Questioning wearing Ear Plugs while riding

[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 :spyder2: 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. :spyder:

 

[mecsw500]

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)

The current digital hearing aids have got a lot better at noise discrimination in places like restaurants and shops.

I can program mine with different modes to isolate specific frequencies to better resolve speech from the background noise. I just select the different modes with the button on the back of them.

Also, I can adjust things from the APP on my phone.

Hearing aids have come a long way - they seem to get better with each subsequent model - and they integrate better with iPhones certainly in recent years.

I've been using the Philips brand and have good luck with their performance in a wide range of scenarios.

The only thing is they don't Low Power Bluetooth connect with my helmet comms, so I have to take them out when my helmet is on, or they cause feedback with the comms system's microphone and speakers. Fortunately, the comms works well enough to hear my wife without having to have it too loud. I think the comms link does a good job of filtering outside of speech ranges to make it clearer.

I think I have moderate hearing loss. My wife (and everyone else) thinks I'm as deaf as a post.