That's what I was wondering. Maybe the Sonic Defenders are the answer?

 

My story is the usual one, loud music, loud pipes, reduced hearing. Now I never wore plugs until last year when I tried them on a 1700 miles round trip, I bought some cheap ones at a local bike shop. I had all the usual worries - would I hear other road users, would I be able to hear mechanical noise, would it isolate me from my environment, why fit good pipes if you don't want to hear them etc etc. And I wear a full face by the way.

I was amazed, even with the FF the reduction in wind noise and tiredness was incredible, with the wind gone I could hear the engine, pipes and other vehicles much more clearly than before. These things are not just good for the hearing, they are also a good safety feature IMHO.

I've been recommended to get custom made plugs for even better results so am going for this option. You can get them with built in earphones and bluetooth too so you don't have to give anything up. in the UK the best option for me seems to be www.ultimateear.com

I'm converted.

 

Good point, unless it's a loud a** truck or some 600 watt stereo I don't think I hear much else than my bike and the thoughts thru my mind. Left the parking lot at menards the other day and didn't even know the car next to me was running, sounded like a sewing machine....hardly heard anything, I guess your eyes are your best bet.

 

I discovered that my Sennheiser in ear headphones block all the wind noise, high frequency noise, and allow me to listen to my tunes while riding.
They do reduce normal traffic noise around me but not to the point that I am blissfully unaware of my environment. I wear them all the time, even if I dont have the tunes playing.

 

I am another one who has rebaffled my pipes and think earplugs are a great idea. Don't seem to wear you out nearly as bad. I usually just use my earbuds from my I-pod, I have some sony's that go in the ear and they work great. I usually only listen to tunes on the open road though, not so much in traffic.

 

Every time I go out without ear plugs, I think "this ain't too bad.." but by the time I get to my destination I say "never again". What you lose, you can't get back. It's nerve damage.

 

Have had it for over 40yrs..
Factory work when I was 18 pretty well started it, back then U where a big puss if U wore ear muffs we had back then.

By the time I was 21 back in 1971 I already had ringing 24-7.

changed jobs but still worked around a lot of noise. At least the new job they had ear plugs and we wore them most of the time.

Now and for Yrs I have put them in every time I ride or am around loud noises.



.

 

I have a moderate case of tinnitus and I blame it on my first 20 years of riding, open face helmet and the wind noise. There was an article in Motorcycle Consumer News a couple years back, at 65 MPH, open faced helmet, the noise at your ears was around 100 decibels as I recall. That will deafen you.
Now, I always wear "Howard Leight Max", they are orange in color and really cut the noise down. I think they eliminate moreso the frequencies of wind noise. I put them in and I can hear very clearly talk radio while riding my Electra Glide. Yes, I have the volume turned up but I can hear the conversation very clearly even at 70 MPH. I never get on the bike without them.

 

Tried them just once it Sucked! Been riding hot rodded Harleys 50 yrs no hearing problems at all,other than age related issues.We all march to a different beat.

 

Oh, lord. Another old guy complaining post. Sucks you can't hear, but there is no proof that pipes coming out the back of your bike will hurt your ears. Now short pipes etc will because the end of the exhaust is right near your head. But then again people should realize if you put the business end of an exhaust you won't be able to hear in the future. Either way you made the choice a long time ago, now it's time to pay the piper. Would hate to think that you would sue the driver of that car who slammed on his breaks becasue you couldn't hear them with those plugs in your ears.

Oh, and another wives tale is that those ear bud headphones will ruin your hearing. Absolutley no proof behind that either