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Ear plugs when riding?

brownie0486

brownie0486

Well-known member
I like my Cardo music piped to the speakers in the helmet, rarely ride without the cardo playing.

I've seen all manner of suggestions for ear plugs that let the music in and the wind noise is reduced or negated completely.

Thinking it is time for some hearing protection, and I've looked at dozens of different plugs/electronic plugs etc, but reviews are all over the place for most of them which has had me holding off getting something.

Recommendations from actual experiences with plugs that let the good music in and keep the rest of the world, for the most part, out of the helmet?

TIA
 
The classic Howard Leight MAX foam plugs. Buy a case for $30-ish,and it lasts all year or more. Might have to turn up the volume, but it'll definitely protect. And yes, you can still hear horns, sirens, load pipes, etc.
 
I use Honeywell Howard LIGHT MAX Earplugs & Honeywell Howard LIGHT Laser Light Earplugs.:thumb I buy them in boxes of 200 pairs.

I often alternate between the two models. Wind noise is greatly reduced and I am able to listen music set to low volume. I

Many prefer custom made plugs but having rather soft cartilage in the ear department, four sets of custom earplugs (two sets with speakers) had dismal success at reducing much wind noise for me. For me the HL plugs do a much better job of reducing wind noise at a more economical price.

I have also tried malleable plastic earplugs that supposedly reduce wind noise while allowing one to hear your engine, traffic and music. Unfortunately they also did not work for me. Your results may be different.
 
I use molded silicone earplugs with the audio tubes. They are the same as many musicians use and allow you to hear the music from your headset while keeping the wind noise at safe levels. I do usually need to keep the volume near the max to hear adequately at highway speeds, at lower speeds like around town, I can drop it down some. I've been using molded earplugs for over 20 years and the audio tube versions for 7-8 years.
 
I installed a Motochello Audio Bridge on my 2015 R1200RT and listen to music through a pair of hard wired Big Ears in-ear monitors. The improvement in music quality over the BT system is stunning, with an ability to hear all of the nuances in my music. With the in-ear monitors, I only need to run the audio at 1 or 2 bars.
 
powwow said:
I installed a Motochello Audio Bridge on my 2015 R1200RT and listen to music through a pair of hard wired Big Ears in-ear monitors. The improvement in music quality over the BT system is stunning, with an ability to hear all of the nuances in my music. With the in-ear monitors, I only need to run the audio at 1 or 2 bars.
Click to expand...

I know someone that used to use corded earphones. One day he snagged his left hand in the cord, went over a curb, and broke his back on the landing. Took over a year for him to get back on a bike. YMMV
 
r0ckrat said:
I know someone that used to use corded earphones. One day he snagged his left hand in the cord, went over a curb, and broke his back on the landing. Took over a year for him to get back on a bike. YMMV
Click to expand...


I know someone that just fell over one day with no explanation why! Chit happens, tuck in your cords!

I have used Big Ear and now have Fit Ear ear buds with Cardo Pack Talks. My wife rides with me too and I found a dual output Bluetooth transmitter that I wired to the RT's speakers and connects to the Cardo's. I always tuck the excess cord inside my jacket.
 
+1 on the EarPeace plugs. I've been using them for about 2 years. I don't listen to music with my Sena bluetooth helmet speakers, but phone calls and audio books come through just fine.
 
I used the orange foam Army issue ear plugs and after 25 years of converting tax dollars to loud noises and smoke my hearing is quite good for a 70 year old man. I continue to use the orange plugs and regularly use a PackTalk Bold to talk bike-to-bike and occasionally to listen to SiriusXM. I have a set of custom made plugs but they work too well; they make it difficult to hear on the PackTalk.
 
I’m another from the custom wired in ear monitors. Molded to my ears so comfy for literally all day riding. Can hear everything around me and clear music when I want to. On days when I feel like no music then it is custom molded ear plugs.
 
I use the Hearos blue foam plugs and can hear my Sena 20 just fine. Much nicer riding with earplugs, I am much less tired when I get off the bike
 
Another vote for earpeace. They come in a nice small metal carrier. I have a set for the bike and I carry a set in my pocket. Although my edc gets little use, it has saved me a few times when I found myself in a louder than expected situation. They’re comfortable for me and come with inserts which can be used to acquire the level of protection desired.

Doug
 
I am a huge fan of EarPeace. I liked the NoNoise earplugs, but they are a bit bulkier than EarPeace. They now have an EarPeace Pro for motorcycle riding which is tuned for that application, fit the ear better, and are very comfortable. They are a bit pricey, but they come with a spare earplug in case you lose one. My current set is a couple years old, but they don’t really wear out. I suspect custom molded earplugs are the best, but I really love to listen to music when I’m riding, and when with others, participate in the conversation.
 
And if you need a nudge to get ear protection, I’ve been riding 12 years now. The first 4 without ear protection on a sport bike without much of a windshield, and putting ~10k miles a year on it. That was enough to give me tinnitus. It’s not bad, but it is constant. And it never gets any better. Thankfully a couple helicopter pilot friends in the MOA politely explained why I needed to get some earplugs. It took a bit of adjustment for me, but my symptoms have not worsened since I started using ear protection.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
cwilhelm said:
And if you need a nudge to get ear protection, I’ve been riding 12 years now. The first 4 without ear protection on a sport bike without much of a windshield, and putting ~10k miles a year on it. That was enough to give me tinnitus. It’s not bad, but it is constant. And it never gets any better. Thankfully a couple helicopter pilot friends in the MOA politely explained why I needed to get some earplugs. It took a bit of adjustment for me, but my symptoms have not worsened since I started using ear protection.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Tinnitus- apparently 40 million of us have it.

https://forums.bmwmoa.org/showthread.php?73818-What-s-the-buzzzz-or-at-least-ringing

OM
 
Seems unlikely studio quality or audiophile quality sound is going to happen in a motorcycle helmet with bike in motion.

You can--like me--just listen to 50s on 5 (now 72) where that music wasn't recorded to a high sophistication level in the first place.

Really cool book called Brain Rules points out that the human brain is incapable of multitasking. That means simultaneously ... of course sequentially happens. So, in the same moment in time you're either hearing the fine nuances of the music or you're comprehending the road in front of you ... but not both. It's not an audiophile listening environment.

My earplugs are 3M E-A-Rsoft Yellow Neon Blasts rated 33db from a box of 200 pairs I bought from Amazon several years ago. Any stop along the way where I take them out ... they are replaced by new ones, as it seems to me most plugs like this are one time use only. I can hear Sirius just fine.

I had some custom plugs made once, but for me something hard in my ears is not compatible for comfort with wearing a helmet.

PS: I got tinnitus in 1969 following a bout of pneumonia. Dr at the time advised sleeping with radio on.
 
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