Monk Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 No matter which is closer to the truth, the bottom line is to wear plugs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer NorthernVFRDave Posted April 8, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted April 8, 2012 No matter which is closer to the truth, the bottom line is to wear plugs. Right :) I even wear them in the snowmobile which is far less noise wind noise than the bike, and put them in yesterday well running the chain saw cutting down trees. Hearing and sight are two things I would never want to even think about living without. For what it takes to put on eyewear or 15 seconds to stick in ear plugs you would have to be crazy to go with out them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer VcFR Posted April 14, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted April 14, 2012 Either ear plugs or an iPod, depending on the distance. Funny, I put the earplugs in even using a chatterbox... can hear everything just fine. That's what I was wondering about. We are talking about getting a chatterbox, but I was wondering if I could hear him if I was wearing ear plugs. I don't wear them currently, but after reading all of these posts I am going to invest in some. I always listened to my music too loud, so I have some ringing inn my ears now...I really don't need to lose any more of my hearing than I already have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhotoOp Posted April 19, 2012 Share Posted April 19, 2012 never have before but I tried em today for the first time. Very different experiance for the first 5 minuets, then you get used to it, start feeling the bike rather than hearing it, and youre good to go. I do listen to music and use and intercom in the helmet and was worried about that not working anymore but its actually better as long as the system has enough power. It is nice to get off the bike and have perfectly clear hearing, no ring, no haziness, and I'm way less fatigued. I think I may search out some lower rated ones than what I have now, they are perhaps just a little too quiet (cant hear the bike at all and couldnt hear a siren until the fire truck came through the intersection) but for my track day next week I'll be plugging for sure. Honestly not sure how I went without for so long! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer opvfr Posted April 19, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted April 19, 2012 I dont wear them ... need an excuse for not listening to the wife Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer auggius Posted April 19, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted April 19, 2012 I wear custom moulded earplugs and they are great, way easier to fit than the foam plugs and more comfortable too. They're vented so you don't get the same level of dB rating. You can still hear some engine noise and ambient sound. With the foam plugs I found that they killed all the ambient sound and all I could hear was my breathing and my heart beating. Kind of weird actually. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer MaxSwell Posted April 20, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted April 20, 2012 I can relate to the new sensation of first time ear plugs. With them and a helmet on at first it felt like sensory deprivation. After getting used to them, it is kinda zen now. In the quiet my mind runs rampant. So I have to ride faster to keep up with it. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer tbzep Posted April 20, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted April 20, 2012 I didn't wear them with my first couple of bikes back in college (80's). I never even thought about ear plugs at the time. At least I had a good fitting Arai F1 Schwantz replica back then which made a huge difference compared to the Nolan I started out with. Since then, I've always worn plugs, and I've also made sure to have a really nice fitting helmet, which makes a huge difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monk Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 I dont wear them ... need an excuse for not listening to the wife If you don't wear them, it won't be long before you can't hear her at all....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monk Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 The only problem I have with plugs is that I'm lazy, and don't want to take them out when I stop, which really wouldn't bother me except, ppl won't speak up when they talk, so either I have to ask them about 15 times to speak up, or I have to take one out.......... So if everyone would wear them all the time riding or not I'd be fine......... You ppl that work in places where everyone wears them 24/7 know how well it works for everyone to wear them at the same time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer auggius Posted April 20, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted April 20, 2012 The only problem I have with plugs is that I'm lazy, and don't want to take them out when I stop, which really wouldn't bother me except, ppl won't speak up when they talk, so either I have to ask them about 15 times to speak up, or I have to take one out.......... So if everyone would wear them all the time riding or not I'd be fine......... You ppl that work in places where everyone wears them 24/7 know how well it works for everyone to wear them at the same time. You should try custom moulded ear plugs. They are very easy to put in and take out one handed operation. Way easier than using foam plugs. And they come on a cord so when you pull them out they hang around your neck. I need to get new ones made up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Dutchy Posted April 20, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted April 20, 2012 I just ordered an assortment of 15 different brands/types of earplugs to see which best suits my riding needs. The molded ones -made at least 10 years ago- are increasingly becoming uncomfortable after a few hours........ Same with the Alpine ones... http://www.oordopjes...torrijders.html With a box of 250 pair of plugs costing half of what a set of basic molded plugs costs,I think I will give this a shot. and no more worries of loosing your custom made plugs.... http://www.oordopjes...-oordopjes.html They even sell ones for Borat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V4 Rosso Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 They're vented so you don't get the same level of dB rating. That's not a vent tube, that's the noise cancelling filter. You can often exchange them for different rate filter. I recently got a new set of custom plugs and got the 25dB filters but I am getting the 30dB again like in my previous set. They don't charge for one change of filter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer opvfr Posted April 20, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted April 20, 2012 I dont wear them ... need an excuse for not listening to the wife If you don't wear them, it won't be long before you can't hear her at all....... Hmmmmm! I win! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer auggius Posted April 20, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted April 20, 2012 They're vented so you don't get the same level of dB rating. That's not a vent tube, that's the noise cancelling filter. You can often exchange them for different rate filter. I recently got a new set of custom plugs and got the 25dB filters but I am getting the 30dB again like in my previous set. They don't charge for one change of filter. They're over 10 years old now but I think I have the convertible vented model. It's about 1/4 down the page: http://www.protectear.com/products/all-products/. I'll take a closer look at them. But they work for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vulgar1 Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 I always wear mine. From the first day I started riding. I have very good hearing and I want it to stay that way. When I go shooting I wear plugs and muffs. Because once its gone, it doesn't come back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer pyrofitr1368 Posted May 15, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted May 15, 2012 I always wear them. I have been a sound engineer since '91 and now a firefighter. each profession is way too loud. I have at least 5 tones I hear all day long. Now I am just trying to minimize the damage that's already done. Vacuuming, shop work, sometimes for no reason , but peace. I noticed that when I wear them I am much calmer and focused. I do enjoy being able to hear my bike and I can hear cars coming up along me when I wear plugs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer RollinAgain Posted May 15, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted May 15, 2012 I only wear earplugs at home because I am married. Now I just nod my head a few times when I see her lips moving. Rollin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monk Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 I dont wear them ... need an excuse for not listening to the wife If you don't wear them, it won't be long before you can't hear her at all....... Hmmmmm! I win! I win.... I'm not married....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer opvfr Posted May 15, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted May 15, 2012 I dont wear them ... need an excuse for not listening to the wife If you don't wear them, it won't be long before you can't hear her at all....... Hmmmmm! I win! I win.... I'm not married....... DOH! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer VcFR Posted September 3, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted September 3, 2012 Just FYI, we ended up buying Scala Riders and my hubby modified them to use ear buds with them. We purchased the foam inserts (?) to replace the rubber ones. (The part that fits in your ear.) Anyway, they work great. I can hear him much better, blocks out all air and I don't have to crank up the music as loud to be able to hear it or him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer motormike Posted September 3, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted September 3, 2012 I started riding last year without ear plugs. This year I tried the cheap foam ear plugs and like the results. The noise seems loud if I don't wear them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon28 Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 I use the ER6i......plenty of good info on here about them. Very good company and awesome product.....been riding with them since 06. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beck Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 I do!, after I noticed that my hearing was getting negatively affected by the wind noise. It kinda creeps up on you till you realize that you sometimes have to ask people to repeat what they are saying in normal conversations. Since about two years ago, I always have ear plugs on when I ride. Buynig a noisy Bell Star helmet two years made it even more obviously neccessary (It's a great helmet except for the noise why the heck Bell put big air extractors right behind a riders ears just boggles the mind. A company with so much experience in the industry shouldn't have made that mistake!). Good thing is, I think my hearing seems to have recovered slightly (if that's possible) since I started wearing the earplugs....or at least it's not getting any worse. I don't remember asking people to repeat themselves when I talk to them for a while now. I see earplugs now as part of my personal ATGATT riding rule. Beck 95 VFR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PACIFICMAN Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 I have been using the compressible foam type for years now and really like them. I was noticing, like Beck, that the wind noise was creeping up and my general hearing fading. I actually hear the motor song better with them in. Since I began to use them I find my hearing has gotten sharper. My doctor explained to me, years ago, like this: The hair cells in your ear, behind the ear drum, are like Wheat in a field. Sound is like rain, soft to moderate = gentle rain, loud to explosive = hard rain. During a storm the Wheat gets knocked down, takes time to rebound and stand back up. After too many storms it becomes unable to stand up = deafness. So I view the plugs, noise canceling headsets, etc.. like protection from the aggregate of all the sound abuse over the years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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