Wear ear-plugs, there's a good chap! We were all told about the risk of damage to our hearing back in the 1970s, but that info never seems to get passed on.

 

After riding with a shorty, half helmet AND ear plugs for many years I recently bought a Nolan Trilogy helmet. Can be worn as a full face or you can remove the chin guard and wear it as a three quarter. I LOVE IT! No more ear plugs needed. ACtually do not need sun glasses either as it has a drop down sun shield. Best couple of hundred bucks I have spent in a long time.

 

I have V&H Slip-on's. V&H told me that they measure 95-100 DB's. I like the sound very much. I have been told that the V&H "Quiet" baffles only quiet it down 3-5 DB, BUT also give it a deeper rumble. I am interested to hear that for myself. Maybe a set of "Quiet" baffles will be in my future?

I ride with ear plugs when riding at highway speeds for any more than 15-20 min. The other thing that helps reduce wind noise on my ears is a bandanna that covers your ears.

 

Thanks .... great confirming info.... I downloadd a 5-star recommended APP to smartphone to make my decision. Pretty funny: the tech at dealer , a super nice guy, talked me out of installing quiet baffles now as a) i was raving about my "last" loud ride and how much i Loved the V&H slip on sound and horsepower bump-up, b) they were pretty busy and i had tk get tires unexpectedly tk me (yes, they were right I did need them but hadnt looked at the wear indicator in right spot!.... and c);going into winter in Northeast i'll be fullface helmet for awhile and better tk wake up the closed window texters with as much noise as possible ! ...
I So, i will test pipes at "my ear" --- carefully --- with Smart Tools Sound Meter app. BUT, have since read what is more damaging than loud slip-ons (stlll pretty safe with slip-ons even without a cat in the stock FatBoy head pipe,), but what is MOST damaging tk hearing loss IS wind noise whistling through ears..... even in a full face helmet at soeeds over 70mph.

And it's true.... such a difference in "the whistle" at 60 vs. 75 mph.....
YES.... I csn keep my slipons wirhout quiet baffles....
AND..... FIRE MY psychiatrist !!!! !!!!!! !!!!! :-)

 

Thanks .... great confirming info.... I downloadd a 5-star recommended APP to smartphone to make my decision. Pretty funny: the tech at dealer , a super nice guy, talked me out of installing quiet baffles now as a) i was raving about my "last" loud ride and how much i Loved the V&H slip on sound and horsepower bump-up, b) they were pretty busy and i had tk get tires unexpectedly tk me (yes, they were right I did need them but hadnt looked at the wear indicator in right spot!.... and c);going into winter in Northeast i'll be fullface helmet for awhile and better tk wake up the closed window texters with as much noise as possible ! ...
I So, i will test pipes at "my ear" --- carefully --- with Smart Tools Sound Meter app. BUT, have since read what is more damaging than loud slip-ons (stlll pretty safe with slip-ons even without a cat in the stock FatBoy head pipe,), but what is MOST damaging tk hearing loss IS wind noise whistling through ears..... even in a full face helmet at soeeds over 70mph.

And it's true.... such a difference in "the whistle" at 60 vs. 75 mph.....
YES.... I csn keep my slipons wirhout quiet baffles....
AND..... FIRE MY psychiatrist !!!! !!!!!! !!!!! :-)

 

Just my 2 cents: a 3dB decrease is 50% less noise. Anytime something drops by 3dB, it's dropping by 1/2. So "only" quieting down by 3dB is quieting down a lot!

 

I recently swapped out the stock exhaust with Screaming Eagle slip ons for the V&H large radius exhaust. The SE's sounded really nice, just the right tone and loud, I was surprised to learn that the baffles were still installed when I pulled it off the bike. I have the baffles installed in the VH and they are just as loud, maybe a little louder. these would probably sound great with them removed! Comparing the 2 there is really not an extreme difference but definitely an increase in mid range torque according to the seat of my pants dyno with the VH. But lets be honest, I only swapped them out for the looks. V&H FTW!