I had never worn earplugs before.But yesterday I rode to the dealer I bought my bike from.It is about 50 miles away.So I rode there on the highway with no earplugs.It was about 55 degrees and my inner ears were starting to hurt from the cold wind.So on the way home I put in earplugs,WOW WHAT A DIFFERENCE.It was sweet.No pain and the wind sound was almost nonexistant.They only thing I didn't like was that I found myself not paying as much attention.It was almost too quiet.I don't know if I will use them again,but when it's cold I just might

 

I jaut ried them yesterday too. Fist time ever and it was great. IT will take a little getting used to as i felt like I was in a bubble.

 

I use them on long rides, they really make a difference. Not only on my hearing but helps prevent headaches. Went on a ride thru NYC to Ground Zero yesterday with well over 3000 bikes and boy am I glad I had them in when we went thru the Holland Tunnel, seems everyone wanted to rev their throttles and what a noise, sweet sound, but loud.

 

I started using them this year and I agree with the "bubble" feeling, buit overall I like them. One suiggestion, go ahead and by the ones labelled as "super soft" or whatever. I was using the million-for-a-dollar yellow ones, but I decided to try out the super soft ones and they are worth the extra buck or two. They block the noise, but you don't feel them as much as the others. Less of a bubble feeling, at least for me.

 

Yea they work great and the fingerless gloves makes it easy to remove whilethe chaps makes putting them backinto your pockets a breeze.

 

I swear by 'em now. I went on a 300 mile ride about 2 yrs ago, no helmet or nothing. That was ALOT of wind noise for too long of a time. If i'm doing just local putts or riding on surface streets i don't wear em, but on the highway, I feel nekkid w/o em.

 

I wear them off and on, long ride, i'd suggest it, and as far as which ones, the soft orange ones for me are the best, i get them a little damp before i put them in, then, they seal better. We get a hearing test once a year, the tester told us to put them in deep enough that you have to work to get them out. I've been doing it that way for years, and, it must work, my hearing hasn't changed for 5 yrs. I'll add this, i lost a lot of my hearing in Viet Nam, I was a gunner on a 81 mortar, the only hearing protection we had was the incerment bags torn in half lengthwise, IF we had time to put them in. So, i do try to protect my hearing, plus, it's the sounds you DO NOT actually hear that does the most damage. I tend to pick up a lot of wind noise in my ears even with a helmet on.

 

I've tried ear plugs a couple of times. I think they work too well:

1. You often cannot hear traffic around you. Especially how quiet some cages run anyway.

2. It is very hard for me to tell when to shift with the ear plugs in. Yes, I have a tach; but, have been shifting by the sound of the engine so long; that with ear plugsI sometimescatch myself cruising around in the wrong gear by because I don't hear the motor.

I'm sure that I could get used to the dimished engine noise and re-train myself when to shift. I realize how important the ear plugs are to save your hearing from wind noise; but, I'm not sure that I wouldever get used to the uncomfortable feeling of not being able to hear that cage coming up on my six or that chirp of squealing tires that might be an indication to get out of the way.

 

You guys must have higher Db rated plugs than I do,I use 18 or 20 Db and can hear mymotor and traffic fine, they cut down on the wind noise. I don't find myself shouting after a ride when I use them.

 

Alpine Motosafes are great. Reasonably priced, 2 db options & you can still hear voices & traffic but they cut out the wind noise. And they are very comfortable too.

http://earplugstore.stores.yahoo.net/almonasomoea.html