Omega.Rider
Weapons-grade stupid
Without music, I use something very much like these. They work well and are comfortable enough for me to wear all day.
Wear Earplugs!
- Thread starter kingprawnokay
- Start date
+1 on these. You gave me a pair at NJSTOC. Better than the corded ones I was using from work. 
Rule of thumb if you have to raise your voice to have a conversation it's too loud. Hearing loss is cumulative.
Rule of thumb if you have to raise your voice to have a conversation it's too loud. Hearing loss is cumulative.
I bought the sample pack from these guys.
http://earplugstore.stores.yahoo.net/unfoamtrialp.html
Found the ones that I like the most and will be ordering a bunch of them very soon.
And in terms of hearing stuff around you, I was riding in the Interstate one day, and I could clearly hear the tire hum from a pickup truck that started passing me on my right. He wasn't in my mirrors so it was a good thing.
Without plugs, it is like someone standing on your shoulder and screaming in your ears the whole ride. And I mean riding WITHOUT the wife.
Not very pleasant except for very short trips.
G
http://earplugstore.stores.yahoo.net/unfoamtrialp.html
Found the ones that I like the most and will be ordering a bunch of them very soon.
And in terms of hearing stuff around you, I was riding in the Interstate one day, and I could clearly hear the tire hum from a pickup truck that started passing me on my right. He wasn't in my mirrors so it was a good thing.
Without plugs, it is like someone standing on your shoulder and screaming in your ears the whole ride. And I mean riding WITHOUT the wife.
Not very pleasant except for very short trips.G
Usually they just smack you on the back of the helmet. Sort of a human rev. limiter.
Imrubicon
Wannabe Squid
But are not motorcycles in genral 100 to 105 or less so wouldnt it be within limits for the 20 min ride each to work ?
I was reading a chart made by your profession and it said exposure to 90 to 100 was within limits for arounds a hour a day .
I do try to wear ear plugs when riding but then I have to admit the years spent with a loud stereo in the car and too many concerts/Bands didnt help much either .
The point Im trying to make is most people in the hearing biz seem tpo pretty much want the rest of us to wear ear plugs almost 24/7 and that is asking too much just like we should all eat only healthy food or only drink water .
Just is not going to happen for a lot of people .
Living Life seems to always get in the way of living healthy and doing whats best for ourselves.
Kind of like ATGATT we cant say its not the best practice but many of us (motorcycle riders) dont and thats ok as we can only control ourselves
I was reading a chart made by your profession and it said exposure to 90 to 100 was within limits for arounds a hour a day .
I do try to wear ear plugs when riding but then I have to admit the years spent with a loud stereo in the car and too many concerts/Bands didnt help much either .
The point Im trying to make is most people in the hearing biz seem tpo pretty much want the rest of us to wear ear plugs almost 24/7 and that is asking too much just like we should all eat only healthy food or only drink water .
Just is not going to happen for a lot of people .
Living Life seems to always get in the way of living healthy and doing whats best for ourselves.
Kind of like ATGATT we cant say its not the best practice but many of us (motorcycle riders) dont and thats ok as we can only control ourselves
Last edited:
Omega.Rider
Weapons-grade stupid
The motorcycle may only be 100 dBs, but the wind is what messes with your hearing...
"However, when the sound levels exceed 100dB, your exposure time is reduced to two hours. When sound levels exceed 115dB, your exposure time is drastically reduced to 15 minutes. This puts riding a bike a whole other realm as "wind noise" at highway speeds can measure up to 103dB, or comparable to a running chainsaw. At these levels the rider is not only fatiguing physically from the excess noise exposure, but it also puts him into a position of needing a hearing aid later in life."
Taken from this site....http://www.freehearingtest.com/hia_motorcyclefacts.shtml
John Anthony
Moderator
I got a custom set of plugs from the audiologist at my HMO. Very comfortable and you can get different styles that offer different options for attenuation. Cost me about $100. I've also got a set of ER 6i's and use the silicone covers with the little fin thingies. Those work great. I also got a set of plugs set up for sounds from Marilyn that also work great.
Screw up your hearing and it can't be fixed, so spending a few bucks on decent protection is a good investment.
John
OP
OP
Wow! Great responses. I'm glad that so many here wear ear protection. I am, however, still worried about the people that haven't chimed in.
I find it interesting that hundreds of dollars are spent on helmets, jackets, boots and gloves, but many motorcyclists never spend a couple bucks to protect their hearing because no one informs them about the risk of hearing loss when they buy their first bike.
I find it interesting that hundreds of dollars are spent on helmets, jackets, boots and gloves, but many motorcyclists never spend a couple bucks to protect their hearing because no one informs them about the risk of hearing loss when they buy their first bike.
I think it's more about the effects from the wind buffeting, than the noise. At least that's my experience.
I always wear earplugs. I went to a safety supply store and bought a box of 200 pairs of the Howard Leight 'Max' orange foam plugs. I had trouble getting them fully inserted at first, but then I learned how to do it: when I'm ready to insert the compressed plug into my left ear, I reach over my head with my right hand and pull up on the top of my ear, which straightens out the ear canal and the plug goes in farther and easier. Repeat for the other ear and I'm good to go. Takes about 10 seconds.
Blrfl
Natural Rider Enhancement
+1 on the Howard Leight Maxes. One thing I discovered about them is that I get a better fit if I don't squinch* them down into a fine point. Two or three rolls between the fingers and in the ear they go.
--Mark
*Highly technical term.
--Mark
*Highly technical term.
I wear the re-usable mushroom style plugs from Home Depot, like these.
I could never get the foam ones to fit quite right.
I could never get the foam ones to fit quite right.
Everybody's different, eh? I could never get that type to work well.I wear the re-usable mushroom style plugs from Home Depot, like these.
I could never get the foam ones to fit quite right.
Omega.Rider
Weapons-grade stupid
actually, gregj, those are exactly what I'm using right now. I just couldn't remember the brand, so I took the first picture that was close to the style. My bad.
My bad.
I started wearing ear plugs when I got the ST1300 in '04. I was pleased to find as an added benefit, the intercom and music sounded BETTER with the ear plugs. I guess most of the undesirable stuff is filtered out and since the speakers are so close to the ear, that's what you hear.
All I know is, if I want to enjoy my music I have to wear ear plugs.
All I know is, if I want to enjoy my music I have to wear ear plugs.
I've always wondered what motor officers do? I'm sure they dont use ear plugs, as they would definately be a potential hinderance or safety hazard. How can they ride 8 hrs a day, or longer, wearing half or 3/4 helmets, and NOT get tinnitius???
Imrubicon
Wannabe Squid
As you just stated the 30 min ride to work and home is within the safe area .So to me you just proved that earplugs are not needed for short rides in town . Though I know it adds up during the day the ride in is safe within standards to not need earplugs
I am hoping that you understand I know that on a 8 hour day you need plugs but to be real not on the way to qwork and back as you are in the safe zone
Or did you mean something else than you worte or showed a link to ? ???????????
Omega.Rider
Weapons-grade stupid
Gregj, semi-off-topic, but related. One of the apartments near mine had an alarm going off the other day. I flagged down a cop to check the alarm. (One just happened to be driving past.) I could hear the alarm clear as day. He could barely hear it if he got right up to the apartment window. Maybe the DO get tinnitis. :O
Turns out it was her smoke alarm. She'd gotten drunk, passed out and torched the tater tots she was cooking. Glad I'll be moving soon.
Turns out it was her smoke alarm. She'd gotten drunk, passed out and torched the tater tots she was cooking. Glad I'll be moving soon.
Odds are they dont ride 8 hours a day. Around here you see them at the side of the road running radar more than riding. And when they pull someone over they dont get on the bike either, just walk out into traffic and point you to pull over. Their bike just sits there with the lights on at all times.
Omega.Rider
Weapons-grade stupid
Not meaning to tweak anyone here. I'm just discussing and debating, NOT meaning to cause offense anywhere.As you just stated the 30 min ride to work and home is within the safe area .So to me you just proved that earplugs are not needed for short rides in town . Though I know it adds up during the day the ride in is safe within standards to not need earplugs
I am hoping that you understand I know that on a 8 hour day you need plugs but to be real not on the way to qwork and back as you are in the safe zone
Or did you mean something else than you worte or showed a link to ? ???????????
The decibel scale is logarithmic. 10dB is 10 times louder than 0dB (threshhold of healthy human hearing). 20dB is 100 times louder than 0dB and so on. So 100dB is safe for 2 hours. But since the scale is logarithmic, safe time does not decrease in a smooth line. But rather falls off in a curve more like half a parabola. Hearing damage is cumulative too. So that time you spend riding each day, the time you spend listening to loud music, the car horn that goes off right beside you, they all add up for daily exposure.
I know I listen to my music too loud at times. I know that riding is too loud most of the time. I know that I want to be able to hear when (if?) I ever have grandchildren. I know that 3 hours of riding with no ear plugs and I'm VERY tired for a while; whereas 3 hours of riding with hearing protection and I'm still ready for more.
It's all relative and it's all a judgement call. For a few bucks a year and a few seconds spent before each ride, I'll play on the safe side and wear the protection.
Hey, it's only my opinion, but the experts say that my chosen hobby/means of transport has certain hazards inherent to it, and I'll do what I can to minimize them. YMMV. :-D