The great earplug debate

[svpilot]

So, how many of you wear earplugs?
I tried a pair again today after about a year of riding without. Last time I tried I couldn't get on with them, but now for some reason It felt much better and my ride home much more relaxed. I felt more focused - if that makes sense. I think I am now converted.

What about you?

[jonboy]

All the time. To lose an arm would be dreadful, to lose my hearing... unthinkable.

After hearing some horror stories about people getting irreversible inner ear damage from not wearing earplugs, I've made a point to always wear them apart from sub 50mph very short journeys of no more than two miles.

[gappa]

I have an OGK Areoblade and find it megga noisey without earplugs you don`t think of this when buying a new helmet but I will in the future :lol:

[embee]

Yes mostly. Short runs on Honda is quiet enough with Arai AstroJ.
I've settled on MaxLite and LaserLite, find both OK. Got a sample pack from earplugs.gb.com to try different ones. I find it's like with helmets, you need to find ones that fit and suit you, there's a lot of difference in size and softness. Some types I just can't get on with at all.

[duffman]

Bought A Roof Diversion lid for this very reason - that they are soooo quiet - only gets noisey at 100mph + speeds (apparently :wink: ) and it is also comfortable to wear.

Anyone who doesn't like ear plugs I suggest they try one out !

Cheers

Duffman

[Sid Squid]

I wear earplugs when the ride in question deserves them, and I think they are a great invention, that said it may be a bit late for some of us, cos when we started they hadn't been thought of.

Sid

[Graham]

Ear plugs? Never felt any need, Even when I had a noisy exhaust. I need all my senses to survive this ratrace.

[Viney]

I use plugs, when i know im going to be doing >50mph for more than 10 mins consitantly.

My hearings doomed anyway, what with being a DJ an' all.

[sexysi]

I wear one of the new SHOEI helmets, they are thought to be one of the quitest helmets about and I must admit I don't need plugs in even at high motorway speeds.
sexysi
'The world is my oyster'

[howardr]

I tried 'em once when touring across France. I couldn't stand it! Couldn't judge what the bike was doing and b-all exhaust note. Not for me thanks.

Anyway, as I've been singing in rock bands most of my adult life, I think it's probably a bit late for me.

What was that? Oh, about two fifteen.

[skeck]

well they say that anything above 30mph can damage your hearing and that's test done with the best of helmets

so I try to wear them most of the time... :P

[JonToms]

I also have an OGK aeroblade, only once did i ride without them on a long trip, about 125 miles. My ears were ringing for 2 days, so i wear them all the time now. Apparently riding without ear plugs at average speed for 30 minutes is equivalent to two hours spent in a nightclub.
Time to buy a better sound proof helmet me thinks !!! :roll:

[graycat]

on long trips they're a must for me! I've started to use them when I go out for a blast and know I'm going to be at high(ish) speeds for most of it.

mind you, I have been known to use headphones to deaden the noise on long trips ;)

T.

[TimSVS]

I find i ride much faster and smoother with them in, much less of a hurried feeling. Engine noise seems to get through but wind noise is almost totally stopped :)

[Topcat]

I use Shoei partly because they are one of the quietest lids around but still use earplugs all the time. My hearing isn't the greatest (pardon) but what I've got left I'd like to keep. Does anyone use those made to measure earplugs, you often see them at the shows. I think they cost around 30/40 quid and wondered how effective they were ?

[mac608]

I've a pair of custom ear plugs. Got them about this time last year. Before that I used to wear foam type. And I wear them every time I'am on the bike.
I find the custom ones excellent. They filter out a lot of the low level noise but still allow you to hear whats going on around you. The engine just sounds different, you can still pick up any changes in the noise of it.

Maintenance is easy, just wash them in soapy water a dry off with some kitchen towel.

Wouldn't be without them.

[andy]

I have some custom ones as well, but I find that they hurt my ears, mainly when I am going fast and the helmet is being pushed back and putting a little pressure on the ear plugs, making them hurt after a while.

I find foam better overall.