Ear Plugs / Ear Protectors

[emirharley]

I have the number of motorcycle catalogs on my table: J&P Cycles, Dennis Kirk, Biker's Choice....... In all these catalogs I can see that all ear plugs/ear protection are "closed" type ear plugs, and no one has "channel" or puncture through its body. Using these type of ear plugs/ear protectors, a biker can hear almost nothing and is more or less deaf. My question is: are these ear plugs/ear protection supposed to have some kind of small "opening", or small puncture, or some kind of "channel" just to enable biker to hear at least something, and to avoid that "counter-pressure"? Or the use of these "closed type" is OK?

Best

emirharley
"Sarajevo Bikers Club" MC
www.sarajevobikersclub.ba
-----------------------------------------------------
2001 Harley-Davidson Road King Classic FLHRCI HDI EFI
Screamin' Eagle Stage One Kit
RevTech DFO Stealth Performance System
Screamin' Eagle Performance Mufflers
(Set two: Wild Pig Pipes, 2" baffles)
Ape Hanger
Back Rest
Kuryakyn Spider Light
...
et cetera
..
.

[MilesToGo]

I've experimented with several different type of plugs. I like the cheap "roll-up" type the best. They do a good job of blocking the wind noise but i can still hear the things i need to hear - like my pipes

[eglide1]

Originally Posted by emirharley

I have the number of motorcycle catalogs on my table: J&P Cycles, Dennis Kirk, Biker's Choice....... In all these catalogs I can see that all ear plugs/ear protection are "closed" type ear plugs, and no one has "channel" or puncture through its body. Using these type of ear plugs/ear protectors, a biker can hear almost nothing and is more or less deaf. My question is: are these ear plugs/ear protection supposed to have some kind of small "opening", or small puncture, or some kind of "channel" just to enable biker to hear at least something, and to avoid that "counter-pressure"? Or the use of these "closed type" is OK?

Best

emirharley
"Sarajevo Bikers Club" MC
www.sarajevobikersclub.ba
-----------------------------------------------------
2001 Harley-Davidson Road King Classic FLHRCI HDI EFI
Screamin' Eagle Stage One Kit
RevTech DFO Stealth Performance System
Screamin' Eagle Performance Mufflers
(Set two: Wild Pig Pipes, 2" baffles)
Ape Hanger
Back Rest
Kuryakyn Spider Light
...
et cetera
..
.

The kind that you roll up and insert in your ear are the best. they are like an expanding foam. They only block a certain range of decibles. you can still hear most everything, radio, horns, engine,etc.
But they block the wind real well. your ears won't ring at night after riding a 500 mile day
Don't get the kind with a plastic end that sticks out, they transmit the wind noise through the plugs.

[DeaconK]

I have a custom pair of E.A.R plugs that I had made at a rally. They inject your ears with a silicone that hardens. They are absolutely PERFECT. I have ridden 700 miles at a stretch while wearing them. I'm able to hear my tunes and all of the "necessary" noise while avoiding the wind. Having an 80db loss already, I need all of the protection that I can get.

[TJW]

I use the roll up foam ones they work good for me. I also have a detachable windshield and the few times I use it I don't need the ear plugs.

[FredGarvin]

I think I've used every kind, including custom made, and found these to be the best. Comfortable and very effective (NR34) at reducing harsh exhaust and wind noise, yet don't block out the necessary sounds....and these last forever.

http://www.earplugsonline.com/index.html

[gunnut]

To the point of the original post.
Earplugs do not need the 'channel' you speak of. Articles have been written showing that you actually hear better with ear plugs than if you wear nothing. Something about how your hearing shuts down or de-sensitizes due to prolonged exposure.
My personal experience proves this to be true. I can ride for extended periods at highway speed, complete with the VH Big Radius pipes, no helmet or windshield, come to a stop and clearly hear my riding buds comments.
I'm a big fan of plugs. I wear them when mowing the lawn, shooting, using leaf blower, chainsaw, shooting and shooting.
Did I mention shooting?

I figure I'm as deaf as I care to be.

[FlaFatBoy]

Originally Posted by gunnut

To the point of the original post.
Earplugs do not need the 'channel' you speak of. Articles have been written showing that you actually hear better with ear plugs than if you wear nothing. Something about how your hearing shuts down or de-sensitizes due to prolonged exposure.
My personal experience proves this to be true. I can ride for extended periods at highway speed, complete with the VH Big Radius pipes, no helmet or windshield, come to a stop and clearly hear my riding buds comments.
I'm a big fan of plugs. I wear them when mowing the lawn, shooting, using leaf blower, chainsaw, shooting and shooting.
Did I mention shooting?

I figure I'm as deaf as I care to be.

I use em' for everything too...would'nt ride without them as the wind noise really irritates the sh!t out of me.

[84FXRP]

I use the foam ear plugs for riding, the same type as I use for shooting.

[bonnie john]

my gals thighs ...

[txhawg]

Huh?

[emirharley]

Originally Posted by DeaconK

I have a custom pair of E.A.R plugs that I had made at a rally. They inject your ears with a silicone that hardens. They are absolutely PERFECT. I have ridden 700 miles at a stretch while wearing them. I'm able to hear my tunes and all of the "necessary" noise while avoiding the wind. Having an 80db loss already, I need all of the protection that I can get.

Thanks guys for your great comments!

DeaconK, I have also just discovered that I have gotten an 80db loss, as well as an 45db loss in my left ear! Fortunatelly, the frequency between 1000 Hz and 3000 Hz ("mid range" frequency of human talk) is OK. So, I have exactly the same pair of ear plugs (actually, two pairs). BUT, I got them only for sleeping purpose, i.e. when I put these ear plugs in my ears I can hear nothing. Almost nothing, maybe 95% of the noise is reduced.

So, since these ear plugs, yours and mine, are made from silicone and obviuously fill TOTALLY ear(s) and "block" almost all of the noise, don't you think that I/we should dril some kind of opening/channel/puncture in the ear plugs' boddies? Or just to leave them alone and to fill 100% of our ears, i.e. to totally close our ears with silicone?

emirharley
"Sarajevo Bikers Club" MC
www.sarajevobikersclub.ba
-----------------------------------------------------
2001 Harley-Davidson Road King Classic FLHRCI HDI EFI
Screamin' Eagle Stage One Kit
RevTech DFO Stealth Performance System
Screamin' Eagle Performance Mufflers
(Set two: Wild Pig Pipes, 2" baffles)
Ape Hanger
Back Rest
Kuryakyn Spider Light
...
et cetera
..
.

[wkohn]

Originally Posted by FredGarvin

I think I've used every kind, including custom made, and found these to be the best. Comfortable and very effective (NR34) at reducing harsh exhaust and wind noise, yet don't block out the necessary sounds....and these last forever.

http://www.earplugsonline.com/index.html

These have a VERY good noise reduction rating.

[billgran]

I've got a question for those who ride in mountain areas with earplugs:

As the altitude changes do you find that you feel the pressure changes and have to "vent" the earplugs? I'm concerned about the "rubber" ones with ribs that insert into the ear but have no way to adjust for the pressure differential.

Since I ride in flatland sea level Florida I haven't had that problem, but want to do some Carolina mountain riding later this year, that's why I'm asking.

[whoop72]

No change in the mountains. I'm in Colorado. By the way,if anyone wants a box of the earplugsonline, I will sell them cheap. I don't like them at all.