I posted a few other times on this thread but just the other day we were in a meeting for work and there were probably 100 people there. We had to break off into groups and do a little brain storming (dont ask why I was included) but I was sitting at a table of 8 and I couldnt hear a damn thing but everybody in the room talking. Couldnt hear one person at the table. I didnt realize my hearing was that bad. Im only 38. In the USAF I was around aircraft everyday but we wore double protection (foamies and ear muffs). I shoot alot of guns but there again.......i wear protection. Even at work now I wear protection around machinery and when Im grinding ect. Must be from years of loud music, lawn mowers and...............motorcycles/wind noise. Dont have any other explanation

 

I wear them on long rides, should wear them all the time. Was at Cabelas and they were doing free hearing screenings, found out that I have some hearing loss. Bought a kit to form my own custom ones under $20.They fit and work great.

 

Have a 3/4 helmet with a flip down visor. It blocks all wind noise,but if it didn't I would definitively use them.

 

Always on every ride. Feel naked without them

 

I've been wearing plugs for years including very expensive professional molds but so far the best for me have been the inexpensive soft rubber type found at Marks Work Warehouse. One thing I immediately noticed as I rolled along on my 2013 FLHX with tunes playing at about half volume was how very well I could hear the music. I was amazed so mentioned it to my audiologist. He thought the plugs were muting frequencies associated with the wind and engine noise while letting the music and other audio stream on through.

I also notice how much better I hear the rumble of the 103 - definitely a sound I've really been missing out on.

As others have said, I found I can cruise for much longer than before since my ears don't beg me to take a hearing break - no more of that sort of fatigue.

Also, after I got used to the plugs I was able to tune into other traffic sounds that was difficult to feel comfortable about not hearing so well when I first tried using them.

 

A vendor was doing custom molds at the International Motorcycle show a couple of years ago. He was using the Insta Mold product www.instamold.com
You'll never catch me on my bike without them. I can actually hear the radio at 70mph better with them in. As some have posted, it's not loud pipes that get to your hearing, it's the wind noice. I couldn't recommend these enough.

 

I wear them every time I ride! I use Hearos which work great, and after a couple of uses I toss them and grab a new pair!

 

I've been preaching this to everyone I know that rides since forever. Always wear friggin earplugs!

You'd be surprised how many of my riding friends have suffered hearing loss from riding. Exhaust noise aside, even just the road and wind noise sustained for several hours of riding can damage your hearing. In my opinion, your stupid not to wear earplugs when riding! And I don't care if you have a full face helmet or not. It doesn't protect your hearing like plugs can. It's cheap insurance if you ask me!

Don't be an idiot! Just wear em!

 

Leave your stock mufflers on and you wont need freeking earplugs. Goofy bastards. Just saying(:

 

Yes you do need them! Short rides, long rides, full face helmet, three quarter, half helmet, no helmet, quiet pipes, loud pipes, I don't care! It doesn't matter! The wind noise, road noise, and noise from passing cars and trucks will mess you up and you'll be wishing you wore them 5 or 10 years from now. They're cheap. Buy some and wear em!