Hearing Protection

[tcfjr]

How often do you use hearing protection when you ride? What do you use?

 

[rogdeb]

How often do you use hearing protection when you ride? What do you use?

Custom molded - always. Made by my health care provider (cause I already have hearing loss) at a real good price.

 

[Wolfhound]

Custom molded earphones - nothing like all day comfort.....

 

[twowheelnut]

What? Eh? What's 'at ya sayin', sonny?

None, mostly. Big mistake. Constant ringing in left ear (previously damaged by a close proximity explosion) now worse than ever.

 

[FJRocket]

Disposable foam plugs or Etymotics. Mostly with helmet, but I can't stand wearing a helmet without ear plugs. Yes, I too already have hearing loss. And Dad wears stereo hearing aids, so I don't think genetics are in my favor. Man, I wear plugs flying, riding and mowing. Chainsawing, riveting, grinding too. Even thought about wearing one on the drill side (left) at work, too. Bought quieter drills instead.

If you haven't worn ear protection and gotten into the quiet zone, you should really try it. If not to protect your hearing, just to block out the background noise so you can hear the top of the engine sing! :clapping: :yahoo:

 

[squeezer]

Disposable foam plugs or Etymotics.
If you haven't worn ear protection and gotten into the quiet zone, you should really try it. If not to protect your hearing, just to block out the background noise so you can hear the top of the engine sing! :clapping: :yahoo:

+1 I hate riding without them, and it's the foam or the Etymotics. They're both comfortable enough in my ears for 24 hour days.

 

[C&C]

Use foam plugs just about everytime I ride. I have SoftFit by Northern Safety company. NRR 29

 

[deagle]

Foam ones. I had custom plugs made, and while they were easy to put in and out and blocked out some noise, they just weren't as quiet as the disposable ones.

 

[FjrVfr]

I've been using Hearos brand, closed foam inserts (33 dB?) for the shorter rides and UltimateEars custom molded phones for when I'm out longer and when traffic is less of an issue. Pricey, yes but the sound isolation and comfort is outstanding.

Like FJRocket, I've started using both in many more places. The UEs sound better in the Miata than the stock stereo and I keep extra plugs in every vehicle (and in my desk at work).

One test I recommend to other phones/speaker users: Leave the volume set to the level you listen to on the highway. After you've been off the bike for several hours and in a quiet environment, turn your portable player back on and reinsert your phones/monitors (or put your helmet back on). If the volume you were listening to on the highway gives you a jolt, you may want to consider more sound isolation or just going with the plugs.

 

[cougar8000]

If you haven't worn ear protection and gotten into the quiet zone, you should really try it. If not to protect your hearing, just to block out the background noise so you can hear the top of the engine sing! :clapping: :yahoo:

+1

First time last year friend of mine gives me two disposable ear plugs and says Try it. I am like why would I use tampon? He is like Humor me. I am glad I did. Now I hate him because I have a new expense

 

[boogahboogah]

Started wearing earplugs after I bought the FJR. Didn't need them with the old Royal Star cruiser...

Etymotic ER6i's are the usual ear protection, plugged into an iAudio X5, playing rips of my CD's. When I get tired of music & want some peace & quiet, I use the cheapie foam earplugs. Bought 144 of them for like eight bucks at the local Home Depot. Use the foam plugs for one, maybe two days, then they go to the trashcan because they start to look disgusting.

 

[airboss]

Picked up the "cheap" set of foam ear phones at Radio Shack to try out with my ipod, worked so well I kept them. Great noise reduction and sound good too. They may not work for everyone, think maybe I got a standard ear?

 

[ejworthen]

EAR foamies, been using them for work for years. I'm use to them so I find them pretty comfortable.

 

[painman]

Use the drug store variety white soft foam plugs. Don't know the brand but learned a long time ago not only does this help protect our hearing from wind noise etc, but will also help keep you from fatigue. PM. <><

 

[jwit6]

ER-15's...the best...

 

[user 213]

Foam ones. I had custom plugs made, and while they were easy to put in and out and blocked out some noise, they just weren't as quiet as the disposable ones.

+1 on that. I have an expensive pair of custom ear-molds that I don't use because the foam plugs are quieter. I use a 32 dB reduction 3M foam plug.

 

[SilveradoSlick]

My preferred form of protection is Trojans.

 

[markjenn]

I've tried virtually all the dipsosable brands. Favorites: Howard Leigh Max-1/Max-30 pre-shaped (barrel-shaped) disposables. Orange. Good for 5 or so wearings if you keep them dry and clean. $25 for a box of 200 at your local safety supply store.

No one rides a long career on any motorcycle without hearing protection, no matter how quiet, without serious repurcussions later in life. How quiet your exhaust is means little - it's the wind noise that gets you, no matter what you ride and helmets do a lousy job of hearing protection. If you don't want a 747 constantly idling in your head when you're over 50, I strongly suggest those of you who don't think they need to wear them, to reconsider.

- Mark

 

[Bull]

my +6 rifle screen keeps me shielded from all nasty wind noise.

at 120 mph I can still hear my wife fart if she's pillion - and I wear a full face Shoei lid too.

highly recomended