Last Saturday a friend and I rode about 200 miles. Most of it was at highway speed. The high-pitched sound of the wind whistling past my ears for several hours while wearing my half-helmet concerned me that I might be damaging what hearing I have left.

This morning I bought a pair of ear plugs from a sporting goods store and tried them out. They really did work great to eliminate the air blast. But.....I couldn't hear sheet!!! I felt like I was missing a lot. It was like...well...it was like sex with a condom! There's got to be something out there better.

I used to have a pair of ear plugs that allowed normal hearing, but cut in to block loud noise above a certain decibel. Would these work?

 

I think any ear plugs would help, I won't ride on the highway without them anymore.
As for that particular type, try them out and see then get back to us on the results. For I too have wondered about those.

 

At work, we have some machinery that is very loud to be around. The company furnished us with molded ear plugs. They are professionally fitted and they do a good job of blocking out the loud noises but they also let me hear when people are talking to me. All that we did was go to an ear specialist and she made them for us. They cost us about 45-50 dollars and are the best ear plugs that I have used. I used them one day when I was riding and they do make a difference. Hope this helps a little

 

I wear a pair of Koss Noise reducing ear phones plugged into an MP3 player in my pocket. When the music is off I can hear normal talking at stop lights. At hwy speeds it stops the wind noise and you can listen to what ever music you want without blasting everyone around you.

Hint, don't listen to '50's doo wap music while driving. If you don't have a windshield (I don't) and start singing the bass lead you give bugs a great target. Do you know how bad a butterfly tastes at 60mph???

 

Now that's funny! I've had a few unidentified ones go in and down but never a butterfly.

I've thought about ear plugs because I'm starting to get ear aches when it gets down to even 60 degrees. Fall is just around the corner and wind chill just messes my ears up anymore! I know it's because I'm getting old and I hate it. I've gotten off my bike many times with my ears ringing so loud I thought I wouldn't get to sleep. So ear plugs are going in my pouch! I'm going to get the rubber ones that you press in and come with a little case. Don't block a lot of sound but I'm sure they will keep the air out.

 

I ride 10 miles on the highway to work and don't wear mine. However, when I go for an extended ride, I always put mine in. I also wear a full face Bell Star but the wind noise tears me up too!
I started wearing them back in the 70's whenever we went for a ride. I think I can actually hear better (other than conversation), because at highway speeds without a windshield, all I could hear was wind anyway!

 

Sticky, the old rule is if you do something and your ears are ringing, you've permanently damaged the cilia, and your hearing. Good idea about the plugs. I use the ones from my plant that have a string connecting them together. When I stop for gas or whatever I just loop 'em around my neck with a half-hitch. If it might be "socially unacceptable" to wear them in some place, I hang 'em on my bars.

All y'all, get ear plugs of some kind or another. The wind noise is high enough it will screw up your hearing.

 

i should wear em, tried it couldnt hear jack, havent wore em since

 

I use them when I take the windshield off my king. They do help a lot and I can still here my BH w/o a problem [&:]

 

I wear ear plugs because I'd do without my bike before I did without my hearing. Ride a bike long enough without them and you lose your hearing. Why do so many bikers say "huh"?