ear plugs or more expensive helmet?

[robson]

I would not be so sure your hearing loss has something to do with motorcycle riding. Maybe. maybe not. I know people with tinnitus who never been exposed to loud noises, sometimes just bad flu is enough. I know guys who were riding 40+ years without ear plugs, man even without helmet sometimes and have no problem with hearing so I guess it's something more to do with this then just wind/engine noise.

[Mike54]

FFS. It's a proven fact that it leads to hearing damage.

just google "motorycle riding hearing damage"

[johnnyboxer]

The price of bespoke plugs from say, ultimate ear, is peanuts when compared with the price of your hearing.

Well said and 110% correctamundo (thumbs)

[johnnyboxer]

I would not be so sure your hearing loss has something to do with motorcycle riding. Maybe. maybe not. I know people with tinnitus who never been exposed to loud noises, sometimes just bad flu is enough. I know guys who were riding 40+ years without ear plugs, man even without helmet sometimes and have no problem with hearing so I guess it's something more to do with this then just wind/engine noise.

Oh FFS............. :whistle:

I suppose you are a consultant audiologist now, are you?

Mine told me it was 110% down to wind noise and frequency, from riding motorcycles over 50mph - without any ear protection

That's when damage occurs, he see's a lot of motorcyclists referred to him

The tinnitus was just a byproduct of the hearing loss - a kinda, buy 1, get one free

Is your hearing worth more than £100 or not?

Just buy some proper moulded (to you) ear plugs with filters

[-Ralph-]

My hearing loss could be attributed to working in datacentres, nightclubs, or motorcycle riding.

The hearing specialist at the hospital said it was almost definitely the motorbike as the nightclubs were not prolonged exposure and everyone goes to nightclubs when they are young and don't end up deaf, and the datacentres weren't loud enough to cause the level of loss that I have. It's prolonged exposure to wind noise, and loud exhaust noise (my v-twin was loud enough to set off car alarms as you rode past), in the specialists expert opinion. He also forms this opinion based on the high proportion of his patients that are bikers. Do you ride a motorcycle (?) is one of the first questions he asks new patients.

I didn't wear earplugs until about 5-10 years ago. When I was 16 all anyone wore was jeans, DM's boots and a leather jacket with no back protector or armour. This was my helmet and nobody had even heard of wearing earplugs. A high proportion of the guys on this site who were riding in those days, have hearing loss.



Without having to look at studies on google, it's already conclusive for me....

Motorbikes cause hearing loss.....Fact.

[-Ralph-]

Is your hearing worth more than £100 or not?

Just buy some proper moulded (to you) ear plugs with filters

I have to admit, I only wear disposable foam plugs and I'm fairly happy with them, but for me it's about damage limitation than prevention. I started wearing them after the hearing loss already occurred. Also I'm forever dropping them on the floor or loosing them.

You've intrigued me with talk of filters though. Would that help me hear music from my Sena, but still block out the wind noise that does the damage? (I don't do loud exhausts anymore).

[Mike101]

The helmet is only half the picture here...it's where the wind hits it that is more important than anything else.

I have a schuberth C3..suppsoed to be a very quiet lid...on my 1150RT is so noisy as the wind blast hits it square on the visor. m the answer was to change the screen and then the lid got much better.

I used to ride with a shark evo 3...impossibly loud on my Tenere..add a screen that was 10cm taller and the wind blast went over my head...lid got quiet and I could ride with the visor up all day long..wonderful.

So look at the screen and wind impact not just the lid...

Mike

[johnnyboxer]

You've intrigued me with talk of filters though. Would that help me hear music from my Sena, but still block out the wind noise that does the damage? (I don't do loud exhausts anymore).

I was like you Ralph, wearing disposable foam ones to prevent further damage etc

They are not always comfy for 8 hours touring though

About 5 years ago I had some moulded ones made and they are so much better, really comfy for all day use, easy to clean etc

The man suggested filters, so that you could hear low frequency sounds for town riding etc and then when you get up to speed everything is blocked out - re wind noise

No idea how they work - but they do

Well worth £100 to protect the reduced hearing I have and prevent any further hearing loss

Also a point of note, is that your balance control is connected to your ears and I don't want any damage to that function, because that could take you off bikes forever

Bloody motorbikes..................can't live without them

[Mike54]

Ralph, from ultimate ear you can get single monitor plugs which are very high quality. I use them for radio, mp3, scala etc. They are expensive but very good.

[-Ralph-]

Ralph, from ultimate ear you can get single monitor plugs which are very high quality. I use them for radio, mp3, scala etc. They are expensive but very good.

Looked at the website, but don't see "single monitor". Do you mean the ones with the earphone inside and the wires? I can't be arsed with wires TBH, that's why I've just spent £220 on a fully integrated Sena 10U with speakers. I do find I need the music on it's loudest setting when on the motorway with earplugs though. For some reason music is much more difficult to hear and needs much higher volume than voice (sat nav, phone, intercom, talking on radio) that could be down to my hearing though.