Phew! Earplug question.

I had a day off yesterday so I decided to do a bit of riding with an old friend of mine. Let me tell ya, I'm still beat.

I rode from Sacramento to Rhonert Park to Bodega bay and back, somewhere around 300 miles, on my Cafe bars. Man my arms are killing me.

Question:
When I went to lay down to go to sleep, my ears were ringing. I suppose it was from all the helmet noise. Its good to be able to hear engines and horns and what not, but, must I be so rough on my ears? Does anyone wear earplugs?

 

I ran a search and answered my own question. I'm wearing plugs now.

 

I wear them and have used them since the mid nineties,I had some custom made earplugs done last week which are even better than the roll up foam ones

Chances are if you've been riding long term with out them your hearing will have already started to suffer

 

I always use them now, never used to, but I swear by them!

 

Same here - I don't use them everytime for short blasts around the city where you're sticking to city speeds, but anytime I'm going to be on the highway the earplugs go it. EDIT - I mean IN - *doh*!

 

What?

:lol:

 

What?

:lol:

 

your hearing is like your vision, once it's gone its gone

 

I started wearing them years ago when driving my snowmobile. I won't leave home without them now.
I find I can actually hear the engine and other mechanicals better with them in... they must filter out the wind and road (or trail) noise.

 

I normally wear them when ever I get on mine, just makes the ride nicer

 

Yes I wear them but as was said earlier the damage is already done.

 

I wear them on longer trips. I would sometimes forget or not bother on shorter ones. At city speeds I'd rather not have them but they are a must on the highway. I've done one long ride without them and my ears were ringing when I got home. Not good, and to think thats with a full face helmet. I can't imagine how people can ride around with half helmets and no plugs.

 

i've only riding a few times at hwy speeds, but i don't notice much noise...

Also what about ear buds for an mp3 player, at 'low' volume, would this have the same effect as ear plugs?

Riding for hours listening to some tunes is better than listening to wind.

 

probably not legal to listen to ipod while riding. though i have seen it done.

 

I ride with the old IPOD on shuffle.
DONT fiddle withit while riding especially to look down at it!!!

The earbuds I have can prob double as earplugs when the IPOD is off.
They suppress quite a bit of road noise, but NOT as good as plugs would.

I am not trying to advocate the use as I think in certian circumstances they can be dangerous! Gotta know when to hold em or fold em

Do as I say, NOT as I do...

BTW I love having them because at hwy speeds or a little less it is better than the 5K rpm hum....buzzz...buzzz

Or I could just get them RPMs HIGHER to combat that, then hearing is not the worry...a ticket or worse is !

 

I am a nurse and have done time in the ear, nose and throat world and I'm here to tell you that ALOT of long time riders visit those offices. Here's a big surprise; those guys on the really loud HDs are not the most frequent visitors, its the sport and metric riders. The smaller bore of the metrics produce ear damaging levels in the upper frequencies that cause the most damage to ears, these are the freqs that case that ringing in the ears.

The custom ear plugs are best and if you visit a GOOD plug maker they can custumize the plug for better hearing in certain freqs. Before the advent of in ear personal monitors worn by musicians on stage, many of them spent thousands on freq specific ear plugs.

On the market today the next best choice is the expanding foam plugs. They do a good job on those upper freqs but at the same time allow you hear the things you need to with surprising definition.

The Ipod can create different results depending on may factors. If your bike is loud you will crank the volume to a level that is far worse then the sound of the bike. How much bass and how muchoise treble you run on the EQ makes a difference as well. The type of earbud used is probably those biggest determination on the damage posed. The soft in ear canal buds offer better protection from outside noise but holds the sound pressure in if the base is too loud. The harder buds with just a little foam does nothing for the outside noise therefore causing you to increase the volume...........

I could write a disertation on the subject but you get the idea. Here is some ideas,
- Full face helmets really cut down on outside noise and as a bonus are 40% more effective in reducing head injuries.

- There are vented ear buds made to allow outside sounds in, minimize internal sound pressure, and allow you to here the music/radio. The bad thing is they are quite expensive. "Shure" probably makes the best at around $300.

- Lastly, you can't do alot about engine noise, road noise and wind noise, bt, you can do something about your exhaust noise. I have never been able to understand the desire to have obnoxiously loud exhaust. How cool is it if it causes you so much fatigue and eventually hearing loss?

Anyway, as one of the other posts states, you have two of them, when they break they are hard or impossible to repair.

So heres to being able to hear your children laugh, your bike purr, and your favorite lady nag.

The Buff

 

I have a set of musicians earplugs called "Hearos". The idea is that they reduce the volume with a flat frequency response. So you can hear things around you but at a safe level. I got them from a music store for $25. I have used them once on a highway ride and I was pleased with the results. No ear-ringing afterwards.

 

Did a quick web search for Hearos and found their website. Here are the ones I use: Hi-Fi Hearos. MSP is $15; so I guess I got hosed when paying $25.

 

Just a short addition I wear the plugs now but from riding in my late teens and twenties I do have some hearing loss.
It would not be accurate to say I am deaf BUT I have a lot of trouble making conversation with a lot of background noise.
It is most telling when I am speaking to my 7yr old son it is frustrating for us both he is naturally soft spoken and the amount of drama it is to pick out his voice from background noise is incredible.
The first loss is women and childrens voices they are the frequencies that you lose first.
Great Buffalo's last line really brought it home.

 

I wear them all the time. Not only riding, but mowing the yard, plinking, working offshore, riding choppers, driving the ole' convertable, etc.

You guys got it right. Once it's gone, it's gone!

 

Yep. My dad was mostly deaf by the time he was 50. Anytime I'm making noise I use hearing protection.