Ear plugs?

I didn't use to ride with ear plugs. After working with power tools, heavy equipment and riding bikes for years I've noticed I've lost some of my hearing range... For the past 2-3 years I have worn them every ride. I really like wearing them and don't find them uncomfortable.

Do you wear them? Non-plug wearers would you try them?

 

Not a fan of earplugs at all. I like to hear everything.

I also use power tools on a daily basis but couldn't handle them in my ears for more than ten minutes.


Plus I like to hear the tone of my exhaust. :wink: Purely for making sure it's running right of course. :lol:

 

I don't find I miss sounds with them in... I can't really have a conversation but I can certainly hear my exhaust

In some ways I find that I can hear more with the plugs in - I don't hear the wind roar, but I do hear finer details from the engine. I know that won't make sense to many people, but I really think the wind noise so deafens you that you can't hear anything but the wind.

One caveat I should add - I have no windshield - perhaps with the proper length windshield it would be different.

The plugs I use are the soft foam ones... roll them up, stick them in and hold them as they expand. When I worked at the paper plant I HAD to wear them, and have yearly hearing tests. I guess you just get used to them?

 

yeah i always where ear plugs if im goin on a long or high speed ride, ive got no screen so it gets way to loud , and u can hear the motor better over the wind with them in.
and they have to be put in properly or they dont do much, i find it easier to spin them down then just wet them with my mouth and they just slip right in :wink: a little trick i havent seen any one else do
cheers brenton

 

I do wear them - but sometimes I guess...

Around town, just cruising about - no, don't wear the plugs - no need really.

However, if I'm going to be doing highway speeds for more than a short blast - say, more than 1/2 hour - then for damn sure I DO wear them. That much wind noise can damage hearing pretty damn quick -- just ask a trucker - just be sure to ask towards his right ear, 'cuz his left don't work so good anymore.

 

Oh hell yes Brenton... that is the only way they work

I roll them in my fingers until they are very narrow - push them in and hold them softly in place with one finger. They expand in 10 seconds and stay in place nicely.

I never tried to push them in by wetting them - that would feel awful!

 

On my Seca, I don't wear ear plugs. I've been working at airports for 15 years and don't have a lot of hearing left to loose. I don't find the Seca to be loud enough to warrant protection. I do ride with the local American Legion riders some times. They're all on Harleys and needless to say, it can be deafening in the middle of the pack. I do wear plugs when I'm with them.

Greg

 

I was an explosives expert in the military and used earplugs quite a bit. And for the last 15+ years I have drove a truck for a living. Yes, I do suffer some loss of hearing. I never though about earplugs on a bike. I figured I needed to hear everything around me. I might try it out sometime, just to say I've done it.

 

One point to remember folks is that there is a cumulative damage from exposure to noise over a period of time. Last months Popular Mechanics did a great article explaining the concept. They compared the dynamics and results of a .357 gunshot (165 decibels!) compared to a lawn mower (90 decibels). The long term exposure from the lawn mower actually creeps up on you and you don't know it, whereas the gun shot may or may not damage your hearing right away. Their article mentioned that the long term effects of exposure were far more damaging than the initial sound spike of the gunshot. Having worked around aircraft and industrial sites, we were required by OSHA to be trained in the use of hearing protection and its effects. Most folks (me included initially) believe that it was the big noise generators that warranted wearing hear protection but never thought about the banal lawnmower. I never wore foamies before when I rode as I rely heavily upon my hearing as one of my senses. But having learned about the cumulative effects of low level noise over time, I wear them now. Geebake, your post "I've been working at airports for 15 years and don't have a lot of hearing left to loose. I don't find the Seca to be loud enough to warrant protection.” indicates that you are definitely in need of protection for what hearing you have left! Your appraisal of your bike not being loud enough to warrant it is, I believe, in error. It is not just your bike making sustained noise, as the many posts here indicate, the wind noise is also a factor. I would urge you to reconsider and get yourself some foamies at your earliest possible convenience. Your future hearing may very well depend upon the steps you take now. Brenton, your "wet willy" method sounds fine provided you don't use the same foamies each time or at least wash them thoroughly before each use, ick, earwax is not high on my tasty list. But good on you for thinking outside the box. Hired Goon, I would implore you to shop around for plugs that suit you. There are several types and designs. I understand about the discomfort, my ear canals are not the same size so finding a good all-around fit was difficult with fitted plugs. The foamies provide a good balance and are the least complicated, be sure to get the 27dB attenuators. Another note to you all, be sure to get the most protection you can from your selection. There is a difference between even the foamies. We have some rated at 24dB and others rated for 27. I've seen better at 29dB but Uncle Sam isn’t buying 'em. Shop around, there is something for everyone and this is one purchase you can't afford to pass on, do it today, your future hearing depends upon it!

 

As you might guess from my board handle, the one thing I love more than bikes (er, two things, in case Mrs. Moose finds this post!) is music. I've lost enough of my hearing range already, so I'm a supporter of ear plugs, particularly at highway speeds. I don't always remember, but I try.

 

I always wear them, even with my full-face helmet and Vetter windshield. I'd done a lot of harm to my ears over the years, so it's a bit late (they've been ringing for almost 3 years now), but now I do whatever I can to protect them. I have noise-canceling headsets for when I fly, as well. They work great for mowing the lawn, too, and I can even jack music into them.

Hell, if I'm running the vacuum cleaner, I pop in some foamies. I've got pairs of them all over the place, including a set that lives in my riding jacket. . . .

 

Robert,
I hear what your saying (pun intended) and totally agree with the concept, but it's just one of those things that don't suit me.

I have trouble with the blockage feeling the plugs give you. Basically I suffer from blockages of that little tube that runs from the ear to throat that is supposed to drain fluid from the ear. I end up with sore throats due to some biological connection between the two.

Using plugs for a prolonged period does nothing to help the problem.

I do however, have a whole boxful of 33db soft yellow neons here in the workshop and I do find them reasonably comfortable for short periods.

As for long rides, dunno, might give it a try next time. Maybe just requires a bit of repettitive persistence to get the ears used to it.


BTW, the 33db plugs I have are made in Indianapolis, so if your looking for better plugs try EarSoft

 

Thanks for the link Goon. The command buys EarSoft products regularly, wonder why I didn't think to explore their offerings sooner. Duh, guess it has to hit me in the face before I see it.

 

I allready have hearing damage so its a bit late for me to even contemplate , but as mine has been also accumalative [heavy industries mechanik] i still would not and do not use ear plugs fer the bike , tis one and only one! reason i enjoy motorcycles , theoretically typing and i mean this I SHOULD HATE motorcycles , i have seen many turns of the wheels and as one gets to "know" what can and does happen out there , alot has.....

i sypathize with the ringing in da earholes , one thing that does help is to understand it and reed up on it as Nothing will else help , 24/7 here too for a long time now.....

A long answer to a short question above.

i would never use ear plugs on da motor bike....

 

I'm not sure I understand your position HooNz.

As your ears are already damaged wouldn't you want to take every step possible to reduce further hearing loss?

I can understand some people find them uncomfortable. I have found certain plugs to be really uncomfortable. When I used to work at the paper factory they had boxes of many different styles from many companies. I've probably tried at least 15 different plugs.

I found the rubber push in types to be convient for short term usage - but after a full shift they did leave my ears very sore.

I found the soft expansion type to be more inconvient to put in, but much more gentle on the ears for a long shift. These are the plugs I wear.

Other problems people have had with the tube connecting their ears and throat - I know what you're talking about and that is not entirely pleasant... tough choice to make there. If it were particularily painful, with a really good helmet I'd be tempted to ride without plugs.

One other quick comment - I asked the exact same question over on the 250 board and got a much different response. All of the long term riders wore plugs and only a handful of the new riders hadn't but said they would try them. I find it interesting to look at the different groups of riders and their perceptions of the road infront of them... the misses is a sociologist so I guess it rubs off.

Woot.

 

I use them for long rides at freeway speeds. I find that they still allow me to hear the engine fairly well. However, they're kind of a pain to take in and out, and i tend to lose them.

 

They certainly take time to put in... as for loosing them - I've got a nice flat container for them (came with the 30 pack I brought) that stays in my motorcycle pants pocket.

 

I used to when I had Yosh pipes, with the OEM's and a full-face it isn't really that loud.

 

Isnt this somewhat illegal though? The cop that pulled me over a few days ago was nice enough to tell me in the form of a yellow slip that having two earbuds in wasnt allowed...

 

I don't know the law specifically, but comparing music headphones to hearing protection is like comparing apples and oranges - I would not expect them to be covered by the same laws (but I could be wrong). The earbuds could be a violation under a catch-all 'distracted driver' law - just like a cell phone or loud stereo could be. Maybe earplugs could be considered 'distracting.' I guess that would eventually depend on the judge.

One other important distinction you made is that you got "a yellow slip [for] having two earbud in." Would you have gotten one for just having one earbud in? I once heard that our local laws allowed for one earphone, but not both, for drivers. I never looked up the actual law, but that information was from a cop.

I've wondered about the legality of earplugs myself, but I've decided, for myself, that my hearing is more important than a ticket I may or may not ever get. So I hide the lanyard in my helmet and I don't make it obvious I'm putting in earplugs if a cop is staring at me. But I'd certainly show up to court to fight a ticket if I ever got one. I'm sure a quick call to the police station could answer this.

Again, this is all just my opinion. Check into your own local/state laws and decide for yourself.

 

If you get a ticket fight it... that is absolutely ridiculous. If they only thought about the difference between the two ( one covering up road sounds the other making it easier to hear and protect your hearing)...

weird laws.

 

E.A.R.S. are designed to reduce the amplitude of higher frequency ranges in the effort to spare your hearing from high decibel damage or cumulative problems. I'd go on record supporting their use and I very seriously doubt that Johnny Law is going to have issues with it. They by no means are meant to block hearing, or interfere with it, just to subdue unnecessary amplitude. I'll call my public affairs officer at the CHP and get you a California answer. Fair enough?

 

I've been married 20 years. Hearing loss doesn't sound that bad.

 

LMAO... Phred I don't know what you mean

 

Public Information Trooper Sam Janus with the Illinois State Police did not know of and could not find any statue by which to write a ticket for noise reduction earplugs. He found the codes regarding intercoms and audio reception (one ear only is OK), but none had anything to do with simple noise reduction. He said, "as long as you're comfortable and could still hear enough traffic to be safe, I can't see there being a problem." It sounded like a really left-field question for him, so I'm left with my initial impression - I'd really have to piss off a cop to even get such a ticket and could probably easily argue out of it. But again, those are my own conclusions based on the information I have obtained - make your own decisions.

 

My postion is'nt and i'll take the time to respond even though everyone is different , so anyways , i have used and would use ear muffs ear plugs or any noise reduction in any work enviroment .

Not on a motorcycle , i really hate the fact that it is "law" that i have to wear a helmet or seatbelt , i feel it should be a personel thing as i do know when i "want" to wear or need a helmet and times when not , my would be personel thing you see..

I have known instances where the helmet or seatbelt has been the cause of a demise , this is leading to money revenue and power so i stop that sentence...

Back to motorcycles , i like to hear i am with a machine , i like to hear every thing about , also what is around also , to the rear also as i hardly look in mirrors so i guess sensory perception might be what its all about fer me , a lid also isolates or dullifies as would ear plugs for me , the Old number crunchers always turn it around and say its good for one and it also just happens to cost a dollar at the same time , then the Law..

On motorcycles there are not many tales told as below

3 people escaped a car wreck recently out here after the car got flattened by a truck and i do mean flat , the driver kicked the bucket , the driver was wearing a seat belt the other 3 did not and all the tv/po lice could say was the 3 survivors were being charged for not wearing seatbelts in a threating tone , this is after living through a horrific event AND living....

A small example of the hypocricy of law , which just happens to be good for one and just happens to cost too.

So it is my requirement that i do not wear ear plugs , one could say one might just sit infront of the telly , on a tomb stone there is a remark ,

(People who wear earplugs on a motorcycle in fun times are Panseys)

That from a bod who had tinnitus for a long time and a wyfe and there was a law for motorcyle earplugs who died of being nagged to death

I told the local po lice here , think about me , i always speed when i no see you , all the time and every where when i can AND if i feel like it as i deem it safe to do so. THEY TRY TO SET ME UP using the LAW? of De Mock race y

Tough for them , enforce , Cause trouble , run away and hide as in Los Angels a while back and let the trucker cop it , i remember that.....

I do not argue , i pay fines.....

Well hope that got that all sorted out Woot , send this to the missus.

Ps: there is a space ship @ here in where they are all crazy and don't know it due to the whine inside!

 

I work in a steel mill and we have to wear ear plugs all day long. I have gotten so use to them that I wear them home. I like to wear them on long rides. I also like to wear them on benifit rides, some of them other bikes are real loud.

Hell, I even wear them mowing my grass, weed wacking, using my power tools, and even working on my car's.

Its a good practice to get into, you only get one pair of ears and when you loose your hearing, its gone forever.

 

Ok gang, here is California's take on the ear plug issue (thanks to the kind officer who helped me find it, I can't remember his name).
California Vehicle Code Section 27400 reads:

27400. A person operating a motor vehicle or bicycle may not wear a headset covering, or earplugs in, both ears. This prohibition does not apply to any of the following:

(a) A person operating authorized emergency vehicles, as defined in Section 165.

(b) A person engaged in the operation of either special construction equipment or equipment for use in the maintenance of any highway.

(c) A person engaged in the operation of refuse collection equipment who is wearing a safety headset or safety earplugs.

(d) A person wearing personal hearing protectors in the form of earplugs or molds that are specifically designed to attenuate injurious noise levels. The plugs or molds shall be designed in a manner so as to not inhibit the wearer's ability to hear a siren or horn from an emergency vehicle or a horn from another motor vehicle.

(e) A person using a prosthetic device that aids the hard of hearing.

Amended Sec. 45, Ch. 594, Stats. 2003. Effective January 1, 2004.

Subsection (d) is of most interest to us. So long as the rider isn't completely deaf, should be good to go. Most of the foamies are perfect for this issue.

 

I was in suspense until I got to section (d). Thanks for doing the legwork.