old - Fazer Owners Club - old
General => General => Topic started by: Enceladus on 18 May 2012, 09:59:09 pm
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do you use ear plugs ?
if so, why ?
and vice versa :)
always used them myself as i value my hearing (being an amateur musician) but would love to hear other peoples opinions.
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I always wear them, even when I'm not riding...
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always wear them on the bike. I don't want my hearing damaged. simples.
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too late for me!!! just been diagnosed with meniers disease! ( combination of clay pidgeon shooting and loud exausts!! over last 20yrs or so!my hearing now fooked!!! handy though when missis is shoutin at me :lol
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Yes, I've always worn them since I returned to biking about 14 years ago. I have tinitus (a ringing in my ears), and am begining to go deaf, good enough reasons I would think. Still, at 80, I've a lot to be thankful for! :lol
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bloody hell and you still riding?? ime 57 and nackered!! and yes i too have tinitus! i dont get the ringing mines more like a whooshing!! drives me mad? only got it in one ear though? worst when its quiet??
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around town i dont bother but on a run i do wear ear plugs,one of my helmets is extremely noisey
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i've tried a few different kinds and they all lead to instant short term tinnitus.
if anyone can recommend some good i'll be,..ahem..., all ears
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Tried them once and very soon stopped to take them out. Felt far too quiet, cocooned almost. My Shoei helmet is quiet anyway and I like to be able to hear what is going on around me in case I haven't seen it.
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Always wear them no matter how short a ride or listen to the ipod.
Dunky.............
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I wear them nowadays-they cut out a lot of noise.Try them on the motorway-they get rid of a lot of tyre noise from cars,trucks etc. Arrive less tired and ride more alert.Didnt start wearing them til a few years ago after I noticed some hearing loss but I can still detect the rustle of a £10 note @ 50metres! :lol
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hey? what!!....you can still direct your russel to a £10 note @ 50mtrs!!... eye sight perfect then DAVE ??????? :lol
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I usually wear them as I find the wind noise inside my Nitro lid can be quite distracting, plus they have not found a way to transplant peoples hearing. :pokefun
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wear ear plugs all the time when riding bike, even to live music gigs
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Always on road too
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I tried without when I first started riding, but even with the Shoei XR-1000 which is supposed to be a quiet lid, I found the noise too tiring.
I use the Howard Leicht foam plugs at the moment, but I'm thinking of getting some of these (http://www.diyearplugsonline.com/) "mould your own" ones someday.
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I dont wear them if the noise is too loud outside or your exhaust is too loud your helmet is not fitted properly :lol
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I wear them all the time now. I can still hear enough but I noticed it made me more vigilant of what's going on around me. The other thing it affected was that feeling of oneness' with the bike.
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I ride with them all the time. Never when I'm motocrossing though, with the lack of wind noise I've never felt the need for them.
I play in a band and have always used them, also I can't sleep without them in either so I'm all for ear plugs.
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wear them always when riding
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I dont wear earplugs at all when I'm on my bike.
27 years, ex courier, 500k + and counting.
Dont bother arguing with me cos I cant hear you :b
But seriously, on the few occasions that I have done I've always found myself going much faster than I would normally.
Guess its a cocooned in my own little world and disconnected from reality type of thing.
Anyhow, its too late for me to worry about hearing damage, saw Motorhead on the Ace of Spades tour in 1980, squished up against the stage at Manchester Apollo, at the tender age of 16 :rolleyes
131db :eek
All I could hear for 3 days was WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!
Awesome! :)
What?
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I wear then on my sports bike because of the exhaust noise, I've only had the fazer for 7 weeks so I were still getting used to it. I will be using ear plugs again because of the wind noise. :lol
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Always,,,
I was a bit doubtful once but on a long ride, one popped out of my ear and I didn't bother to stop to stick it bad in.
The difference between ears when I stopped was incredible! It was like one side (the non ear plug side) had gone deaf and it took ages to get the hearing right again.
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Anyhow, its too late for me to worry about hearing damage, saw Motorhead on the Ace of Spades tour in 1980, squished up against the stage at Manchester Apollo, at the tender age of 16 :rolleyes
131db :eek
All I could hear for 3 days was WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!
If you are not careful you might hear WEEEEEEEEE!! for the rest of your life. A mate of mine has a similar catalogue of ear abuse over the years, also a big Motorhead fan actually, was a biker and played in bands too and then suddenly last year he woke up with tinnitus and the low hissing sound in his ears has been there for months now. He can't enjoy any sort of music now, he says.
Wear earplugs before this happens to you too folks.
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phil tk is 100% right? ...years of abuse,ie, abnormal noises like clay pigeon shooting (without plugs) and up to close in pits etc! loud exausts!! has left me deaf in one ear! and nearly deaf in other!!!i now suffer with tinnitus(drives me fkn mad)....and just been diagnosed with meniers disease!! affecting me balance!!! at the moment not riding bike very far, till sort out some medication to try and stop it? wouldnt wish that on me worst enemy!!!!!.....so take my advice?? if you can wear them do so!!!!! like i should have done? clive.
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My hearings suffered too, years of riding bikes, loud music and screaming kids lol
Started to wear ear plugs on longer journeys.......... can't undo the damage, but don't
want it getting any worse
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I wear them on long ride outs but don't bother on short journeys, maybe I should.
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Try to wear them on any journeys above 40mph, so often don't bother in town. Use them more frequently since getting an Arai though as its quite a noisy lid. I use Alpine reuseable earplugs at the mo and they let in just the right amount of noise so I don't feel cocooned, always carry them around with me on the bike even when I don't use them and have spare foam plugs in all my jackets so I don't get caught out.
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Noise levels aren't high enough to need using them in town but I always use them if I'm going to be exceeding 50 for any length of time.
I have friends that suffer from tinnitus, though all have acquired it from attending gigs rather than motorcycling & they all assure me it's no fun. I'm surprised I've not also fallen prey to it too as I reckon I've been to more than 1,000 gigs over the years most of which have been played out at the 11 end of the volume scale.
I do also wonder what the long term effects are going to be on all these youngsters that I see wandering around with ipod earphones in their ears listening to music playing so loudly that I can hear it a few yards away, not good I suspect.
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I used to get home and my ears were ringing so I always wear them now.
I get mine from here: http://www.earplugsbypost.com/ (http://www.earplugsbypost.com/)
They do a trial pack so you can see which ones work best for you before buying a job lot.
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I always reuse my ear plugs,,,,,, as long as you don't pick up too much fluff and shit from the pocket, give them a lick and they slide straight back in again.
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I have watched this thread with interest .. I am deaf .. officially 75% or more .. I used to get free NHS hearing aid batteries before we left the UK. I can now lip read at 100 yards plus and talk like I was on the other side of the Bay .. as I am :rolleyes .
Years of abuse was the problem, 45 years working as a Diver, blown up, explosions, two cerebral bends, and several very close calls on rapid deep descent's, etc. Long Haul HGV Trucking between the diving jobs, bikes for over 55 years and ... two marrages .. you get my drift :\ .
Given half the chance .. I recon I'd take a lot more care on a second lap of life. Some of you guys who can hear well don't seem to realise how lucky you are. Take care of your 'wind scoops' chaps .. by wearing ear plugs or anything else that helps to prevent damage and gradual hearing loss. Don't think it can't happen to you .. it does !
I SAID .. Stay Safe ;) Polar Bear.
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some really good comments here :)
couple of further questions ....
are the "make your own" earplugs that are advertised on fleabay any good ?
i use the foam roll up and expand ones at the moment and find them a real job to get right. what are the alternatives?
thanks :D
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I have found that the best ones for me are the reusable ones that look like in-ear earphones. Under £20, reuseable and easy to get in & out of your ears, easy to clean & come in different strengths of db. I think they are better at filtering wind noise out whilst letting enough of the right noises in compared to foamies. My current Alpine ones are one their way out after 2 years and have been looking at the Proguard Noizezz plugs to replace them (Proguard are known for making the expensive custom plugs).
My biggest gripes with foamy disposable types were that they were a pain to remove and refit at petrol stations or short journeys and got grimy quite easily. I keep those as spares & for pillions.
Its also important to get the right amount of noise cancellation. I think ones rated between 25 & 30dbs are the best. Keep my ears safe but don't get that isolated feeling or struggle to hear what people are saying.
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I never used to but for the past few years have done so and find the lack of wind noise gives a far more relaxing ride. But If im just pottering into town I do not bother as wind noise is no a factor here.
I do have a problem with getting them in and to stay in when I pull on my lid on it rips them out -- so I cut them down by 1/4 to stop this. I use the standard yellow square edge ones.
Who can recomend anything better that these
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I've used the Earsoft FX pugs for years and have no complaints, easy to get in and out, they reduce the wind noise nicely and the all the chattery noises from the engine. I tuck them under the pelmet thing on my Arai when I get off the bike. I change them twice a week on average.
Cheap too, 100 pairs £25
http://www.protecdirect.co.uk/Disposable-Ear-Plugs/EARSOFT-FX-Earplugs-(ES-01-020).htm%3Futm_source%3DProtec%26utm_medium%3DFroogle%26utm_campaign%3DShopping?gclid=CObiivO5lrACFUxlfAodRgFv5g (http://www.protecdirect.co.uk/Disposable-Ear-Plugs/EARSOFT-FX-Earplugs-(ES-01-020).htm%3Futm_source%3DProtec%26utm_medium%3DFroogle%26utm_campaign%3DShopping?gclid=CObiivO5lrACFUxlfAodRgFv5g)
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I tried without when I first started riding, but even with the Shoei XR-1000 which is supposed to be a quiet lid, I found the noise too tiring.
I use the Howard Leicht foam plugs at the moment, but I'm thinking of getting some of these ([url]http://www.diyearplugsonline.com/[/url]) "mould your own" ones someday.
After grahamm's recommendation I tried out a pair of these. I must admit I was a bit skeptical but they done a great job of cutting out the wind noise, espically on the motorway.I never felt cocconed at ant point I could still hear the bike.
I will be using ear plugs from here on in.
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Meniers disease is a fluid balance in the semicicular canals, IIRC. Alan Sheperd got it after his Mercury spaceflight and it grounded him. He got it surgically corrected and was the commander of Apollo 14, so it's not all doom and gloom...
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I use the Howard Leicht foam plugs at the moment, but I'm thinking of getting some of these ([url]http://www.diyearplugsonline.com/[/url]) "mould your own" ones someday.
After grahamm's recommendation I tried out a pair of these. I must admit I was a bit skeptical but they done a great job of cutting out the wind noise, espically on the motorway.I never felt cocconed at ant point I could still hear the bike.
You're welcome :thumbup : but was it the Howard Leicht or the "mould your own" ones?
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pardon........didnt quite catch that :rollin
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I use the Howard Leicht foam plugs at the moment, but I'm thinking of getting some of these ([url]http://www.diyearplugsonline.com/[/url]) "mould your own" ones someday.
After grahamm's recommendation I tried out a pair of these. I must admit I was a bit skeptical but they done a great job of cutting out the wind noise, espically on the motorway.I never felt cocconed at ant point I could still hear the bike.
You're welcome :thumbup : but was it the Howard Leicht or the "mould your own" ones?
the howard leicht ones
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I normally keep a couple sets of cheapo foam ones since I only use them for long journeys. That said, Napalm Death, Cannibal Corpse and Ministry have killed big chunks of my hearing.
I've been looking at some of those musicians' ones that just bring the volume down without masking the sound, but they're not cheap; you have to get them fitted, too.
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was it the Howard Leicht or the "mould your own" ones?
the howard leicht ones
Ok, thanks.
I'm still a little iffy about the mould-your-own ones.
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I've been looking at some of those musicians' ones that just bring the volume down without masking the sound, but they're not cheap; you have to get them fitted, too.
AIUI, unless you are a musician or need a completely flat frequency response, they're not any better for you on a bike than standard ones.
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AIUI, unless you are a musician or need a completely flat frequency response, they're not any better for you on a bike than standard ones.
Good to know before dropping £200 on a set!
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I wear ear buds and listen to my-pod... probably noiier than the helmet noise
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never without them now, only use the cheap foam ones but they make a vast difference. If you do ride without them, try some then go back and ride without them and you notice the wind noise and engine noise big time. You'll never ride without them again and your ears will thank you for it
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Try riding for a bit with only one plug in and you will know why they are recommended.
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yes always use them on bike, also use them at rallies and in my tent on a night although I tend to use just half of a soft plug (the pink nipple type) pushed well into me lugs so they aren't seen and don't rub when you're asleep, lol.
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Yes, because I like my hearing.