Reducing helmet noise...

[silent_vik]

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excellent thread.
earplugs definetely help but sometimes im in too much of a hurry to get out that i forget to put them on. the ones are really good at blocking alot of noise, start to hurt ears after awhile. i dont listen to music when i ride, so earbuds will be a no go. but the windjammer thing looks like it will do the trick.

any local shops carry Windjammer or something like it?

 

[Kri$han]

I have a SharkRSI and I put a Windjammer on it. A little awkward getting it on and off but it does what you mention, cuts off the flow of turbulent air up into the helmet from below.

It will work a bit but you should really go for the earbud option in addition and swallow a few times and pinch your nose and blow to equalise the pressure.

Edit: Here's a link http://www.amazon.co.uk/WINDJAMMER-REDUCES-Helmets-original-Worldwide/dp/B003FHLNVK it still leaves your neck bare to stay cool.

Just FYI: The Shoei RF1100 comes with a similar version of this, but perhaps not as tightly fitting to the neck. It's meant for cold weather, but I use it year-round to keep the noise levels down.

It will undoubtedly make your helmet hotter, but that combined with earplugs are the best way to go. Like others have mentioned, try different plugs; there are SO many styles that one of them will fit your ear canal best. I find road noise to be VERY loud, so by shutting out the loudest sounds, I can actually hear what's around me better.

I've been riding with earplugs since my very first season; I cherish my hearing, so I'll never ride above 80km/h w/o them

 

[mimico_polak]

I'll def try out ear plugs then as it does get very tiring with all that noise going through...I work in mfg so I'll start with the cheapo disposable ones that expand in the ear I put on before the plant...last I tried them I couldn't hear a damn thing! LoL

 

[slowpoke]

The windjammer may work better with some helmets than others. On my HJC there was virtually no difference in wind noise and with the added force needed to get it on and off, I didn't use it long. If anyone wants to try it let me know. It can be taken off and on a few more times before the sticky surface will start to fade.

 

[rmemedic]

I'll dig my sure fire plugs out of my shooting kit and try those.
The issue is t pressure from the plugs in the canal, but an actual barometric feeling in my inner ear.

I rode once with mx helmet and the wind noise was so much quieter.. I enjoyed the ride a lot more.

 

[djez]

The pressure isn't an inner ear pressure that would be cleared with a valsva maneuver, it's more like its in my cranium. Very uncomfortable, I made it maybe a km with ear buds before I took them out.

Ill look up the wind jammer and see if it helps in conjunction with a new wind screen.

Im installing a sena smh5 so ear buds/plugs won't work.

I cant use my sena w/out wearing ear plugs at speed more than 80kph. At speed its all wind noise. Try different earplugs and make sure to wear them properly.my next purchase will be the molded earplug.
For the equalization of pressure just chew a gum

 

[rmemedic]

It's a different pressure than you experience changing elevation.
I did some reading and it appears to be "Bone conduction" of pressure, taken from vibration and wind buffeting that I'm sensing. The plugs are ok until I get up around 100.

 

[lbjgh]

Anyone have a source for the urethane form fitted ear plugs in the gta?

I find ear plugs really reduce fatigue on long rides.

 

[dirtbag]

Medic

The answer is to cut off about 3 inches from the top of your windscreen.

I too have an FZ6 (2006) and it's about the noisiest bike of the 9 or 10 I've owned. But I got this idea from the FZ6 site and it works. Instead of dumping turbulent air into your face it dumps it into your chest and things are much quieter.

Next time out stand up on the pegs - if things get quieter your raising your head out of the turbulence from the windsrceen and into the smooth free flowing air above. Since cutting my screen there is very little difference now in noise level when I stand on the pegs.

 

[SabreDerek]

Anyone have a source for the urethane form fitted ear plugs in the gta?

I find ear plugs really reduce fatigue on long rides.

This season I splurged and went for the molded one's and really like them. I found the disposable one's actually reduce wind noise a little bit more but I have been having problems with them coming out while riding. I have used disposable for years when sleeping for night shift and have the same problem while sleeping.
The disposable pop in easily and help reduce the noise.

I got mine made by a hearing aid place in Oshawa. I don't remember the name right now but it is in the Wal-Mart superstore by Stephenson & Champlain. In the same mall but not connected to WM. They take a mold with a putty and send them out. About a week later I got these silicone looking plugs that fit great, I wasn't allowed to take them till I showed I could put them in and remove them, Wife says this is the same practice for contact lenses. Cost just over $100 I think.

 

[xflying]

just buy a better helmet !!

 

[NealT]

Maybe I'm missing something so correct me if I'm wrong...but doesn't wearing ear plugs prevent you from hearing what's going on around you which could be missing a car/bike/anything coming up on your side?
I don't do a lot of highway and the bike's not that loud so the biggest noise in my helmet (Bell Vortex) is the wind...and the Vortex is not quiet at all. I'll probably pick up a new one for next season and keep this one as a passenger helmet.

First off, hearing loss is permanent and no you aren't indestructible . I never ride without earplugs I have regular ear canals so the standard 33npr foam ones work great for me. That being said, you have to get used to them. The first time you use them might feel weird as though you got tossed into a sound proof room, don't worry just relax and listen...you will have to change how you instinctively used to differentiate noises when it's a constant rock concert in your ears.

You can hear everything that matters without a problem and that includes sirens, ticks in your engine, etc. What you will find is you are much more alert and way less fatigued mentally and that ringing in your ears hopefully goes away. If it doesn't despite the peace, congrats you now have the start of or are well into permanent hearing damage.

 

[MacDoc]

+1 yup

 

[NealT]

+1 yup

hey, was that you at the forks last night around 6 ish? I saw a Burgman650 parked up against the wall and figured it might have been you on the laptop. Would have said hi but you looked like you didn't want to be disturbed, though very comfy

 

[MacDoc]

Yup sure was - you can always interrupt - I'm on the lappie all the time and happy to chat.
It's my northern office.

 

[NealT]

Yup sure was - you can always interrupt - I'm on the lappie all the time and happy to chat.
It's my northern office.

I will next time for sure, there were only three of us in there at the time, the other rider was well ensconced in his chair and talking with the two nice young women from the store

 

[RodneyBR]

First off, hearing loss is permanent and no you aren't indestructible . I never ride without earplugs I have regular ear canals so the standard 33npr foam ones work great for me. That being said, you have to get used to them. The first time you use them might feel weird as though you got tossed into a sound proof room, don't worry just relax and listen...you will have to change how you instinctively used to differentiate noises when it's a constant rock concert in your ears.

You can hear everything that matters without a problem and that includes sirens, ticks in your engine, etc. What you will find is you are much more alert and way less fatigued mentally and that ringing in your ears hopefully goes away. If it doesn't despite the peace, congrats you now have the start of or are well into permanent hearing damage.

Totally agree and wear ear plugs most of the time, unless I forget and if I do I usually stop to pop em in. I find they cut unwanted noise and thus tuning me in. That being said, they can be a pain, literally and take time to put in.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

 

[fyrebug]

For anyone considering custom molded earplugs please don't get ripped off. $50 or $100 is insane.
you can buy a set of radions on ebay for $8-15. it's a silicon that you mix up. feels like play doh, very easy to use.
most of those custom earplug places probably just use it. it's not rocket science or a skill. you mix it up, squish it into your ear, smooth it out, 10 minutes later you have custom ear plugs.
you can even mold them around headphones if you want. there's lots of video tutorials.

OP, I know what you mean about the buffeting. I got an MRA xscreen. haven't tried it yet. it just clips onto the stock screen when you need it to and breaks up the air and redirects it. twisted throttle sells them.

 

[rmemedic]

Still haven't found a wind jammer to buy yet, but after playing around with my helmet, I'm sure it's all I will need.

The other day, I was riding and the inside of my knee was on the frame of my bike and I heard this almost mechanical buzzing noise. Moved my knee and it was gone, put the knee back and it returned. Proof that we can pick up noise from the bike itself just by bone conduction. Sort of interesting!

 

[SabreDerek]

For anyone considering custom molded earplugs please don't get ripped off. $50 or $100 is insane.
you can buy a set of radions on ebay for $8-15. it's a silicon that you mix up. feels like play doh, very easy to use.
most of those custom earplug places probably just use it. it's not rocket science or a skill. you mix it up, squish it into your ear, smooth it out, 10 minutes later you have custom ear plugs.
you can even mold them around headphones if you want. there's lots of video tutorials.

I beg to differ on this. I Bought the mix it your self kit year before last. Followed the instructions and it worked great for the first half of the summer. Then one ear stopped fitting right and thus allowed the wind noise. Was worse last spring. Also my kit ones started showing dirt very quickly; washing only got so much off as they were porous surface.

The professional ones are a smooth silicone type material. Had a late start to the season but have been wearing them to sleep during the day when on night shift and seem good.

I guess in the long run it would be cheaper in the long run to buy several sets of the home kit and make a new one very month.....

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