earplug

[Preston]

Oh my god!!! Have never tried earplugs before except at night to keep my wife from waking me up (she doesn’t read my posts here). Saw someone on my last group rides use them. Read the post here and have wanted to try them. I rode yesterday for about 60 miles with my new HJC helmet. It’s the flip up kind. A lot of extra wind noise. Then today, I tried it with the earplugs. Again, oh my god!!! What a difference it makes. I could hear road and my bike so much better. Just like others have said, I noticed that I was riding faster because I was able to concentrate more on what was going on around me. Will use them all the time now.

[PatSV650]

I use Doc's Proplugs for the bike and for when I'm on stage. They cut alot of white noise, not as much as foamy's, but you can hear alot more of the important stuff. I use the "vented" music type. The unvented is like siliconing your ears shut. Alot of guys that have paid good money for custom plugs, actually prefer these! Another nice part is they're clear, so when you have 'em in, no one can see them without looking in your ear. Nice for loud clubs.

Doc's Proplugs

[Tarmac]

No kidding?! I'll have to try mine out sometime; I only use them for winter surfing to prevent surfers ear. Never even thought of using 'em for sound reduction.

[PatSV650]

I originally picked 'em up for playin in a band. They make my bass seem louder in addition to protecting what's left of my hearing. Also makes my SV's exhaust sound SWEET!!

[OreoGaborio]

that's somethin i'd like to try out. i want an earplug that i don't have to jam all the way in my ear & wait to expand. I wanna be able to wash em, throw em in & go

[Preston]

Your question is a good one, Thomas, especially for younger riders who aren’t already experiencing hearing loss. That’s because preventive medicine is much simpler than reversing hearing loss.

About 28 million people in the U.S. suffer from hearing loss, and about a third of those cases are due to exposure to noise, according to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.

The NIDCD says permanent hearing loss can result from exposure to 110 decibels for more than a minute, 100 decibels for more than 15 minutes, or prolonged exposure to 90 decibels.

Of course, the amount of noise a rider experiences on a motorcycle depends on a lot of factors. But at highway speeds, you could easily experience 90 decibels just from wind noise. Installing a loud exhaust raises the noise level even higher.

Many doctors who ride recommend wearing ear plugs on any ride longer than 15 or 20 minutes. Even basic foam ear plugs, properly used, can cut noise enough to get you out of the danger zone. Please note, though, that some states restrict the use of ear plugs while operating motor vehicles. For example, California only allows use of custom-made ear plugs.

Some riders worry that ear plugs will keep them from hearing sirens or other warning signals. But by reducing noise to tolerable levels, ear plugs can actually improve your ability to distinguish among various sounds.

Once you’re in the habit of using ear plugs, you’ll find you’re less fatigued at the end of a long day of riding. They also come in handy when operating a chain saw or other noisy machinery.

If you already have hearing loss, it’s even more important to use ear plugs to avoid further damage. You should also get a hearing test from an audiologist and talk to an otolaryngologist, a specialist in this field.

Though reversing hearing loss is difficult, there are some drug therapies that might help, so see your doctor.

[OreoGaborio]

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