I use earplugs if I leave London. I used to use the Max Leight Max lite green ones. Now I use the 'rhubarb and custard' Laser Lite ones which are slightly smaller and comfier for me. I like being able to throw them away at the end of the day. They're quite cheap off Amazon.
I use the foam throwaways and get them from work .i find it impossible to ride even half a mile without them I have a yoshi can btbh I could not hear it for the wind noise and also due to either noise at work or indeed when I first got bikes my hearing is damaged and there is a massive link between wind noise and tinitus.
See I always argued its more than just wind noise. My father and other bikers I know have spent up to 50+ years on bikes with helmets that were not designed To restrict any wind noise but still have perfect hearing. It's only after I started doing engineering that my ears Started giving me jip. Since I stopped working in that Industry I haven't had the ringing in my ears at night.
Never used them, would hate not being able to hear exhaust, would consider them on a long motorway run
I don't disagree as I am in construction and more likely that's the cause but there was a good article in a super bike mag clearly explaining a link and as I remember it said wind noise was a massive issue.For me it is to late and now have the constant whistling in the right ear plus although my hearing is not to bad after 50mph onwards and although I have a top helmet all I can hear is wind and very little exhaust note so for me the protectors are a no brainier .look after yourselves dudes as you get no warning.
Couldn't ride any distance without them. Now and then I pop out and forget to fit some and by the time I've gone a few hundred yards I have to turn back and fit a pair. I don't know the figures but I'd suspect the noise levels at speed under a helmet are beyond what you'd be allowed to endure for any length of time at work. I also use them a lot in bed (in my ears, before anybody asks!) and I find it makes a difference there too. Tried most types and most are good but I would like to try some custom made ones.
I think the first few times you use them it feels completely alien and many riders don't persevere but it's well worth sticking with it in my opinion. I started using them years ago but only on long distance motorway trips then just carried on using them. There's a theory that using them makes you ride smoother and I tend to agree with this, you feel the engines power and don't even need to look at the rev counter.
It's the sound pressure, the decibels that cause the problem. In a previous incarnation I worked in an environment that didn't even pay lip service to Health and Safety and living underneath industrial extraction has left me with tinnitus that even dogs can hear when they're stood close enough. But for all that I can't wear earplugs when riding. I've tried, but they leave me feeling too detached from the sensory input that I've become too accustomed to and it makes me feel uncomfortable. If I feel uncomfortable I can't ride as I'd like and that makes me feel unsafe. So despite understanding the requirement I just can't wear them.
I never ride without ear plugs. I use Howard Leight Laser Lite ones. Haven't found any that are more comfortable and give a good level of sound attenuation. The principal reason that I use these though is because there are open boxes of them lying all around the place at work and nobody gives a stuff if I help myself to a fistful of them
i'm sort of in same boat i've got a mate who can get me as many as i want when i want all for sweet FA but was considering custom made if they'd offer better comfort and overall results as i can't ride without them. i once done a trip to Henly and while stopping at the garage for fuel i removed them , on going to pop them back in i'm f*ked if i could find one of them , tried going on with just the 1 and couldn't do it so had to go to next garage go to toilet and screw some tissue up and plug that in there
after living with the whinging misses for over 20 years the blade with the yoshi or the tuono with akro is music to my ears so never wear them. lol
I thought I'd have a pop at the R&G self mould ones as I couldn't get on with the disposable type. I'm really happy with them and you get enough 'stuff' to make a third plug (or a practice one). I ride with them all the time now, but if I forget to put them in I can't believe how noisy the wind is.
Specsavers do a moulded plug if you fancy that sort of thing. Don't think it takes that long. I looked into doing them before but to be honest I don't have any problems with the squidgie ones so I just carried on using them.
I bought a job lot of disposable pink and yellow ones from eBay. They come sealed as pairs in little baggies, which I've got stashed in all of my jackets and bags Anything over about 20 mins at motorway speeds starts to become unpleasant. Weird, was always fine without until I got to my late 30's.
Have two sets of moulded ear plugs, one set has earphones so I can listen to music, I wear these in bed to drown out Mrs Smilers snoring
I bought these DIY plugs before R&G got there hand to them and they are ok but found that the cheap throw aways did a better job after a few months
