To be able to hear the ipod sufficiently I have to use my fullface helmet. Works great. I used to ride all day to music everyday, and have never had an accident as a result of the music or "can't hear noise around me. If you are aware of your surroundings and don't have it TOO loud it is great. I wore my ipod all the way to laughlin last year without problems. It is illegal in california, but so is crossing the border without papers and look how many people do that...

 

Exactly! I use the Shure E2 and they work great.

 

Don't listen to anything while riding,find myself humming the last song I've heard on radio or whatever all day or till I stop and hear something else. Just hope it ain't some country or R&B crap.

 

Loud music and loud wind will both cause tinnitius in the same amount of time. Thats why I suggested an in-canal headphone, which will cut-down on wind noise dramatically, and thus make your music "louder" without having to turn it up. (Which is good for hearing horns).

 

Years ago I was given an Ultra Classic as a loaner. I had the bike two weeks and after the first three days, the novelty wore off and the radio stayed off. Too much of a distraction. I'm happyjust listening to the sounds of the bike and all that is around me.

 

I did a lot of research on this before I arrived at a solution that works for me. Helmet speakers did NOT work at all. Either I couldn't hear anything (I wear earplugs when I ride), or the volume was turned up to a very unhealthy level, which was accentuated when I slowed down.

Here is what works for me:

First, a set of Etymotic ER6i sound isolator earbuds available on buy.com for about $79, with a further $20 off if you use Google checkout. These come with two types of ear pieces, one of which resembles, and acts like, ordinary earplugs. So you get the effect of earplugs, but also get the music piped directly into your ear canal. The ear pieces are replaceable; I bought a set of extras.

Second, I bought an amplifier called a Boostaroo, for a very reasonable $29. The Boostaroo plugs into your iPod's earphone plug, and your Etymotics plug into the Boostaroo (which will accept up to 3 plug-ins, meaning a backseat passenger can also plug their headphones into it). It works on 2 AA batteries, and pretty much doubles the output of your iPod's volume without distorting the sound in any way. I toss the Boostaroo into my windshield bag, but it would easily fit into a pocket as well.

I use this setup with XM radio coming through a Garmin 2730 GPS. Without the Boostaroo and the Etymotics, at 100% volume I could barely make out what song was playing. With the Boostaroo and the Etymotics, I run the volume at a comfy 40%. And, I have the advantages of using earplugs, while still hearing everything going on around me.

Hope this helps. Any questions, feel free to ask.

Philip

 

I rather prefer tooling down the highways and byways to the soulful sound of my Vance & Hines!

 

I ride to get away from that kind of crap. Found myself turning the radio off when I'm forced to ride the cage. I have used a Ham Radio on a MC. Speakers and mike in a full coverage helmet. PTT in the switch housing. Worked pretty good. That was in the 80's.

 

For those talking about turning up over the road noise... I am going to guess you are wearing half helmets.

And if you are wearing a Full Helmet... Invest more money in a better helmet. The noise in my old Nolan was horrible... Nice and quiet in all of my Shoeis.

I also do not push the earbuds all the way into my ear... don't do it when I am wearing them at work either. Just one of those things... lets me listen to the music and hear people talking to me.

Riding around town I do not wear the iPod... but on 3+ hour rides... heck yeah I am wearing some music.