Helmets and Wind Noise

rbjeepthing

rbjeepthing

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I'm looking for a quiet full face helmet and from what I have read the most common solution surrounding this is the chin spoiler and the actual shape of the helmet. I know first hand that the cost of a helmet never guarantee's the quietness as I have previously owned an Arai Profile and my spare HJC was quieter.

Right now I am riding with a KBC VR-4R and the wind noise is unbearable. Before I get told that it's a cheap helmet I know this which is why it was originally purchased as a motorsports helmet since my wife dropped my Arai Profile. I also can't wear ear plugs as I have a medical condition that prevents me doing so making that one out of the question unfortunately.

Please post in your responses what helmet you are recommending and what you are comparing it to or why you think it may be quieter then others.

Thanks in advance :)
 
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If your only concern is wind noise, ear plugs work wonders.
Seriously, give it a go!
 
2live&ride said:
If your only concern is wind noise, ear plugs work wonders.
Seriously, give it a go!
Click to expand...

I would never wear ear plugs while riding personally, I had a friend ride away with his bike making a terrible grinding sound after working on it...We were all yelling stop stop stop at the top of our lungs, and he could not hear us because he wears ear plugs...Bad idea IMO, yeah no wind noise, but you cant hear your bike or your surroundings either....
 
Try a thin balaclava, available at most bike shops.

Will cut down on the noise ever so slightly.
 
2live&ride said:
If your only concern is wind noise, ear plugs work wonders.
Seriously, give it a go!
Click to expand...

Thanks for your reply but next time read the original post where I stated I have a medical condition that doesn't allow this.

JohnnyP636 said:
I would never wear ear plugs while riding personally, I had a friend ride away with his bike making a terrible grinding sound after working on it...We were all yelling stop stop stop at the top of our lungs, and he could not hear us because he wears ear plugs...Bad idea IMO, yeah no wind noise, but you cant hear your bike or your surroundings either....
Click to expand...

Agreed however I know it's possible to have a helmet that has no /little wind noise with still being able to hear your surroundings. Wind noise is created around the profile of the helmet. Insulation or ear plugs can dampen it but ultimately it's a design flaw within the profile of the lid. Even a different windscreen on the bike makes a difference as it changes the air flow over the rider.

Englishj said:
Try a thin balaclava, available at most bike shops.

Will cut down on the noise ever so slightly.
Click to expand...

Tried it with lack luster results however my neck is now nice and toasty...lol
 
rbjeepthing said:
Thanks for your reply but next time read the original post where I stated I have a medical condition that doesn't allow this.



Agreed however I know it's possible to have a helmet that has no /little wind noise with still being able to hear your surroundings. Wind noise is created around the profile of the helmet. Insulation or ear plugs can dampen it but ultimately it's a design flaw within the profile of the lid. Even a different windscreen on the bike makes a difference as it changes the air flow over the rider.



Tried it with lack luster results however my neck is now nice and toasty...lol
Click to expand...

I find that there is always a trade off with helmets for wind noise and keeping cool via venting.. Any helmet that has no wind noise it going to be hot, because moving air through the helmet is the way to keep you cool....You just cant have one without the other

Personally I dont mind wind noise, keeping cool in the summer heat is more important... And I especially like hearing my bikes engine as I ride, I rely on that feedback to ride....
 
If your helmet doesn't fit right you will get a lot more wind noise also.
 
I've worn 3 types of helmets through my riding career and by far my favourite helmet was a Shark helmet. It was quieter then my KJC and Icon. Just my 2 cents
 
I have a windjammer. One of those things that goes around the bottom of the helmet and closes the bottom of the helmet off. I only put it on when it's cold outside since it's a bit of a pain to put the helmet on and off with it and it keeps my chin/neck warm.

It cuts wind noise down some. More on my noisy Joe Rocket helmet than it does on my less noisy EXO-750.

You can get them off e-bay. 'windjammer helmet'.

Your medical condition won't allow any kind of ear plugs, or just the foam ones? I've lost a lot of hearing from not wearing earplugs while riding over the years. I just started in the last few year wearing ear protection.
 
I have just purchased a Shark Evoline 2 which is reasonaby quiet when closed up, but horrendously noisy when the visor is up.
 
I have the same problem with my current helmet.

Don't get an AGV S-4 = NOISY

I'm thinking of a Shoei Qwest for my next brain bucket

They brag about the quietness... until someone buys...we'll never know
 
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^Unfortunately I can't wear any due to an issue with the inner ear make up. If I do I have extreme cases of vertigo. Has something to do with the fluid in the passage ways of the ear.
 
I have an HJC CL-16, it's reasonable but if I put my hand flat across the chin of the helmet I noticed a large drop in wind noise so I picked up a chin curtain for $4 from Parts Canada.
 
Just buy a Shoei!
Bring $400 bucks (for black).
I've been wearing Shoei for 35 years and I can still hear okay...
Shoei is the ONLY quiet helmet.
Arai is not quiet! Who told you that?
They are a racing helmet and are very light and short (ie. do not come down towards your shoulders).
Arai fits (me) funny and I could never find the comfort I get from Shoei.
Guys, you've only got 1 head, and you want to ride motorcycles...
You need a Shoei! See; it's simple.
If you can't afford a Shoei, you basically can't afford motorcycling.
(I have one word for you: Metropass.)
Will you have permanent, irreversible hearing damage in 35 years?
C'mon, that's gotta be worth a few hundred bucks...
Just pay.
People who say they 'can't afford' a Shoei, they're just not seeing the big picture.
Regards
 
angelocardoc said:
I have the same problem with my current helmet. Don't get an AGV S-4 = NOISYI'm thinking of a Shoei Qwest for my next brain bucketThey brag about the quietness... until someone buys...we'll never know
Click to expand...
I just bought a qwest at kahuna powersports. it was in their year end sale and they gave me a discount on top of the discount because i bought my bike there. unfortunately i cant tell you how it is for noise because everything is in storage now
 
rbjeepthing said:
^Unfortunately I can't wear any due to an issue with the inner ear make up. If I do I have extreme cases of vertigo. Has something to do with the fluid in the passage ways of the ear.
Click to expand...
Have you tried googling for earplugs made for your condition or something like it? Also, is it based on pressure and the earplug not allowing it to escape or air to flow into the ear? If so, you might want to try perforating small holes into an earplug and see if that helps.

Otherwise, I'm reading this thread. My Arai helmet is fairly loud even with my headphones in.
 
I purchased a Shoei Qwest last winter and wore it all season. I always wear earplugs but tried it out a few times without them just to hear how load it was. I found that it was no better than my Shark lid. Once you add earplugs to the equation, my experience is there is no real difference between helmets.

Does your medical condition preclude you from wearing custom earplugs? They aren't inserted as far into the ear as foam ones.
 
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