Questioning wearing Ear Plugs while riding

[RayBJ]

I raced 2 cycle karts for 15 years in the 70-80s without earplugs. Now I need hearing aids to raise the mid frequencies (voice range) when I bother to wear them.
When I returned to riding in 2008 I rode a while without plugs and the intercom was nearly impossible to decipher. I switched to earpeace musician plugs and they do an excellent job of reducing wind & road noise but allow the voice range thru so I hear better at speed.

I am more observant than average and I use my vision, mirrors, (and revolving head) to assess the surroundings regardless of transport.

Now if only I could find earplugs that cancel LOUD PIPES!

[IGETAROUND]

I am very much in favor of using hearing protection for all the reasons listed in Ron's posting. He said it much better than I can; here is what I use to give me a 34db noise reduction:

https://mightyplugs.com/

These are the most comfortable ear plugs I have ever used, inexpensive and when they get older and dirty you throw them out and get a new pair. I cut the round shape in half, more than enough to make a set.

Al in Kazoo

[wmjweber45]

Riding without ear plugs will eventually destroy your hearing

I can attest to that. I rode for years without them. After about 25 years I found my hearing down about 50 percent. I now always wear them to save what hearing I have left. Most earplugs will let enough sound through for situational awareness. I found these to be the best for me.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...e?ie=UTF8&th=1

Expensive, but worth it. IMHO

[Pooch]

I used hearing protection for all my riding years on 2 wheels.. since 1978.
However, it turns out that my poor hearing status now probably stems from inheritance from my mother and her father .. my grandfather. My 2 siblings did not ride motorcycles but also apparently inherited the hearing problem.
Being on 3 wheels since 2012 I have not worn any hearing protection.. I'm already "there"...
However, I do take off my hearing aids while riding - its just too darned loud otherwise...

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

There is also an aging brain issue involved. A discussion I heard a few years ago discussed the fact that as we get older our brains lose the capacity to filter sounds. In younger years it can filter out the noise and concentrate on the sound of interest. In later years it is less capable of doing do so, so background noise mixes with the sound of interest making is harder to hear what we want to hear.

[Knizar]

There is also an aging brain issue involved. A discussion I heard a few years ago discussed the fact that as we get older our brains lose the capacity to filter sounds. In younger years it can filter out the noise and concentrate on the sound of interest. In later years it is less capable of doing do so, so background noise mixes with the sound of interest making is harder to hear what we want to hear.

IMS, 'I HEAR YA on that old age factor', think that might be part of my hearing disability, but on the other hand it may of be that I operated a rock crusher for approximately 30 years without proper ear protection! Bill

[Cosmo]

Ditto

[askitee]

I posted the comment open ended to test my motives for wearing them, so as the OP I'll include these comments now:

I too already suffer hearing loss from 20 years working in Power Stations, and have Tinnitus.
While getting the bike serviced I decided buy the Pinlocks and give them a try for the ride home (160-350 km depending on which way I go). The reduction in fatigue was amazing and had me hooked.
Like other Husbands my level of hearing loss would depend on who you ask - Audiologist 40%, Wife/kids 80%-90% sometimes 100%

The commentary is excellent both for and against. I think like some have pointed out,

• Hearing is precious and I need to protect it.
• The reduction in fatigue is measurable - I enjoy long distance runs the most.
• I need to find a balance between protection and hearing my surrounds to be aware of what's going on around me. - as an ex firefighter I've had to deal with drivers oblivious to their surrounds not seeing the Big Red Truck + Sirens + Flashing Red & Blue Lights right Behind/In Front Of, To the Right/Left of them.

I can't criticise anyone that choses to or not to wear hearing protection. I am going to purchase some of the alternatives to industrial plugs that are suggested here. Given how quickly I lose them it wont take long to try different brands ... wonder could I store them in another body cavity when not in use

[Gwolf]

I used to wear ear plugs on the bikes when I wore the shorty helmets with safety glasses. I never wear them when I wear a full face helmet or a 3/4 helmet with a wrap shield on it. The ear plugs were mostly for the wind noise. Most all the bikes I have owned had glass pack mufflers which are not as loud and obnoxious as straight pipes. Already had some hearing loss from when I was younger and flew aircrew on C-130-E models. Wore earplugs and had headset intercom with padded ear muffs. Four of them 4,500 HP turboprops are loud, no matter what you wear over your ears. Even after Florida made helmets optional for adults, I kept on wearing them. Probably wouldn't be around to wear a helmet if I had not had one on when the car hit me in 1981. The noise from the pipes is not excessive at cruising speed. It is the wind noise that is annoying, and the helmet with face shield cuts down on that.

[JonShadow]

I use Plugfones when I ride. The filter I use reduces noise by about 30dB. I can still hear traffic, horns, screeching tires, the engine of the bike, etc. I use them with my Cardo. If I listen to music, which I often like to do, I keep the volume minimal so I can still hear around me. I also wear a full face helmet and I can still hear enough of my surroundings. I would much rather protect my ears after years of playing in a band, going to concerts, and going to loud sports events. I've already lost a tiny bit of hearing and I don't want to lose more. My wife and I wear Earpeace plugs at concerts. They're great.

[BigPoppa]

Given how quickly I lose them it wont take long to try different brands ... wonder could I store them in another body cavity when not in use

I don't know about other brands but Earpeace plugs come in a keychain case so you would be less likely to lose them (I have lost a few over the years when taking them out, dropping them, and then being unable to find them unless it was in my garage). I use a slightly larger cylinder keychain for my afternoon meds and I have an extra compartment that I keep my daily Earpeace set in.

Again, it doesn't prevent loss but it does reduce the instances of me misplacing them.

[Hound]

After 25 years as firearms instructor, farming, heavy equipment mechanic, my ears are pretty bad. A lot of folks don't understand that losing your hearing can also make your ears more sensitive to some sounds , like wind noise. I wear plugs under my helmet.
Etymotic Research ER20XS Motorsport High-Definition Earplugs (Noise Reduction Designed To Fit Under Helmets) -
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...e?ie=UTF8&th=1

[Isopedella]

You don't get a 2nd chance to protect your hearing.

Noise Reduction Rating 18 dB if fitted correctly class 3 NRR 24dB

corded 1861264832.jpg

[BajaRon]

Great and Worthy discussion. Thank you Lamont and Forum Crew for giving us this great venue! Opinions vary. But I think it's a great opportunity to get the information needed.

[mmeechan]

I bought Loop Experience Plus plugs and wore them last week but while they're quiet and killed the wind noise (but can still hear traffic) there was a vibration sound that was almost worse (on a Harley Softail). I'll try them again, but might be going with something different like the ones mentioned here.

[BamaJohn]

I use a brand called Earpeace. It has several different filters you can insert into it. The different filters have different noise levels so you can choose how much noise you want block out.

+1 for Earpeace

[Lew L]

custom fit earplugs
.

Years ago, I bought a 2-part kit to make custom fitted earplugs. They work great and I also use them for shooting practice. There was enough to make 2 sets, but I haven't needed the second set. I use them on the poor, old, slow V-Max, the faring makes a fair bit of noise. The is so much quieter with a modular helmet.

Lew L

[mmeechan]

+1 for Earpeace

Thanks,

I've ordered a set of the Earpeace Moto Pro ones. We shall see how they do.

[KAMJAM]

I have been riding for over 40 years, unfortunately I neglected to use ear protection for a good portion of that time. I will say that my "job" as a small engine mechanic in my early years as well as being a big concert goer (thank you Toni Iommi BS ) for hearing loss and tinnitus in every day living. These days I ride with Laser Lite earplugs. I've tried several exhaust configurations, but decided the RLS cat delete and stock muffler was the best option as it caused zero issues with my tinnitus, added more performance and dropped at least 20 pounds. Just want to say that products from RLS are top notch! Oh, and it gives the exhaust tone a bit of a raspy bark... says my wife, and I do agree!

[CloverHillCrawler]

Just for what it's worth as somebody who was rear ended while stopping at a light a couple of weeks ago, unless you see it there is no time to react.

I had applied my brakes and just finished coming to a stop at a red light and all I heard were two chirps of a tire and I thought that's funny my wheels didn't lockup, that is when I felt a lunge forward and then the next thing I know I am picking myself up off of the road next to my Spyder.

Lesson learned from this, I will always look to my rear when coming to a stop at a light now. Don't trust any sounds you hear.

[mecsw500]

I have to take my hearing aids out to fit my helmet with my glasses comfortably. I can run my helmet comms loud enough to hear my wife at most speeds with the windscreen set right. I bluetooth my phone to the helmet comms and I can just about hear enough to ask people to call back later if speeds are low enough. I just find the helmet comms is much clearer unit to unit than it is phone to unit via Bluetooth.

Hearing loss isn't fun and without my hearing aids I really do have to be able to see what people are saying. I have to use my mirrors a lot when stopped in a line of traffic as I probably couldn't hear somebody locking up behind me. I don't run music and I can't really hear my phone well enough to use the maps apps or even a separate GPS unit. Off the bike with my hearing aids bluetooth connected to my iPhone I can make phone calls pretty easily.

I did once try wearing my hearing aids jammed in the helmet but if I turned the comms system down enough to stop my hearing aids feeding back and not hurting my ears with the volume, it was too muffled to hear my wife through the comms system anyway. I wish there was a better solution like a helmet comms system that would pair hearing aids like my iPhone does. That would be neat feature but I suspect the market is too small to make it worth any manufacturer doing it.

Look after your hearing kids.

[bigbadbrucie]

When I’m on my Spyder, the cel phone is turned OFF. I do, however. Have the phone fastened to my quad lock in the event that I need it for navigation purposes. My music, if I want it, is from my iPod.

[TroubledJuan]

I ride with the cheap foam ear plugs while wearing my half helmet, but now with my full face, and I am thinking I need them in the full face also, I can still hear traffic and certain noises with the foam plugs, but it cuts out the wind and my ears don't ring after a full day, a few years ago I quit using the headset in my full face while riding because the music just didn't sound good.
my hearing loss is noticeable so these days I am trying to protect what I have left

[cphillipsea1]

One thing I forgot to mention, hearing is only a Once in a Life-time thing. Yes, hearing aids help, but go into a noisy environment, shops, or a restaurant while wearing them & you hear everything; with natural hearing you are able to turn off to the external noises, with hearing aids in you can't - you just hear noise! I will vote yes for ear protection; one protect what you have or in my case what you have left, I can sit here and wish I wore hearing protection earlier for riding, but being in Infantry when I started, all we had was a cotton wool like stuff for our ears, not like the noise cancelling stuff you have today; but then you cannot wear it in other environments which destroy more hearing than a quick blat around on a bike.

So, protect what you have or have not lost as they cannot repair Tinnitus or induced hearing loss - Yet! So live life as much as you can, and Ryde as much as you can, and protect what you have! Hearing protection, yes.

That's my 20 cents worth, take it or leave it.

PS: when my Wife can't hear me, she turns the volume up to a deafening roar and I still say "What did you say? It's too noisy!" and then even the dog runs out... (sick OZZIE humour)

Gun stores have hearing aids that work.

[cruisinTX]

Just a few points to ponder.

1. Most of the foam ear plugs you buy in sporting goods stores/departments only eliminate ~32db
2. Most ambient noises that could cause you to have to react in the name of safety are going to be much louder than 32db
3. Custom made foam plugs only eliminate around 40db (I personally prefer to spend a whole lot less money on the others especially in the event of losing one now and then.)
4. Wind noise will cause hearing loss and as someone else pointed out that never comes back
5. Wind noise also causes fatigue

Pick your personal level of protection or not.