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
Mighty Plugs - World's Finest Sound Blocking Waterproof Earplugs

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
Mighty Plugs - World's Finest Sound Blocking Waterproof Earplugs

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.

Pillow Soft™ Silicone Earplugs: Find a Retailer | Mack's Ear Plug

 

[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 The Lid Picker - 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.

 

[jdinaz_imp]

I have tinnitus too and am really sensitive to the wind noise on my helmet, reading suggestions here in a different thread, I tried the silicone plugs that mold to your ears. They work well and helped more than any of the plugs I have tried. They are great for longer rides and seat time. I also found the tighter the helmet around the cheeks the less wind noise I had, at least on my Bell helmet. For short around town rides, I like the Ear Peace plugs, they let some sound thru but do keep the wind noise down a bit at speeds less than 50MPH

 

[Nortoon_imp]

When I returned to motorcycling 4 years ago, I bought a Bell MAG-9 open face helmet. It was so noisy I could not use it at highways speeds. I spent all summer trying different earplugs.

Like Suhawk 305 I finally settled on 3M E-A-R-Soft yellow neon ear plugs. Easy to install, quiet, comfortable, and stay put. After trying them I bought 200 pair for $40 on Amazon. Now I can wear my Bell helmet and ride comfortably.

I also bought a Shoei RF-1200 full face helmet that I wear when it is cold. It is quieter than the Bell, but I still wear my ear plugs for a more comfortable ride.

 

[rboe]

I've tried a ton of plugs, the best being the ones they sell shooters that is squirted into your ear then forms.

However; there are many way for sound to get into your head and the buffeting is not really attenuated by ear plugs. The skirt that tapes around the base of your helmet was the best upgrade I've done lately (switching to a car is probably the best..... ).

May have to see if I can wrangle a new Goldwing (but dang, the $$$&#36.

 

[Offroad]

These have been the best answer for me:

https://www.amazon.com/Bose-Quietco...57382&sr=8-3&keywords=bose+comfort+30

You can also sync them with your phone for music or map instructions, but I usually just turn them on for the noise canceling effect. The only negatives I can find.

1. Cost....crazy high but definitely provides relief
2. You have to charge them right before riding....if you leave them laying around not on a charger they will lose their charge.
3. They have an automatic timed turn off....not sure what it is, maybe an hour? I just know when they turn off it's like rolling down a window in a car. But easy solution, just reach up and turn them back on.
4. The battery life seem 4-6 hours....good for most rides, but not for long mileage days. Although I have recharged them while eating lunch.
5. The "collar" thing seems to turn around your neck a little, not bad...you just have to make sure the leads to the ear buds stay loose without tension or it hurts your ears.

 

[Cormanus]

This is why you should find a solution to the earplug question: http://www.hearingtestlabs.com/motorcycle.htm (thanks Pterodactyl).

 

[rotor]

Sound is such an important source of information about the traffic (especially dense urban or suburban traffic) that I would be simply afraid to ride a motorcycle with my ears plugged.

 

[tuareg]

When I was a young engineer I worked in an oil refinery and got my share of noise from turbines and all sorts of rotating equipment. Plus I also moonlighted as a professional diver, working recklessly at depths :-/ Motorbike riding with stone age helmets doesn't help either. Add some more time with power tools and you've got a mild but solid case of tinnitus
As 4paws has stated tinnitus is a chronic situation, does not reverse but can get worse over time. In mu opinion here's not one single preventive measure against noise, but a combination of things, like selecting a small windshield that doesn't create turbulence around the helmet, a quiet(streamlined?) helmet, chin skirt and earplugs.
The best earplug I've come across so far is the type which you roll and squeeze between fingers and insert into the ear canal. When done properly it's dead quiet while letting important sounds pass. I have a bunch of those earplugs, because when I worked in north Africa the only transport to Saharan oilfields was twin prop airplanes of various vintages, and as you step aboard the pilots made sure that you picked up a pair, company regulations... Those earplugs work best because they are designed to deaden the noise when a 800 HP engine is two meters away and the prop is almost grazing the fuselage

I'm guessing the frequency of the props at the cruising speed is similar to that of generated by the wind when riding... Anyway they work quite well, I keep a pair in every motorcycle jacket pocket.

 

[Offroad]

I usually wear my nose canceling ear buds to movie theaters. Just went to see Avengers with my grand son and forgot them...geez why so loud? I was actually vibrated by the noise a couple of times!

 

[el duque_imp]

I looked inside my helmet and there isn't any foam where the ear locates...I just see the other padding and a void at that spot. The hard inner shell is exposed. I realize there needs to be a space for the ear but I'm going to look into placing a bit of foam in there from one of my shop ear muffs. Hopefully my ears won't mind.

In the meantime I will look into the options listed by all ya'all

Thanks!

 

[memphismike_imp]

EARPEACE | Earplugs Your Ears Will Love