening to music; when not listening to music I wear foam plugs.

http://www.earfuze.com/store.html

When Some Girl is with me I use the blue tooth in the comm unit that I have in a different helmet so we both can listen. I always use the foam plugs when using the blue tooth and can hear the everything just fine.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Hopefully you will not miss something you need to hear... ......Mike

[Some Guy]

Hopefully you will not miss something you need to hear... ......Mike

Eliminating the wind noise (a.k.a. white noise) makes it easier to hear the important stuff around, like cars, sirens, etc.

Granted, listening to music pretty much negates that, so you have to be extra vigilant. I never listen to music when I'm just riding around town.