Helmet noise

[el duque_imp]

I notice it more now that I ride a bike without a full fairing. The old bike - 83 Goldwing Interstate (starting to miss it).

I use generic earplugs you get at the hardware store for tool noise but maybe there is a better option for helmet noise.

I saw these somewhere maybe here
https://mightyplugs.com/

any good?

I am a lifelong carpenter/cabinet/woodworker type. I'm more sensitive to noise than ever.

I went for a 3 hr tour yesterday and by the time I got home I was done with the helmet noise.

[Mscb1100_imp]

I notice it more now that I ride a bike without a full fairing. The old bike - 83 Goldwing Interstate (starting to miss it).

I use generic earplugs you get at the hardware store for tool noise but maybe there is a better option for helmet noise.

I saw these somewhere maybe here
https://mightyplugs.com/

any good?

I am a lifelong carpenter/cabinet/woodworker type. I'm more sensitive to noise than ever.

I went for a 3 hr tour yesterday and by the time I got home I was done with the helmet noise.

I ve tried them and in my opinion foam plugs work as well if not better.
Bear in mind there are lots of foam plugs, I buy them in bulk at CVS drugstore and they are rated at 32 dB reduction

[Banned_imp]

I've been wearing ear plugs on my motorcycles since 1991 and I have tried everything from cheap foam to custom made ear plugs - I use basically the same ones as Mscb1100 now.

They are cheap, I keep a couple of pairs in each of my jackets and you can get them just about anywhere.

[pointofrocks_imp]

I use the silicone earplugs. They warm up and take the shape of your ear canal. The foam plus stick out too much in my helmet relative to my sena sepakers.

https://www.macksearplugs.com/product/pi...-earplugs/

[emptysea]

If you do a search on "hearing" or "tinnitus" you should be able to find a bunch of personal opinions on ear protection. Like pointofrocks, I use the silicone plugs. The Ferret recommended them to me and I like them a lot.

I am considering Bose noise-cancelling earbuds, also.

As a side note, My last long ride I used Apple earbuds and used the silicone plugs to seal around them and hold them in my ears when putting on my helmet. This worked fairly well since I was riding for a couple of hours straight, but if you're removing your helmet frequently, it's a bit of a pain.

[suhawk305]

I recently got ear pads to fill the open area for Bluetooth microphones, etc. in my Shoei GT Air helmet in an attempt for improved sound attenuation. My Shoei fit my noggin very well and is the quietest helmet I ever worn, but quieter is better.
https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/shoei-ear-pads
At this time, I can not recommend the Shoei ear pads since they pinch my earlobes whenever I put the helmet on. I can not detect any additional sound attinuation. Since I only tried the ear pads two time, so I will experiment with them further.
Otherwise I like the 3M yellow neons foam earplugs.

[PowerDubs_imp]

Helmet shape is the biggest change you can make for noise reduction.

Not just 'I have a Bell head, Shoei head etc- as there are differences between models and even different sizes of the same model.

Go to http://www.Lidpicker.com - They have a kit that is a caliper and tape measure. They then give you a report of a bunch of different helmets with details on why or why not it fits YOUR head. They then give you a discount towards buying a helmet if you want.

I did this- and the best helmet for my head came out to be a Shoei Qwest- which is good because it is also regarded as a 'safe' helmet.

I installed the chin skirt, swapped the cheek pads for the next thinner size, and put in the optional pads that fill the speaker holes. I also wear Pinlok ear plugs.

[LongRanger_imp]

In my experience, removing your windscreen results in the quietest ride. If you must have wind protection, a screen which extends to at least eye level (or higher) usually works best. A mid-heighth screen, like on my F800GT, will spill turbulent air onto your shoulders or helmet and create buffeting and unnecessary wind noise. As always, YMMV. For me, custom molded silicone ear plugs have proven to be the most convenient, comfortable, hygienic, and effective solution.

[el duque_imp]

LR. no windscreen just the little fairing up front.
My GWing had the perfect height screen. no buffeting and not much noise comparatively. I sold it for a variety of reasons...comfort not being one of them

I think I'll try the silicone plugs.

I have an Arai helmet. I like the fit. I don't know how it stacks up to wind noise though. I don't plan on changing helmets anytime soon, $$

thanks for the input.

[4 Paws_imp]

I’m an “experienced” rider with quite a case of tinnitus that I attribute to several decades of riding without earplugs. Started using custom moulded ear plugs several years ago with good results. Was wearing a HJC modular helmet and also had a Shoei full coverage helmet that I wore occasionally; full coverage helment was markedly more quiet so I plunked down a lot of money for a Shoei modular helmet. Not appreciably better than the HJC modular helmet but cost more than twice as much.
My personal opinion - always use ear plugs and if helmet noise is a concern to you then choose a full coverage helmet. Good fit matters more than cost.
Hearing loss is a cumulative rather than abrupt phenomenon, and it sucks.