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I`ve herd others talk of wearing ear plugs to help save their hearing, but never thought my bike was that loud or that it was needed! Then on a wim yesterday I wore a pair home from work. WOW!!! the only thing I couldn't hear was wind blast and my pipe! I could hear however , my intake growl, my chian whirr. valve train and lots of other things that I've never herd before while riding! I could actually hear more of the world around me.
So......was wondering if any one else wears them and have any other thoughts or input????

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CBR929-jardine race can, down 1, polished frame and swing arm,wheels polished, HELI bars, Sargent seat, Puig racing screen

Yep, every day.  I commute 80 miles a day and am WAY less tired after the ride than before I started wearing them.  I have spare pairs stashed all over the bike & in jacket pockets.

Plus, I work at a construction company so's they're "free".

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2006 CBR600F4i - Corbin saddle, Puig double bubble, PCIII

younghutch:

Plus, I work at a construction company so's they're "free".

I'm definitely going to have to try that...my dad's a machine operator, so I can get some pretty good ones for 'free' as well.

religiously.  the only time i don't wear them is if i forget.  and if i'm going on a long trip, once i start and realize i've forgotten them, i'll turn around to get them.  for those of you who can't get them free, they're pretty dirt cheap at any drug store.  like $5 for 12 pair or something, IIRC.

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"I'm sorry our president is an idiot. I didn't vote for him."

B/Y 04 F4i - CW fender eliminator, Clear Alternatives signal integrator, Watsen Design LED front signals, Vortex frame sliders, LP dark smoke windscreen, Micron high mount CF exhaust, DG8 gear indicator, GPR stabilizer, Galfer SS brake lines, Öhlins PRCLS rear, PCIIIr, Custom map, Pazzo adjustable levers.

i think the idea with the earplugs is not to mask out the noise of the motorcycle itself which is usually not too bad in our realm of things.

its to decrease wind noise generated that really is the bothersom and harmful part to your hearing.

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2006 Honda CBR600F4i

I agree competely. I was just afraid that. plugs would remove to much of the feel from the ride. I also get my plugs for free from work. and they are the max in deadning potential that my company purchases (nr34 rated) . might even be the max availible, I'm not sure. But they realy improved the feel and quality of my ride. thought it would be good to get a post out on the subject so others would get the chance to find out for themselves.....
Thanks for posting every one, I never thought every post would be positive! I was expecting at least one nay-sayer.

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CBR929-jardine race can, down 1, polished frame and swing arm,wheels polished, HELI bars, Sargent seat, Puig racing screen

I rode with some earlier...and wow, it's definitely nice to have them in.  The only problem with having them in is that I use the engine noise to judge my speed, so I was going 15-20mph over w/o realizing it.

In town I don't think I'll wear them much, but at cruising speeds, they helped tremendously and I could actually hear once I got off my bike.

SoCal_F4i:

religiously.  the only time i don't wear them is if i forget.  and if i'm going on a long trip, once i start and realize i've forgotten them, i'll turn around to get them.  for those of you who can't get them free, they're pretty dirt cheap at any drug store.  like $5 for 12 pair or something, IIRC.

 

Here's about 200 pair on Evilbay  for $25 with free shipping, that should last ya a while (hehe)...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220125170793&ssPageName=MERC_VI_RCRX_Pr4_PcY_BIN_Stores_IT&refitem=220125168992&itemcount=4&refwidgetloc=active_view_item&usedrule1=CrossSell_LogicX&refwidgettype=cross_promot_widget

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'98 F3
Corbin Saddle
Micron Slip-On
Jet Kit
K&N Air Filter
Dunlop Qualifiers
Thrust Company 14/45 sprockets
Custom Paint
Pit-Eck Double-Bubble windscreen

"Nitrous is like a hooker. Ya wanna hit it, but you're afraid of the consequences."

Started wearing them this summer after getting a new job that required a much longer commute. Now I ride with then religiously. Huge difference in comfort. I think it helps my concentration. I'm also more relaxed on the bike.

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98 F3 | -1(can't decide whether I like +1 or -1 best) Front | Speedohealer |
| K&N Filter | D&D Exhaust | Stage 1 Jet Kit | Shaved Tail | Integrated Rear Signals | Red Pazzo Shorty Levers |



It is not death that you should fear,
but you should fear never beginning to live.
(Marcus Aurelius)

I wear earplugs all the time and hate it when I forget.  I too stash spare pairs in my gear and on the bikes I ride.  I use a pair a day then throw then away as they get dirty after multiple inserts. The eBay deal looks good; they even have other quantities available.  I like the fact that they look individually wrapped for hygiene proposes. 

 

Moonwalker:

I wear earplugs all the time and hate it when I forget.  I too stash spare pairs in my gear and on the bikes I ride.  I use a pair a day then throw then away as they get dirty after multiple inserts. The eBay deal looks good; they even have other quantities available.  I like the fact that they look individually wrapped for hygiene proposes. 

 

 

Hmm, a pair a day - 200 days - not bad. But I usually use mine a couple days until they get dirty. I only insert and take out maybe 2 times a day. Once on my way to work, and once on my way home... So that would last me a long while...

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'98 F3
Corbin Saddle
Micron Slip-On
Jet Kit
K&N Air Filter
Dunlop Qualifiers
Thrust Company 14/45 sprockets
Custom Paint
Pit-Eck Double-Bubble windscreen

"Nitrous is like a hooker. Ya wanna hit it, but you're afraid of the consequences."

wear them 99% of the time.  I noticed my hearing starting to go from the droning etc after one year of riding.  Makes the ride more pleasant and less fatigue.

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Mawfaki #6
Nesba #819

I'm not Asian... I'm rice-enhanced

I used to ride with disposable ear plugs until I got a pair of these made at a motorcycle show:

http://www.earinc.com/p1-nonelectronic-chameleon.php

Wow!,  What a difference.  Comfortable, and they stay in, and greatly reduce noise!  I never ride without them

I've always worn ear plugs & the only time I don't is if I've lost them & already used the spare pair stashed for emargencies which I've forgotten to replace

It is the wind noise that causes the damage to your hearing-as little 10min at 40mph can result in a permanent hearing loss. I can't remember the exact figure unfortunately.

I use the yellow foam E.A.R disposable plugs. As long as they are made to EN352-2 standard then you should be ok. I bought a box of 250 pairs which I figured would be enough for around five years of riding. I have a new pair every week & use them when using power tools around the house too. Proper fitting of earplugs is essential if they are to provide the stated level of protection. Just stuffing them in your ears straight out of the packet is no good. The plug should be rolled between  finger & thumb to compress it and then inserted in the ear canal. Keep your finger against the end of the plug & allow it to expand & make a good seal, this will ensure adequate protection for you.  

The moulded ear plugs that are available as an option are great in that they are reusable but also provide a custom fit. However, please be aware that the soft silicon moulded type do shrink and lose their effectiveness (i.e. Protection)after a while. The silicon mould is normally the the first step in getting a pair of cast plugs made & should not be regarded as a permanent protection. If you want this then go the whole hog & get a set of cast plugs made that will truly last a lifetime-or until you lose them. I have a set of these with a noise filter built into them. You can carry on  a normal conversation with them fitted but once the noise reaches a certain level, the sound waves cancel themselves out & your hearing is protected. 

I spent alot of time researching this as I used to spend alot of time on shooting ranges where you needed to be able to protect your hearing & also listen for range commands etc. For anyone who is familiar with IPSC/action pistol events, these plugs even coped with the ferocious noise from the 9x25 round...

 

Sometimes I wear them, sometimes I don't.  I should wear them every time I ride, since I already have a hereditary high frequency hearing loss that showed up when I was a sophmore in high school.  I've lost 65 db at 2000 hz in my left ear and 60 db at 2000 hz in my right ear.  That's right at the point of most women and childrens voices.  My weaker left ear rings constantly.  My problem with ear plugs is, the sounds that you all can hear while wearing ear plugs, I can barely hear without them due to my bad hearing.  So, with ear plugs in, I have trouble hearing sirens, other vehicles or traffic, etc.  I still should wear them everytime I ride to keep my hearing from getting worse.  Both my ears ring for days, left ear just rings louder, after a long ride without them.

I wear the foam type at work, and when I ride wearing them, I use the x-mas tree type like these http://earplugstore.stores.yahoo.net/holesmreearp.html.  They work, are reusable, can be cleaned, and are very inexpensive at Lowes, Home Depot, or stores that sell building materials and power tools.  Some have a string attaching them together.  Just pull it out or cut it off for use under a helmet.

I definitely recommend that everyone wear some type of hearing protection while riding, using power tools, weedeaters, mowers, etc.....or you may end up needing to wear hearing aids like me.  Anytime your ears ring for a while after riding or after any other extended exposures to loud noise, you've done damage to your hearing.  Once you lose all or part of it due to excessive noise, nothing can bring it back.  Can't be corrected by surgery........NOTHING WILL BRING IT BACK.  Hearing aids will correct a partial loss to a point.  I can hear things I haven't heard in years with them, but the sound from them is not natural.  I did without them for years, then finally broke down and got fitted because I was missing so much, not being able to hear what my grandkids were saying most of the time.

Don't mean to rant, but take it from someone who knows what it's like to have trouble hearing.  Spend the $2 or so and save your hearing.

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'05 CBR600F4i
PCIII USB
-1 Front +2 Rear/Speedohealer
Various screens according to my mood
Hindle Hi Mount slip on oval supersport core
K & N air filter
Matris M3 Damper
Vortex Rearsets
BRG Racing 1/5 turn throttle
Pit-Eck undertail and hugger