Discussion
I wear plugs all the time from snorestore.co.uk - an amazing selection of plugs...or I listen to music using a pair of trick in-ear earphones. I know most people would disagree with listening to music whilst riding but I really don't think it effects my observations. The volume is not high enough to block out the important noises. I only listen to music when I'll be travelling below 50mph (traveling in London)...above that plugs are best for wind noise etc..
I remember this thread from last year!
I used the link to Ultimate Ears and indulged myself in a pair of custom fit plugs and a set of monitors.
The plugs sure beat pratting around trying to screw up and insert a bit of filthy waxed sponge into my ears - and the monitors are great on the bike, on the train and on a long flight (far cheaper than noise cancelling headphones)...
Ultimate are in Sidcup, Kent (SE London) and even opened up just for me on a Saturday morning for a moulding. Great service and serious bikers too.
Never go anywhere without plugs these days, and you can still hear all the important sounds (even with the monitors in and working on low).
I used the link to Ultimate Ears and indulged myself in a pair of custom fit plugs and a set of monitors.
The plugs sure beat pratting around trying to screw up and insert a bit of filthy waxed sponge into my ears - and the monitors are great on the bike, on the train and on a long flight (far cheaper than noise cancelling headphones)...
Ultimate are in Sidcup, Kent (SE London) and even opened up just for me on a Saturday morning for a moulding. Great service and serious bikers too.
Never go anywhere without plugs these days, and you can still hear all the important sounds (even with the monitors in and working on low).
I really can’t stress enough that everyone should understand the real implications of not wearing earplugs. Your ears WILL suffer damage if you don’t wear ear plugs, it’s just a matter of how much damage. If you are very lucky, the damage will be minimal and will not impact on you day to day life. If you are unlucky, you will suffer a slow reduction in your hearing ability that will not be noticeable until it is way too late. The damage is irreversible!
I have this and I can assure you it’s really not nice. The biggest problem is that if you have a visual impairment, others make allowances for you. They will write things bigger, will hold things where you can see them and will apologize if they do something that means you can’t see what’s happening.
If you have a hearing impairment people treat you as if you are stupid! When you say ‘pardon’ they either respond with ‘eh?’ (which they think is hilariously funny) or they SHOUT …….. ONE ……….. WORD ………… AT ………. A …………TIME while doing stupid hand movements. (Again this is viewed as hilariously funny.)
The damage you get from helmet noise is generally not treatable with a traditional hearing aid as it tends to knock out your ability to hear specific frequencies. The hearing aid then simply amplifies the other frequencies that you can hear already, covering those frequencies that you can’t hear even more!
Before you go out without ear plugs, ask yourself some questions:-
Would you ride without a helmet? Lack of a helmet only MIGHT result in damage to you.
Would you ride without gloves? Lack of gloves only MIGHT result in damage to you.
Would you ride without boots? Lack of bootss only MIGHT result in damage to you.
Would you ride without ear plugs? Lack of ear plugs DEFINITELY WILL result in damage to you.
Your choice!
Ride safe and enjoy!
I have this and I can assure you it’s really not nice. The biggest problem is that if you have a visual impairment, others make allowances for you. They will write things bigger, will hold things where you can see them and will apologize if they do something that means you can’t see what’s happening.
If you have a hearing impairment people treat you as if you are stupid! When you say ‘pardon’ they either respond with ‘eh?’ (which they think is hilariously funny) or they SHOUT …….. ONE ……….. WORD ………… AT ………. A …………TIME while doing stupid hand movements. (Again this is viewed as hilariously funny.)
The damage you get from helmet noise is generally not treatable with a traditional hearing aid as it tends to knock out your ability to hear specific frequencies. The hearing aid then simply amplifies the other frequencies that you can hear already, covering those frequencies that you can’t hear even more!
Before you go out without ear plugs, ask yourself some questions:-
Would you ride without a helmet? Lack of a helmet only MIGHT result in damage to you.
Would you ride without gloves? Lack of gloves only MIGHT result in damage to you.
Would you ride without boots? Lack of bootss only MIGHT result in damage to you.
Would you ride without ear plugs? Lack of ear plugs DEFINITELY WILL result in damage to you.
Your choice!
Ride safe and enjoy!
black-k1 said:
I really can’t stress enough that everyone should understand the real implications of not wearing earplugs. Your ears WILL suffer damage if you don’t wear ear plugs, it’s just a matter of how much damage............
.......Your choice!
Ride safe and enjoy!
Words of wisdom. .......Your choice!
Ride safe and enjoy!
From my safety training for offshore work, any noise that you have to raise your voice to talk over is capable of damaging your hearing, as it is the exposure time, not the volume that is the deciding factor with hearing damage.
The computer rooms on our ships have a steady hum of some 40 computers all whirring away at once, hardly noticeable really, but over a 12 hour shift it is legally too loud to sit in, so they now hide all the computers in a special 'glass house' to keep the noise away from the operators.
Bloody hell I didn't realise that this was a problem - certainly nobody has told me that it's more or less an essential to keep healthy hearing.
I have pretty sharp hearing anyway, and I'd be a bit concerned about earplugs cutting out potential noises I *need* to know about, such as other vehicles getting close (I'm a beginner again, come back to bikes after a few years, so have had the odd fast rider come out of nowhere and scream past me already - but since I'd heard him / her coming I didn't get spooked). I've also got an old, cheap bike and I want to get to know the noises it makes, so I can identify 'wrong' noises - as a beginner I could do without mechanical failure when I'm riding...
So do earplugs just cut out the wind noise (something I only find a problem above 70 mph anyway, and I'm not confident enough to ride distances at 110 mph) but retain the essential sounds?
I've got a decent set of in-ear phones for my iPhone which have superb sound quality, but with the music off they also block out a hell of a lot of external sound. Walking through London with them in (which I do every working day) is an exercise in visual observation because I simply can't hear vehicles / pedestrians coming... wouldn't want to be wearing anything like that when riding. I presume bike earplugs are different?
I have pretty sharp hearing anyway, and I'd be a bit concerned about earplugs cutting out potential noises I *need* to know about, such as other vehicles getting close (I'm a beginner again, come back to bikes after a few years, so have had the odd fast rider come out of nowhere and scream past me already - but since I'd heard him / her coming I didn't get spooked). I've also got an old, cheap bike and I want to get to know the noises it makes, so I can identify 'wrong' noises - as a beginner I could do without mechanical failure when I'm riding...
So do earplugs just cut out the wind noise (something I only find a problem above 70 mph anyway, and I'm not confident enough to ride distances at 110 mph) but retain the essential sounds?
I've got a decent set of in-ear phones for my iPhone which have superb sound quality, but with the music off they also block out a hell of a lot of external sound. Walking through London with them in (which I do every working day) is an exercise in visual observation because I simply can't hear vehicles / pedestrians coming... wouldn't want to be wearing anything like that when riding. I presume bike earplugs are different?
As a newbie too I was worried about not hearing stuff I needed to hear, but you still can, your still totally aware of whats going on, but the external rubbish noise is cut down.
If I forget I have to pull over and root about in my pocket til I find some. It makes a massive difference!
If I forget I have to pull over and root about in my pocket til I find some. It makes a massive difference!
Cyberface, yes they are sort of different 
Those squishy ones from a builders merchant will do perfectly well, and are slightly cheaper than the Marks and Sparks versions you find in bike shops, usually packaged up at £3 a pair
They cut out the top and bottom notes, leaving you free to be overtaken by other bikes, but mean that the horrible windroar from the helmet is muted, thus leaving your ears in tiptop condition.
I will admit to not bothering everytime if I'm in London, or on a short town trip, mostly because its not the noise of the bike so much as the wind over about 60 mph. Besides which, I like bike noise
Those squishy ones from a builders merchant will do perfectly well, and are slightly cheaper than the Marks and Sparks versions you find in bike shops, usually packaged up at £3 a pair
They cut out the top and bottom notes, leaving you free to be overtaken by other bikes, but mean that the horrible windroar from the helmet is muted, thus leaving your ears in tiptop condition.
I will admit to not bothering everytime if I'm in London, or on a short town trip, mostly because its not the noise of the bike so much as the wind over about 60 mph. Besides which, I like bike noise
Righty ho, another item to add to the shopping list for tomorrow...
One thing for those who carry a pillion - can you still talk to / hear your pillion with bike earplugs in? I ride a lot more slowly and smoothly with the OH on the back so can normally have the odd chat here an there. We don't do monster mileages so can't be arsed in buying radio headsets etc. since our riding always used to be just a relaxed cruise to a village pub for a bite and a drink. But that was years ago, and things may change now I've got a more capable bike...
One thing for those who carry a pillion - can you still talk to / hear your pillion with bike earplugs in? I ride a lot more slowly and smoothly with the OH on the back so can normally have the odd chat here an there. We don't do monster mileages so can't be arsed in buying radio headsets etc. since our riding always used to be just a relaxed cruise to a village pub for a bite and a drink. But that was years ago, and things may change now I've got a more capable bike...
cyberface said:
Righty ho, another item to add to the shopping list for tomorrow...
One thing for those who carry a pillion - can you still talk to / hear your pillion with bike earplugs in? I ride a lot more slowly and smoothly with the OH on the back so can normally have the odd chat here an there. We don't do monster mileages so can't be arsed in buying radio headsets etc. since our riding always used to be just a relaxed cruise to a village pub for a bite and a drink. But that was years ago, and things may change now I've got a more capable bike...
http://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorcycle_parts/content_prod/490/27008?r=FroogleOne thing for those who carry a pillion - can you still talk to / hear your pillion with bike earplugs in? I ride a lot more slowly and smoothly with the OH on the back so can normally have the odd chat here an there. We don't do monster mileages so can't be arsed in buying radio headsets etc. since our riding always used to be just a relaxed cruise to a village pub for a bite and a drink. But that was years ago, and things may change now I've got a more capable bike...
Add that as well
"Pillion, my lovely? Nah, it was always a single seater"
randlemarcus said:
cyberface said:
Righty ho, another item to add to the shopping list for tomorrow...
One thing for those who carry a pillion - can you still talk to / hear your pillion with bike earplugs in? I ride a lot more slowly and smoothly with the OH on the back so can normally have the odd chat here an there. We don't do monster mileages so can't be arsed in buying radio headsets etc. since our riding always used to be just a relaxed cruise to a village pub for a bite and a drink. But that was years ago, and things may change now I've got a more capable bike...
http://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorcycle_parts/content_prod/490/27008?r=FroogleOne thing for those who carry a pillion - can you still talk to / hear your pillion with bike earplugs in? I ride a lot more slowly and smoothly with the OH on the back so can normally have the odd chat here an there. We don't do monster mileages so can't be arsed in buying radio headsets etc. since our riding always used to be just a relaxed cruise to a village pub for a bite and a drink. But that was years ago, and things may change now I've got a more capable bike...
Add that as well
"Pillion, my lovely? Nah, it was always a single seater"
The whole reason I got the 600F is so we can enjoy the bike together (and I can still have a reasonably good-handling bike for solo blasts when I'm a good enough rider). When I bought my first bike years ago, I asked her whether she'd want to come out with me, she said no - so I got a Ducati Monster (otherwise it would have been an SV650 as they had big rear chairs). Of course once I'd been out a few times and come back with a big grin, she wanted a go, and loved it. So I'm more likely to end up with a huge Givi suitcase bolted to the back of the CBR, so we can ride down to Brighton for example and leave the lids in the box, or go for a weekend somewhere - the biggest top box available will be necessary, so a change of pants and socks and toothbrush leave enough space for Becky's kitchen sink approach to 'travelling light'
Rach81 said:
I thought you said "leave the kids in the box" that will be my approach to parenting
We've had 3 miscarriages over the last 12 months trying for kids so we've said 'f
k it' for the time being and give it a rest, and enjoy blasting about on a motorbike until we do finally have a family (of course there's the hidden agenda of the bike still being in my possession when / if we do finally have kids, I can get away from it all when I need to...
)Sorry to hear that, you know it'll happen when the time is right.
Start looking for places to hide the bike or have a secret stash for "oh look I sold the bike" when its hidden in the allotments. My Pa used to take me pillion and pick me up from school, that was brill
Today I advised someone in my professional capacity to stop smoking and save the money for his DAS
Start looking for places to hide the bike or have a secret stash for "oh look I sold the bike" when its hidden in the allotments. My Pa used to take me pillion and pick me up from school, that was brill
Today I advised someone in my professional capacity to stop smoking and save the money for his DAS
Rach81 said:
Sorry to hear that, you know it'll happen when the time is right.
Start looking for places to hide the bike or have a secret stash for "oh look I sold the bike" when its hidden in the allotments. My Pa used to take me pillion and pick me up from school, that was brill
Today I advised someone in my professional capacity to stop smoking and save the money for his DAS
Yup, and until then the stress relief of a bike ride can do nothing but good.Start looking for places to hide the bike or have a secret stash for "oh look I sold the bike" when its hidden in the allotments. My Pa used to take me pillion and pick me up from school, that was brill
Today I advised someone in my professional capacity to stop smoking and save the money for his DAS
Here's hoping for half-decent weather this weekend - it is August FFS so I'm not asking too much for a dry couple of days to get out on the bike...
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