Music while you ride?

I realize it's illegal in many areas (here in Minnesota included) but does anyone ride with a cd player or mp3 player and earbuds?

The logic behind the law seems a bit obtuse to me. A person can ride in a car with the stereo so loud that they can't hear anything else around them but you can't wear earbuds.

I was next to a guy on a Goldwing the other night on the way home, the stereo in his fairing was blaring "Freebird" so loud that I couldn't even hear my own engine.

 

I tried it once or twice. For the most part, i had to have the kind of earbuds that insert way in and still turned up so loud that my ears hurt and rang for a good while after. Despite that, I still couldn't really enjoy the music over the road and bike noise. So, I don't bother any more.

 

hessenr00ts , most time i got the theme for jaws running on a loop , da dm da dm [in city] and other times lost in space robot warning warning [traffik lights]and thats with no external device?

On the straights and out in da c***ry da motor is the music!....

 

It is illegal in California to obstruct the driver's hearing in any way that would diminish the operators ability to hear the environment. We mulled this topic over a few months ago and got some great input from all over. You might find it helpful. I would recommend the installation of small speakers into the interior of the helmet so as not to block your ear canal but you need to be able to vary the volume readily so there is a bit of engineering to go along with that. I am aware of at least one buddy who was cited for riding with earphones in, so beware.

 

ahh, well, I wear a half helmet so no real chance for speakers.

I rarely drive for more then 30min-1hr at a time, so music isn't totally needed BUT in the next few weeks I'm heading up to the north shore with a few folks from work, should be a 4-5 hour drive and some tunes would be nice.

I know my way around a saudering iron, maybe i'll get a full helmet and some 1"-2" speakers. I could rig a volume adjustment near the left grip I think.

One more idea for the list...

 

I've tried to use earbuds and found the same thing as gabrar, i couldent hear the music unless i had it cranked right up to an uncomfortable level. When i was down south, i ran into a couple of rides. One of them mentioned that they have a pair of earbuds designed with the motorcycle in mind. They said that they were like earplugs with a speaker in the center. So they would cancel the outside noise and let you listen to the music at a realitivily low level. I asked and they were not sure where they picked them up. I havent been able to locate any yet (truth be told i havent really looked that hard either). If i find some i'll post about it.

 

I have used them in town and found that when I get over 45 they are hard to hear. They are earbuds so I am open to finding something I can use that would allow me to enjoy the music.

 

Some of the active noise reduction/active noise cancelling (ANR/ANC) headsets are starting to make the cross-over from aviation to general usage - check out the Bose website or any of the aviation headset online reviews. These sets are not difficult to mod for installation in a bike helmet (some are even available as kits), and will cancel bike, wind, and even heavy breathing noise while allowing you the hear transients like car horns, barking dogs, sirens, birds, screaming tires, etc. They drastically reduce fatigue in high noise environments and prevent that nasty ringing in the ears after X number of hours on the highway. The music can then be set to a comfortable level without having to drown out the surroundings. Not sure what the local constabulary would have to say about it, but a cut-and-dried case would not be difficult to present to judge.

Not cheap, but becoming more reasonable and definitely better than going deaf.

 

It's illegal in Utah as well, but every rider I see without a helmet has earbuds in, so they must not care much.

I have to ride about an hour south to my parents house every other week. When my MP3 player is working, I'll pop in the earbuds and go. Sometimes I can't hear the music perfectly, but at least it's something. I prefer to only half hear it, to cranking it way high and having my ears ring for a few hours.

Everything else is so loud, you can still hear it anyway, so why not?

 

hey there hessenr00ts, fellow Minnesotan here. I actually found a cool soultion for music with out a fairng from "drag specialties", only downfall is (I beleave you have to be a dealer (or have a connection) to get items from them, and the system ran about $599. However I was going to use the concept to make a similar item for my bike. It was basically two small (but powerfull, such as bose) speakers I'd say they were about 3x3 that had a clamp attached to them, the clamp went around the handlebar area on each side, with the wires running along your other cables, then to a mp3/xm radio that could be mounted just about anywhere, they had it mounted under the seat. Which is fine if you dont want to change stations etc. I found a small pair of speakers for a "walkman" style cd player a bit bigger than want, but this is for testing at this point, stripped the wires and connected them to a plug in to a cheap version of mp3 player from target I got for about $45 seems to work prettyt good, but have not tested on the road yet, since I would like to find a bit smaller speakers and something that is water proof, might just invest in some bose. would still save myself 100's of dollars from the system they were selling

 

I tried using earbuds with my XM radio but couldn't hear anything over the noise.

 

I just about always ride with my ipod in my pocket and earphones... i where a full helmet so road/wind noise isn't a problem at all...

i have ear buds that have a plastic band which slips over my ear to keep them in place...

 

i will occasionally ride with my ipod going. it's hard to have a happy medium tho between too loud at a stop light, and loud enough at highway speeds. I found a windscreen eliminated much of the wind noise, and have yet to try with my ipod again.

 

I love music as much as anyone and can agree with you all that there are some rides that just scream out for a particular song or theme when passing by. But in the interest of not removing one of our very limited senses (which we need as many of as we can get pursuing our passion), I hope that no one runs with the music too loud (this WILL damage your hearing rather quickly, no joke). Medical science has offered up study after study pointing out that regular, sustained noise (from any source, not just music, unfortunately this includes motorcycles) can have long term detrimental effects on our sensitive organs. Be wise in the use of noise producing equipment, you may live long enough to regret a bad decision (and I hope you do, live long that is). If you have trouble hearing anything over a conversational tone, you should be using hearing protection. If your ears are ringing after a ride, you need foamies. I cannot emphasize enough to protect your hearing (I'm already loosing some hearing and it sucks). Be ye warned says I.

 

I recently bought a pair of Shure E2C earbuds. They work exactly like this. I used to ride with earplugs in on long interstate rides. It actually helps you hear traffic and stuff around you by cutting down on wind noise. The Shures work exactly like earplugs but with a little music coming out. I can pause it quickly if I need to, and I don't have to keep the music up very loud. Before I leave I make sure the volume isn't at too high a level by honking my own horn and turning the music down until it's at the right level. They're too big of a pain in the butt for quick rides around town, but on long rides they're a life saver.

 

What? What'd you say? Huh?

 

Simple Jazz. Protect your hearing and don't be foolish by blowing out your eardrums. I'm all for enjoying the sounds, but be wise about it.

 

here in the philippines? well, nobody realy cares what you put in your ears, thats why on long rides i dont mind hooking up with my ipod and listen to music. what i found out is that classic music makes you go faster!

 

ONya , misterlee , when i hear "some" types of classic i"ve often thought i lucky not on bike getting into the sounds....