Ear protection has been a difficult selection process for me, lately.

I'm attempting to cure a noisier helmet environment, due to a recent lid change. Selecting an Arai Signet-Q due to my funny shaped elongated skullnoggin has caused my helmet noise level to sharply increase.

Now, I'm trying to fix it.

I'm working with the various models of ear inserts offered by SureFire. They make an insert that comes in three physically, increasingly larger sizes (S / M / L), and also two types of insert length (2 lobe and 3 lobe, with 3 being longer, and higher db protection).

Each at about $15 a sample.

I'm discovering that not only is my noggin funny shaped, so is my left eardrum.

Here's an interesting experiment for ya. Take a Q-Tip, shove it in your ear. Does it slide straight in, or does it have to curve around while going in? Does it have plenty of room (easily slides in), or is it a tight fit? Are they different left to right side?

My right ear tunnel is large and goes straight back. My left is smaller and twists it's way back. Weird!

It makes a difference if / when you buy these things... I need M-3 lobe in my right ear, and a S-3 Lobe for my left ear, otherwise they fall out while I'm riding. My wife likes the M-2 Lobe for each ear (she does not like having things shoved deep into her ears. Careful with the reply comments, please!).

Ear Protection...

I just grab a handful from work when I'm running low. I use the roll up disposable type.

Anyone who doesn't gear up before a ride has obviously never come off a motorcycle. Anyone who has and still doesn't gear up is a fool. I've now moved over to armoured textile jacket and trousers for most of my riding, especially if there's a chance of being caught in the rain. I bought a Schuberth C3 Pro last year and very pleased with it, not only for the convenience of the flip front but also the comfort and noise level although I still use earplugs on long high speed motorway runs. Prior to that I had an Arai RX7 which was the noisiest helmet I've ever had. JMO

I wondered if there were other 14R riders who used a modular. I had one, loved it, and wore it out.

I've heard that about the Shuberth C3 Pro, and spendy huh? But, it's on my list of "fixes" if the windshield and / or ear pro does not get it done.

I'm going to fit a Kabuto Ibuki (their new modular) after work today, in size medium. Also spendy at $450.00

Sorry for the thread hijack...

Foam earplugs on all but the shortest rides for me. I commute 100 miles round trip, in a 75 MPH zone. Hearing protection is a must.

I even sleep with earplugs in. With two big dogs and a wife that snores, it's the only way I'm getting any sleep.

I'm just finishing up a box of EAR classics, and am giving another brand a try.

Jtemple,be careful if you wear earplugs both at work and at night. When my wife was pregnant she snored really loud,and I started using earplugs to sleep as well as working 10hrs. I ended up with a horrible ear infection as a result.

I ended up with a horrible ear infection as a result.

You might want to dial back on the aural sex. You could end up with a case of...

wait for it...

hearing AIDS!

BAAAAWWWWHAWHAWHAW!!

Meb just go to a ear doctor and they'll make you a custom set of plugs or buds for music. I have one set of each.Money well spent for sure. If you go that route make sure as the mold is setting up that you position your body/head in your riding position. Your ears change shape slightly when you tilt your head back and thats when you need them sealed the best.

Hagrid...haha

Not funny?

Very funny!

I've never really understood the ear protection thing? I get it maybe if you have the open megaphone exhuast, but I've seen a lot of riders say they wear ear protection even with more traditional systems like my R-77. Is it wind noise? Is it maybe some have more sensitive ears? My bikes much louder obviously than factory, but I'd never say it gets to the point of hurting my ears or even damaging volume levels. Sometimes a bit of wind noise sneaks in, and this is where I could see hearing protection being the most help. But my Nolan does a pretty good job, might just be a cross wind now and thin or a bit of blow by through the face shield seal.

Meb- I wondered if there were other 14R riders who used a modular. I had one, loved it, and wore it out.

I saw a guy go down at the drag strip a few years back while wearing a modular. It tore off the lower portion that pivots and snapped his spine. He washed out on the brakes at around 50 or so. Dude is a quadriplegic now. I'm not saying that a better helmet would have saved his spine, but I am saying that the hinging design is an extra point of failure.

I've never really understood the ear protection thing?

Noisy pipes can be a real PITA on long runs but probably affect other road users more than the rider. The killer is wind noise for sure. The Schuberth C3 Pro is one of, if not the quietest helmet on the market but like most helmets the measurement is at 100kmh. When you start doing long runs at sustained high speeds then the wind noise and the danger to hearing increases dramatically. A few years ago on the return journey from the NW200 in Ireland I got off the ferry in Scotland faced with a 230mile run home with no earplugs due to my own forgetfulness. Got home in the early hours and went straight to bed. Couldn't sleep for over 2 hours depute being absolutely knackered. All I could hear was the roar from the wind noise in the helmet. Since then, with plugs, no problem. Just hooning around on relatively short runs with occasional high speed blasts are no problem. Hearing damage is accumulative. Repeated and sustained exposure to high noise levels for long enough and you're going deaf.JMO

Ask me why bikers grow facial hair.

After my good friend Nasty Notched shared a rash pic with me, I pulled the trigger on riding pants. Thanks NN!

Hagrid, so they can look like their mothers?

* Last updated by: yannih on 4/4/2015 @ 7:24 PM *

LOL my hearing already sucks... probably why it doesn't bother me. Thanks for the info. I'm kind of surprised Schuberth lets a lot of wind noise through, as what I've always heard is that's supposed to be the difference between premium brands like Schuberth and Shoei compared to middle and lower end brands. All the helmets are very safe these days, even the $100 helmets will protect your noggin, but generally the more expensive the better construction, lighter, materials, features, and supposedly less wind noise. But probably like most marketing it's mostly just bullshit.

After my good friend Nasty Notch shared a rash pic with me, I pulled the trigger on riding pants. Thanks NN

Actually yes, that is true... but there's a better reason.

Smooth skin allows for a laminar flow of air from the face past the ears. The result is deafening wind noise.

Now add a generous helping of whiskers. The laminar flow is broken up into millions of tiny eddy currents. Wind noise is cancelled!

It's spooky how well it works.

I am ATGATT, no exceptions. Gaerne boots, Draggin Jeans or leather pants, leather jacket, leather gloves, X-12 helmet, and hearing protection.

For various temperatures, I have solid leather jackets with liner to perf leather. The Draggin Jeans for warm weather. Held gauntlet gloves for winter, Lee Parks tan colored leather gloves for summer. Also perf BMW boots for summer. LD Comfort tight fit underwear is the absolute best basic layer in cold weather.

PS: Nasty, I lived in Beaumont many years before moving to CO two years ago, I also used a First Gear Mesh jacket there in the summer.

* Last updated by: runnerhiker on 4/5/2015 @ 3:29 PM *

Hagrid, I'm afraid you have it backwards.
Eddies and air turbulating is what causes wind noise.
For example the noise you hear in an aircraft when air brakes are deplolyed, or closer to home when air pours over a motorcycle windscreen at speed and down into the low pressure area behind and turbulates into eddies.

I'm not saying your excess facial whiskers don't work.
But they must have air deflecting or ear protecting properties.

Sorry but I knew my private pilot licence theory would come in handy some day...

* Last updated by: yannih on 4/5/2015 @ 3:36 PM *