Ear plugs while riding?

Supermega1
Posts
113
Joined
5/22/2018
Location
Henderson, NV US
1/24/2019 11:23am
I started wearing them about a year ago. I really like it. I feel like I can hear the bike better, and I don't end up with ringing in my ears when I am done riding. I also feel like I am not as mentally fatigued after riding with them.

The ones I wear are not super crazy and still allow me to talk to people as long as I have my bike off.

Mack's Hear Plugs High Fidelity Ear Plugs - Musician Earplugs
Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) – 12 decibels

you can find them on Amazon for like 9-12 bucks a set, with two sizes of plugs one set of filters.

As long as you wash them occasionally and keep them in their case they should last a while. Mine are like 16 months old now and I ride 35-40 times a year.
1/24/2019 11:39am
zippytech wrote:
No I don't use them, my helmet filters out most of the noise and I don't have a very load bike. + I am not standing...
No I don't use them, my helmet filters out most of the noise and I don't have a very load bike. + I am not standing behind it.
You're very naive if you think a helmet cancels out noise to a safe level.
zippytech wrote:
A Person talking is like 60 db, my bike is like 90 at the tail pipe. - the helmet. I think I will be fine since...
A Person talking is like 60 db, my bike is like 90 at the tail pipe. - the helmet. I think I will be fine since I am 3 feet in front of the tail pipe.
Measuring sound is a very complex procedure so saying your bike is "like 90db" is not an accurate measure.

Just trying to offer some friendly advice,
AmyJ23
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2
Joined
8/15/2019
Location
Phoenix, AZ US
8/15/2019 7:43pm
I guess it all depends on how sensitive your ears are. Really hate wind noise or loud exhausts so I usually wear hearing protection. I use a custom pair of filtered earplugs from Big Ear. They are something I can really recommend to other riders. https://youtu.be/f3D05-JrfJ8 &t=78s
1
wwdiii
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1561
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4/15/2019
Location
League City, TX US
8/15/2019 7:48pm
My hearing is so bad, sometimes I can't tell if I have ear plugs in or not!!!

The Shop

AmyJ23
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2
Joined
8/15/2019
Location
Phoenix, AZ US
8/15/2019 8:01pm
wwdiii wrote:
My hearing is so bad, sometimes I can't tell if I have ear plugs in or not!!!
Woah! That's terrible. How can you still ride?
1
Dropbear
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1571
Joined
5/7/2008
Location
Adelaide AU
8/15/2019 8:07pm Edited Date/Time 8/15/2019 8:10pm
I should have worn earplugs. I have tinnitus now, can’t be certain it was from riding but it wouldn’t of hurt to have worn them. Apparently wind noise is as bad as engine noise for your hearing.
snackfedbear
Posts
1004
Joined
10/18/2016
Location
Southern, CA US
8/15/2019 8:08pm
Tried it, I couldn’t get into it. Was always paranoid that someone was going to bonsai me in the corner without my knowledge. I totally get the concept though. Wearing headphones in the desert wide open is fcking awesome
Chance1216
Posts
5166
Joined
4/1/2018
Location
Federal Way, WA US
8/15/2019 8:59pm
Tried it, I couldn’t get into it. Was always paranoid that someone was going to bonsai me in the corner without my knowledge. I totally get...
Tried it, I couldn’t get into it. Was always paranoid that someone was going to bonsai me in the corner without my knowledge. I totally get the concept though. Wearing headphones in the desert wide open is fcking awesome
Each time I wore headphones I crashed. Always pushed a little harder then I should've. Always went flying off into the blackberry bushes like a jackass. I blame Pantera for that.
snackfedbear
Posts
1004
Joined
10/18/2016
Location
Southern, CA US
8/15/2019 9:44pm
Chance1216 wrote:
Each time I wore headphones I crashed. Always pushed a little harder then I should've. Always went flying off into the blackberry bushes like a jackass...
Each time I wore headphones I crashed. Always pushed a little harder then I should've. Always went flying off into the blackberry bushes like a jackass. I blame Pantera for that.
The last time I broke my wrist probably has a big correlation to how loud my music was playing at the time
1
cody41
Posts
518
Joined
4/25/2013
Location
Miami, FL US
8/16/2019 4:29am
Listening to music while riding moto is ridiculous... I want to hear the bike and my surroundings for multiple reasons. I don’t even wear headphones on my mtb or road bike. I have never worn ear plugs for moto. This sounds like something for those who are soft.
2
kb228
Posts
6161
Joined
1/31/2018
Location
Mansfield, OH US
8/16/2019 4:30am
aharper33 wrote:
Heard this from an ex factory pro from the 70's and 80's. Did alot of training under him when I was a beginner / novice rider...
Heard this from an ex factory pro from the 70's and 80's. Did alot of training under him when I was a beginner / novice rider. His theory was that alot of people ride to a noise level. So basically the louder your bike is, mentally it is telling you that you are going faster. So wearing ear plugs would lower the sound level that you are hearing thus make you ride faster because mentally you didnt seem to be going as fast.
Rhody wrote:
This is my experience too. No earplugs and I'm like holy cow I'm flogging this poor thing. Put in earplugs, damn, I'm going slow, I have...
This is my experience too. No earplugs and I'm like holy cow I'm flogging this poor thing. Put in earplugs, damn, I'm going slow, I have more grip left, get after it!
This is why tomac goes so fast. WFO sounds like idle to him
Walter
Posts
375
Joined
8/21/2008
Location
Tucson, AZ US
8/16/2019 5:52am
I spent many years riding and racing 2 strokes w/o ear plugs and now have a pretty serious high frequency hearing loss.

I only started using ear plugs 20 years later when I raced a dragster because the hit would startle me w/o them and I would lift momentarily. Big difference with them.

I should have been using them when I started riding. The impact of not using them does not show up until years later.
1
ktmdan
Posts
1219
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
Houston, TX US
8/16/2019 6:52am
SoCalMX70 wrote:
Ride with ear plugs and become a better rider. Seriously. Made the change a few months back and I can't ride without them now. Easier to...
Ride with ear plugs and become a better rider. Seriously. Made the change a few months back and I can't ride without them now. Easier to focus and I feel more "one with the bike" in a sense. It's calming. Doesn't hurt to save my hearing either...

EarPeace is the brand I'm running. They have a motorsports specific set and they attenuate certain frequencies (ex. engine noise) more than others.
That’s sound advice
8/16/2019 7:32am
100% recommend it. Got used to wearing them welding and thought if it can help me focus and keep in the zone, they would help on the bike. Can hear the engine noise a lot more than normal because the exhaust is so quiet, but you can still hear it. Definitely helps to focus, and like others said I definitely rode by sound before and this helps to just ride. Cant ride without them now.
8/16/2019 7:34am
Just bought a pack of 200 after reading this for £8.99. Worth a try. I wear Peltors in work and I love how quiet it is. Never thought of using in ear ones for MX.
Moto520
Posts
3373
Joined
2/4/2013
Location
Schaumburg, IL US
8/16/2019 8:01am
I just started using ear plugs because my Kawi is too loud. I was getting ringing in my ears after a day of riding...big surprise since i'm sitting on a loud ass motor. I think it's a good idea to wear the earplugs.
1

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