Fazer Owners Club - Unofficial
General => General => Topic started by: ghostbiker on 03 October 2011, 01:17:08 pm
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Apart from a try of earplugs many years ago i have never realy worn them.
but affter picking up a few free packs at the BMF i went for a 220 mile ride on sunday with a pair in. just the cheap yellow type foam ones.
First thing i noticed is wow everything sounds odd. followed by hmmm never heard that sound from the engine before and then spent the next 20 miles not watching the road but just cocking my head to 1 side convinced the bike was missfireing lol. it isnt btw :P
once settled in i found i was running in way to hot on corners and im sure it was because i couldnt hear the revs as clearly and there fore was miss judging speeds. once i got to the half way point i took them out and on the way back found the bike loud and rattly lol but felt better on the ride itself.
So i think from now on i might use plugs on long Mway trips but if out having fun on A / B roads then no way lol.
So what do you guys do about plugs? how many have actualy spent loads on the expensive ones? are they that much better?
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Ironically I have the opposite problem :P if i ride without them I find myself ridding alot slower as the noise from the engine makes me think i am going faster than i really am!
I tend to have headphones or earplugs in 90% of the time i ride unless its literally from Worle to Weston or another short-ish trip
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Riding* even
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Don’t bother if "nipping to shops etc" but always wear them for any distance.
I find I ride smoother as I can concentrate better with them in
I use to use cheap ones from work but tried some "gun/shooting " ear plugs off eBay and they are really good and can be wash without spoiling the shape or feel
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Always use them. I'd like to still hear when I get old.
I fond these good, not too effective like some of the foam ones but cut down on the wind noise decently.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5-Pairs-Howard-Leight-Quiet-Ear-Plugs-FREE-UK-P-P-/330391201255?pt=UK_BOI_ProtectiveGear_RL&hash=item4cecd9a5e7 (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5-Pairs-Howard-Leight-Quiet-Ear-Plugs-FREE-UK-P-P-/330391201255?pt=UK_BOI_ProtectiveGear_RL&hash=item4cecd9a5e7)
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I always use them but we are supplied with them where I work because of the noise levels so in effect they are free.I cannot ride without them in, everything seems too noisy otherwise.
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I commute daily and I was finding that my ears were ringing after every journey, I bought a trial pack from LucyDellEarplugs and it had 20 or so of their most popular ones. I tried each pair for a week (unless they were instantly bad) and kept notes. I then narrowed them down to a couple and wore them a day at a time before choosing the right pair for me, then bought a job lot, think it's was £10 for 50, I use a new pair each week.
I wouldn't ride without them, they cut out all the high end engine noise, I mainly just hear my exhaust, so I know how the engine is revving. If I ride without them it sounds like my engine is falling apart LOL
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I have been thinking about earplugs recently, will maybe try some cheap ones and if I like it I'll then go for some better ones. Has anyone seen these or tried them?
http://www.diyearplugsonline.com/ (http://www.diyearplugsonline.com/)
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I couldn't ride without them no matter what the mileage.
I also have to wet them before putting them in as I hate when one moves when putting your lid on and you get annoying wind noise in one ear.
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If I am just going round town at 30ish, I tend to go without but ANY distance at speed above that is noticably noisy and I wear them. Just cheap ones from e-bay. Bough a box of about 200 pair a few years ago and still got loads left. Only cost about £10 then.
It was some like this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/20-EAR-PLUGS-HOWARD-LEIGHT-MAX-10-PAIRS-SNR-37dB-/160656336625?pt=UK_BOI_ProtectiveGear_RL&hash=item2567dd26f1 (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/20-EAR-PLUGS-HOWARD-LEIGHT-MAX-10-PAIRS-SNR-37dB-/160656336625?pt=UK_BOI_ProtectiveGear_RL&hash=item2567dd26f1)
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I use them for distance but I have a schuberth lid which is less noisy without plugs than my caberg was with cheapy ones. Good evidence that you damage your hearing going without so its a no brainer for me.
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have alway worn earplugs, even wear em in pub when bands are playing
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When I started riding, I didn't bother, but then tried a pair and found it made a hell of a lot of difference to the level of noise I experienced even though the Shoei XR-1000 I have is supposed to be a quiet lid.
I just buy the cheap "orange plugs on blue plastic cord" type, wash them when they get manky and eventually chuck them away when they start to fall to pieces.
(PS they're also useful when I'm on a train and want to get some kip because it keeps out the noise of all the idiots yakking on mobile phones, listening to MP3 players with the volume turned up etc! :)
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How many people with a standard exhaust wear ear plugs?
I have a standard exhaust and don t wear ear plugs.
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It's not the exhaust noise that is the problem, it is the wind noise from the wind going around your helmet.
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Ipod in ear buds- good noise reduction and banging tunes :evil
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To chris.biker - i have a standard exhaust and i wear them
I used not too on my 125 and then moved up to my fazer with my cheap hand me down helmet.
Then i treated myself to an AGV helmet ment to be really quite, and the wind noise was appalling. Tried my mates z1000 naked no noise.
So my fox eye with standard screen and my posh AGV helmet combined is really noisy which means i have to wear ear plugs all the time.
Nick
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always wear them. find my helmet just too damn noisy otherwise. its an xr1000 which as said above is sposed to be a quiet one !!
I use max lites whch are comfy and cut the wind noise but you can still hear the bike/can
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When I were a lass, nobody wore them but on my return to biking some years later, I was talked into trying a pair. I too found myself riding faster because of the sound difference. Bit scary at first but soon got used to it and wouldn't go without now, even in the Shoei XR1000.
On the odd occasion I've forgotten it's the ear shattering KEEERRRLUNK of my visor shutting that makes me stop and put them in.
I've now got the ones they make to measure by doing a mould of your earhole. These have wires in to connect to music or intercom. Problem is if the other user of the intercom has ordinary ear plugs as it's difficult to get the sound level to suit both. Today I listened to a podcast of woman's hour on radio 4 8)
Anne
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a few ppl have sworn by those in ear moulded ones in the past and a few have sworn at them lol.
i might try to wear the cheap ones more offten and see if i can get more used to it. i didnt find them that uncumfortable but did find i got almost like a sound cutting in and out rymthicaly so i like the idea of a bag of assorment. but not seen them so will take a look.
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''I've now got the ones they make to measure by doing a mould of your earhole. These have wires in to connect to music or intercom. Problem is if the other user of the intercom has ordinary ear plugs as it's difficult to get the sound level to suit both. Today I listened to a podcast of woman's hour on radio 4
Anne''
Now I have found a time and place for ear plugs! time to turn Radio 4 off when woman's hour starts.
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I've always worn ear plugs since my return to motorcycling about 12 years ago. I suffer from tinitus, and didn't want to make it any worse. I have a standard silencer on my Fazer so it's the wind noise that's the problem. I buy them from Lucy Dell, having tried a trial pack first in order to find some suitable. I've tried the self moulding ones too, but found them worse than the normal type.
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Always use them for long stints in't saddle, hardly ever for short ones. Just use cheap sponge ones shoved in real good. RST cobra helmet not the best for wind noise. Roof diversion not much better. Amazing what else comes out with the plugs sometimes! :eek :D
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I get earplugs for nowt from work. Allways Have them in for m-ways and long distance.Not realy use them for short distance. They do however seem to give my ears a good clean out.
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I have been thinking about earplugs recently, will maybe try some cheap ones and if I like it I'll then go for some better ones. Has anyone seen these or tried them?
[url]http://www.diyearplugsonline.com/[/url] ([url]http://www.diyearplugsonline.com/[/url])
Tried them, hated them. Some people seem to like them though.
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Mate of mine paid (around 40 quid I think it was) for a set of hte custom made ones. Lost them first ride out :rollin :rollin :rollin
Nice cheapy ones work well for me, but the Howard Leight ones (as mentioned by somebody else) are far better than their price tag suggests. Dead comfy too :thumbup
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I usually wear them on longer runs, as others say I get them from work so cost nowt, do turn into a bit of a hooligan without them with the baffles out, think they must keep the brain cells in. :lol
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I always ride with plugs in. Okay I have been known to forget but if it's a long journey I will always stop to put them in.
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if you don't use good fitting plugs you WILL damage your hearing - and it's irreversible.
anything above a 30 limit and I'll wear mine. I use the orange Max ones, bought a box of 100 of ebay. Ive always had problems fitting one in my right ear and over the years have developed tinitus in that ear. actually depresses me sometimes when I'm lying in bed and it's quiet and all I can "hear" is the two tone ringing in my ear. wished I'd take more care.
tried the custom plugs a few years ago from the Scottish Bike Show - were OK until I tried them on my bike - hadn't been fitted correctly cos my lid pushed my ear back further than it was at the fitting. so they're useless on the bike. next helmet might be a schuberth (had AGV Q3 - good, Xlite 801 - ok, Shoei XR1000 - ok)
like eddie, I take them to gigs too.
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if you don't use good fitting plugs you WILL damage your hearing - and it's irreversible.
anything above a 30 limit and I'll wear mine. I use the orange Max ones, bought a box of 100 of ebay. Ive always had problems fitting one in my right ear and over the years have developed tinitus in that ear. actually depresses me sometimes when I'm lying in bed and it's quiet and all I can "hear" is the two tone ringing in my ear. wished I'd take more care.
tried the custom plugs a few years ago from the Scottish Bike Show - were OK until I tried them on my bike - hadn't been fitted correctly cos my lid pushed my ear back further than it was at the fitting. so they're useless on the bike. next helmet might be a schuberth (had AGV Q3 - good, Xlite 801 - ok, Shoei XR1000 - ok)
like eddie, I take them to gigs too.
This is exactly the issue I had with my custom fitted earplugs - absolutely wonderful off the bike - as soon as I used them on the bike my ears got moved somewhat by the helmet and they let in all/most of the noise/sound - so waste of £50 odd :(
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I found the cheap foam ones blocked out almost all sounds, and it was like riding deaf and it gave me a weird feeling - was riding faster because I couldn't hear revs. I got a set of Alpine mushroom type plugs that come with two inserts - for different db levels. They let in sound below the level that damages hearing, and block it out above. Much better for me. On long runs I found I was getting very tired from the wind noise before I started using ear plugs.
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I got given some that I think maybe Howard Leight, they are very good and block out nearly all noise, great for the motorway, wouldn't ride without them
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As others say its the air noise rather than the exhaust. Like others here I tried a few a now use Howard Leight SNR37 as they are comfortable and effective.
Even if I just pop down the road it feels odd not having them in.
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Just rode today and forgot my plugs. Bike sounded rough as &@£? But I like to ride with them better and as as started with them I found I was riding slower without but I am a newbie rider so that don't say much.
On the other hand I deal with noise for a living and would say never ride without them to protect your hearing. The damage caused is a slow process and you won't notice until it is to late.
Same goes for those that are in a band or DJs once the hearing is damaged it's damaged. Job done.
If you can afford get fitted ones or if not the foam/ free ones from work. I have a caberg lid that seems to have inbuilt noise at any speed. The sh&ty lid i had when on CBT was better for noise although I did nor hit the same speeds.
The pros wear them to protect their hearing and although it is much louder for them there is a good reason.
I may look into the moulded ones mentioned before and post back. I have moulded ones for sleeping on lads weekends away but the maker said they cancelled to much noise for riding but they are very comfortable but cost about £100 or so but will last a lifetime. Got them from specsavers and when I asked him about more expensive foam ones he said just get the cheap disposable ones as they are just as good.
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Been riding pretty much solidly for 30 years never used earplugs and still have pretty good hearing. For me I'd rather have all my senses in tact when riding, I've often picked up changes in road surface adhesion from hearing alone, and personally riding a bike is about having all my senses being stimulated.
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Ive always had problems fitting one in my right ear
I have the same problem with my right ear, never seems to be as easy as my left hand ear, don`t know if being left handed makes a difference.
Does anybody else have this problem?
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I NEVER USED TO USE THEM ooo sorry had ear plugs in !!!
I worked in engineering and had to wear ear defenders (and when married as wife snored soo loud!) but never bothered on my bike. now just back into biking and was wearing a ARAI Quantum E and didn't bother when i got my Fazer but just changeds to Shoie XspritII and landlady who has a R1 sugested a pair, i just use the cheap yellow disposable ones thay are good for using until they get to dirty!
I went on ride from Portsmouth to Falmouth to see a mate ggreat but when it came to return i'd lost them so had to suffer for 230 miles!! now i always check i have a spare pair in my pocket!
yes they do make everything sound different but once on a bike I found that it took the pain of wind noise away