Order a set of Decibullz Ear Plugs! www.MCrider.com/Plugs If you want to see more about the Decibullz plug and how to custom mold them go to MCrider at this link. www.mcrider.com/the-best-motorcycle-ear-plugs-earplug-review-one-was-clearly-the-best/ PS: My Director is tough to work with... ;) Tip: If you didn't watch to the end...you didn't see the whole video.
I have a pair of these I like them, but when I try to remove my shoei rf1200 helmet it hurts my ears. I have to remove my cheek pads to get the helmet off.
@@Fritzgerald645 I purchased a pair after watching this video, they fit very well in my ears, but I to have a problem with my Shoei RF1400. I can not pull my helmet over my ears, I even tried using a helmet liner with no luck. The plugs work well, but not with my Shoei helmet. I had to go back to my Alpine plugs, they are very soft and pliable, with no problems/pain when pulling the helmet on, or removing it. Just a word of caution, Decibullz plugs will not work for everyone, especially with a tight fitting full helmet. They work great with a baseball cap when cutting the grass.
I bought a pair, but i find them sticking out too much, the rigid plastic part. and forget the headband, the band makes the sound travel into your ear whenever they touch anything
As someone with tinnitus for over 15 years now, its not worth it. You will never hear nothing again. When you lay in bed at night youll hear a shrill screech in a totally silent house. When youre enjoying the splendor of nature and stop to look at a gentle creek, youll hear that buzzing ring. When youre hunting and trying to listen to the woods, youll hear that ring. It never gets better. It never goes away. It drives you crazy, and even after you accept it, youll never feel the same again.
@@Kaleb.R me too, and i'm still fairly young - first noticed it around 14-15 even after being fairly safe (pretty sure) relatively speaking for a kid that age. now 21 and it's still here, only getting better when i'm not stressed, and MUCH worse when i am stressed or have excess earwax due to earbuds/plugs
I'm 35 and developed tinnitus 2 years ago. I have a 24/7 high pitch and I also have a typwriter noise that sounds like morris code non stop. I've since accepted my fate, but within the first 6 months, I was contemplating suicide. I'm ok now, but I sure wish I could go back in time and wear more hearing protection. It drives a guy nuts.
Just got back from my first long moto road trip and I seriously needed this! About to head out my 2nd then a month later my 3rd road trip, getting these now!!
I was amazed how clear music from my cardo sounds after putting in earplugs. I won't ride more than a mile without earplugs from now on. I use EarPeace earplugs and I'm very happy with them.
A lot of helmets have a recessed spot behind the padding by your ears where the cardo speaker mounts inside your helmet. Some even have holes through the padding where the sound comes through. Look up a video on installing a cardo for more details.
One thing that wasn't mentioned about the cheap foam plugs. While they work very well on shorter rides, or day trips, when on a long multi-day tour, they can become very painful due to the constant pressure on your ear canals because the foam wants to expand. The worst situation is when you get foam ear plugs that are too large. This won't become apparent until you are on a long tour.
I only experience pain from the foam plugs while wearing my HJC carbon fiber full-face helmet where the pain can get unbearable after an hour or two. What I like about the foam ear plugs is that they do expand greatly once inside the ear canal, and I can adjust the sound volume easily by varying plug insertion depth.
They come in sizes. I used to have this issue till I started using the smallest size, then I also cut about 3/16" off their total length to keep them from contacting the interior or my helmet. Now they're perfect. Before I found the smallest size (Mike's brand I believe) I would reduce their volume by cutting a bit off along their length too. Also worked very well for me. I've been able to find them even in grocery stores pretty much anywhere along a trip.
I use the moto safe ear plugs and love them. They are actually supposed to come with a little stick thing that help it make it easier to put them in your ears (attach the ear plug to the stick, hold onto the stick and insert the plug). Thanks for the great video! The amount of friends I have that ride without plugs is alarming. Ride safe everyone!
I've been very satisfied using Moto Safe plugs for a few years now. They're not as cheap as the foam, but will not cause any painful pressure points. Yes, they take a bit of arm stretching to get in, but once secured, are just perfect. I trim the long pointy bit off (not the main stem), and wet them slightly, so that they'll easily slide in deep enough. Perfect with my Cardo headphones
I’ll agree with the reply’s I spent 60 bucks on the red and black ones black ones are utterly useless they just hurt my ears and offer no wind protection the red ones are okay till about 60 to 70km also end up hurting my ears in a hour or so
I was excited to see the white MotoSafe earplugs because these are the plugs I've been using for more than a year now and I love them. They have a black plastic piece that helps with the insertion process. Maybe you haven't noticed it or something but it actually makes it a breeze.
Just ordered a pair of Decibullz. Thank you for the informative video and for your invaluable support of the motorcycle community. I always turn to your site for honest and expert advice. God bless.
I've been using Decibullz for over 3 years and am very happy with them. I use them if I know I'm gonna be riding more than a few hours and they've worked well inside of 2 different Shoei helmets. I also wear them when shooting too. Thanks again Kevin for another informative and thought provoking video! Keep "em coming!
3M orange classic earplugs for me - 34 dB reduction, comfortable and long lasting (for foam plugs). No issue with internal pressure - I actually use them for sleeping (can't fall asleep without them).
I've ridden 90+ for hours without plugs and without issue, I always had huge windscreens that made it dead silent in the saddle. Recently got into sport bikes however and ear plugs are a must.
Thanks for posting. A really important issue. I've also tried several. Foam is okay for short rides, and is cheap. Silicon and custom are better, but still were not quite there. I finally went through a bunch of actual plugs and started using noise cancelling earbuds. The ones that fit for me - specially inside a helmet - are Bluetooth wireless SkullCandy Indy ANC Fuel. They don't stick out so far it's impossible to get a helmet off (on is easy...). Besides making every journey far more relaxing and SAVING THAT HEARING, you can take calls or listen to music. With light use - and noise cancelling on - they last far longer than your butt or bladder. The case automatically recharges them a few times before the case has to get recharged. Excellent for traveling.
Well, I happen to LIKE orange, and given that the Fall season is right around the corner (whoo-hoo), ORANGE is in vogue! Thanks, Kevin, for keeping us safe.
I use the Alpine ones for years, but the version I have got an aid to put it in the ear, that works really good. With a little twist there in place. It's good on the motorway and in tunnels.
Dear Kevin, there is a little device in that Alpine bag that you should use to place the earplugs in. :) It is not meant to be fiddled and having trouble putting them in by just fingers. :) Hope that helps.
I've been using 3M EAR Soft FX which have a SNR of -39db, the highest damping you can get. Custom molded earplugs with the best filters only go up to 33db as far as I could find, the 3M -39db ones really help me out since I already got tinnitus and I don't want to worsen it.
An SNR of 39 dB is probably applicable to the high frequency noise. The noise from the cycle is more low frequency. That said, if this is a product that you wear consistently and correctly then 25 to 30 dB of attenuation should provide sufficient protection from both the wind noise and cycle noise.
@@williammurphy8227 well wind noise is high frequency sound. as stated in the video the noise from your motorcyle is basically a nonfactor unless you have a straight pipe exhaust.
The spectrum of wind noise is predominantly low frequency. As you increase speed, the high frequency content will increase. Motorcycles are just moving through the air as opposed to the air moving past a stationary microphone. I don't have data on winds at higher speeds but in the 25 to 30 mph winds which I have data, a high pass filter mitigates the contributions of wind noise to the noises I have been measuring and analyzing. That said, the motorcycle's engine contributes significantly to the exposure of the rider. Helmets can provide hearing protection, properly fitted earplugs will increase the noise protection more than the helmet.
I’m always veeery skeptical when I see all those ratings on the boxes/packages. I mean, I can print something on a box, too ☹️ That said, I have come to like the Hearos foam plugs the best.
@@williammurphy8227 It should, but it doesn’t. Certainly, speaking for myself, the highest rated plugs out there - inserted correctly - still have my ears pretty much screaming after each ride on a Harley.
Great vid as always. I use earplugs since I started riding, always took care of my health, doesn't matter what others say. Despite that, I have relatives and friends that lost the hearing due to exposure not only to wind or motorcycle engine noise, but also in aviation and in motorsports.
When I first started riding on the highway w/o earplugs, my ears were hurting for a while. I then decided to purchase a pair of Earpeace from Amazon, had those for a couple months, worked well. I decided to splurge on custom earplugs-the difference is substantial, but more importantly, will help keep my hearing intact.
Hi Kevin. This was an important and very good review. After 30 years of Construction, I do have some hearing loss from not wearing ear plugs. On that note, my “Decibullz” just arrived yesterday so I can keep the hearing I have left. Thanks again.
Been riding for a couple months without ear plugs. I have tinnitus but I believe I've had it since I was a kid. I always thought that the ringing in silent rooms was normal. I hope the couple of months I've been riding haven't made it worst. I can't stop thinking about it now and The thing about tinnitus is the more you think about it the louder it seems to get. I will never get back on my bike without earplugs.
I've been riding 40 years, the first 20 of which were without ear plugs doing about 20,000 miles a year when the bike was my main form of transport. About 15 years ago I got tinnitus. Luckily it's not as invasive as some people experience and whilst I cannot say for sure it was caused by lack of ear protection while riding, it seems the most likely explanation.
Riding without ear plugs back in the 60s and 70s … it wasn’t even a topic back then. And yes, fairly severe tinnitus is the end result. When I watch people shake their head at, and being opposed to earplugs, I shake my head twice as hard back at them. 😵💫
Mine have always be the 5 cent foam disposable ones, no ear pain, easy to always keep a bag of them in a trunk... but I'll be giving the Decibullz a shot. Thanks,
Something else to consider, and the main reason I use the little foamies: ear infection. Any reusable plug needs constant, near daily, cleaning. I buy the foamies by the box where the pairs are individually packaged, and use them as a one time use. No more ear infection, no worries about properly cleaning, storing, and losing an expensive pair. They also, without question, block out way more sound than any other plug. I literally just keep a few bags in my jacket pocket; great for riding, concerts, shooting, work, ect. Also something else to keep in mind, is that there is a HUGE difference in the name brand ones , with Honeywell's Laser Lite plugs being my favorite! Some of the cheaper ones you buy at Autozone can actually be very hard and stiff, causing excessive pressure in your ear, while good name brand ones tend to be incredibly soft. I've had those cheap plugs and literally couldn't wear them for more than a hour, while I've used the Laser Lites to ride to work on a 14 hour day, ride back, and actually forget I even had them in until I got back home.
I've tried countless types of earplugs including custom fitted ones and I find that the good old cheap expanding foam type work best for me. I reuse them many times over because they're easy to clean with soap and water and once dry, retain their original expandable performance. When not in use I store them in a small plastic container and keep them in my pocket. The 'shooters' type of plug work great at the range but suck for general steady noise because that 'filter' is a percussion valve... it closes when the sound waves of a gun shot reach them and then immediately open up again so they're not that effective when the loud sound waves are constant such as with wind noise.
Great topic Kevin. I grew up in the 70s racing motocross, playing the drums in bands and in the 80s and 90s, was a motor officer. Needless to say, my hearing has suffered the consequences. Now I wear the cheap ones and toss them after a couple rides. I keep individual packs on my tractor and riding mower and wear them under my shooting ear protection . I’ll order a set of your recommended plugs for the bike and see how they do.
Disposable foam for me - I buy them by the quart. Always half a dozen in my pockets and never worry about losing them. But: I always snip off about 3/16” from the fat end with scissors. Makes them way more comfortable under the helmet.
The Alpine plugs should have a small black plastic tube with them that you use to insert them into your ears. They are VERY easy to put in and get out.
At 2:00 you mentioned how much more relaxing of an experience riding with ear plugs is, the same can be said for in your car. No joke. Try it next time you're on the highway in your car or truck.
Really interesting topic and an important one! I've tried out all kinds of ear plugs now and the conclusion I've reached is using foam plugs for highway riding and filtered plugs for twisty roads etc. The filtered plugs I landed on are by Ear Peace, I tried the Alpine ones and had the same issues with getting them out, sometimes the Ear Peace plugs don't sit quite right and take some fiddling but when I get it right I can ride for hours and be fairly comfortable. I find with foam plugs at least you get a good seal and good noise isolation with every use, even if they aren't as comfortable I think effectiveness is what you want for rides where you can be at ear damaging levels for hours at a time. I tried some custom moulded plugs from my local audiologist and after a couple of months I found they just weren't sitting right, I think the bespoke fit might not be the best when you ride in different temperature conditions etc where your ears will expand and shrink a bit.
Good review. I have Decibullz and had the same fitting problem as other riders. I found they fit better if you mold them with a smaller rubber insert , then change to a larger size. Also, don't leave them out in the sun. They will melt. My current favorite is Ear Peace with a filter that allows me to hear my CB radio, although I have had to use tweezers a couple of times when I shoved them too far into my ear.
Thank you Kevin: I bin searching for a long time for something that works. There are several ear plugs and everyone that sells them, tells you theirs is the best
I use disposables. Originally I had issues with pain from pressure on a long day of riding, then I discovered they come in small sizes. This helped a lot, but still not perfect because they were long enough to touch the interior of my helmet. So I cut them down 3/16" and now they're perfect. Mike's is the brand that has the smallest size for me, and they come with a little chapstick size container that a pair can fit in. This container fits perfectly under the front edge of my seat cover, so they're always handy. If I can't find small size I will cut some off of one side along the length of the earplug to reduce their size in my ear and that also works great. When they get dirty I put them in the shirt pocket and do the laundry and they come out clean. I try to make a point of keeping a pair in the buttoned pockets of all my work shirts so I will have a pair whenever I need them for other uses too. A buddy of mine had customs while we were out on a longer ride and lost one. He ended up needing to get a disposable from the dozen pack I always have in my top box.
Just ordered a set after watching your review. I have a pair of Eargasm plugs and although they work ok they do slide out on occasion plus they only knock down 21 db I believe so these should make a significant difference. Thanks for the great videos!
This is definitely a topic that needs to be taken seriously. I have hearing loss and I take precautions to protect what hearing I have left. My loss is most likely genetic, since I wear hearing aids when I am not riding, I had my audiologist make a custom pair of ear plugs for me. So far they work better than most I have tried. I definitely understand the need to hear what is going on around me when I am riding. Everyone doesn’t need custom made ear plugs, but everyone should protect their hearing while participating in this sport.
Great ending to the video. I use custom molded noise attenuation ear plugs. Almost any hearing clinic can make them for you. In fact I have two different sets. One set is for my full face helmet which are a slim profile making them really comfortable under the helmet, but the trade off is that they offer just slightly less noise attenuation. The 2nd set has slightly more noise attenuation, but are also slightly larger in over all size and I use them with my beanie helmet where the slightly larger size does not matter. Custom molded ear plugs offer excellent long term rider comfort, easy to clean and the attenuation of loud noises is excellent while still allowing speech to be heard and my Cardo system can be heard to make/receive phone calls and or listen to music when riding.
@@impoppa9647 thanks for getting back with me :) I have a hearing loss (since childhood). I’m challenged with hearing voices, yet extra sensitive to loud noise. So unfortunately even high fidelity custom ear molds alone won’t work unless it has a headset that plugs into the cardo. Big Ear offers what looks like high quality molds with plug ins, but they’re pretty pricey.... I’m currently looking into similar sound isolating earbud-headsets online with a 3.5mm jack. I could pick up some $20-50 earbud-headsets or opt for a pair of Shures in the $260-500 range. These are Amazon returnable. I figure if those sound isolating earplugs don’t protect my ears enough during the ride, I’ll see if a local audiologist can develop a custom mold and insert the headset into it…
During a past motorcycle show, I purchased fitted earplugs, was a painless process and it greatly prevents wind noise. My earplugs actually jack into my Bluetooth communicator, and also I can hear the bike and traffic with no problem. The fitted ones I have spin when you insert them and connect to the ear canal.
How has the Decibullz held up 1 year later? First time I've heard of them, but everything about them made sense. I've used mouth guards with the same heat activated molding. I've found a local seller in my country. Double the price of motosafe, but it might be a much better option. Having multiple sized tips and the shapeable plastice might be themost ideal for my mismatched inner ear size.
Personally, I have 3 key elements to mitigating wind noise in my helmet. The first being custom molded ear plugs. Secondly, I've actually discovered a way to greatly reducing the wind noise without spending any money or using any physical means to reduce noise. This method works with any brand or style of helmet, or even no helmet at all. Here's what I ended up doing... ...First up, use your thumb & first finger to squeeze your nose & close you nostrils. Next, close your mouth and try to breath in through your nose but keeping your nostrils closed, and imagine you are attempting to pull your eardrums into the centre of your head (sounds crazy, but you get the idea). Then you can let go of your nose, and carry on with your ride. This technique seems to be a great way to put your ear mechanism in the 'parked' position. I've found it really kills the wind noise, and combined with ear plugs, riding is so much more bearable. Finally, another way of reducing wind noise is to wear a cervical neck collar which can be bought from a pharmacy for less than $10. Instead of buying a new helmet and taking the gamble of it being quieter than your existing helmet, the neck collar is money well spent. It has the added benefit of keeping you warm in winter. I agree witht MCRider regarding choosing brightly colored earplugs. One one occasion, I arrived home, got off my Harley Davidson, took my helmet off an dropped an ear plug, which ended up landing deep down in between the transmission & the rear tyre. Due to the colour, I found it in all the blackness of the H-D color styling.
I've tried most of the filtered plugs and found the Alpine ones are the best in my opinion. One thing you forgot to mention was that they come with an insertion tool that makes it way easier to pop them in your ears. I've used both the race and touring versions and they are very comfortable on an 8+ hour day. Just my two cents
@@kajjeekanalenfan72 definitly race for me. on constant speeds of 70 to 80+ mph i would even sugegst go for a even higher dp surpression like the Decibullz
I use EP10 Sonic Defenders Ultra Max from Surefire. They have a whole line of ear pro designed for shooters. I didn’t like them for range use, but they work great on the bike. Another option for folks to explore. They come with a small plastic case, which I keep in the pocket of my riding jacket.
*Thank you!* I always keep a bucket of disposable foam earplugs on hand which work well for me, and fit any size ear canal. But I will try the Decibullz.
After watching your video, I ordered a set of the Decibullz earplugs. Today, I molded them to my ear. As I was molding them to my ear, I was watching another of your videos and didn't notice any reduction in the sound of your video I thought 'Oh, man, these aren't going to work.' After molding them (and I redid the first one, because I didn't like the final shape), I went for a ride to test them (with the 31 DB-reduction foam insert). Holy, hell! They were fantastic! Noticeably better than the cheap foam earplugs that I had been using. Instead, of just a ride around block, I kept going and rode for about an hour. The sound level was very low, and they remained very comfortable in my ears. WINNER! Thanks for pointing me to them!!
I use bluetooth shure in ear monitors. That way I can also listen to music(on low) and protect my hearing. Edit: model se215. The wire goes up over the ear and down behind the ear. They stay on in my full face.
I second the se215: I've worn Shures for years. Most of them come with foam and silicon tips in 3 sizes, 6 in all, so it's easy to find the one that fits and works best in your ear. Then you connect them to a phone, or to a helmet com system via bluetooth to your phone, and you can listen to music (not too loud), make/take calls or hear turn-by-turn directions. I never ride without them.
Kevin, thanks for the ear plugs guidance. I'm a new rider, yet, lost 1/2-2/3s of my hearing 38 years ago from my left ear due to an anyurism in the base of my brain. I value my hearing, as you can understand! I will look up those decibullz ear plugs asap, it'd be great to have a pair of them now as my motorcycling career has just started! Doug
One quick suggestion. I wish you would have mentioned their NRR rating. I keep going back to the tapered roll up foam plugs because of their higher NRR rating. >32
I use the Alpine MotoSafe earplugs every time, and I never have any problem to put them in or out of my ears. This might be related to your ear canal shape versus mine.
They have a tool to help put them in which he didnt use, hence the reason he had problems putting them in. I have never had an issue getting mine out either.
I use a pair of Decibullz that I bought to protect my hearing when at work as a stage hand. I replaced the inner plastic tips with a cheap set I bought from Amazon originally made for security ear pieces and glued them in. I have never had a better pair of earplugs since.
I have the Alpine with the red stem (reduces the noise a little more than the black ones) and they are very good. I need to work them in a little, because I have a narrow ear canal ,but they work great, the music from my cards is a lot clearer and I can still hear the cars around. Went a few days ago for the first time in months for a 10 minutes thinking I'll manage without earplugs on a such short ride, but boy I was wrong. After you go earplugs, you never look back
I use the Decibullz for sporting clay shooting. I've been using the soft foam plugs while riding. Guess I'll pull the Decibullz out of my range bag and go for a ride!!!
I have a pair similar to the second style. They’re black and do get lost on the asphalt when they go bouncing. I’ve also frequently had the helmet pull them out on me. They do work, but can be fiddly getting them in so that they stay in. I think I’ll look into the Decibullz.
I’ve watched this a couple of times the last few months. Very informative. I personally get the Stanley blue earplugs from tractor supply. And I cut off the nylon string that’s attached to them. They’re soft, they fit well, and they last for quite a while.
Thanks for an excellent video on a very important topic. When I returned to motorcycling I was amazed at how noisy modern plastic helmets are compared to my ancient glass-fibre lid. I am happy wearing Moldex Rocket earplugs (reusable silicone rubber £3/pair) but I will probably get some custom-made ones at some point. The decibullz seem to be a good mid-price solution.
Awesome info! Thank you. The last earplugs reminds me of how we ( telling my age😂) had to mold old school mouthpieces for High school Football 😄. For budget just have some kind of protection, the first set (orange), but for what's best would be the last set (red).
A very interesting presentation. Thanks. I took your advice and purchased a set of DECIBULLZ Custom Molded Earplugs. They are fairly easy to fit, and really do reduce noise levels. BUT, there is no way they will work with a properly fitted full-face helmet like my Shoei RF-1400. They are forced out of my ears when I put the helmet on, and just fall on the floor/ground when I remove it. So, no go. I followed my son's advice and bought EARPEACE MOTO plugs, and they are great. No fiddling to fit, three levels of noise reduction, and come with an extra plug and a nice compact carrying case. I'd say, if DECIBULLZ work for you, then your helmet is too large. I'll use mine for lawn mowing, target shooting, and such, but NOT for motorcycling.
I bought some too and so far they do the same thing. They don't fall out when I take my helmet off, but once I get it on they pop out just enough that the noise reduction is moot.
3 months after using Decibulls I noticed they had shrunk. Not by much but enough that they were no longer snug. I threw them out. Now I use Nonoise. I’ve had them a year and I’m still losing my hearing. I’ll try a different brand soon.
I did my first ride in many, many years this week-on a pretty quiet 150cc scooter, no less-and was really surprised at the wind noise inside my full face helmet above 35 mph. I’ll be giving these Decibullz a try. Thanks!
I agree with all you have said. I tried bunches and some are OK. The best are custom, I agree. I didn’t know there was a way to DIY, excellent. Just one additional suggestion, if you are a Veteran like I am you can go to the Audiologist at your local VA Hospital and get them probably for free, I did that. Just know if you never “registered” at you local VA it takes a while and a copy of your DD 214. Incidentally orang is my favorite color, lol.
I've never ridden with ease plugs in. I rode for 20 years without. Then took a 20 year absence from riding. Started back riding again 4 years ago. 2 years ago, i rode out to the Grand Canyon from here on Southern Indiana with a full face helmet. No ear protection. Well, I'm gonna retire April 2025. Then planning on a Deadhorse Alaska trip the first of June. So, that's got me thinking about my ears. I bought a cheap pair ($9.95) of plugs off of Amazon 2 weeks ago. They actually do a decent job. I was pleasantly surprised. But, I thought i may need something a lil bit better. That's where you come into play here. I've watched you video just now. And ordered a pair of the Deciballz with your link. I'm curious though as to what you are currently using as this video was a few years ago. Thanks Kevin for the insight.
I always wear hearing protection when I ride. I have severe loss in one ear and profound loss in the other, from a poorly aimed rocket attack. I want to keep as much of the hearing I have left. I wear customs made, full shell, ear plugs but the decibullz have my attention. Thank you.
Great Video. I have serious issues with my hearing and the wind noise. Used to ride tohe single use ear plugs. Ordered the Decibullz straight away…. Thanks for this tip
I use the Alpine plugs but the pro version. You have two tour and two pro plugs. Best I've used in 67 years riding. To ensure ease of insertion, lubricate with a tiny amount of saliva. Never had a problem with removal. Highly recommended but nothing will suit every rider of course. Cheers!
When i took up riding I must admit I never gave this any thought at all. However, in buying my Ducati Monster with Termi cans, plus the effect of wind noise i pretty quickly realised this wasn’t a good scenario. As a subscriber to Ducati NYC I fairly quickly got the message that earplugs are necessary to protect my hearing. He tried one lot out and was mostly content with them but thereafter got onto the Happy Ears earplugs and noted they were less bulky, fit extremely well plus offer a 20 dBA reduction in noise level. To me, as a scientist, having worked in the past with respect to noise emissions, this seemed a pretty awesome reduction. So i bought a pair of them and always use them now, be it in the city or out in the road. They work and I am extremely happy with them. I have to say that the decibullz ones do look good though 👍 and it would be interesting to see what they would be like in comparison to the Happy Ears ones i have. I absolutely concur with what you say in respect to wind noise, the permanent damage it can cause to your hearing and hence why wearing earplugs is an essential part of a motorcyclists safety kit.
I have recently purchased a pair of "Loop" earplugs, but haven't tried them yet. They're very similar to the Alpines. ie silicone mushroom caps on a stem. On the Loops, though, the stem bend at a right angle, and so lays flat against the ear. I also had a pair of custom molded earplugs made a few years ago, but found that they transmitted certain frequencies that produced earaches. I already have constant tinnitus, from 20+ years of using landscaping power equipment, and so am fairly sensitive to what works, or doesn't (for me)
I really like my NoNoise thermoplastic motorsport ear plugs. They're comfortable under my helmet. The attenuation is pretty even across the audio frequencies so speech is understandable, and my in-helmet audio system sounds pretty good. I've even worn them at loud concerts and was still able to enjoy the music.
Well you've got me digging around for where I put my decibullz to give them another whirl. My original problem was a cheap helmet that although full face with a visor, it was extremely noisy, unbearable on the interstate even with earplugs. My current $500 ish helmet is very quiet, so quiet I have kind of not used earplugs all the time, but your video motivated me to start wearing them, even if I don't think I need them, afer a long-ish ride today without them I could tell I should have had them. Good stuff, thanks for your work.
Hi Kevin. Thank you for your wise tutorials. Ever since I’ve started watching them, while I’m preparing for the moto driving licence in France, I’m amazed to see how many riders make mistakes (bad lane positioning, bad stopping, non-sufficient following distance, etc…). So I think I’ll have training courses, after I’ve had my licence… By the way, I’ve noticed that you generally park your motorcycles forward in your garage, so that you have to do a U-turn, when you want to get them out. Wouldn’t be more convenient to do the U-turn before entering the garage, when you’re warmed-up and alert? I always park my car ready to go, because I find it easier to manœuvre after a drive… Cheers!
Hey Kevin, I love your channel, I bought a pair of these off of your recommendation ,and I gotta say they are not good . None of the sizes fully penetrate and close off the canal. If you watch an instructional video on how to put in ear plugs properly they must go into the canal quite a ways to fully close it off. Usually leaving just enough tip to grab with your fingers to remove. ( to get the max protection) These do not and are ineffective. I have tried allot of different types and still stay true to the disposable foam ones , in particular the Milwaukee red ones 32 NRR. Regardless ,love the channel and i have learned ALLOT from it, Thanks Kevin
I had the custom ear plugs made several years ago. Paid around 60 for them. While I love them and they work great, over time they did seem to get a little small. I started to get a slight wind noise, just enough to be annoying. What I did was get liquid Flex Seal. Dipped them and let them dry over night. Worked just fine. But I am going to buy Decibullz. Like everything you said, they look great, and it always great to have a back up. Although I can see them being my go to pair. Thanks for the info.
Thanks for the good info Kevin, I too thought that I only needed to wear the plugs with the half helmet. I have the MotoSafe type and found they work really once you figure out the stem placement and depending on the depth of insertion.
Kevin, I have to admit that after posting my comment, I went on a 2 hour group ride with about 15 Harley bagger type bikes (loud), with my half helmet. I never fully inserted the plugs before, thinking that I needed to hear what’s going on around me. With the plugs fully inserted, not only was the wind noise gone but I could actually hear my sound bar while riding. I pulled them out at a light and could not believe the difference, on the lone ride back home I left them in with no problems at all. Thanks for the advice.
I have lost 60% of my hearing. Mainly due to shooting, riding and chemo. The last being the most of it. I do not understand all these speakers and stuff on bikes. But I also don't understand people complaining about wearing ear plugs. Keep your head on a swivel, that's the safest. Protect your hearing, tennitus SUCKS!! If you don't know what that is... you should be thankful.
I 100% agree with you Kevin. Any suggestions for us in Ohio. They still are against the law to wear while riding here? I have tried using cotton balls but not much noise reduction.
I bought a set of browning ear plugs at Walmart. They have the vents in them, come in a metal tube keyring and have an extra set of regular rubber plugs.
I like to use disposable plugs on the track, as they don't slip out, and are very quite. But I use the Christmas tree with filter style on the road. And I hate them. They slip out of my one ear way to easy.... But they were $25 and filter just the right amount of noise on the street (when they stay in place) I may have to look into the decibull ones if they do stay in place better
Thanks Kevin . Very informative. Have always used the foam ear plug ,cheap and seem to work well for me. Think I may look into the Decibullz ,hope I can get them here in Canada. Great videos!
I have both filtered and unfiltered Custom moulded earplugs from Southern Adrenaline. While they are expensive and take some time to get shipped if you don’t live in US, they are hands down the best for riding. I actually prefer the unfiltered plugs because you hear less wind noise. When I ride in the city, I prefer filtered plugs so you can hear surroundings better.
Some of us have small contorted auditory canals and eustachian tubes that inhibit inner ear drainage, resulting in more frequent infections. Unfortunately, ear plugs worn for extended duration increases the likelihood of ear infections, which can lead to hearing loss. I have to wear ear coverings, rather than plugs, to prevent ear infections. Even a cloth hood inside my helmet helps a lot to mitigate road noise. Disinfectant ear washes also help.
For long trips, I use Bose noise cancelling earphones...bit of a pain to get it, but once secured, I feel like I am 'knifing'' quietly through the air.
Currently I'm using the Howard Leights (maybe misspelled) I got from Amazon. I find them very comfortable and they are packed 2 to an package. I carry many packs with me in an old prescription bottle. I can get several days of use from one pair. But I'll check the Decibullz out. I shoot as well as ride, so I'm always looking for good hearing protection.
just go to Siemens hearing aid and ask them for fitting, they can even reinforce the plug with some sort of abs plastic so it last forever, cost similar to the custom molded plugs
Kevin, MCrider - thank you for this video, I have been looking for a pair of earplugs that would check all the boxes and now I have found them. Ride safe and keep the shiny side up!
Order a set of Decibullz Ear Plugs!
www.MCrider.com/Plugs
If you want to see more about the Decibullz plug and how to custom mold them go to MCrider at this link.
www.mcrider.com/the-best-motorcycle-ear-plugs-earplug-review-one-was-clearly-the-best/
PS: My Director is tough to work with... ;)
Tip: If you didn't watch to the end...you didn't see the whole video.
Kevin, I have had ear surgery and my ear canals have been impacted. Custom molded plugs aren’t possible. The Decibulz might work.
Interested to know how the sound is listening to Bluetooth with these? They don't appear to have a channel to allow anything through.
I have a pair of these I like them, but when I try to remove my shoei rf1200 helmet it hurts my ears. I have to remove my cheek pads to get the helmet off.
@@Fritzgerald645
I purchased a pair after watching this video, they fit very well in my ears, but I to have a problem with my Shoei RF1400. I can not pull my helmet over my ears, I even tried using a helmet liner with no luck. The plugs work well, but not with my Shoei helmet.
I had to go back to my Alpine plugs, they are very soft and pliable, with no problems/pain when pulling the helmet on, or removing it.
Just a word of caution, Decibullz plugs will not work for everyone, especially with a tight fitting full helmet.
They work great with a baseball cap when cutting the grass.
I bought a pair, but i find them sticking out too much, the rigid plastic part. and forget the headband, the band makes the sound travel into your ear whenever they touch anything
As someone with tinnitus for over 15 years now, its not worth it. You will never hear nothing again. When you lay in bed at night youll hear a shrill screech in a totally silent house. When youre enjoying the splendor of nature and stop to look at a gentle creek, youll hear that buzzing ring. When youre hunting and trying to listen to the woods, youll hear that ring. It never gets better. It never goes away. It drives you crazy, and even after you accept it, youll never feel the same again.
Tinnitus calms me
I’ve had it since I was young, don’t really remember a time without ringing really, it sucks
@@Kaleb.R me too, and i'm still fairly young - first noticed it around 14-15 even after being fairly safe (pretty sure) relatively speaking for a kid that age. now 21 and it's still here, only getting better when i'm not stressed, and MUCH worse when i am stressed or have excess earwax due to earbuds/plugs
My ears have rang non stop for 47 years. Not fun
I'm 35 and developed tinnitus 2 years ago. I have a 24/7 high pitch and I also have a typwriter noise that sounds like morris code non stop. I've since accepted my fate, but within the first 6 months, I was contemplating suicide. I'm ok now, but I sure wish I could go back in time and wear more hearing protection. It drives a guy nuts.
When I first started wearing ear plugs the first thing that impressed me was the reduction in fatigue, especially on long rides.
Very true, it helps a lot with fatigue on longer rides.
My first long camping ride I was feeling very fatigued and I ended up stopping at a truck stop and grabbed some foamies. It did wonders!
Just got back from my first long moto road trip and I seriously needed this! About to head out my 2nd then a month later my 3rd road trip, getting these now!!
Which ones are you using now DoOdLe? @DoodleOnAMotorcycle
I just ordered the Deciballz.
I was amazed how clear music from my cardo sounds after putting in earplugs. I won't ride more than a mile without earplugs from now on. I use EarPeace earplugs and I'm very happy with them.
Can I ask where the cardo speaker is located if it's not within an earpiece? Thanks for the EarPeace recommendation.
A lot of helmets have a recessed spot behind the padding by your ears where the cardo speaker mounts inside your helmet. Some even have holes through the padding where the sound comes through. Look up a video on installing a cardo for more details.
One thing that wasn't mentioned about the cheap foam plugs. While they work very well on shorter rides, or day trips, when on a long multi-day tour, they can become very painful due to the constant pressure on your ear canals because the foam wants to expand. The worst situation is when you get foam ear plugs that are too large. This won't become apparent until you are on a long tour.
I only experience pain from the foam plugs while wearing my HJC carbon fiber full-face helmet where the pain can get unbearable after an hour or two. What I like about the foam ear plugs is that they do expand greatly once inside the ear canal, and I can adjust the sound volume easily by varying plug insertion depth.
They come in sizes. I used to have this issue till I started using the smallest size, then I also cut about 3/16" off their total length to keep them from contacting the interior or my helmet. Now they're perfect.
Before I found the smallest size (Mike's brand I believe) I would reduce their volume by cutting a bit off along their length too. Also worked very well for me. I've been able to find them even in grocery stores pretty much anywhere along a trip.
Buy the right size try out a few NBD
I use the moto safe ear plugs and love them. They are actually supposed to come with a little stick thing that help it make it easier to put them in your ears (attach the ear plug to the stick, hold onto the stick and insert the plug). Thanks for the great video! The amount of friends I have that ride without plugs is alarming. Ride safe everyone!
I've been very satisfied using Moto Safe plugs for a few years now. They're not as cheap as the foam, but will not cause any painful pressure points. Yes, they take a bit of arm stretching to get in, but once secured, are just perfect. I trim the long pointy bit off (not the main stem), and wet them slightly, so that they'll easily slide in deep enough. Perfect with my Cardo headphones
I'll be honest I was really let down with them.. I still get off the bike with ringing in my ears. I found the standard foam ones better.
I have a feeling they do not protect at all.
I’ll agree with the reply’s I spent 60 bucks on the red and black ones black ones are utterly useless they just hurt my ears and offer no wind protection the red ones are okay till about 60 to 70km also end up hurting my ears in a hour or so
I was excited to see the white MotoSafe earplugs because these are the plugs I've been using for more than a year now and I love them. They have a black plastic piece that helps with the insertion process. Maybe you haven't noticed it or something but it actually makes it a breeze.
Just ordered a pair of Decibullz. Thank you for the informative video and for your invaluable support of the motorcycle community. I always turn to your site for honest and expert advice. God bless.
I've been using Decibullz for over 3 years and am very happy with them. I use them if I know I'm gonna be riding more than a few hours and they've worked well inside of 2 different Shoei helmets. I also wear them when shooting too.
Thanks again Kevin for another informative and thought provoking video! Keep "em coming!
Decibullz work very well. I've tried everything and these are great.
3M orange classic earplugs for me - 34 dB reduction, comfortable and long lasting (for foam plugs). No issue with internal pressure - I actually use them for sleeping (can't fall asleep without them).
I've ridden 90+ for hours without plugs and without issue, I always had huge windscreens that made it dead silent in the saddle. Recently got into sport bikes however and ear plugs are a must.
Thanks for posting. A really important issue. I've also tried several. Foam is okay for short rides, and is cheap. Silicon and custom are better, but still were not quite there. I finally went through a bunch of actual plugs and started using noise cancelling earbuds. The ones that fit for me - specially inside a helmet - are Bluetooth wireless SkullCandy Indy ANC Fuel. They don't stick out so far it's impossible to get a helmet off (on is easy...). Besides making every journey far more relaxing and SAVING THAT HEARING, you can take calls or listen to music. With light use - and noise cancelling on - they last far longer than your butt or bladder. The case automatically recharges them a few times before the case has to get recharged. Excellent for traveling.
Well, I happen to LIKE orange, and given that the Fall season is right around the corner (whoo-hoo), ORANGE is in vogue! Thanks, Kevin, for keeping us safe.
I'm in southern Oklahoma, I hear ya on woohoo for fall weather
I use the Alpine ones for years, but the version I have got an aid to put it in the ear, that works really good. With a little twist there in place. It's good on the motorway and in tunnels.
Mine have the little insertion aid also. But they are still a pain to put in.
I find the applicator makes it easy to get in. But it's hard to position the tiny pull tab in a good spot to make it easy to pull out.
Dear Kevin, there is a little device in that Alpine bag that you should use to place the earplugs in. :)
It is not meant to be fiddled and having trouble putting them in by just fingers. :)
Hope that helps.
I've been using 3M EAR Soft FX which have a SNR of -39db, the highest damping you can get.
Custom molded earplugs with the best filters only go up to 33db as far as I could find, the 3M -39db ones really help me out since I already got tinnitus and I don't want to worsen it.
An SNR of 39 dB is probably applicable to the high frequency noise. The noise from the cycle is more low frequency.
That said, if this is a product that you wear consistently and correctly then 25 to 30 dB of attenuation should provide sufficient protection from both the wind noise and cycle noise.
@@williammurphy8227 well wind noise is high frequency sound. as stated in the video the noise from your motorcyle is basically a nonfactor unless you have a straight pipe exhaust.
The spectrum of wind noise is predominantly low frequency. As you increase speed, the high frequency content will increase. Motorcycles are just moving through the air as opposed to the air moving past a stationary microphone. I don't have data on winds at higher speeds but in the 25 to 30 mph winds which I have data, a high pass filter mitigates the contributions of wind noise to the noises I have been measuring and analyzing.
That said, the motorcycle's engine contributes significantly to the exposure of the rider. Helmets can provide hearing protection, properly fitted earplugs will increase the noise protection more than the helmet.
I’m always veeery skeptical when I see all those ratings on the boxes/packages. I mean, I can print something on a box, too ☹️ That said, I have come to like the Hearos foam plugs the best.
@@williammurphy8227 It should, but it doesn’t. Certainly, speaking for myself, the highest rated plugs out there - inserted correctly - still have my ears pretty much screaming after each ride on a Harley.
Great vid as always.
I use earplugs since I started riding, always took care of my health, doesn't matter what others say.
Despite that, I have relatives and friends that lost the hearing due to exposure not only to wind or motorcycle engine noise, but also in aviation and in motorsports.
When I first started riding on the highway w/o earplugs, my ears were hurting for a while. I then decided to purchase a pair of Earpeace from Amazon, had those for a couple months, worked well. I decided to splurge on custom earplugs-the difference is substantial, but more importantly, will help keep my hearing intact.
Hi Kevin. This was an important and very good review. After 30 years of Construction, I do have some hearing loss from not wearing ear plugs. On that note, my “Decibullz” just arrived yesterday so I can keep the hearing I have left. Thanks again.
Been riding for a couple months without ear plugs. I have tinnitus but I believe I've had it since I was a kid. I always thought that the ringing in silent rooms was normal. I hope the couple of months I've been riding haven't made it worst. I can't stop thinking about it now and The thing about tinnitus is the more you think about it the louder it seems to get. I will never get back on my bike without earplugs.
I've been riding 40 years, the first 20 of which were without ear plugs doing about 20,000 miles a year when the bike was my main form of transport. About 15 years ago I got tinnitus. Luckily it's not as invasive as some people experience and whilst I cannot say for sure it was caused by lack of ear protection while riding, it seems the most likely explanation.
Riding without ear plugs back in the 60s and 70s … it wasn’t even a topic back then. And yes, fairly severe tinnitus is the end result. When I watch people shake their head at, and being opposed to earplugs, I shake my head twice as hard back at them. 😵💫
Mine have always be the 5 cent foam disposable ones, no ear pain, easy to always keep a bag of them in a trunk... but I'll be giving the Decibullz a shot. Thanks,
Something else to consider, and the main reason I use the little foamies: ear infection. Any reusable plug needs constant, near daily, cleaning. I buy the foamies by the box where the pairs are individually packaged, and use them as a one time use. No more ear infection, no worries about properly cleaning, storing, and losing an expensive pair. They also, without question, block out way more sound than any other plug. I literally just keep a few bags in my jacket pocket; great for riding, concerts, shooting, work, ect.
Also something else to keep in mind, is that there is a HUGE difference in the name brand ones , with Honeywell's Laser Lite plugs being my favorite! Some of the cheaper ones you buy at Autozone can actually be very hard and stiff, causing excessive pressure in your ear, while good name brand ones tend to be incredibly soft. I've had those cheap plugs and literally couldn't wear them for more than a hour, while I've used the Laser Lites to ride to work on a 14 hour day, ride back, and actually forget I even had them in until I got back home.
Hello, Honeywell's Laser Lite plugs can this earplug reduce the noise of the ventilator at the same time? Hear music in your helmet?
@@johnnychow2268 not sure I understand? They definitely work the treat in reducing wind noise! I can hear my music just fine though!
@@CurtPottorff Thank you very much for your reply. I have purchased them
I've tried countless types of earplugs including custom fitted ones and I find that the good old cheap expanding foam type work best for me. I reuse them many times over because they're easy to clean with soap and water and once dry, retain their original expandable performance. When not in use I store them in a small plastic container and keep them in my pocket. The 'shooters' type of plug work great at the range but suck for general steady noise because that 'filter' is a percussion valve... it closes when the sound waves of a gun shot reach them and then immediately open up again so they're not that effective when the loud sound waves are constant such as with wind noise.
Just got these and man are they comfy . I won’t have an excuse anymore not to have ear protection in . Thank you for the review
Great topic Kevin. I grew up in the 70s racing motocross, playing the drums in bands and in the 80s and 90s, was a motor officer. Needless to say, my hearing has suffered the consequences. Now I wear the cheap ones and toss them after a couple rides. I keep individual packs on my tractor and riding mower and wear them under my shooting ear protection . I’ll order a set of your recommended plugs for the bike and see how they do.
I really like the ones I got.
I love that you don't take yourself so seriously that you can't poke a little humor back at yourself.
Keep up the good work!
Disposable foam for me - I buy them by the quart. Always half a dozen in my pockets and never worry about losing them. But: I always snip off about 3/16” from the fat end with scissors. Makes them way more comfortable under the helmet.
The Alpine plugs should have a small black plastic tube with them that you use to insert them into your ears. They are VERY easy to put in and get out.
At 2:00 you mentioned how much more relaxing of an experience riding with ear plugs is, the same can be said for in your car. No joke. Try it next time you're on the highway in your car or truck.
Really interesting topic and an important one! I've tried out all kinds of ear plugs now and the conclusion I've reached is using foam plugs for highway riding and filtered plugs for twisty roads etc. The filtered plugs I landed on are by Ear Peace, I tried the Alpine ones and had the same issues with getting them out, sometimes the Ear Peace plugs don't sit quite right and take some fiddling but when I get it right I can ride for hours and be fairly comfortable. I find with foam plugs at least you get a good seal and good noise isolation with every use, even if they aren't as comfortable I think effectiveness is what you want for rides where you can be at ear damaging levels for hours at a time.
I tried some custom moulded plugs from my local audiologist and after a couple of months I found they just weren't sitting right, I think the bespoke fit might not be the best when you ride in different temperature conditions etc where your ears will expand and shrink a bit.
Good review. I have Decibullz and had the same fitting problem as other riders. I found they fit better if you mold them with a smaller rubber insert , then change to a larger size. Also, don't leave them out in the sun. They will melt. My current favorite is Ear Peace with a filter that allows me to hear my CB radio, although I have had to use tweezers a couple of times when I shoved them too far into my ear.
I picked up a set Imakara which is the UK equivalent to Decibullz a year or so ago and I find they work really well. great video...
Thank you Kevin: I bin searching for a long time for something that works. There are several ear plugs and everyone that sells them, tells you theirs is the best
I use disposables. Originally I had issues with pain from pressure on a long day of riding, then I discovered they come in small sizes. This helped a lot, but still not perfect because they were long enough to touch the interior of my helmet. So I cut them down 3/16" and now they're perfect.
Mike's is the brand that has the smallest size for me, and they come with a little chapstick size container that a pair can fit in. This container fits perfectly under the front edge of my seat cover, so they're always handy.
If I can't find small size I will cut some off of one side along the length of the earplug to reduce their size in my ear and that also works great.
When they get dirty I put them in the shirt pocket and do the laundry and they come out clean. I try to make a point of keeping a pair in the buttoned pockets of all my work shirts so I will have a pair whenever I need them for other uses too.
A buddy of mine had customs while we were out on a longer ride and lost one. He ended up needing to get a disposable from the dozen pack I always have in my top box.
Just ordered a set after watching your review. I have a pair of Eargasm plugs and although they work ok they do slide out on occasion plus they only knock down 21 db I believe so these should make a significant difference. Thanks for the great videos!
Great video, love the directors cut!
Thanks! That Director is hard to work with. ;)
This is definitely a topic that needs to be taken seriously. I have hearing loss and I take precautions to protect what hearing I have left. My loss is most likely genetic, since I wear hearing aids when I am not riding, I had my audiologist make a custom pair of ear plugs for me. So far they work better than most I have tried. I definitely understand the need to hear what is going on around me when I am riding. Everyone doesn’t need custom made ear plugs, but everyone should protect their hearing while participating in this sport.
Great ending to the video. I use custom molded noise attenuation ear plugs. Almost any hearing clinic can make them for you. In fact I have two different sets. One set is for my full face helmet which are a slim profile making them really comfortable under the helmet, but the trade off is that they offer just slightly less noise attenuation. The 2nd set has slightly more noise attenuation, but are also slightly larger in over all size and I use them with my beanie helmet where the slightly larger size does not matter. Custom molded ear plugs offer excellent long term rider comfort, easy to clean and the attenuation of loud noises is excellent while still allowing speech to be heard and my Cardo system can be heard to make/receive phone calls and or listen to music when riding.
What’s the name of this brand?
@@MindBodyMuse Any good hearing clinic can make them for you
@@impoppa9647 thanks for getting back with me :)
I have a hearing loss (since childhood). I’m challenged with hearing voices, yet extra sensitive to loud noise. So unfortunately even high fidelity custom ear molds alone won’t work unless it has a headset that plugs into the cardo. Big Ear offers what looks like high quality molds with plug ins, but they’re pretty pricey....
I’m currently looking into similar sound isolating earbud-headsets online with a 3.5mm jack. I could pick up some $20-50 earbud-headsets or opt for a pair of Shures in the $260-500 range. These are Amazon returnable. I figure if those sound isolating earplugs don’t protect my ears enough during the ride, I’ll see if a local audiologist can develop a custom mold and insert the headset into it…
During a past motorcycle show, I purchased fitted earplugs, was a painless process and it greatly prevents wind noise. My earplugs actually jack into my Bluetooth communicator, and also I can hear the bike and traffic with no problem. The fitted ones I have spin when you insert them and connect to the ear canal.
How has the Decibullz held up 1 year later? First time I've heard of them, but everything about them made sense. I've used mouth guards with the same heat activated molding. I've found a local seller in my country. Double the price of motosafe, but it might be a much better option. Having multiple sized tips and the shapeable plastice might be themost ideal for my mismatched inner ear size.
Personally, I have 3 key elements to mitigating wind noise in my helmet. The first being custom molded ear plugs. Secondly, I've actually discovered a way to greatly reducing the wind noise without spending any money or using any physical means to reduce noise. This method works with any brand or style of helmet, or even no helmet at all. Here's what I ended up doing...
...First up, use your thumb & first finger to squeeze your nose & close you nostrils. Next, close your mouth and try to breath in through your nose but keeping your nostrils closed, and imagine you are attempting to pull your eardrums into the centre of your head (sounds crazy, but you get the idea). Then you can let go of your nose, and carry on with your ride. This technique seems to be a great way to put your ear mechanism in the 'parked' position. I've found it really kills the wind noise, and combined with ear plugs, riding is so much more bearable.
Finally, another way of reducing wind noise is to wear a cervical neck collar which can be bought from a pharmacy for less than $10. Instead of buying a new helmet and taking the gamble of it being quieter than your existing helmet, the neck collar is money well spent. It has the added benefit of keeping you warm in winter.
I agree witht MCRider regarding choosing brightly colored earplugs. One one occasion, I arrived home, got off my Harley Davidson, took my helmet off an dropped an ear plug, which ended up landing deep down in between the transmission & the rear tyre. Due to the colour, I found it in all the blackness of the H-D color styling.
I've tried most of the filtered plugs and found the Alpine ones are the best in my opinion. One thing you forgot to mention was that they come with an insertion tool that makes it way easier to pop them in your ears. I've used both the race and touring versions and they are very comfortable on an 8+ hour day. Just my two cents
I agree the insertion tool makes them far to fit. The problem is, I lost mine and you can't buy a replacement.
Which was best, touring or race??
@@kajjeekanalenfan72 definitly race for me. on constant speeds of 70 to 80+ mph i would even sugegst go for a even higher dp surpression like the Decibullz
@ourUtopiia Now they offer a higher rated over the race version.
thx
I use EP10 Sonic Defenders Ultra Max from Surefire. They have a whole line of ear pro designed for shooters. I didn’t like them for range use, but they work great on the bike. Another option for folks to explore. They come with a small plastic case, which I keep in the pocket of my riding jacket.
I've been considering ear plugs for a while now, you pushed me over the edge, ordered a set of the decibullz
How did they work out?
@@Bdmc1997 I there ok. not what I expected. but better than the foamies
*Thank you!* I always keep a bucket of disposable foam earplugs on hand which work well for me, and fit any size ear canal. But I will try the Decibullz.
After watching your video, I ordered a set of the Decibullz earplugs. Today, I molded them to my ear. As I was molding them to my ear, I was watching another of your videos and didn't notice any reduction in the sound of your video I thought 'Oh, man, these aren't going to work.' After molding them (and I redid the first one, because I didn't like the final shape), I went for a ride to test them (with the 31 DB-reduction foam insert). Holy, hell! They were fantastic! Noticeably better than the cheap foam earplugs that I had been using. Instead, of just a ride around block, I kept going and rode for about an hour. The sound level was very low, and they remained very comfortable in my ears. WINNER! Thanks for pointing me to them!!
I use bluetooth shure in ear monitors. That way I can also listen to music(on low) and protect my hearing.
Edit: model se215. The wire goes up over the ear and down behind the ear. They stay on in my full face.
I second the se215: I've worn Shures for years. Most of them come with foam and silicon tips in 3 sizes, 6 in all, so it's easy to find the one that fits and works best in your ear. Then you connect them to a phone, or to a helmet com system via bluetooth to your phone, and you can listen to music (not too loud), make/take calls or hear turn-by-turn directions. I never ride without them.
Kevin, thanks for the ear plugs guidance. I'm a new rider, yet, lost 1/2-2/3s of my hearing 38 years ago from my left ear due to an anyurism in the base of my brain. I value my hearing, as you can understand! I will look up those decibullz ear plugs asap, it'd be great to have a pair of them now as my motorcycling career has just started! Doug
Need to use ear protection. I have lost my hearing and have ringing due to riding with out them.
One quick suggestion. I wish you would have mentioned their NRR rating. I keep going back to the tapered roll up foam plugs because of their higher NRR rating. >32
I use custom molded. You can get the kit for about $10. But make sure you trust someone to help fit them.
I use the Alpine MotoSafe earplugs every time, and I never have any problem to put them in or out of my ears. This might be related to your ear canal shape versus mine.
They have a tool to help put them in which he didnt use, hence the reason he had problems putting them in. I have never had an issue getting mine out either.
I use a pair of Decibullz that I bought to protect my hearing when at work as a stage hand. I replaced the inner plastic tips with a cheap set I bought from Amazon originally made for security ear pieces and glued them in.
I have never had a better pair of earplugs since.
I have the Alpine with the red stem (reduces the noise a little more than the black ones) and they are very good. I need to work them in a little, because I have a narrow ear canal ,but they work great, the music from my cards is a lot clearer and I can still hear the cars around.
Went a few days ago for the first time in months for a 10 minutes thinking I'll manage without earplugs on a such short ride, but boy I was wrong. After you go earplugs, you never look back
I use the Decibullz for sporting clay shooting. I've been using the soft foam plugs while riding. Guess I'll pull the Decibullz out of my range bag and go for a ride!!!
Ive got a v star 950 with cobra long drag pipes. I wear ear plugs and ear plugs makes the ride so much more enjoyable
I have a pair similar to the second style. They’re black and do get lost on the asphalt when they go bouncing. I’ve also frequently had the helmet pull them out on me. They do work, but can be fiddly getting them in so that they stay in. I think I’ll look into the Decibullz.
I really like the pair I have Jo.
I’ve watched this a couple of times the last few months. Very informative. I personally get the Stanley blue earplugs from tractor supply. And I cut off the nylon string that’s attached to them. They’re soft, they fit well, and they last for quite a while.
Thanks for an excellent video on a very important topic.
When I returned to motorcycling I was amazed at how noisy modern plastic helmets are compared to my ancient glass-fibre lid.
I am happy wearing Moldex Rocket earplugs (reusable silicone rubber £3/pair) but I will probably get some custom-made ones at some point.
The decibullz seem to be a good mid-price solution.
Awesome info! Thank you. The last earplugs reminds me of how we ( telling my age😂) had to mold old school mouthpieces for High school Football 😄. For budget just have some kind of protection, the first set (orange), but for what's best would be the last set (red).
A very interesting presentation. Thanks. I took your advice and purchased a set of DECIBULLZ Custom Molded Earplugs. They are fairly easy to fit, and really do reduce noise levels. BUT, there is no way they will work with a properly fitted full-face helmet like my Shoei RF-1400. They are forced out of my ears when I put the helmet on, and just fall on the floor/ground when I remove it. So, no go. I followed my son's advice and bought EARPEACE MOTO plugs, and they are great. No fiddling to fit, three levels of noise reduction, and come with an extra plug and a nice compact carrying case. I'd say, if DECIBULLZ work for you, then your helmet is too large. I'll use mine for lawn mowing, target shooting, and such, but NOT for motorcycling.
I bought some too and so far they do the same thing. They don't fall out when I take my helmet off, but once I get it on they pop out just enough that the noise reduction is moot.
3 months after using Decibulls I noticed they had shrunk. Not by much but enough that they were no longer snug. I threw them out. Now I use Nonoise. I’ve had them a year and I’m still losing my hearing. I’ll try a different brand soon.
Your the man Kevin. I'm a Veteran & The VA gave me hearing aids with blu Tooth. Your always right
Thank you for your service!!!
Your welcome Sir
I did my first ride in many, many years this week-on a pretty quiet 150cc scooter, no less-and was really surprised at the wind noise inside my full face helmet above 35 mph. I’ll be giving these Decibullz a try. Thanks!
Indeed, it doesn’t matter what you sit on at 35 miles an hour, it WILL damage your hearing if not wearing protection.
I agree with all you have said. I tried bunches and some are OK. The best are custom, I agree. I didn’t know there was a way to DIY, excellent. Just one additional suggestion, if you are a Veteran like I am you can go to the Audiologist at your local VA Hospital and get them probably for free, I did that. Just know if you never “registered” at you local VA it takes a while and a copy of your DD 214. Incidentally orang is my favorite color, lol.
Great! I do need to keep what I have left...
Thanks!
I've never ridden with ease plugs in. I rode for 20 years without. Then took a 20 year absence from riding. Started back riding again 4 years ago. 2 years ago, i rode out to the Grand Canyon from here on Southern Indiana with a full face helmet. No ear protection. Well, I'm gonna retire April 2025. Then planning on a Deadhorse Alaska trip the first of June. So, that's got me thinking about my ears. I bought a cheap pair ($9.95) of plugs off of Amazon 2 weeks ago. They actually do a decent job. I was pleasantly surprised. But, I thought i may need something a lil bit better. That's where you come into play here. I've watched you video just now. And ordered a pair of the Deciballz with your link.
I'm curious though as to what you are currently using as this video was a few years ago.
Thanks Kevin for the insight.
I always wear hearing protection when I ride. I have severe loss in one ear and profound loss in the other, from a poorly aimed rocket attack. I want to keep as much of the hearing I have left. I wear customs made, full shell, ear plugs but the decibullz have my attention. Thank you.
Thank you for your service! 👍👍
Great Video. I have serious issues with my hearing and the wind noise. Used to ride tohe single use ear plugs. Ordered the Decibullz straight away….
Thanks for this tip
I use the Alpine plugs but the pro version.
You have two tour and two pro plugs. Best I've used in 67 years riding.
To ensure ease of insertion, lubricate with a tiny amount of saliva. Never had a problem with removal.
Highly recommended but nothing will suit every rider of course.
Cheers!
When i took up riding I must admit I never gave this any thought at all. However, in buying my Ducati Monster with Termi cans, plus the effect of wind noise i pretty quickly realised this wasn’t a good scenario. As a subscriber to Ducati NYC I fairly quickly got the message that earplugs are necessary to protect my hearing. He tried one lot out and was mostly content with them but thereafter got onto the Happy Ears earplugs and noted they were less bulky, fit extremely well plus offer a 20 dBA reduction in noise level. To me, as a scientist, having worked in the past with respect to noise emissions, this seemed a pretty awesome reduction. So i bought a pair of them and always use them now, be it in the city or out in the road. They work and I am extremely happy with them.
I have to say that the decibullz ones do look good though 👍 and it would be interesting to see what they would be like in comparison to the Happy Ears ones i have.
I absolutely concur with what you say in respect to wind noise, the permanent damage it can cause to your hearing and hence why wearing earplugs is an essential part of a motorcyclists safety kit.
You should check out 3m ear soft fx, they have an SNR of -39db. The highest reduction which I could find.
I have recently purchased a pair of "Loop" earplugs, but haven't tried them yet. They're very similar to the Alpines. ie silicone mushroom caps on a stem. On the Loops, though, the stem bend at a right angle, and so lays flat against the ear.
I also had a pair of custom molded earplugs made a few years ago, but found that they transmitted certain frequencies that produced earaches. I already have constant tinnitus, from 20+ years of using landscaping power equipment, and so am fairly sensitive to what works, or doesn't (for me)
I really like my NoNoise thermoplastic motorsport ear plugs. They're comfortable under my helmet. The attenuation is pretty even across the audio frequencies so speech is understandable, and my in-helmet audio system sounds pretty good. I've even worn them at loud concerts and was still able to enjoy the music.
Thanks for speaking loud enough to get my attention!
Well you've got me digging around for where I put my decibullz to give them another whirl. My original problem was a cheap helmet that although full face with a visor, it was extremely noisy, unbearable on the interstate even with earplugs. My current $500 ish helmet is very quiet, so quiet I have kind of not used earplugs all the time, but your video motivated me to start wearing them, even if I don't think I need them, afer a long-ish ride today without them I could tell I should have had them. Good stuff, thanks for your work.
Hi Kevin. Thank you for your wise tutorials. Ever since I’ve started watching them, while I’m preparing for the moto driving licence in France, I’m amazed to see how many riders make mistakes (bad lane positioning, bad stopping, non-sufficient following distance, etc…).
So I think I’ll have training courses, after I’ve had my licence…
By the way, I’ve noticed that you generally park your motorcycles forward in your garage, so that you have to do a U-turn, when you want to get them out. Wouldn’t be more convenient to do the U-turn before entering the garage, when you’re warmed-up and alert? I always park my car ready to go, because I find it easier to manœuvre after a drive…
Cheers!
Hey Kevin, I love your channel, I bought a pair of these off of your recommendation ,and I gotta say they are not good . None of the sizes fully penetrate and close off the canal. If you watch an instructional video on how to put in ear plugs properly they must go into the canal quite a ways to fully close it off. Usually leaving just enough tip to grab with your fingers to remove. ( to get the max protection) These do not and are ineffective. I have tried allot of different types and still stay true to the disposable foam ones , in particular the Milwaukee red ones 32 NRR. Regardless ,love the channel and i have learned ALLOT from it, Thanks Kevin
I had the custom ear plugs made several years ago. Paid around 60 for them. While I love them and they work great, over time they did seem to get a little small. I started to get a slight wind noise, just enough to be annoying. What I did was get liquid Flex Seal. Dipped them and let them dry over night. Worked just fine. But I am going to buy Decibullz. Like everything you said, they look great, and it always great to have a back up. Although I can see them being my go to pair. Thanks for the info.
Ear canal shape also changes over the course of several years.
I'm waiting for the flex seal comercial for earplug repair. I'm all for reduce,reuse,recycle though.
Useful review there. Interesting seeing the different types you can get.
I just use the Howard Leights laser lite and they work pretty good.
Thanks for the good info Kevin, I too thought that I only needed to wear the plugs with the half helmet. I have the MotoSafe type and found they work really once you figure out the stem placement and depending on the depth of insertion.
Kevin, I have to admit that after posting my comment, I went on a 2 hour group ride with about 15 Harley bagger type bikes (loud), with my half helmet. I never fully inserted the plugs before, thinking that I needed to hear what’s going on around me. With the plugs fully inserted, not only was the wind noise gone but I could actually hear my sound bar while riding. I pulled them out at a light and could not believe the difference, on the lone ride back home I left them in with no problems at all. Thanks for the advice.
I have lost 60% of my hearing. Mainly due to shooting, riding and chemo. The last being the most of it. I do not understand all these speakers and stuff on bikes. But I also don't understand people complaining about wearing ear plugs. Keep your head on a swivel, that's the safest. Protect your hearing, tennitus SUCKS!! If you don't know what that is... you should be thankful.
8:44 it’s funny hearing you say that unless you insert the earplugs as directed in the instructions that they are hard to put in.
I 100% agree with you Kevin. Any suggestions for us in Ohio. They still are against the law to wear while riding here? I have tried using cotton balls but not much noise reduction.
I bought a set of browning ear plugs at Walmart. They have the vents in them, come in a metal tube keyring and have an extra set of regular rubber plugs.
I like to use disposable plugs on the track, as they don't slip out, and are very quite. But I use the Christmas tree with filter style on the road. And I hate them. They slip out of my one ear way to easy.... But they were $25 and filter just the right amount of noise on the street (when they stay in place) I may have to look into the decibull ones if they do stay in place better
Thanks Kevin . Very informative. Have always used the foam ear plug ,cheap and seem to work well for me. Think I may look into the Decibullz ,hope I can get them here in Canada. Great videos!
8:50 i have these , in the little bag there should be a little plastic tube thats made to put these in your ear.
I have both filtered and unfiltered Custom moulded earplugs from Southern Adrenaline. While they are expensive and take some time to get shipped if you don’t live in US, they are hands down the best for riding.
I actually prefer the unfiltered plugs because you hear less wind noise. When I ride in the city, I prefer filtered plugs so you can hear surroundings better.
Some of us have small contorted auditory canals and eustachian tubes that inhibit inner ear drainage, resulting in more frequent infections. Unfortunately, ear plugs worn for extended duration increases the likelihood of ear infections, which can lead to hearing loss. I have to wear ear coverings, rather than plugs, to prevent ear infections. Even a cloth hood inside my helmet helps a lot to mitigate road noise. Disinfectant ear washes also help.
For long trips, I use Bose noise cancelling earphones...bit of a pain to get it, but once secured, I feel like I am 'knifing'' quietly through the air.
Thanks for addressing an issue that I am seeking a solution to. Big help!
Happy to help!
Currently I'm using the Howard Leights (maybe misspelled) I got from Amazon. I find them very comfortable and they are packed 2 to an package. I carry many packs with me in an old prescription bottle. I can get several days of use from one pair.
But I'll check the Decibullz out. I shoot as well as ride, so I'm always looking for good hearing protection.
Had to give a thumbs up as early as 0:20
just go to Siemens hearing aid and ask them for fitting, they can even reinforce the plug with some sort of abs plastic so it last forever, cost similar to the custom molded plugs
Kevin, MCrider - thank you for this video, I have been looking for a pair of earplugs that would check all the boxes and now I have found them. Ride safe and keep the shiny side up!
The moto safe has an insertion tool. If you use it. They sit in your ear fine. If you dont use it. It can be hard to fit right.