What? Seriously though I never wore them in my yoof but have done for the last 20+ years. The problem is not how loud yer bike is as all that is left behind you, rather the wind noise - especially if you wear an Arai (although I recently changed to an Xlite after 20 yrs of Arais) as there's a lot of wind noise over 60mph. If your ears 'ring' after a ride you're damaging them.
I'm amazed not everyone uses them nowadays. Except for my bro who's deaf as a post but there you go. Cuts down wind noise enormously and reduces fatigue. Ever heard (no pun intended) of white noise torture techniques? Pretty much the same thing as wind noise. I seem to use foam quite a bit. I have ultimate ears with speakers which are good if you want to hear sat nav directions. Better with a little lube around them to help create a seal in your ear. I tried the rubber ones with little holes through the middle. Guess what, they let too much noise in. In 10 years time we'll all be wearing jackets with air bags, wondering why on earth we didn't before.
I never used to wear ear plugs and am paying for it now. Not that I am deaf but if there is any background noise or music etc then I struggle to hear anyone talking to me. I blame the wind noise.
Ive booked an audiologist to get some moulds for my lug holes. Im going to get a couple of pairs of ultimate ear plugs. A set for sleeping and a set for the bike. Tempted by the ones i could use to listen to music, but apple ear buds work well for me.
Just a word of caution about using the Ultimate ear plugs for sleeping, because the plug fills the outer ear (the fleshy bit) cavity, if you sleep on your side so your ear is on the pillow, it can get a bit uncomfortable. Over time I’ve got used to it and now cannot sleep away from home without them. Andy
Im used to the yellow/pink ones atm. So I know about the side sleeping bit. I'll get used to it. At least they wont loose their squish and come out at night. Nor will I get through a box of 200 in no time at all.
Just to add, if you are self employed and work in a noisy envioroment you can offset the cost against your tax
It's not so much the exhaust as the wind noise. RiDE did a test a few years back and the experts were saying that wind noise at anything over 40 miles an hour will do permanent damage to your hearing. As a long term sufferer of tinnitus, let me tell you, it ain't fun. I'd love to 'hear' silence once more rather than a constant ringing in my ears from riding bikes without ear protection in my youth. I have have even been told by another sufferer of a mate that committed suicide due to tinnitus. Fully agree with personal choice, just putting the warning out there.
Some peple would never hear of wearing ear plugs. That's because they don't I wear moulded 'motor sport' spec ones every ride. I've kept my hearing good, even after a life time working in noisy factories.
Its an individual thing, those that have damaged hearing can blame it on anything, I have never worn ear protection of any kind, have worked in the construction industry most of my life, stone breakers, joinery workshop with spindle moulders, circular saws and planer thicknesser going all day, have riden a bike most of my life and now close to 66 with great hearing, having read this thread I have ordered some ear plugs and will wear them on my bike just to preserve what I have. My father's hearing has recently deteriorated, he's 92 and hasn't riden a bike for 60 + years but he doesn't blame it on bike riding, it happens naturally, to some at an earlier age than others, things need to be judged sensibly, ride a lot and long distance, use protection, infrequent short journeys, it's your shout, but don't blame it all on biking. My wife's always asking me to turn the volume up on the TV, she worked in an office and hasn't been near any machinery or a motorbike. Steve
Some of that is true Steve but it is a proven fact that any prolonged noise above a certain level will damage your hearing, including wind noise. Some of my hearing loss is noise induced but the majority is just age related. I am 58. I guess it's luck of the draw. When the audiologist tests your hearing they can tell what sort of hearing loss you have.
I do most of my daily riding into and out of central London. I've only EVER worn ear plugs once about 10 years ago, and that day I got knocked off and ended up in hospital with a shattered elbow. It's 34 years since passing my bike test, I've never worn ear plugs and have no desire to ever wear them again. I like to be 100% aware of all the idiots around me, and not muffle any of my senses.
Just ordered these. Will give them a go and see how I get on. Not often I get the fuzzy head after a ride. Only after long motorway blasts with no music on.
Only trouble Ive found with those conical plugs is its easy to push them too far in. I had some Auritech ones and many times I had to extract them with tweezers. If they just had a flange on the back to stop them going too far they would be ideal. Still made my ears sore after several day's use though.
So we have to ride around in an armoured cow skin, big polystyrene head cover, armoured gloves and boots and now ear protectors. Makes you wonder why we bother... until you go for a ride
