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Do you use earplugs when you ride a motorcycle?

14K views 73 replies 52 participants last post by  V-Strom Ry 2 
#1 ·
The first 8 months of me having a bike has been a blast. I was pretty comfortable with the exhaust noise and wind noise at first. Nowadays I always put a scarf on my neck so the wind and the noise doesn't enter through the space between my helmet and my neck to my ears. I've been in Argentina for vacation last month and I got my ears infected and that started it all. Now I'm considering earplugs because my hearing is still sensitive even after the infection. Been watching videos on YouTube. I found FortNine's video about earplugs but I'm more intrigued by this channel called . It's this custom earplugs company called Big Ear who owns the channel and they look pretty legit. Have any of you guys tried their products? Do you guys have other recommendations for me?

Thanks and ride safe people!
 
#4 ·
I've been wearing ear plugs for the last 15 years, the first 17 years of riding I didn't, nor even thought about it. I think it's an age thing, many of my friends I've been riding with for 30+ years now wear plugs.

I like the foam plugs (-32db) you get at the drug store, a jar of 50 is well under $10. I also had a custom, molded set made for me at a MC show, not sure if they were made incorrectly, but they didn't work. They blocked almost no wind noise, yet I couldn't hear anyone talking.
 
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#5 ·
Been wearing ear plugs since 1977. Learn to use them. There is a LOT of difference in how brands/shapes will feel in YOUR ear. Learn how to insert them properly. That matters and many don't do it right.

Custom molded ear plugs are wonderful. Expensive and the only way to get the best of these is to have them fitted at a rally or other event. Work on getting those later if you want.

Proper ear protection actually reduces fatigue on a long day. Not to mention that it protects hearing and that doesn't show up in your youth. You will be glad you took precautions later in life when your friends most used word is "Huh?".

Another big surprise......is that you can hear traffic and even sound systems BETTER with ear plugs in!
 
#6 · (Edited)
It's shocking to me how many riders still have no idea they need to wear ear plugs. Yes, even behind a fairing and in a quality helmet, you still need ear plugs.

Yes, you can still hear the things you need to hear with ear plugs in. Much better in fact. There's no such thing as a magic "cone of silence" that eliminates all sound. Ear plugs only reduce sound so it's below damaging levels, and so you can actually hear things like sirens and horns far better than if your head is full of wind roar.

Every ear is different, so every rider has to experiment to find the best solution that works for them. You can buy sampler packs online of various styles of disposable ear plugs if you'd like to try a variety. There's a way to plug any ear.

I'll share my personal anecdote that may be useful. Your ear plug journey will likely be different.

Anyway, the custom ear plugs have never worked for me. They don't work for a large percentage of folks; I think perhaps some people have ear anatomy that moves around more or something. Things are nice and quiet, then the helmet goes on and the plugs lose their seal. And even at their best, the NRR of custom ear plugs is far less than good foam plugs.

Custom plugs (including plugs with ear phones) do work for many, but you need to be aware going in that they don't work for some. There are no guarantees. You'll always get better noise reduction and protection from foam plugs.

Every ear is different, and some folks even find that they need to use something different in their left ear than the right.

After two EXTREMELY painful ear canal infections caused by re-using ear plugs, I now only use disposable foam ear plugs and replace them daily. There are several models that worked well for me (Howard Leight was what I used to use most of the time, and they work well for lots of people).

However, I lost a large amount of weight and found that my ear holes got bigger and my usual ear plugs wouldn't seal any more. After some furious Googling, I found that the largest foam ear plugs in all the lands were "Hearos Xtreme", which is what I use now. I buy them by the box of 200 on Amazon.

If you have narrow ear canals, there are also smaller ear plugs available made for women and children. Some folks with very sensitive ears, hard-to-fit ears, or non-standard ear anatomy have to use silicone putty ear plugs, where you mash a little blob into your ears.

I'll also note that one of the most common ear plugs provided by workplaces (the EAR Classic, a yellow foam cylinder) tends to be very abrasive and uncomfortable with much harder foam than most, and has given many people a negative impression of foam ear plugs. There are far more comfortable options.

The other thing to remember is that there's a learning curve to this all. Of course, if you have any pain or dizziness, you need to remove or reposition your ear plug immediately. But for many people, it takes a little time to get used to using ear plugs at first. After a while, the ear plugs should "disappear", but they do feel odd at first. I now often use ear plugs to sleep if things are noisy (snoring roomie at a rally, for example).

With any ear plugs, there's an art to inserting them correctly; you need to roll up foam ear plugs evenly and insert them at the right depth so they're effective and comfortable. Give yourself some time to learn all this, and experiment with different ear plugs and techniques.

It's well worth it; you'll be able to ride further, faster, and far more safely because you'll massively reduce fatigue and distractions. And of course, you'll be able to hear your grandchildren...
 
#46 ·
Anyway, the custom ear plugs have never worked for me. They don't work for a large percentage of folks; I think perhaps some people have ear anatomy that moves around more or something. Things are nice and quiet, then the helmet goes on and the plugs lose their seal. And even at their best, the NRR of custom ear plugs is far less than good foam plugs.
Same. As recently as last summer, I shopped around, getting quotes from our local traveling earplug-molder-guy and one or two other "custom molded" shops.

Local dude advertises in our gun club's newsletter, and I know other shooters who swear by either the molded-onsite or lab-made-from-impressions, custom-fit earplugs.

However, the best his product could offer was 26 dB NRR, at considerable cost.

Like you, I quickly found the Hearos Xtreme after I started riding, and have stuck with them since.

I've been wearing the same pair of Hearos 5-6 days in a row without issue, but maybe I'm more resistant to ear infections than most. Even if I felt obligated to literally wear each pair only once, the cost would be worth the better performance. You never have to clean them.
 
#7 ·
Here is a good place to start:
https://www.earplugstore.com/unfoamtrialp.html

I tried the custom molded ones (got them at a MC trade show) and was not happy. Especially considering the price. For me, they did not reduce the noise enough and were uncomfortable after about an hour.
I went back to the Max Leight green foamies. Effective, comfortable, and lastly.....inexpensive. They work for ME but you will have to find what works for you.

The only constant is to wear protection of some kind.
 
#8 ·
What BW said.

You need hearing protection, IMO. As to what kind, that is going to vary by personal preference and what works for you. I'm one of those who didn't have good luck with custom molded plugs (with speakers built in - not cheap!), and find molded silicone plugs uncomfortable.

Good, soft foam plugs work for me, and I buy them by the box, having found a brand/style that works well for me. I use them on almost every ride - I'll maybe go a few km at lunch, or up to the gas station and back without plugs, at low speeds. Any longer/faster ride will find me with plugs in.
 
#9 ·
I wear ear plugs EVERY time I ride. I use the ear plugs shown below. I put a drop of Baby Oil on the tip to aid insertion into the ear canal.

3M UltraFit™ Earplugs (No Cord)
 

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#54 ·
#12 ·
Absolutely agree with everyone here. I've always worn them. Start with the foam ones you can find at the store and try a couple different kinds. You'll notice that one won't reduce noise very well and the other will, just depends on how it fits in your ear. I wouldn't ride without them. Much more comfortable and reduces fatigue after you get in the habit.
 
#13 ·
Depends on the length of the ride and the bike. For around town, 15 minute trip - no I don't

For longer rides on the FZ1 - yes. Earpeace M ear plugs with the high freq filters
For longer rides on the DL1000 - sometimes. The DL1000 doesn't create all that much wind noise.

I spent a summer when I was in college having helicopters taking off 3 feet from my head and my ears have been ringing ever since. Don't really notice any degredation since then - 30 years ago
 
#15 ·
I went to an audiologist because of my Tinnitus and hearing loss. I asked about ear plugs and the difference in dB ratings. He told me that because there is no standard as to how the plugs are rated, the rating is meaningless. He said any plug that is comfortable and I'll wear is the right plug for me. I've twice tried to get the fitted plugs from the shows to work but could never get them to be comfortable. I wear the cheap orange ones from the drug store. Unless I'm going on a short around the block ride, I always wear them.
 
#16 ·
Peltor Triflange from Wally World, three-pack for $8 and they last me a year. I can hear everything around me, just at lower volume levels. Do a lovely job of taking the edge away from loud or sharp sounds, too.
 
#17 ·
I'm sold

I've been riding for 35 years and never wore ear plugs. Until tonight. I went to meet my wife at work so we could ride home together. I wore earplugs and listened to music through my Sena headset and the difference was stunning. The wind noise was almost non-existent and the music sounded better through the helmet speakers than without ear plugs. It was actually a bit disconcerting at first. I just didn't feel "right" on the bike. But that feeling quickly passed and I then enjoyed the ride. Then when riding home with my wife we had conversations through the intercom and that too sounded better with ear plugs than without. Sure, I had to turn up the volume a bit, but the sound was clear, and no wind noise.

I'm sold. I'll now be wearing earplugs every time I ride. Should've done this a long time ago.
 
#45 ·
Interesting, where did you read this?

To me, it's a sensible way to design a helmet comm system. However, many such systems seem to be designed assuming you won't wear earplugs. Especially the cheaper ones, they often just don't have the volume to be audible through earplugs.

Fortnine recently reviewed several helmet comm systems:

For the battery endurance tests, he turns them up to a 60 dB in-helmet volume level. I doubt that's enough for hearing through earplugs, especially over highway wind noise. May explain why I've never had the batteries last as long as claimed - turning them up sufficiently to hear through earplugs uses more power.
 
#19 ·
I wear earplugs. The triple mushroom corded type. Regarding the Sena, it sounds "Tinney" (all treble, no bass) without earplugs. With the earplugs, the sound is much better, more full. No problem hearing music or phone conversation.
 
#20 ·
In my opinion, DON'T buy the brand recommended in the FortNine video. I did. Waste of $30+. If they work for someone I'd like to hear it (no pun intended). I haven't always worn ear plugs, but I do now, even for short rides. I just feel more relaxed after a ride. I still hear plenty of noise but I know it's less than without.

Ride safe...
 
#22 ·
Question to Big Boy and others who use the corded triple mushroom type: Don't these plugs and the cord interfere with your helmet?

It seems to me these were not designed for MC use, but rather for (work) environments where you are in and out of noisy spaces all day long, so you need to have the plugs to hand and be able to insert/extract them quickly, possibly even with gloved hands.
 
#23 ·
I use the rubber three-flange plugs with a cord. You just have to make sure the cord isn't off to one side or snagging on your jacket collar before you put your helmet on. Every once in awhile I'll turn my head and feel the cord tugging but I just have to reach back and pull the cord to one side or another. If you make sure you have an equal amount of cord on each side before you put your helmet on, this won't happen.

I suppose it's possible that some brands also have a shorter cord where that could be an issue, but the ones I buy (brand unknown at this time) have a nice long plastic cord.

I also learned if I lay them on the black plastic on top of my gas tank when it's sunny and I stop somewhere, they warm up and get soft and are easier to insert.
 
#24 ·
I always used the cheap orange ones but recently I picked up a set of Wurth items. They were smaller than the Orange items but much softer and also much more effective. Only snag is that I sometimes have to use the arm of my spectacles to dig them out.
 
#26 ·
I bought a big box of the 3M orange foam earplugs and consider them essential to my ATGATT. I also have tinnitus after decades of playing in concert bands, orchestras, marching bands, and rock bands.

The 3M plugs are very affordable and I find them very comfortable and effective.
 
#27 ·
I also prefer to wear ear-plugs. It makes everything more serene for me on the ride... much more enjoyable. I swear it even makes the bike run smoother and my seat more comfortable...

The most comfortable (for me) that I've found so far are the Howard Leight Max 1, 200 pair on Amazon for $24. However, they are very effective at squelching sound, almost too good, raising concerns about reduced situational awareness. I have tried about a dozen different brands and styles looking for a less aggressive sound reduction while still maintaining an excellent seal with my ear canal.

For me, it is more about the buffeting air pressure inside my helmet/ears than the actual volume of the noise, so the seal is paramount. It even seems that a bad/incomplete seal is actually worse than no ear plug at all, like the air is being accelerated when it is forced through the smaller pathway of the leak. May well be nothing more than just a perception.

So far no luck, although I have found that none of the little Christmas tree shaped ones work with my ear canals. They have to be pushed in so far that it borders on dangerous, and even then they wiggle enough to loose their seal. I also have to trim the stems so much to prevent them from touching my helmet that they almost can't be retrieved from my ear. And it seems that the cheaper less aggressive foam ones just don't expand and seal very well.

Sometimes I get lazy for short trips, or when I won't be going much over 50mph... Ultimately, it is good advice to use ear plugs, but you'll need to find what fits your ears.
 
#31 ·
I'm still trying to get used to the disconnect of not being able to hear everything little thing with the bike itself.
Exactly! I stated in an earlier post that it felt a bit "disconcerting" the first time I rode with ear plugs, and you nailed it. The almost total absense of all the bike noises was so odd. I'm getting used to it, but it's still weird for the first few minutes.
 
#30 ·
Always wear plugs, especially with the 1000 being so noisy lol

I use memory foam construction type plugs. Bought a massive pack for cheap. Dogs always find them and eat them. So no way I’m spending on a fancy pair :grin2:
 
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