Bones Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 As a casual observation. I have noticed that not all riders at the race track, use earplugs. Can earplugs make much of a difference? For me? Yes. Why? I'll try to explain why it works for me. Firstly, when I'm driving my car and looking for a street address; Why is it that I turn down the radio? Turning the sound down doesn't make my sight any better, does it? But it does. Well, my perception is that it does. And my perception is my reality. By turning down the radio, it would seem to give me more attention, by removing the unrelated noise to the task at hand. I get more out of my $10. My internal dialog when I'm wearing earplugs, is clearer and I have more attention to spare ($10). Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ukilme Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 Simply, less fatigue in the long run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaybird180 Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 After I read that article in Sport Rider about Tinnitus and hearing loss, you bet I do. Much better on the wind noise and I can still hear the traffic on the street :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sleepr Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 Earplugs everywhere, and I have a set of custom made ones I bought at the Laguna GP in 05 with 25 decibal reduction in outside noise but with monitors so I can listen to tunes on the MP3 player on longer highway rides. Definately less fatigue on long 1000-1200 mile days and more attention on the track. Actually had a plug come out once in a race and it was amazing how much harder it was to ride with only one ear quiet. My $10 was definately being spent where it shouldn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fire337 Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 I had done a handful of track days without them at first and then started wearing them. I was so amazed at the difference! Bones, you describe it well in that it does make my internal dialog clearer and gives me more attention to focus where it needs to be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuman Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 I need a yes/no option on the poll so I didn't vote I wear them on a roadrace track when racing or track days, I have some custom ones that work great. When instructing at the school I don't wear them as I need to be able to talk to a student if I pull them off the track. I have ear buds that hook up to my MP3 player when I do longer street rides. They are like ear plugs though... I don't use them when I ride Supermoto or MX, not sure why I don't Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobie Fair Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 hmmm...didn't think about dirt riding, but don't use them their either. If I'm on a track, I use them. Street riding not too much (but haven't done much lately, driving the kids around. That'll change in about 8 years. C Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hubbard_28 Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 I don't commute to work with them. It takes 10 minutes to get to work. Long rides and trackdays? Yes. When I was braking my wife's bike in I tried headphones for the first time. Everything from cheap Radio Shack one's to $40 Sony earbuds, and nothing worked for me. After a while I tried Skull Candy ear buds. I wasn't going to because they're $20 and have a stupid name. I was almost to the point of paying $220 for fitted one's I was getting so desperate. Let me tell anyone looking for something to block out noise while riding that you have to try these first. I can hear the music crystal clear at low and high RPM's, low and high speeds. Whenever. If anyone looks for something to ride with, try Skull Candy first. Does anyone ride with headphones on the track? A friend of mine tried it, and said he liked it. I've never ridden with them on in any kind of traffic or on the track. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fire337 Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 I will wear my headphones for long cruises that don't have a lot of twisties. But if I am actually going to be riding sporty or riding on the track it is too much of a distraction from my attention as I get into the songs too much lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaybird180 Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 I need a yes/no option on the poll so I didn't vote I wear them on a roadrace track when racing or track days, I have some custom ones that work great. When instructing at the school I don't wear them as I need to be able to talk to a student if I pull them off the track. I have ear buds that hook up to my MP3 player when I do longer street rides. They are like ear plugs though... I don't use them when I ride Supermoto or MX, not sure why I don't I've found that earplugs don't affect voice much, but it's hard to talk with 2 engines running even at idle while stopped at a light. Heck it's hard o do that with a helmet on your head with your buddy 4 feet away with another helmet on!!! According to what I recall in the Sport Rider article, the hearing damage is from wind noise not engine noise as we would think. So it would likely be okay for you to do MX or Supermoto. In the opinion of the forum are there any additional safety risks listening to music on the street or track? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobie Fair Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 Never heard of that Skull Candy stuff. Listening while riding. I think I'd do it if I was touring, long trips and such but wouldn't on the track. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hubbard_28 Posted January 17, 2009 Report Share Posted January 17, 2009 I haven't done it on the track, but I think it increases the risk if riding in traffic. I'm going to work tomorrow (Saturday morning) without any traffic and will probably have them on. I've done it once in traffic, and it sort of freaked me out. I won't do it again. I know throwing in the RocknRolla soundtrack or something fast and loud makes the trip to work A LOT faster. And Cobie, Skull Candy is just a name brand of some headphones that can be found anywhere. Target, Best Buy, Walmart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fire337 Posted January 17, 2009 Report Share Posted January 17, 2009 I haven't done it on the track, but I think it increases the risk if riding in traffic. I'm going to work tomorrow (Saturday morning) without any traffic and will probably have them on. I've done it once in traffic, and it sort of freaked me out. I won't do it again. I know throwing in the RocknRolla soundtrack or something fast and loud makes the trip to work A LOT faster. And Cobie, Skull Candy is just a name brand of some headphones that can be found anywhere. Target, Best Buy, Walmart. Ya, I get a bit bugged out with them in in traffic myself. I can only wear my headphones when out away from town and traffic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bones Posted January 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2009 I need a yes/no option on the poll so I didn't vote I'm modified the Poll to allow multi-choice. You can now select 'Yes' and 'No'. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F4imane Posted January 17, 2009 Report Share Posted January 17, 2009 I am surprised that alot of you guys use head phones and even earplugs. No matter if your in the city or suburbs with anything in your ears you can't hear sirens, someone beeping, etc. etc. Having all your senses without any hindering seems logically to be the best way to go. Even with ear plugs, hearing wind resistance allows one to gauge to a degree speed. Some helmets really suck and yea create to much noise though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaybird180 Posted January 17, 2009 Report Share Posted January 17, 2009 I am surprised that alot of you guys use head phones and even earplugs. No matter if your in the city or suburbs with anything in your ears you can't hear sirens, someone beeping, etc. etc. Having all your senses without any hindering seems logically to be the best way to go. Even with ear plugs, hearing wind resistance allows one to gauge to a degree speed. Some helmets really suck and yea create to much noise though. Using the wind to gauge speed can be deceptive. Air is also moving. You'd be surprised how well you can hear with ear plugs. I was nervous when I first tried it, but I prefer it now. I have a set of non-disposable that I've had a long time. They're wash and wear :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F4imane Posted January 18, 2009 Report Share Posted January 18, 2009 I am surprised that alot of you guys use head phones and even earplugs. No matter if your in the city or suburbs with anything in your ears you can't hear sirens, someone beeping, etc. etc. Having all your senses without any hindering seems logically to be the best way to go. Even with ear plugs, hearing wind resistance allows one to gauge to a degree speed. Some helmets really suck and yea create to much noise though. Using the wind to gauge speed can be deceptive. Air is also moving. You'd be surprised how well you can hear with ear plugs. I was nervous when I first tried it, but I prefer it now. I have a set of non-disposable that I've had a long time. They're wash and wear :-) I think it would be more deceptive to not be able to hear the wind naturally. Maybe I will try it sometime to see what its like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apollo Posted January 18, 2009 Report Share Posted January 18, 2009 I wear earplugs anytime I go >6000rpm or >40mph. Hearing loss from repeated and continuous noise is a legitimate concern with helmets. Slow loss of hearing ability is a bigger concern to me than the possibility of missing noises due to earplugs. I'm a slow guy, but I feel that earplugs do not hinder my abilities to perceive issues or judge speed. Actually blocking the wind noise helps me notice noises because of a lowered background noise level. I can definitely hear sirens and horns. I can even talk to people with my 32 npr earplugs in. I've never been surprised by a vehicle or object on the road while wearing earplugs because I failed to hear them. And I am guilty of having audio in my helmet on freeway trips. I don't listen to music on the streets or if there is heavy traffic as I think it's too distracting. My two cents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acebobby Posted January 18, 2009 Report Share Posted January 18, 2009 I dont wear earplugs while riding which is more of a comfort thing than anything else, I just dont like them! I do however sometimes wear them at work as I work in a noisy environment and we are told that ear plugs are a necessary part of our personal protective equipment if the noise levels exceeds 85 dbs, my exhaust on my bike is 102 dbs so I guess it should be common sense really to wear them! I may look into getting a custom made pair for better comfort! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hubbard_28 Posted January 18, 2009 Report Share Posted January 18, 2009 I am surprised that alot of you guys use head phones and even earplugs. No matter if your in the city or suburbs with anything in your ears you can't hear sirens, someone beeping, etc. etc. Having all your senses without any hindering seems logically to be the best way to go. Even with ear plugs, hearing wind resistance allows one to gauge to a degree speed. Some helmets really suck and yea create to much noise though. They don't stop the noise, they buffer it. And they cut the wind noise out all together. I don't know if it's the size of my helmet (x-large) but I've never had a helmet that is even remotely effective in cutting the wind down. Arai and Shoei have been ineffective for me. I can hear plenty with the plugs in, and even earphones. Obviously if they are louder they would drown out the noise, but I have the music so low that if I didn't know the song I wouldn't be able to hear the lyricsl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spthomas Posted January 18, 2009 Report Share Posted January 18, 2009 They don't stop the noise, they buffer it. And they cut the wind noise out all together. I don't know if it's the size of my helmet (x-large) but I've never had a helmet that is even remotely effective in cutting the wind down. Arai and Shoei have been ineffective for me. I can hear plenty with the plugs in, and even earphones. Obviously if they are louder they would drown out the noise, but I have the music so low that if I didn't know the song I wouldn't be able to hear the lyricsl. A buddy of mine had an Arai XL helmet which was noisy. He's a bigger guy at 6'2" and 225lbs, but got measured by the guys at The Service Pavilion who were at an AMA race and they put him in a medium- two sizes smaller, but changed it from the standard 30mm cheekpads to 25mm. (He bought the same model; he had gone down on his XL and wanted to replace it.) Most guys tend to fit the helmet to their face instead of their head. Anyhow, he says the medium is much quieter, so your hunch about size might be right. I find I hear things I need to hear better with earplugs. I just use the foam type which has 33Db reduction. The thing that surprised me was I could hear the engine better with them because the wind noise is gone. I never ride without them and I never listen to music. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hotfoot Posted January 19, 2009 Report Share Posted January 19, 2009 I didn't want to use earplugs and fought it for a while - they made me feel claustrophobic and disconnected, like being on cold medicine. Then I bought a new helmet, same brand (Shoei) but better ventilated than my old one. I was astounded at the difference in wind noise, now I HAVE to wear earplugs or the wind noise above about 100mph is actually painful and a big distraction. So, the helmet itself makes a big difference. Recently someone told me that those headsock things you can wear under your helmet reduce wind noise, too, but I haven't tried it. It took me about three track days to get used to the feeling of wearing the earplugs. I wear them on all superbike trackdays and when driving go-karts (they are very high speed also) but not on my dirt bike or on the street. I wear cheap throwaways, would like something better - where do you get the custom/reuseable type? Or is there a type of disposables that you like? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobie Fair Posted January 19, 2009 Report Share Posted January 19, 2009 Never had it be a problem with hearing, and I wear the plugs every day we do the schools. You can even here people talking, just a little deceptive when in the pits. For sure never been an issue hearing what I need to hear. Most light around town crusing I don't use them, but would for any real ride. My bike has a stock exhaust, so it's pretty quiet and so is my helmet. C Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Sauder Posted January 19, 2009 Report Share Posted January 19, 2009 I started wearing earplugs after my first time at the track, and I wear them all the time now. Except sometimes running short errands. Someone mentioned that it could give you a false perception of speed. I would have to say for myself it does the exact opposite, and I remember Keith saying that a stone deaf person could right as well as anybody. I have found for myself that not hearing the wind, keeps me from feeling like I am going too fast. Instead of hearing the wind in my ear that always made me feel like I was going about 10-20 mph faster than I should be, I was useing my visual skills. It seem to make it easier to think, and take in what was really important. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaybird180 Posted January 19, 2009 Report Share Posted January 19, 2009 I didn't want to use earplugs and fought it for a while - they made me feel claustrophobic and disconnected, like being on cold medicine. Then I bought a new helmet, same brand (Shoei) but better ventilated than my old one. I was astounded at the difference in wind noise, now I HAVE to wear earplugs or the wind noise above about 100mph is actually painful and a big distraction. So, the helmet itself makes a big difference. Recently someone told me that those headsock things you can wear under your helmet reduce wind noise, too, but I haven't tried it. It took me about three track days to get used to the feeling of wearing the earplugs. I wear them on all superbike trackdays and when driving go-karts (they are very high speed also) but not on my dirt bike or on the street. I wear cheap throwaways, would like something better - where do you get the custom/reuseable type? Or is there a type of disposables that you like? I would recommend a marksmanship store or shooting range. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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