FURTHER NOTES: THESE ARE USEFUL TIPS FROM VIEWERS!!! USING EAR BUDS? Get the fully closed off in-ear types. Set the volume before you start riding. If you feel the need to increase the volume alot, it probably means that the seal is inadequate and it wont protect your ears properly. Thanks to VAGABOND111 for this tip. FATIGUE FROM WIND NOISE... a few guys have pointed this out. The research does mention this, I just left it out because the video was getting too long. 😢 TRIED EAR PLUGS & HATE THEM? Get the cheap sample pack from places like www.earplugstore.com and try all 50 types. Thanks Tom Meyer. EAR PLUGS ARE TOO QUIET? Spend a bit more and get the ones with interchangeable inserts to allow more noise through. EAR PLUGS AFFECT YOUR BALANCE? Happens occasionally. Again, get ear plugs with interchangeable inserts to allow more air and noise through. EAR PLUGS SHOULDN'T STICK OUT! If they stick out enough to touch the helmet you can amplify the noise! RESEARCH LINKS: stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/10052 www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC539364/ insidescience.org/news/lowering-volume-motorcyclists journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/026309239401300202 www.bigearinc.com/blog/noise-cancelling-motorcycle-hearing-protection-vs-passive-noise-cancelling/ benthamopen.com/contents/pdf/TOACOJ/TOACOJ-4-14.pdf
The real solution is this. Get earplugs that block 100% of all noise but stick a sex toy on your helmet. The sight of it will give clearance to any unwanted attention that may near you and it can be used as a self defense weapon should you face any degenerate psychopath on the road.
Something not mentioned that I have experienced is that using earplugs greatly reduces my rider fatigue after long rides on or off road. Something about the loud wind noise that just wears on you over time. I just use the cheap orange foam ones and I hate riding without them.
Good point, Aaron. Already mentioned by another viewer. I didn't include this because the video was getting too long, but the research did say prolonged wind noise can lead to mental fatigue. I've included it in the pinned first comment.
It's really good to see you making a video on hearing protection Barry. I've had tinnitus since my mid-20s thanks to lots of firearms, concerts, racecars. As I've gotten older, in my 30s now. I've noticed a hearing getting worse, I have since started taking measures to protect what hearing I have left. to anyone that's never experienced tinnitus it makes it incredibly difficult to sleep and a simple ear plug will save you lots of headache later pun intended.
A bummer to hear that Matthew. My brother now has it which prompted this video. Did the white noise generator sort of thing help at all? I know it doesn't work well in a lot of cases.
I have a Honda silverwing scooter I bought second hand from an older gentleman who had installed a very large Givi aftermarket windscreen on the bike. It is huge and at 5’ 11” tall I still look through the screen to see the road ahead because it’s that large, and I can say from experience that the noise level with a screen that big is very minimal. I also own a Harley with a normal windscreen that I put on it and the difference is astonishing. Of course the silverwing has a fairing as well and very little of the riders body is exposed to the wind. It really makes an enormous difference in the sound level.
Bike rider x rock musician here. Tinnitus is something I deal with ALL day EVERY day. You really don't want it. Some days I wish I were completely deaf just for a moments silence. Between screaming guitars and years of an open face helmet it was gonna happen. Didn't know about till I had it. Full face, ear plugs and a wind screen does reduce the never ending buzzing after a ride. Take it seriously folks. Oh and great videos by the way. I sent the Why we ride to a bunch of my Harley friends and still have a couple of'm left. Cheers
I know how you feel. When I'm exhausted and collapsed on the sofa, all I can hear is the ringing/whooshing sound. Same when I go to the middle of nowhere miles away from any road.
From what I'm told it sounds incredibly frustrating. I used to work in the brain injury area and it can be quite common after an injury. So we'd work through all the options.. white noise generators when sleeping, does caffeine make it worse etc etc. A real shame there's no cure.
One solution I found: I was a machine gunner in the Marine Corps... I went ahead and got the tinnitus out of the way, early. Now I don't have to worry about it on the motorcycle anymore.... or listening to the wife.
Very important subject, Barry, so glad you are covering this!! Work life (airplanes, large diesel engines, and rifle fire) has caused the bulk of my constant ear ringing over the last 38 years, to the point that I really can't abide much wind noise on my bike! Ear plugs are a must on every ride, but I sure don't like it when I can't hear my own engine...tricky balance! Thanks for all the helpful advice, I can only hope the the younger part of your viewers give this issue serious consideration!!
I’m a young bloke (21) who already has tinnitus in my right ear which sucks, please everyone it is worth it to take all these measures to stop hearing loss asap I didn’t know anything about preventing hearing loss growing up and I actually thought it was normal to have ringing in my ears, knowledge is power everyone.. hopefully this comment can prevent some damage to your ears!
Great advice Barry. I’m 54. Got tinnitus when I was 21 and serving in the army. It doesn’t ever go away. And despite the best attempts to prevent it getting worse, it is inevitable. At the start it used to drive me crazy. Now it’s a constant ringing reminder to put those ear plugs in. You do not want tinnitus-there is no cure. And on the loud pipe issue, ever noticed how bikes with loud pipes have to be revved several times once started.............
As a caveat, I've noticed improperly fit earplugs (which slightly protrude from the ears) can touch the inner surface of the helmet and to some extent channel noise into the ears. Proper fit that doesn't protrude solves the problem, but it's one of those issues that can sneak up on you if you aren't vigilant.
This^! Also if they touch the helmet,they can pop out and fall on a dirty floor when you remove the helm. Another risk of bacterial infection. Earplugs are a must, but finding the right ones is an adventure in itself.
I ride in a (road legal) Mx lid with goggles, the wind noise is horrendous. I find Shure earphones with Comply foam tips shut a hell of a lot of noise out and are low-profile, so comfy with the lid on. They are effective enough that I can’t really hear the engine either and have to go by vibration. Bonus points for being able to listen to music without having to turn it right up.
Excellent! This and carrying a trauma kit in a well marked bag are my two biggest pet peeves. Rider training and all are important, but slowly going deaf doing something you love or coming up on someone bleeding to death and having nothing to do about it are two tragedies that can be easily avoided with a bit of foresight. Thank you for the video! I know there are many expensive and better solutions. but I use Howard Leigh by Honeywell foam plugs. NRR 32. $25 for 100 pairs. Pairs individually wrapped. I had triple flanges, and they were great until you dropped one on the trail. I wasn't keen on sticking the dirty thing back in my ear. I still use good triple flanges for shooting. If you drop it on the range, there is usually a bathroom you can go clean it and put it back in. On the trail, I carry about ten spare pairs, individually wrapped, and, at 25 cents a pair, I don't mind handing them out like candy on Halloween, if a rider needs them. Hearing protection you don't wear is useless. I don't even clean them. Once they get nasty, I chuck them. On trips, I will clean the wax off them, but I always wonder if I'd rather just carry ten or twenty spares more.
A really good point, Dex. I only carry a first aid kit for our multi day rides but really should be carrying one all the time. I've stopped to help at a few accidents but thankfully didn't need a kit.
Thanks for highlighting the hearing issue. Tinnitus is no fun nor is having to say “huh?” constantly. I’ve ridden motorcycles since my teens and am now in my sixties, I just wish that I had protected my hearing from the outset. Hearing loss doesn’t perhaps sound all that terrible but living with it 24/7 is a PITA. Be smart, wear earplugs!
Earplugs also reduce rider fatigue by a large degree if you’re doing big days. It’s worth wearing them just for that I reckon and not just for the hearing damage they prevent.
Aah, tinnitus. Once you've got it, it only gets worse. And it sucks. As well as limiting hearing, it's never truly silent. The buzzing and whistling is always there. Wear earplugs, you can still hear road noises.
I always wear ear plugs. One of the first things i bought when i bought my motorcycle gear. Now I have an FMF Q4 on my DRZ and love it! Always wear your ear plugs!
Thanks for the excellent video - I completely agree. The best ear plugs that I've found to date are 3M Taper Fit 2 and are available in medium and large sizes - I usually buy them by the boxful since they aren't expensive. Typically, in North America industrial suppliers sell them, the type of place that would sell good drill and tool bits, reamers etc. They give about 30 dB+ reduction in sound pressure at most frequencies and have helped my ears against bikes, rallying and racing cars, boats, tractors, generators, machine shop, chainsaw and aircraft noise. While, at 72, one of my ears is useless in the speech frequencies due partly to having Marfan's Syndrome I can still function well enough with the other to carry on normally. Good Bose, Sennheiser or similar active noise cancelling such as is used in aviation headsets these days also typically gives 30 dB + reduction in noise pressure but expect to pay between US $ 800 - 1,500 depending on type and brand. Niall, Ontario, Canada. Guzzi Stelvio 1200NTX.
I have a pair of reusable ear plugs that I never ride without on the street. They have the little tube in the center so you can still have conversations and hear the bluetooth headset but take away the wind buffer and drastically cut the volume. The only riding I do without them is slow trail riding off road.
I should be wearing them more often, Ricky. Since buying the new DR650 I've only been doing short rides due to the recent back injury and not bothering with ear plugs. But it's time to start using them no matter what. The dirt riding is different though, we are mostly in first gear on our slow gnarly trails.
I started wearing good foam earplugs over 20-years ago on Doctors orders, didn't like them at first but I got used to them and now I can't ride without them. I'm less fatigued when riding and my hearing loss hasn't progressed any further. Highly recommended. Good Video, thanks!
Been riding for many years and I have tinnitus and hearing loss. Important to note that even with a Schuberth, 33db earplugs you still need a substantial fairing and a bike with quiet exhaust. Earplugs alone will not stop hearing loss. Noise cancelling earbuds only work at very low speeds (below 50km/hr) they simply are not powerful enough to overcome wind noise. Also very important to insert your earplugs properly. Foam are the easiest and most comfortable. The swimmers plugs are good but you have to be sure you have vacuum in the ear cavity for them to work properly. Anyway, don't ever ride without earplugs in any case or you'll pay for it in hearing loss guaranteed.
Sensible info and needs to be heeded! I have severe hearing loss - probably largely hereditary but some doubtless due to noisy work and bike riding over the years. If you don’t take notice of this advice in time, you will end up struggling to get a helmet on with only one hearing aid in place - can’t use two, but need one to hear whats going on around me. Think about that, I have to wear something that AMPLIFIES the noise I should be reducing.. Don’t pity me, just protect your ears, or like me you’ll have to have everyone say everything...twice (at least). And I assure you, deafness is only funny to the onlooker. To the deaf person and their friends its a damned nuisance. Les in UK
As an international touring audio engineer, earplugs are an essential piece of kit for everyday work. My hearing is $. As a motorcyclist since 1999 earplugs have always been in zee earholes. I’ve ridden thousands of road miles, thousands of road race track miles and now since 2017 over 180 hours or trail riding. Earplugs keep me sane. The argument that you can’t hear what the bike is doing is BS. You can hear it and feel it. I want ti go into my golden years still capable of hearing my bikes start up before a glorious day of riding. 👊🏽✊🏽🤘🏽
I agree Clarence... I know what guys mean about feeling disconnected when wearing ear plugs but once you are used to it the feeling goes away and you start to appreciate the difference. And keep your hearing in the long term.
Great video. I ride motorcycles and also play drums so need to protect what hearing I have left. I went to an audiologist in Brisbane and she recommended custom fitted ear plugs. They inject foam into your ear, then send those temporary foam shapes away in order to make a perfect fitted ear plug. Then 2 weeks later you get them back. So easy to fit and they seal perfectly every time. I got the plugs that come with 3 different inserts so you can modify them to be 10 dB, 15 dB or 25 dB attenuation. I find the 15 dB are the best for me as they block out a lot of the wind and pipe noise, but I can still hear people talking when I stop and talk to friends along our route. Therefore I can leave them in for several hours. Heaps more comfortable than the cheap foam Plugs and worth the Extra cost at $180. When drumming I also get a really high quality sound Coming to my ears, whereas the foam ones sound horrible and muffled. My custom plugs are 2 years old and still perfect. Cheers
One great way to make your own custom moldable earplugs is to use Sugru. Get some glad wrap between your ear and the Sugru and mold the Sugru onto the glad wrap and into and around your ear canal to get a custom fit plug. Cures in 24hrs, pull glad wrap off and good to go! You could also add some diy pull tabs to make em easier to remove and can also use Sugru to mold custom earbuds to the earbud type earphones if you wanna listen to music and your helmet permits it...
As an owner of a Schuberth helmet, I did find that it would noticeably reduce the noise level, but only with all the foam padding around the chin and neck in place. As you noted in the video, a lot of the noise comes from the bottom. I found having all the foam in place to warm and stifling, so of course took it out. While I still like a lot of the features of the helmet, it now isn’t noticeably quieter than the previous helmet I had that was a third the cost.
My brother recently splurged on an Arai X4 due to tinnitus but was a bit disappointed it wasn't quieter. It's good, but just not good enough to avoid ear plugs.
After 39 years of frequent riding I have NIHL, mainly in the form of tinnitus, but also hearing loss. However, I have managed to control the deterioration by wearing (a) custom earplugs that achieve 38db reduction, cost a meagre $80 and are incredibly effective, and (b) wearing a great Schuberth full face helmet with special pieces under the jaw to the throat that are very effective at preventing noise entering the helmet. It’s a street helmet, flip up, but I wear it off-road as I adventure ride.
Brilliant episode regarding hearing loss. I have permanent tinnitus unfortunately Most of the time I am not conscious of it , but it is actually like walking through a Forrest of Cicadas permanently. I don’t know if it is a result of motorbike riding, however a couple of years ago I had moulded ear plugs made . I wear them but don’t really like them much You are spot on with this episode ,please take note before you damage your hearing or get tinnitus.
Good points, will have to start figuring out which ear plugs work for me. I use helmet intercoms as well as for some background music but as friend told me they still work with ear plugs. Highly recommend finding helmets with a chin flap, makes a big difference for wind noise for me. Arioh Commander is what i have and was a big improvement over my last helmet. Have also fitted a wind shield to my bike which has helped.
Spot on. Nobody rides with a helmet around here anyway - especially on cruiser bikes. I feel like a power ranger with a suit and full face helmet + 33db earplugs.
Guys riding without helmets... that just sounds so weird to us Aussies, Carlos! I've read up on the arguments for and against but after working for a brain injury association for many years you can guess my position on the issue. 😁
@@crosstrainingadventure ..won't talk about guns then lol. This is entirely speculative, but it seems to go hand-in-hand with rider training. The more trained a rider is, the more likely they are to wear a helmet or additional protection.
Thanks for highlighting this issue mate. Don’t know why, but when you mention an issue, problem or opinion, I seem to take it more seriously than from anyone else... Anyhow, I was under the impression that you had only damaged your hearing if you heard ringing in your ears after a concert or loud noise. Didn’t realise that even wind noise could cause it. Hope it’s not too late for me yet, but will purchase ear plugs ASAP regardless. Thanks!
I've worn ear plugs for all day trips on the adventure bike but after doing this research I'll be definitely putting them in for all my rides from now on. I'll look into the dirt riding side of things too and do a report on the enduro channel.
Too many years riding dispatch on unfaired bikes with sometimes no helmet at all( before helmet laws and my eventual conclusion that you should always wear one) and riding noisy two strokes from the seventies and then working on amphibious assault vehicles in the marines where they gave us nothing makes this a moot point but good for those starting out. Like others have mentioned however,wearing ear plugs can reduce the fatigue on longer rides. I use a Bluetooth set and listen to music and can answer the phone using my voice and make calls and such using siri on the set. I would have never imagined the technology compared to what I was used to. I took a quantum leap when I got my v-strom 1000 up from my last bike a 1982 cb900f Honda in a 1100 frame! I cobbled it together out of two wrecks. That’s how I usually got my motorcycles,by buying wrecks and rebuilding them or neglected older bikes that just needed to be refurbished.
Don’t know how Harley riders do it, a loud bike would drive me nuts down the highway. Just imagine all the deaf bikers when they get old lol #sonsofdeafness #deafangles
I've spent way too many years working in high noise areas ,always with at least one level of hearing protection. still ended up with tinnitus but at manageable levels .Also have always worn plugs (corded ones)when riding ,if I for some reason forget and ride even a short distance without plugs I'm rudely reminded by the amazingly loud racket of sticks and stones hitting the fenders and bashplate . And then there's the chainslap and drone of soft knobbys on hardtop . Pop in the plugs (BMW kit ) ,and all is good !!
My brother's dealing with it at the moment, James. He hasn't been using any protection either so I'm really pushing him to get ear plugs. He bought an Arai X4 helmet too but as per the vid while a better helmet helps it's not a huge difference.
I've tried half a dozen different ear plugs when I was doing a lot of freeway commuting. I found the disposable foam plugs were excellent, but I ended up getting some proper custom made ones. I use these a lot, even for things like on flights (LOL COVID).
I ride a loud bike and use a Shoe Ex- Zero helmet which lets in a fair bit of wind noise. I find using the Apple AirPod pros with noise cancellation ( and music ) is absolutely perfect. You can still hear everything but nicely attenuated without having to crank the music up too high because the rubber grommets make a good ear seal. One caveat is you must push them firmly in and carefully slide the helmet on so as the seal is not broken. Then it's perfect. It works very well for me. May be a bit trickier if your helmet is super tight as the buds might slightly dislodge as you slide on the helmet thus breaking the seal. if so start again or try with a slightly less snug helmet. it certainly feels like my ears are protected. No ringing after a long ride. Anyone else try this ?
I have been riding since i was 14 and am currently 71. Majority of my riding is in the dirt. I have major hearing loss. I always had a helmet on even in the 60’s.
Hi, I got tinnitus when I was 14 from use a personal stereo to loudly. Will not ride a motorbike without my Custom Fit Guards. Custom made ear plugs. Due to being rather tall, I have found which bike I get has a massive impact on the amount of wind noise. Nakeds are best as the natural air is not forced straight into my helmet. If a faired bike, surprisingly a lower screen can work better than a taller version. Cheers for the great videos
I've always used in-ear plugs, and to such an extent that if I don't have them in I know something is wrong. You are right that a scarf or helmet skirt makes a massive difference as it prevents air rushing upwards under the helmet. Ensure when using ear plugs that they do not stick out so they touch the inside of the helmet as this helps amplify the noise.
Excellent tip, I've included this in the pinned first comment... "Ensure when using ear plugs that they do not stick out so they touch the inside of the helmet as this helps amplify the noise."
I have found a Merino balaclava cuts down on wind noise. It also helps to keep my glasses in place! I use Gear Gremlin Rocket earplugs if i'm using my openface. Cheers!
I have had very loud sudden onset tinnitus in my left ear for the past year and a half, however I believe my tinnitus is somatosensory tinnitus which means it is coming from the neck and/or jaw as I can modulate the volume of the tinnitus with neck and jaw movements. It does feel louder after riding, especially off road, but that could be to do with the weight of the helmet on my neck. For the guys and girls with tinnitus caused by hearing loss as described in this video, there is a new drug that is in final stage trials in America called FX322, it is supposed to regenerate the fine hairs in the inner ear and restore hearing and in turn reduce or eliminate tinnitus. Let’s hope it does what they promise. In the meantime, wear earplugs if you can and ride safe.. but not too safe because thats boring!
That's exactly what my brother has, so hopefully there's a potential cure. That FX322 sounds promising, lets hope it pans out. www.hearinglossjournal.com/the-hope-and-promise-of-fx-322-an-update/
I have total hearing loss in my right ear. I’m now starting to think it’s from riding without hearing protection. The exhaust being on the right side and wind noise were probably the contributing factor. The audiologist calls it sudden hearing loss but, I’m starting to think it was from all the riding I was doing with loud exhaust. I believe Fx322 is crap or a sham. I emailed them all my medical records related to my sudden hearing loss, so that I could be included in their study, and was told I wasn’t a good candidate. Im totally deaf in my right. Ear, I don’t get it. I’m hear the gene therapy study is showing promising results in primates. Im crossing my fingers.
When i hit rush hour in downtown on my scootmobile, i tend to lower or pause the music. I use foam inear earbuds that drastically reduce the noice. I almost always wear them when riding. Also makes phonecalls on the go easy. And navigation. And the music is part of riding for me, when going for longer rides. When riding offroad i rarely listen to music, and actually often ride with no earbuds because its slow and my engines are relatively quiet
My helmet is actually quite loud. On long highway rides like I did in Italy last year. It's okay. But on our lovely twisty roads in the alps I took them out. Because I just couldn't heat my motorbike good enough for a descent ride. Best wishes from Bavaria/ Germany
I’ve been riding almost 30years and the amount of times I’ve ridden without earplugs regardless of how “good” my helmet is. I can’t understand people who don’t wear them. I guess that’s what makes us different. You can get used to them - my pal used to say he couldn’t wear them as it affected his balance / he couldn’t hear(!!)/ felt claustrophobic etc etc blah blah. A day or two riding with plugs in and he didn’t notice he was wearing them after a while. Protect your lugs
My Dad drove Fire Trucks. He was totally deaf in his left ear, and too proud to do anything about it. I had to explain to my kids that if they wanted to talk to Grampa to stand to his right side. I wear foam ear plugs every ride.
Yeah it just makes sense to look after our ears, Mike. I was actually expecting some old school riders to say 'Just man up and ride without ear plugs you soft bitches!' but haven't heard anything as yet. (Not saying your dad is like that, of course). It might be because they've already got hearing loss and seen the light.
I find the best way to listen and keep the volume down is the small speakers in the ear that come with sena or cardo sets and ear plugs. Most ear phones are hard to get under the helmet but Shure has a set that seems to work well at isolation and they sound good. Not cheap though. Annectodal evidence shows exhaust has less effect at higher speeds but I'd guess that has more to do with wind being loud and not outrunning the bike noise 🤣🤣
Where I've heard slight wind whistling noises after extended periods of riding (>5 hours, depending on speed), I didn't have any during a full week of 8hr+/day riding when I was using Active Noise Canceling earbuds (Bose QC20). As far as my knowledge goes regarding frequencies, noise cancelation works by producing anti-waves that cancel out the original ones, but current-day buds only the manage the ones that are steady and constant (e.g. wind whistling on a steady pace): whenever overtaking a truck, for example, the turbulance would cause it to start to pop and wind whistling would increase, until the turbulance faded. Still, as this is only anecdotal, I tried asking around on motorcycle fairs where ear plug stands were common: the 'experts' had never heard of or did any kind of ANC testing. As shown in the picture 5:01, if working properly, the resulting cancelled wave should have a smaller amplitude than the previous ones, so I'd expect it to have reduced hearing impairment consequences. However, it just seems counterintuitive to think that the solution to large hearing-impairing soundwaves is to throw equally as large soundwaves in an inverse pattern against them, but just by plain experience I would have the earbud volume at 20% with ANC on, compared to about 70% when ANC was turned off, in order for me to hear the navigation. The 20% is what I'd use off the bike as well, so it feels strange to expect them to cause hearing-impairment during bike time, when the volume remains the same. Would love for further research to be done on this and have some kind of thoroughly tested answer. FYI: I don't recommend those specific earbuds for riding regardless: my ears were bleeding by the end of the week simply because of their size and the rubbing it caused.
It's a real shame there isn't more research on this, Forvaine. Or at least nothing really useful that I could find. It's a problem I keep coming across all the time when trying to research neck injuries and neck braces, helmets and brain injuries, knee injuries and knee braces... there is just so little decent research in the motorcycling sector.
I've used QC20 earbuds religiously for years now. I only wish they had come along sooner since my hearing is already shot. It's true they pop in response to air pressure change (like turbulence behind trucks) which is pretty annoying. But it's not true they only cancel repetitive sounds. The mic picks up the sound and the electronics invert and play it in real time. They do not handle turbulence on the earbuds themselves, so you still have to get your windscreen/helmet setup pretty good to work at speed. But they work very well.
I use alpine earplugs every time I ride whether it’s road or Adv definitely helps with fatigue I reckon around $30 but what price to u put on your hearing ? Still hear bike ok just kills wind noise
This is a great topic. To the Australians I suggest following the SLC80 rating table (www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0027/16578/perhearpro_selection.pdf ). After 47 years and 500,000+ km I have had to go from a class 3 (up to 100db) to a class 5 rating (up to 110db) in an effort to stop the ringing after long rides. Not a problem off road with class 3 as wind noise is non-existent at my speeds. The sad truth is we are suffering some hearing loss even with plugs.I have tried just about everything including custom plugs which are no better than class 3. Please specify the ear plugs if they are too quiet for you as I may try them.
Developed severe tinnitus in my 40s following years of being around loud farm equipment and off-road motorcycles. Ignored it until I was 51. Finally mentioned it to my Doctor. He ordered a MRI. Turned out I had a brain tumor. Acoustic Neuroma. It was benign but was growing rapidly and crushing other parts of my brain. Following radiation the tumor stopped growing. Lost all hearing in my left ear and now deal with severe tinnitus, balance problems and Central Pain Syndrome. Hate loud motorcycles and automobiles. A loud motor vehicle is just the owners expression of their sexual inadequacies or their cheapness when it comes to buying a good muffler. Wear ear plugs and protect your kids ears if they are with you when attending a motorsports event. Breaks my heart when I see an under five year old kid at a racing event with no ear protection.
Damn, glad you got it checked out Marty. My mum has the same thing that is benign but she did lose sight in one eye. I love this... "A loud motor vehicle is just the owners expression of their sexual inadequacies or their cheapness when it comes to buying a good muffler."
Earplugs have improved my experience greatly. I consider a drz400 with a pipe to be pretty loud. I used to think not hearing the engine would impair my riding, but the opposite is true. Wonder what an e-bike is like off road.
Champion Helmets on RUclips does scientific tests on helmet noise. I’ve ridden my whole life and also worked over 30 years in one of the loudest environments imaginable and I still have good hearing from wearing ear plugs religiously. The loudest thing I ever heard was a 875psi super heated steam leak that we had to fix. Even with ear plugs and muffs the sound travels right through your body causing nausea. Never want to do that again.
Not sure what the decibels are, but the loudest machine where I work is the vacuum hold down pump for our router table. It gets its own separate room. From outside the room with the door shut, it is just at the annoying/wearing after a while level, but from inside the room, it's like you described: the sound goes through your body, so it's loud even with headphones or headphones and earplugs together. 15min in that room while it's running and you just want to get up and go anywhere buy there. So wearing.
Wind noise entering from under the opening around your neck is the worst culprit. Next time you're highway riding, lift your arm up to cover your neck and listen to the difference, really is astounding. I get around this problem in cooler months by using a Merino wool neck sleeve. Apart from keeping you warm, it muffles a LOT of the wind noise that leaks in from beneath. Also, I bought a 200x box of 3M "TaperFit 2" on eBay for less than 30 bucks. Keep a pair in the inner pocket of each riding jacket as even a short ride for me without plugs is not enjoyable and my bike isn't particularly loud by comparison to most others (stock or modded). Hearing loss is permanent and tinnitus sounds like a nightmare I would NEVER want to know about.
Good point, but there is always a but.... Cheap earplugs reduce windnoise, but also traffic, which is dangerous. Spent a little more for earplugs with a filter, they reduce windnoise but you can still hear traffic well. Also a very important point is the vestibular organ, it's inside your ear. If you disrupt your hearing, you disrupt your balance. When using the filter earplugs, you can still hear well and that effect won't occure. So please invest a little more for your own safety.
LOL, you know, I've never had any problems with noise on the bike (35 years), but I went ahead and bought some expensive custom made plugs anyway. When I used them for a full day long ride up the motorway, guess what, for the first time ever I experienced Tinnitus (I kid not). FYI helmet was Schuberth C2 (that turned out to be nosier than the HJC). So am I saying don't use them- no, use them for sure, just try the cheap ones first.
I pulled the lining from my helmet & stuck foam in all of the gaps then refitted the Linings numerous times made a large difference but still always wear ear plugs
Definitely a good idea to look after your hearing. Getting earplugs with Bluetooth for listening to tunes will make you more likely to remember to use them on long trips. I got the earmold ones but unfortunately can't recommend them due to multiple durability issues. Looking for another brand, recommendations?
I use plugfone head phones while I ride. Yea, the idea of music while riding is debatable but I like to think I keep it at a responsible level to stay aware of the current environment. Keeps loud noises/wind out and staves off boredom/fatigue on long rides. Keeps the tinnitus out as a bonus.
I think about this often. After riding on and off road for decades, running power tools and chain saws, and shooting regularly - ALL with ear protection - I'm developing the ringing. Not sure if it's going to get worse, and can't identify any better protection than I'm using in the helmet now.
If you are wearing good ear plugs it shouldn't get any worse at least. I've been really lucky over the years, so much riding and only started to use ear plugs a few years ago on longer trips.
Not watched yet. I'm guessing hearing loss. I've got tinnitus and it ain't fun. I've been wearing earplugs on the road since tinnitus started but can't off-road because I get bad motion sickness with them in.
I always ride with cheap disposable earplugs fitted deep in my ears. It's very noticeably less fatiguing after hours of riding. When traveling by bike it does cause very painful skin in my ear canals after about a week, but that heals. Tinnitus doesn't.
I always wear ear plugs. Even when I sleep. It's u must for me, ergo I have tried them all and I've found that good quality regular foam ear plugs work best for me. Just remember to change them quite often since they loose effectiveness over time.
Great video. I use molded silicone ear plugs made for industrial noise. They fit great inside the helmet. I bought a better helmet (arai) that helped as well. I hate windscreens, they make turbulence.
It would be interesting to do a vid about windscreens eventually. The only ones I've used just remove the wind pressure against the body, but there's still a smooth movement of air against the helmet. But I see some riders with very tall ones that throw air right over the helmet and these are meant to be quiet... but personally I reckon that would be too much like being in a car! Each to their own I guess. I have noticed if a windscreen creates turbulence around the helmet the noise is worse...
Good to hear, John. I know a lot of riders just try ear plugs once and hate them... they are too quiet, or uncomfortable, or fall out etc. But there's a huge variety and something will suit if they stick at it.
I use earplugs every ride - they cut out just about all the wind/tyre/mechanical noise - so I can hear the tinnitus clearly, and wow is it it loud & clear!
Bugger! Ever experimented with ear buds that seal very well and just playing some kind of music that masks the tinnitus? Just wondering as my brother has just developed tinnitus in the past few months...
@@crosstrainingadventure Bugga about his tinnitus - I do often play music over the top of the ear plugs, but I haven't tried earbuds... Tinnitus is a weird thing as I hear it loudest when I put the ear plugs in - as it's a change, but the brain then usually focuses on something else and ignores the tinnitus, but it still jumps back into the spotlight often. Getting to sleep can be tricky, but again a bit of music is helpful as it is something to concentrate on. Hey, I enjoy your vids - crazy seeing roads I know!
I’ve had tinnitus for about 10 years, it’s an awful thing and can drive you crazy. There’s no escape from the continuous noise. I couldn’t sleep without drugging myself, lost lots of weight and became pretty ill. Eventually your brain accepts the noise and allows your consciousness to ignore the sound but comes back to it repeatedly as the frequency of the sound changes or on waking from sleep. Wear ear plugs on your bike and at bike events, get rid of that noisy exhaust! Cheers.
I've heard it can be a bit like chronic pain, and that sometimes training your brain to focus on other things can help? Not sure how true that is. My brother now has it so keen to hear what works for different people. Some say white noise generators help when going to sleep?
@@crosstrainingadventure Yes, white noise is the answer, finding the frequency that suits you. I managed the situation with noise generators ( like miniature hearing aids fitted in the ear). You can control the volume to mask the tinnitus. Seems odd but having control of the masking volume helps your brain accept the unwanted racket. Silence is a very underrated wonder...make the most of it!
If you close your eyes in a room full of bikers after a ride, you can tell the relative age groups by the volume of their conversations. Two old bikers talking sounds like a dangerous argument!
Samsung Galaxy buds. They have a tight seal in the ear. You have the option to let a little, a lot, or no ambient sound in. If you're not comfortable with not hearing traffic around you, turn on the ambient sound. or if you want to listen to your music quite in your ear, turn it off. I love them
I've been thinking about getting some of the earphones that hunters etc use, like the Axil GS extreme. Can listen to music on blue tooth, has 29db passive protection, can switch on hearing enhancement when stopped so that you don't have to take them out to talk, blocks all sound over 85 dB when using hearing enhancement. Apparently the sound quality is less than audiophile though.
After a long break from riding I was told about the windjammer from the UK - a neoprene skirt that glues to the bottom of my full face helmet. Putting the helmet on is like experiencing birth again, butI wouldn't ride without it now and I always wear earplugs. Still the buffeting creates a constant roar above 70kph. My hearing tends to have a 'white noise' background and mostly I don't notice it, but as a muso I'm fully aware Beethoven was the only successful deaf musician so a deflector above my windscreen is on the wish list. If I duck down below the screen - on my old BMW adventure bike the buffeting disappears and the ride is almost silent, like in a car, but the position is not optimal for control or comfort and tends to attract unwanted attention.
When using Bluetooth earbuds you should use fully closed off in-ear types as they allow for the maximal passive attenuation. Put the volume level at a comfortable level before you start riding. If you feel the need to increase the volume alot, it probably means that the seal is inadequate and it wont protect your ears properly. Try different types of eargels (ears are not even the same left and right) so you will need to try different sizes for both ears to get the right seal/fit. Otherwise you should get custom ear-protection made it only costs about 100 euro's/dollars and is cheap insurance!
Should I wear earplugs? I went to work in a cotton mill aged 20. They tested my hearing during the medical & found severe hearing loss in 1 ear & reduced hearing in the other. It was probably caused by being in many noisy truck cabs/ tractors + motorbikes plus racebikes and at race tracks. I now wear hearing aids & have done for many years. I put on a full-face helmet & I can't hear anyone talking to me. I don't have any ringing in my ears. I use a Cardo Freecom headset for nav, phone & music on the freeway.
I'm very lucky I found out about this before it was too late, I rode for so many years without ear plugs and my ears would be ringing after every ride... I'm sure I've done some damage but just not enough to notice it.
never use them as I feel disconnected from the surrounding when I do, wearing ear plugs is not safe IMO unless you use only on long highway stretches. Tinnitus issue on the other hand is more in your head then because of noise as some studies imply and I agree with them. I had Tinnitus on and off for years and clearly depends more on state of mind then on wind : )
Not sure if I'd agree though, Andrew. I know the feeling of disconnection but you can get ear plugs that let a certain amount of noise through... and even certain frequencies apparently. I've used ones that only mildly cut the noise down and I've felt 'connected' still.
I use diy ear plugs. Having hearing problems since birth I am adamant everyone needs to wear plugs plus makes life easier in long run Plus quiet lids dump the adventure lid with a peak
FURTHER NOTES: THESE ARE USEFUL TIPS FROM VIEWERS!!!
USING EAR BUDS? Get the fully closed off in-ear types. Set the volume before you start riding. If you feel the need to increase the volume alot, it probably means that the seal is inadequate and it wont protect your ears properly. Thanks to VAGABOND111
for this tip.
FATIGUE FROM WIND NOISE... a few guys have pointed this out. The research does mention this, I just left it out because the video was getting too long. 😢
TRIED EAR PLUGS & HATE THEM? Get the cheap sample pack from places like www.earplugstore.com and try all 50 types. Thanks Tom Meyer.
EAR PLUGS ARE TOO QUIET? Spend a bit more and get the ones with interchangeable inserts to allow more noise through.
EAR PLUGS AFFECT YOUR BALANCE? Happens occasionally. Again, get ear plugs with interchangeable inserts to allow more air and noise through.
EAR PLUGS SHOULDN'T STICK OUT! If they stick out enough to touch the helmet you can amplify the noise!
RESEARCH LINKS:
stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/10052
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC539364/
insidescience.org/news/lowering-volume-motorcyclists
journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/026309239401300202
www.bigearinc.com/blog/noise-cancelling-motorcycle-hearing-protection-vs-passive-noise-cancelling/
benthamopen.com/contents/pdf/TOACOJ/TOACOJ-4-14.pdf
You're not from America, but here wearing earbuds while driving is illegal...
Covered this in the video, watch it again.
Ryan Fort Nine’s latest video also mentions the fatigue factor of wind noise. Les in UK
The real solution is this. Get earplugs that block 100% of all noise but stick a sex toy on your helmet. The sight of it will give clearance to any unwanted attention that may near you and it can be used as a self defense weapon should you face any degenerate psychopath on the road.
Something not mentioned that I have experienced is that using earplugs greatly reduces my rider fatigue after long rides on or off road. Something about the loud wind noise that just wears on you over time. I just use the cheap orange foam ones and I hate riding without them.
Good point, Aaron. Already mentioned by another viewer. I didn't include this because the video was getting too long, but the research did say prolonged wind noise can lead to mental fatigue. I've included it in the pinned first comment.
@@crosstrainingadventure interesting!
true! earplugs an intercom really changed my life, especially when riding to/from dirt
Me too. Also, when I ride without earplugs now my bike seems so noisy, I hear all sorts of chain noise and random stuff, it's terrible.
@@musguelha14 I couldn't agree more! My bike seems to sound like a bucket of bolts! In this department electric seems like the way to go
Custom ear plugs are nice! Unfortunately I already have tinnitus but it's worth keeping what hearing you have
I have an ear-plug custom, 'No more than $10 on EBay'.
That usually gets you five or six pairs.
It's really good to see you making a video on hearing protection Barry. I've had tinnitus since my mid-20s thanks to lots of firearms, concerts, racecars. As I've gotten older, in my 30s now. I've noticed a hearing getting worse, I have since started taking measures to protect what hearing I have left. to anyone that's never experienced tinnitus it makes it incredibly difficult to sleep and a simple ear plug will save you lots of headache later pun intended.
A bummer to hear that Matthew. My brother now has it which prompted this video. Did the white noise generator sort of thing help at all? I know it doesn't work well in a lot of cases.
I have a Honda silverwing scooter I bought second hand from an older gentleman who had installed a very large Givi aftermarket windscreen on the bike. It is huge and at 5’ 11” tall I still look through the screen to see the road ahead because it’s that large, and I can say from experience that the noise level with a screen that big is very minimal. I also own a Harley with a normal windscreen that I put on it and the difference is astonishing. Of course the silverwing has a fairing as well and very little of the riders body is exposed to the wind. It really makes an enormous difference in the sound level.
Bike rider x rock musician here. Tinnitus is something I deal with ALL day EVERY day. You really don't want it. Some days I wish I were completely deaf just for a moments silence. Between screaming guitars and years of an open face helmet it was gonna happen. Didn't know about till I had it. Full face, ear plugs and a wind screen does reduce the never ending buzzing after a ride. Take it seriously folks. Oh and great videos by the way. I sent the Why we ride to a bunch of my Harley friends and still have a couple of'm left. Cheers
I know how you feel. When I'm exhausted and collapsed on the sofa, all I can hear is the ringing/whooshing sound.
Same when I go to the middle of nowhere miles away from any road.
From what I'm told it sounds incredibly frustrating. I used to work in the brain injury area and it can be quite common after an injury. So we'd work through all the options.. white noise generators when sleeping, does caffeine make it worse etc etc. A real shame there's no cure.
One solution I found: I was a machine gunner in the Marine Corps... I went ahead and got the tinnitus out of the way, early. Now I don't have to worry about it on the motorcycle anymore.... or listening to the wife.
😂
Machine gun will only blast when you need it unlike wives or girlfriend.
What!
Very important subject, Barry, so glad you are covering this!! Work life (airplanes, large diesel engines, and rifle fire) has caused the bulk of my constant ear ringing over the last 38 years, to the point that I really can't abide much wind noise on my bike! Ear plugs are a must on every ride, but I sure don't like it when I can't hear my own engine...tricky balance! Thanks for all the helpful advice, I can only hope the the younger part of your viewers give this issue serious consideration!!
Thanks Allen, I'll be really happy if it means a few riders avoid hearing problems later on due to this vid.
I’m a young bloke (21) who already has tinnitus in my right ear which sucks, please everyone it is worth it to take all these measures to stop hearing loss asap
I didn’t know anything about preventing hearing loss growing up and I actually thought it was normal to have ringing in my ears, knowledge is power everyone.. hopefully this comment can prevent some damage to your ears!
Yeah that's a shame it's happened so young. Hope it doesn't get any worse.
Great advice Barry.
I’m 54. Got tinnitus when I was 21 and serving in the army.
It doesn’t ever go away. And despite the best attempts to prevent it getting worse, it is inevitable.
At the start it used to drive me crazy.
Now it’s a constant ringing reminder to put those ear plugs in.
You do not want tinnitus-there is no cure.
And on the loud pipe issue, ever noticed how bikes with loud pipes have to be revved several times once started.............
"ever noticed how bikes with loud pipes have to be revved several times once started......." 😂
As a caveat, I've noticed improperly fit earplugs (which slightly protrude from the ears) can touch the inner surface of the helmet and to some extent channel noise into the ears. Proper fit that doesn't protrude solves the problem, but it's one of those issues that can sneak up on you if you aren't vigilant.
This^!
Also if they touch the helmet,they can pop out and fall on a dirty floor when you remove the helm. Another risk of bacterial infection. Earplugs are a must, but finding the right ones is an adventure in itself.
I ride in a (road legal) Mx lid with goggles, the wind noise is horrendous. I find Shure earphones with Comply foam tips shut a hell of a lot of noise out and are low-profile, so comfy with the lid on. They are effective enough that I can’t really hear the engine either and have to go by vibration. Bonus points for being able to listen to music without having to turn it right up.
Excellent! This and carrying a trauma kit in a well marked bag are my two biggest pet peeves. Rider training and all are important, but slowly going deaf doing something you love or coming up on someone bleeding to death and having nothing to do about it are two tragedies that can be easily avoided with a bit of foresight. Thank you for the video!
I know there are many expensive and better solutions. but I use Howard Leigh by Honeywell foam plugs. NRR 32. $25 for 100 pairs. Pairs individually wrapped. I had triple flanges, and they were great until you dropped one on the trail. I wasn't keen on sticking the dirty thing back in my ear. I still use good triple flanges for shooting. If you drop it on the range, there is usually a bathroom you can go clean it and put it back in.
On the trail, I carry about ten spare pairs, individually wrapped, and, at 25 cents a pair, I don't mind handing them out like candy on Halloween, if a rider needs them.
Hearing protection you don't wear is useless. I don't even clean them. Once they get nasty, I chuck them. On trips, I will clean the wax off them, but I always wonder if I'd rather just carry ten or twenty spares more.
A really good point, Dex. I only carry a first aid kit for our multi day rides but really should be carrying one all the time. I've stopped to help at a few accidents but thankfully didn't need a kit.
Hi, as a MD I absolutely agree with the contents of this video. Thanks for it!
Great to hear, Ennio! I'm always concerned I might have some facts wrong and need to pull down the video and start again.
Thanks for highlighting the hearing issue. Tinnitus is no fun nor is having to say “huh?” constantly. I’ve ridden motorcycles since my teens and am now in my sixties, I just wish that I had protected my hearing from the outset. Hearing loss doesn’t perhaps sound all that terrible but living with it 24/7 is a PITA. Be smart, wear earplugs!
Earplugs also reduce rider fatigue by a large degree if you’re doing big days. It’s worth wearing them just for that I reckon and not just for the hearing damage they prevent.
Aah, tinnitus. Once you've got it, it only gets worse. And it sucks. As well as limiting hearing, it's never truly silent. The buzzing and whistling is always there. Wear earplugs, you can still hear road noises.
I always wear ear plugs. One of the first things i bought when i bought my motorcycle gear. Now I have an FMF Q4 on my DRZ and love it! Always wear your ear plugs!
Go to your nearest ear institute and have a custom molded set made. Youll never struggle to get them into your ears and they work great.
Great video! I wear ear plugs on every ride & it makes a huge difference.
Thanks for the excellent video - I completely agree.
The best ear plugs that I've found to date are 3M Taper Fit 2 and are available in medium and large sizes - I usually buy them by the boxful since they aren't expensive. Typically, in North America industrial suppliers sell them, the type of place that would sell good drill and tool bits, reamers etc. They give about 30 dB+ reduction in sound pressure at most frequencies and have helped my ears against bikes, rallying and racing cars, boats, tractors, generators, machine shop, chainsaw and aircraft noise. While, at 72, one of my ears is useless in the speech frequencies due partly to having Marfan's Syndrome I can still function well enough with the other to carry on normally.
Good Bose, Sennheiser or similar active noise cancelling such as is used in aviation headsets these days also typically gives 30 dB + reduction in noise pressure but expect to pay between US $ 800 - 1,500 depending on type and brand.
Niall, Ontario, Canada. Guzzi Stelvio 1200NTX.
I have a pair of reusable ear plugs that I never ride without on the street. They have the little tube in the center so you can still have conversations and hear the bluetooth headset but take away the wind buffer and drastically cut the volume. The only riding I do without them is slow trail riding off road.
I should be wearing them more often, Ricky. Since buying the new DR650 I've only been doing short rides due to the recent back injury and not bothering with ear plugs. But it's time to start using them no matter what. The dirt riding is different though, we are mostly in first gear on our slow gnarly trails.
Thanks for bringing this little known issue about motorcycle riding out! Never get on a bike going over 60KPH without some good earplugs.
Thanks, we are keen to try and cover important topics that often get missed!
Definitely one of the most useful videos I have seen and listened to
Thanks Ted, we put out all sorts of stuff but occasionally want to do useful practical info as well. 😊
Helpful and informative. Using earplugs from now on.
I started wearing good foam earplugs over 20-years ago on Doctors orders, didn't like them at first but I got used to them and now I can't ride without them. I'm less fatigued when riding and my hearing loss hasn't progressed any further. Highly recommended. Good Video, thanks!
Great to hear, Robert!
Been riding for many years and I have tinnitus and hearing loss. Important to note that even with a Schuberth, 33db earplugs you still need a substantial fairing and a bike with quiet exhaust. Earplugs alone will not stop hearing loss. Noise cancelling earbuds only work at very low speeds (below 50km/hr) they simply are not powerful enough to overcome wind noise. Also very important to insert your earplugs properly. Foam are the easiest and most comfortable. The swimmers plugs are good but you have to be sure you have vacuum in the ear cavity for them to work properly. Anyway, don't ever ride without earplugs in any case or you'll pay for it in hearing loss guaranteed.
Sensible info and needs to be heeded! I have severe hearing loss - probably largely hereditary but some doubtless due to noisy work and bike riding over the years. If you don’t take notice of this advice in time, you will end up struggling to get a helmet on with only one hearing aid in place - can’t use two, but need one to hear whats going on around me. Think about that, I have to wear something that AMPLIFIES the noise I should be reducing.. Don’t pity me, just protect your ears, or like me you’ll have to have everyone say everything...twice (at least). And I assure you, deafness is only funny to the onlooker. To the deaf person and their friends its a damned nuisance. Les in UK
As an international touring audio engineer, earplugs are an essential piece of kit for everyday work. My hearing is $. As a motorcyclist since 1999 earplugs have always been in zee earholes. I’ve ridden thousands of road miles, thousands of road race track miles and now since 2017 over 180 hours or trail riding. Earplugs keep me sane. The argument that you can’t hear what the bike is doing is BS. You can hear it and feel it. I want ti go into my golden years still capable of hearing my bikes start up before a glorious day of riding. 👊🏽✊🏽🤘🏽
I agree Clarence... I know what guys mean about feeling disconnected when wearing ear plugs but once you are used to it the feeling goes away and you start to appreciate the difference. And keep your hearing in the long term.
Great video. I ride motorcycles and also play drums so need to protect what hearing I have left. I went to an audiologist in Brisbane and she recommended custom fitted ear plugs. They inject foam into your ear, then send those temporary foam shapes away in order to make a perfect fitted ear plug. Then 2 weeks later you get them back. So easy to fit and they seal perfectly every time. I got the plugs that come with 3 different inserts so you can modify them to be 10 dB, 15 dB or 25 dB attenuation. I find the 15 dB are the best for me as they block out a lot of the wind and pipe noise, but I can still hear people talking when I stop and talk to friends along our route. Therefore I can leave them in for several hours. Heaps more comfortable than the cheap foam Plugs and worth the Extra cost at $180. When drumming I also get a really high quality sound Coming to my ears, whereas the foam ones sound horrible and muffled. My custom plugs are 2 years old and still perfect. Cheers
Thanks for the tip, I might look into those custom ear plugs... makes a lot of sense.
Awesome content! Have never been disappointed with any of your videos in years, keep it up!!
Thanks, will do Steven!
I’ve always worn earplugs since I started riding. All my bikes except my 250 have had loud exhausts. It also helps with fatigue on long journeys.
One great way to make your own custom moldable earplugs is to use Sugru. Get some glad wrap between your ear and the Sugru and mold the Sugru onto the glad wrap and into and around your ear canal to get a custom fit plug. Cures in 24hrs, pull glad wrap off and good to go! You could also add some diy pull tabs to make em easier to remove and can also use Sugru to mold custom earbuds to the earbud type earphones if you wanna listen to music and your helmet permits it...
I try them every once in a while, problem is when I push them in, they come out the other side! Cheers from Beaver Valley
😂
Very informative. Thank you.
Thank you very much. Your time spent researching this is much appreciated
My pleasure, Greg! If this vid saves the hearing of a few riders around the world I'll be stoked. 😊
As an owner of a Schuberth helmet, I did find that it would noticeably reduce the noise level, but only with all the foam padding around the chin and neck in place. As you noted in the video, a lot of the noise comes from the bottom. I found having all the foam in place to warm and stifling, so of course took it out. While I still like a lot of the features of the helmet, it now isn’t noticeably quieter than the previous helmet I had that was a third the cost.
My brother recently splurged on an Arai X4 due to tinnitus but was a bit disappointed it wasn't quieter. It's good, but just not good enough to avoid ear plugs.
I always wear ear plugs when I ride for more than 1 hour, really mandatory for all day ride. You are really a best shape the next day.
I didn't include this because the video was getting too long, but the research did say prolonged wind noise can lead to mental fatigue. Good point!
On longer street rides ear plugs also reduce fatigue by a huge amount.
After 39 years of frequent riding I have NIHL, mainly in the form of tinnitus, but also hearing loss.
However, I have managed to control the deterioration by wearing (a) custom earplugs that achieve 38db reduction, cost a meagre $80 and are incredibly effective, and (b) wearing a great Schuberth full face helmet with special pieces under the jaw to the throat that are very effective at preventing noise entering the helmet. It’s a street helmet, flip up, but I wear it off-road as I adventure ride.
That must be incredibly quiet Ronan!
Brilliant episode regarding hearing loss.
I have permanent tinnitus unfortunately
Most of the time I am not conscious of it , but it is actually like walking through a Forrest of Cicadas permanently.
I don’t know if it is a result of motorbike riding, however a couple of years ago I had moulded ear plugs made . I wear them but don’t really like them much
You are spot on with this episode ,please take note before you damage your hearing or get tinnitus.
Bummer, Murrray. It sounds so frustrating, it's driving my brother up the wall.
Good points, will have to start figuring out which ear plugs work for me. I use helmet intercoms as well as for some background music but as friend told me they still work with ear plugs. Highly recommend finding helmets with a chin flap, makes a big difference for wind noise for me. Arioh Commander is what i have and was a big improvement over my last helmet. Have also fitted a wind shield to my bike which has helped.
Spot on. Nobody rides with a helmet around here anyway - especially on cruiser bikes.
I feel like a power ranger with a suit and full face helmet + 33db earplugs.
Guys riding without helmets... that just sounds so weird to us Aussies, Carlos! I've read up on the arguments for and against but after working for a brain injury association for many years you can guess my position on the issue. 😁
@@crosstrainingadventure ..won't talk about guns then lol.
This is entirely speculative, but it seems to go hand-in-hand with rider training. The more trained a rider is, the more likely they are to wear a helmet or additional protection.
Thanks for highlighting this issue mate. Don’t know why, but when you mention an issue, problem or opinion, I seem to take it more seriously than from anyone else...
Anyhow, I was under the impression that you had only damaged your hearing if you heard ringing in your ears after a concert or loud noise. Didn’t realise that even wind noise could cause it. Hope it’s not too late for me yet, but will purchase ear plugs ASAP regardless.
Thanks!
I've worn ear plugs for all day trips on the adventure bike but after doing this research I'll be definitely putting them in for all my rides from now on. I'll look into the dirt riding side of things too and do a report on the enduro channel.
Moldex Rockets are good plugs. I’m hoping someone’s gonna come up with a really quiet helmet soon. I wonder if such a thing is possible 🤔
Except for short commutes, where plugs. Mine came in a small sealed container that I keep with my key so I always have them. Great video👍
Yeah I'll be changing my habits from now on, Jason. Ear plugs for any ride where I'll be doing more than 70kmh...
Too many years riding dispatch on unfaired bikes with sometimes no helmet at all( before helmet laws and my eventual conclusion that you should always wear one) and riding noisy two strokes from the seventies and then working on amphibious assault vehicles in the marines where they gave us nothing makes this a moot point but good for those starting out. Like others have mentioned however,wearing ear plugs can reduce the fatigue on longer rides. I use a Bluetooth set and listen to music and can answer the phone using my voice and make calls and such using siri on the set. I would have never imagined the technology compared to what I was used to. I took a quantum leap when I got my v-strom 1000 up from my last bike a 1982 cb900f Honda in a 1100 frame! I cobbled it together out of two wrecks. That’s how I usually got my motorcycles,by buying wrecks and rebuilding them or neglected older bikes that just needed to be refurbished.
Great way to build a bike, Thomas. If I was good at the mechanical stuff I would love to do that sort of caper.
Don’t know how Harley riders do it, a loud bike would drive me nuts down the highway. Just imagine all the deaf bikers when they get old lol #sonsofdeafness #deafangles
😆
I've spent way too many years working in high noise areas ,always with at least one level of hearing protection. still ended up with tinnitus but at manageable levels .Also have always worn plugs (corded ones)when riding ,if I for some reason forget and ride even a short distance without plugs I'm rudely reminded by the amazingly loud racket of sticks and stones hitting the fenders and bashplate . And then there's the chainslap and drone of soft knobbys on hardtop . Pop in the plugs (BMW kit ) ,and all is good !!
My brother's dealing with it at the moment, James. He hasn't been using any protection either so I'm really pushing him to get ear plugs. He bought an Arai X4 helmet too but as per the vid while a better helmet helps it's not a huge difference.
I've tried half a dozen different ear plugs when I was doing a lot of freeway commuting. I found the disposable foam plugs were excellent, but I ended up getting some proper custom made ones. I use these a lot, even for things like on flights (LOL COVID).
I had a serious scare with a double ear infection and never want to hear those sounds again. Protect your ears guys and girls.
Amen.
sadly nothing can stop 5 ear infections in under 6 months and then one a couple years later
I ride a loud bike and use a Shoe Ex- Zero helmet which lets in a fair bit of wind noise. I find using the Apple AirPod pros with noise cancellation ( and music ) is absolutely perfect. You can still hear everything but nicely attenuated without having to crank the music up too high because the rubber grommets make a good ear seal. One caveat is you must push them firmly in and carefully slide the helmet on so as the seal is not broken. Then it's perfect. It works very well for me. May be a bit trickier if your helmet is super tight as the buds might slightly dislodge as you slide on the helmet thus breaking the seal. if so start again or try with a slightly less snug helmet. it certainly feels like my ears are protected. No ringing after a long ride. Anyone else try this ?
I have been riding since i was 14 and am currently 71. Majority of my riding is in the dirt. I have major hearing loss. I always had a helmet on even in the 60’s.
Hi, I got tinnitus when I was 14 from use a personal stereo to loudly. Will not ride a motorbike without my Custom Fit Guards. Custom made ear plugs.
Due to being rather tall, I have found which bike I get has a massive impact on the amount of wind noise. Nakeds are best as the natural air is not forced straight into my helmet. If a faired bike, surprisingly a lower screen can work better than a taller version.
Cheers for the great videos
The silicone moldable cheap plugs like used in swimming reduce >30 DBL. That’s better than more expensive buds.
I've got another ride across Vietnam next month so I'm buying some cheap ear plugs, I might give those a try...
i'm ignoring the ringing in my ear as you're talking about it. got a thumbs up anyway :D
Great topic! Unfortunately, I already have fulltime tinitus that sounds like static in a radio. Don't need it getting any worse!
I've always used in-ear plugs, and to such an extent that if I don't have them in I know something is wrong. You are right that a scarf or helmet skirt makes a massive difference as it prevents air rushing upwards under the helmet. Ensure when using ear plugs that they do not stick out so they touch the inside of the helmet as this helps amplify the noise.
Excellent tip, I've included this in the pinned first comment... "Ensure when using ear plugs that they do not stick out so they touch the inside of the helmet as this helps amplify the noise."
I have found a Merino balaclava cuts down on wind noise. It also helps to keep my glasses in place! I use Gear Gremlin Rocket earplugs if i'm using my openface. Cheers!
I have had very loud sudden onset tinnitus in my left ear for the past year and a half, however I believe my tinnitus is somatosensory tinnitus which means it is coming from the neck and/or jaw as I can modulate the volume of the tinnitus with neck and jaw movements. It does feel louder after riding, especially off road, but that could be to do with the weight of the helmet on my neck.
For the guys and girls with tinnitus caused by hearing loss as described in this video, there is a new drug that is in final stage trials in America called FX322, it is supposed to regenerate the fine hairs in the inner ear and restore hearing and in turn reduce or eliminate tinnitus. Let’s hope it does what they promise. In the meantime, wear earplugs if you can and ride safe.. but not too safe because thats boring!
That's exactly what my brother has, so hopefully there's a potential cure. That FX322 sounds promising, lets hope it pans out. www.hearinglossjournal.com/the-hope-and-promise-of-fx-322-an-update/
I have total hearing loss in my right ear. I’m now starting to think it’s from riding without hearing protection. The exhaust being on the right side and wind noise were probably the contributing factor. The audiologist calls it sudden hearing loss but, I’m starting to think it was from all the riding I was doing with loud exhaust. I believe Fx322 is crap or a sham. I emailed them all my medical records related to my sudden hearing loss, so that I could be included in their study, and was told I wasn’t a good candidate. Im totally deaf in my right. Ear, I don’t get it. I’m hear the gene therapy study is showing promising results in primates. Im crossing my fingers.
When i hit rush hour in downtown on my scootmobile, i tend to lower or pause the music.
I use foam inear earbuds that drastically reduce the noice. I almost always wear them when riding. Also makes phonecalls on the go easy. And navigation. And the music is part of riding for me, when going for longer rides. When riding offroad i rarely listen to music, and actually often ride with no earbuds because its slow and my engines are relatively quiet
I'm not sure about noise induced hearing loss with dirt riding, I'll look into that next then report on the enduro channel.
My helmet is actually quite loud. On long highway rides like I did in Italy last year. It's okay. But on our lovely twisty roads in the alps I took them out. Because I just couldn't heat my motorbike good enough for a descent ride. Best wishes from Bavaria/ Germany
Solid quote at the end there mate! Sure sounds like a great trade!
🤣
I’ve been riding almost 30years and the amount of times I’ve ridden without earplugs regardless of how “good” my helmet is.
I can’t understand people who don’t wear them. I guess that’s what makes us different.
You can get used to them - my pal used to say he couldn’t wear them as it affected his balance / he couldn’t hear(!!)/ felt claustrophobic etc etc blah blah.
A day or two riding with plugs in and he didn’t notice he was wearing them after a while.
Protect your lugs
My Dad drove Fire Trucks. He was totally deaf in his left ear, and too proud to do anything about it. I had to explain to my kids that if they wanted to talk to Grampa to stand to his right side. I wear foam ear plugs every ride.
Yeah it just makes sense to look after our ears, Mike. I was actually expecting some old school riders to say 'Just man up and ride without ear plugs you soft bitches!' but haven't heard anything as yet. (Not saying your dad is like that, of course). It might be because they've already got hearing loss and seen the light.
I find the best way to listen and keep the volume down is the small speakers in the ear that come with sena or cardo sets and ear plugs.
Most ear phones are hard to get under the helmet but Shure has a set that seems to work well at isolation and they sound good. Not cheap though.
Annectodal evidence shows exhaust has less effect at higher speeds but I'd guess that has more to do with wind being loud and not outrunning the bike noise 🤣🤣
Actually the research backs that up too Matthew... wind noise usually being worse than engine noise with speed!
Where I've heard slight wind whistling noises after extended periods of riding (>5 hours, depending on speed), I didn't have any during a full week of 8hr+/day riding when I was using Active Noise Canceling earbuds (Bose QC20). As far as my knowledge goes regarding frequencies, noise cancelation works by producing anti-waves that cancel out the original ones, but current-day buds only the manage the ones that are steady and constant (e.g. wind whistling on a steady pace): whenever overtaking a truck, for example, the turbulance would cause it to start to pop and wind whistling would increase, until the turbulance faded. Still, as this is only anecdotal, I tried asking around on motorcycle fairs where ear plug stands were common: the 'experts' had never heard of or did any kind of ANC testing. As shown in the picture 5:01, if working properly, the resulting cancelled wave should have a smaller amplitude than the previous ones, so I'd expect it to have reduced hearing impairment consequences.
However, it just seems counterintuitive to think that the solution to large hearing-impairing soundwaves is to throw equally as large soundwaves in an inverse pattern against them, but just by plain experience I would have the earbud volume at 20% with ANC on, compared to about 70% when ANC was turned off, in order for me to hear the navigation. The 20% is what I'd use off the bike as well, so it feels strange to expect them to cause hearing-impairment during bike time, when the volume remains the same. Would love for further research to be done on this and have some kind of thoroughly tested answer.
FYI: I don't recommend those specific earbuds for riding regardless: my ears were bleeding by the end of the week simply because of their size and the rubbing it caused.
It's a real shame there isn't more research on this, Forvaine. Or at least nothing really useful that I could find. It's a problem I keep coming across all the time when trying to research neck injuries and neck braces, helmets and brain injuries, knee injuries and knee braces... there is just so little decent research in the motorcycling sector.
I've used QC20 earbuds religiously for years now. I only wish they had come along sooner since my hearing is already shot. It's true they pop in response to air pressure change (like turbulence behind trucks) which is pretty annoying. But it's not true they only cancel repetitive sounds. The mic picks up the sound and the electronics invert and play it in real time. They do not handle turbulence on the earbuds themselves, so you still have to get your windscreen/helmet setup pretty good to work at speed. But they work very well.
I use alpine earplugs every time I ride whether it’s road or Adv definitely helps with fatigue I reckon around $30 but what price to u put on your hearing ? Still hear bike ok just kills wind noise
Thank you for the video
You're welcome
This is a great topic. To the Australians I suggest following the SLC80 rating table (www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0027/16578/perhearpro_selection.pdf ).
After 47 years and 500,000+ km I have had to go from a class 3 (up to 100db) to a class 5 rating (up to 110db) in an effort to stop the ringing after long rides. Not a problem off road with class 3 as wind noise is non-existent at my speeds.
The sad truth is we are suffering some hearing loss even with plugs.I have tried just about everything including custom plugs which are no better than class 3. Please specify the ear plugs if they are too quiet for you as I may try them.
Developed severe tinnitus in my 40s following years of being around loud farm equipment and off-road motorcycles. Ignored it until I was 51. Finally mentioned it to my Doctor. He ordered a MRI. Turned out I had a brain tumor. Acoustic Neuroma. It was benign but was growing rapidly and crushing other parts of my brain. Following radiation the tumor stopped growing. Lost all hearing in my left ear and now deal with severe tinnitus, balance problems and Central Pain Syndrome. Hate loud motorcycles and automobiles. A loud motor vehicle is just the owners expression of their sexual inadequacies or their cheapness when it comes to buying a good muffler. Wear ear plugs and protect your kids ears if they are with you when attending a motorsports event. Breaks my heart when I see an under five year old kid at a racing event with no ear protection.
Damn, glad you got it checked out Marty. My mum has the same thing that is benign but she did lose sight in one eye. I love this... "A loud motor vehicle is just the owners expression of their sexual inadequacies or their cheapness when it comes to buying a good muffler."
@@crosstrainingadventure Sorry about your Mum. Keep up the great content.
Earplugs have improved my experience greatly. I consider a drz400 with a pipe to be pretty loud. I used to think not hearing the engine would impair my riding, but the opposite is true. Wonder what an e-bike is like off road.
I thought my DRZ400E was loud even with the stock pipe lol.
Champion Helmets on RUclips does scientific tests on helmet noise. I’ve ridden my whole life and also worked over 30 years in one of the loudest environments imaginable and I still have good hearing from wearing ear plugs religiously. The loudest thing I ever heard was a 875psi super heated steam leak that we had to fix. Even with ear plugs and muffs the sound travels right through your body causing nausea. Never want to do that again.
Damn, that is one loud steam leak.
Not sure what the decibels are, but the loudest machine where I work is the vacuum hold down pump for our router table. It gets its own separate room.
From outside the room with the door shut, it is just at the annoying/wearing after a while level, but from inside the room, it's like you described: the sound goes through your body, so it's loud even with headphones or headphones and earplugs together.
15min in that room while it's running and you just want to get up and go anywhere buy there. So wearing.
Wind noise entering from under the opening around your neck is the worst culprit. Next time you're highway riding, lift your arm up to cover your neck and listen to the difference, really is astounding. I get around this problem in cooler months by using a Merino wool neck sleeve. Apart from keeping you warm, it muffles a LOT of the wind noise that leaks in from beneath. Also, I bought a 200x box of 3M "TaperFit 2" on eBay for less than 30 bucks. Keep a pair in the inner pocket of each riding jacket as even a short ride for me without plugs is not enjoyable and my bike isn't particularly loud by comparison to most others (stock or modded). Hearing loss is permanent and tinnitus sounds like a nightmare I would NEVER want to know about.
Good point, but there is always a but.... Cheap earplugs reduce windnoise, but also traffic, which is dangerous. Spent a little more for earplugs with a filter, they reduce windnoise but you can still hear traffic well. Also a very important point is the vestibular organ, it's inside your ear. If you disrupt your hearing, you disrupt your balance. When using the filter earplugs, you can still hear well and that effect won't occure. So please invest a little more for your own safety.
LOL, you know, I've never had any problems with noise on the bike (35 years), but I went ahead and bought some expensive custom made plugs anyway. When I used them for a full day long ride up the motorway, guess what, for the first time ever I experienced Tinnitus (I kid not). FYI helmet was Schuberth C2 (that turned out to be nosier than the HJC). So am I saying don't use them- no, use them for sure, just try the cheap ones first.
I pulled the lining from my helmet & stuck foam in all of the gaps then refitted the Linings numerous times made a large difference but still always wear ear plugs
Definitely a good idea to look after your hearing. Getting earplugs with Bluetooth for listening to tunes will make you more likely to remember to use them on long trips.
I got the earmold ones but unfortunately can't recommend them due to multiple durability issues.
Looking for another brand, recommendations?
I use plugfone head phones while I ride. Yea, the idea of music while riding is debatable but I like to think I keep it at a responsible level to stay aware of the current environment. Keeps loud noises/wind out and staves off boredom/fatigue on long rides. Keeps the tinnitus out as a bonus.
Love to see footage from Transfagarasan Road. Where you riding a old Transalp? I miss those roads.
Yep, an old Transalp. First time on one, lovely bike to ride.
I think about this often. After riding on and off road for decades, running power tools and chain saws, and shooting regularly - ALL with ear protection - I'm developing the ringing. Not sure if it's going to get worse, and can't identify any better protection than I'm using in the helmet now.
If you are wearing good ear plugs it shouldn't get any worse at least. I've been really lucky over the years, so much riding and only started to use ear plugs a few years ago on longer trips.
Not watched yet. I'm guessing hearing loss. I've got tinnitus and it ain't fun.
I've been wearing earplugs on the road since tinnitus started but can't off-road because I get bad motion sickness with them in.
I always ride with cheap disposable earplugs fitted deep in my ears. It's very noticeably less fatiguing after hours of riding. When traveling by bike it does cause very painful skin in my ear canals after about a week, but that heals. Tinnitus doesn't.
I always wear ear plugs. Even when I sleep. It's u must for me, ergo I have tried them all and I've found that good quality regular foam ear plugs work best for me. Just remember to change them quite often since they loose effectiveness over time.
I got 200 pairs of 3M 1100 earplugs for $18 a while ago, cheap and work great.
Iv'e got to do this, I keep losing mine and buy them two at a time at the chemist and they charge way too much for them.
Great video. I use molded silicone ear plugs made for industrial noise. They fit great inside the helmet. I bought a better helmet (arai) that helped as well.
I hate windscreens, they make turbulence.
It would be interesting to do a vid about windscreens eventually. The only ones I've used just remove the wind pressure against the body, but there's still a smooth movement of air against the helmet. But I see some riders with very tall ones that throw air right over the helmet and these are meant to be quiet... but personally I reckon that would be too much like being in a car! Each to their own I guess. I have noticed if a windscreen creates turbulence around the helmet the noise is worse...
Been wearing Plugfones for years, good sound plus attenuation of environmental noise as well. Never ride without them. Check em out..
Good to hear, John. I know a lot of riders just try ear plugs once and hate them... they are too quiet, or uncomfortable, or fall out etc. But there's a huge variety and something will suit if they stick at it.
I use earplugs every ride - they cut out just about all the wind/tyre/mechanical noise - so I can hear the tinnitus clearly, and wow is it it loud & clear!
Bugger! Ever experimented with ear buds that seal very well and just playing some kind of music that masks the tinnitus? Just wondering as my brother has just developed tinnitus in the past few months...
@@crosstrainingadventure Bugga about his tinnitus - I do often play music over the top of the ear plugs, but I haven't tried earbuds... Tinnitus is a weird thing as I hear it loudest when I put the ear plugs in - as it's a change, but the brain then usually focuses on something else and ignores the tinnitus, but it still jumps back into the spotlight often. Getting to sleep can be tricky, but again a bit of music is helpful as it is something to concentrate on.
Hey, I enjoy your vids - crazy seeing roads I know!
I’ve had tinnitus for about 10 years, it’s an awful thing and can drive you crazy. There’s no escape from the continuous noise. I couldn’t sleep without drugging myself, lost lots of weight and became pretty ill. Eventually your brain accepts the noise and allows your consciousness to ignore the sound but comes back to it repeatedly as the frequency of the sound changes or on waking from sleep. Wear ear plugs on your bike and at bike events, get rid of that noisy exhaust! Cheers.
I've heard it can be a bit like chronic pain, and that sometimes training your brain to focus on other things can help? Not sure how true that is. My brother now has it so keen to hear what works for different people. Some say white noise generators help when going to sleep?
@@crosstrainingadventure Yes, white noise is the answer, finding the frequency that suits you. I managed the situation with noise generators ( like miniature hearing aids fitted in the ear). You can control the volume to mask the tinnitus. Seems odd but having control of the masking volume helps your brain accept the unwanted racket. Silence is a very underrated wonder...make the most of it!
We published a video about the same topic in the same day... are we in some kind of telepathic connection?? Crazy!
If you close your eyes in a room full of bikers after a ride, you can tell the relative age groups by the volume of their conversations. Two old bikers talking sounds like a dangerous argument!
🤣
Samsung Galaxy buds. They have a tight seal in the ear. You have the option to let a little, a lot, or no ambient sound in. If you're not comfortable with not hearing traffic around you, turn on the ambient sound. or if you want to listen to your music quite in your ear, turn it off. I love them
Sounds like the Rolls Royce treatment. 😊
I've been thinking about getting some of the earphones that hunters etc use, like the Axil GS extreme. Can listen to music on blue tooth, has 29db passive protection, can switch on hearing enhancement when stopped so that you don't have to take them out to talk, blocks all sound over 85 dB when using hearing enhancement. Apparently the sound quality is less than audiophile though.
After a long break from riding I was told about the windjammer from the UK - a neoprene skirt that glues to the bottom of my full face helmet. Putting the helmet on is like experiencing birth again, butI wouldn't ride without it now and I always wear earplugs. Still the buffeting creates a constant roar above 70kph. My hearing tends to have a 'white noise' background and mostly I don't notice it, but as a muso I'm fully aware Beethoven was the only successful deaf musician so a deflector above my windscreen is on the wish list. If I duck down below the screen - on my old BMW adventure bike the buffeting disappears and the ride is almost silent, like in a car, but the position is not optimal for control or comfort and tends to attract unwanted attention.
"Putting the helmet on is like experiencing birth again...." Except in reverse, Lindsay? 😂 It's surprising how much noise comes from below the helmet.
When using Bluetooth earbuds you should use fully closed off in-ear types as they allow for the maximal passive attenuation. Put the volume level at a comfortable level before you start riding. If you feel the need to increase the volume alot, it probably means that the seal is inadequate and it wont protect your ears properly. Try different types of eargels (ears are not even the same left and right) so you will need to try different sizes for both ears to get the right seal/fit. Otherwise you should get custom ear-protection made it only costs about 100 euro's/dollars and is cheap insurance!
Great tip, I've included this in the pinned first comment.
@@crosstrainingadventure Cheers, thank you for making this video!
Should I wear earplugs? I went to work in a cotton mill aged 20. They tested my hearing during the medical & found severe hearing loss in 1 ear & reduced hearing in the other. It was probably caused by being in many noisy truck cabs/ tractors + motorbikes plus racebikes and at race tracks. I now wear hearing aids & have done for many years. I put on a full-face helmet & I can't hear anyone talking to me. I don't have any ringing in my ears. I use a Cardo Freecom headset for nav, phone & music on the freeway.
yap, all true, tinitus is with me and also the hearing loss......should have followed your advice years ago.....
I'm very lucky I found out about this before it was too late, I rode for so many years without ear plugs and my ears would be ringing after every ride... I'm sure I've done some damage but just not enough to notice it.
never use them as I feel disconnected from the surrounding when I do, wearing ear plugs is not safe IMO unless you use only on long highway stretches. Tinnitus issue on the other hand is more in your head then because of noise as some studies imply and I agree with them. I had Tinnitus on and off for years and clearly depends more on state of mind then on wind : )
Not sure if I'd agree though, Andrew. I know the feeling of disconnection but you can get ear plugs that let a certain amount of noise through... and even certain frequencies apparently. I've used ones that only mildly cut the noise down and I've felt 'connected' still.
Wish this was at least in the MSF. I got tinnitus my first year of riding. Didn't know any better and neither do my friends who ride.
Bummer. More typically it takes a few years, Cory.
I use diy ear plugs. Having hearing problems since birth I am adamant everyone needs to wear plugs plus makes life easier in long run
Plus quiet lids dump the adventure lid with a peak