I also have a 5th gen ipod nano.Whenever I do use it it is mainly to video record from it.Has a great video camera that records at speed beautifully.But when I do listen to it I keep only the left side in all the way up..its perfect,loud enough to hear over pipes but I can still hear everything around me including listening to my bike.

 

Only on longer trips do I listen to my iPod. Unless I have a second person riding w/ me.

 

I listen to my ipod while riding. the wind hurts my fragile ears.....especially when it's cold out.

 

I was nervous about riding with my Zune at first, but now I crank it up almost everytime I ride and I don't feel right without it.

 

I listen too my nano when i ride. I just make sure I am alert to every thing else. I too feel like I can feel my bike better.

Is it legal to ride with them?

 

I love to listen to my IPOD when I ride. I have to turn it all the way up to hear over my pipes though.

 

Use my Oakley Thump 2's when I'm not on the Street Glide. Not as much capacity (1GB) as my Ipod but no wires either.

 

if you can hear with an ipod going then go for it!

but me personally, i don't because I'm already borderline ADD(self proclaimed at least), and I don't have the best hearing to begin w/, so i stick with just the cheapo foam ear plugs, unless i'm on my ninja w/ a full face helmet, and then I wear some nicer, longer lasting plugs I use for the shooting range, w/ a string attached to them(don't use them with a half helmet because the wind tugs at the string and pulls them out of my ears.)

I also don't believe in talking on the phone while riding, but once again, thats just a personal preference, and if you can multitask that well then by all means! I have several friends who do it(via blue tooth helmet set ups, while riding twisties on sportbikes(I would NEVER recommend this though, especially at any kind of speed, and on a road you're unfamiliar w/)

I also tell my fiance its not safe just so i dont have to waste the money on a stupid set of intercoms for the helmets! the excuse of: "if i wanted to talk we'd pull over" stopped working pretty quick unfortunately

 

After doing an 8 hour day on the bike with a 2 hour freeway ride home I realized I was missing the music. I was exhausted and less attentive without having music. I personally HATE earbuds under any circumstances. I never found them comfy. I got a set of helmet speakers and a booster for my mp3 player that I LOVE. My mrs hates it when she sees me rocking to the beat and she doesn't have any music for herself.

I do believe its important to keep it at a reasonable level. By doing so I found that I am far less fatigued, far more attentive, and therefore safer, especially on longer days on the bike.

I caught a ton of flak for it from many on here, especially since I was a newer rider. But again its all about moderation and keeping everything at reasonable levels.

MH

 

i usually take my nano with me , but i dont always use it.
you can google state motorcycle laws, to check and see if your state allows earbuds or not. all states are not the same. i live in iowa , and we can use tham here.