Ear plugs?
Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 45,429
Likes: 2,897
From: Bedford UK
It's great to hear (joke?!) so many supporting the use of ear plugs. Our attention was first drawn to the need to wear them back in the mid-70s, when noise at work became an issue. The US forestry people did a lot of research for us!
Plugs are also the cheapest tuning aid out there, as the reduction in noise enables the speed to go up - so beware, if you start wearing them for the first time! I have mostly used the foam type, although some brands are a better fit than others. Here in the UK there are sellers who offer a mixed bag of brands, to help find a suitable pair. An alternative is to have a pair made to fit, although the few people I know who have had them have also had mixed experiences.
Plugs are also the cheapest tuning aid out there, as the reduction in noise enables the speed to go up - so beware, if you start wearing them for the first time! I have mostly used the foam type, although some brands are a better fit than others. Here in the UK there are sellers who offer a mixed bag of brands, to help find a suitable pair. An alternative is to have a pair made to fit, although the few people I know who have had them have also had mixed experiences.
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 10,216
Likes: 224
From: Glendale AZ
I found it to be more of an issue when riding without a helmet and how loud my pipes are...these days, experience has taught me to wear a helmet (3/4 open or closed) and keep the noise to a tolerable level. If I find my ears ring after a longer ride, I examine the two areas stated above.
I bought some ear protection from Walgreens; keep a set in my roll bag, and one next to my key. So I insure, I have a set of hearing protection when riding. I always wear hearing protection when I am riding, no matter the distance. Because at some point, I end up on the highway and that is when you need (in my opinion) hearing protection, if you are wearing a half, 3/4 helmet.
Last edited by "Dutch"; Apr 21, 2013 at 02:59 PM.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 2,979
Likes: 1,165
From: No where near you, OH
I use a pair identical to those made by Stanley and keep several of pairs of them on the bike in case I lose a pair somewhere. I lost 95% of the hearing in my right ear because of a head injury and what I do hear out of that ear is tinnitis amplified. Don't want to hear the same thing out of my good ear too. These are the best plugs I have ever used.
Tourer
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 456
Likes: 0
From: Upstate NY
Anyone that rides a bike should wear earplugs, plain and simple! It's not your pipes, it's the wind noise and sound from cars going by you that gets ya. Your stupid to not wear them. I don't care where I'm going, to the corner store or for a 200 mile ride, I always put them in. I have them tucked inside my helmet with my gloves and doo rag so they're always ready to go when I am. Putting them in is as normal to me as putting on my helmet.
And the crazy thing is that all my friends that I ride with never wear them and think that I'm a ***** for wearing them. But they're the ones always saying "what?" It's like teeth and eyes. God only gave you one set!
And the crazy thing is that all my friends that I ride with never wear them and think that I'm a ***** for wearing them. But they're the ones always saying "what?" It's like teeth and eyes. God only gave you one set!
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Road Warrior
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,953
Likes: 28
From: Houston, TX
I have to respectfully but strongly disagree here. I would really like this to be true, but I've known a lot of people that seem to just get older and not smarter. I don't think smarter is an automatic side effect to age.
Road Captain
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 529
Likes: 2
From: Minnesota
I started wearing foam ear plugs in my FF helmet last year after reading a thread on here. They make a noticeable improvement for me. I can hear the speakers inside the helmet better. I can hear the bike better.