Helmets and hearing loss

[Zombie Master]

http://www.motorcycleinsurance.org/moto ... ring-loss/

[ME 109]

WHAT'S IT ABOUT ZM?
I'VE HAD THAT MANY BUGS IN MY EYES FROM MOTORCYCLING, I CAN"T READ IT.

[Steve in Golden]

It is indeed very loud at highway speeds on a motorcycle, with or without a helmet.

So are they trying to say it would be quieter without a helmet? That has not been my experience. I've ridden without a helmet on rare occasions. The wind blast in my ears is unbearably loud at highway speeds without a helmet. I don't see how those hard core manly Harley dudes ride without them. I guess they must all be stone deaf.

[Zombie Master]

WHAT'S IT ABOUT ZM?
I'VE HAD THAT MANY BUGS IN MY EYES FROM MOTORCYCLING, I CAN"T READ IT.

Well it was sent to me. I guess the problem is that sound pressure is transmitted from the helmet directly to the bones in the head. I always wear earplug or noise canceling ear buds. I'm sure helmet design will improve greatly in the future.

[Sibbo]

I just bought a new lid at considerable expense to management .A Shoei TZ-X.It's brilliant , quiet without ear plugs but with those yellow foamy things it's just plain silent .For viewers of Top Gear , i now look like the Stig .

The best helmet I've ever owned and money very well spent .
Some of you might remember me wingeing about helmet noise a while ago ...it was all from a poor fit in my last helmet .It had been good to start with but the foam had slowly collapsed and the wind was getting up the back of the thing and ROARING !!! It's a noise I bloody hate , it eats away at my fun and one a long ride makes me wonder what the hell I'm doing it for !!!

That has stopped ,ceased and disappeared ! Blisssssss !!! I'm enjoying it again !



Edited to add ... the article is crap .With a well fitted helmet the noise levels are amazingly low !

[Scot]

The wind blast in my ears is unbearably loud at highway speeds without a helmet. I don't see how those hard core manly Harley dudes ride without them.

Simple, Steve.

They don't ride at "highway speeds."

[Deleted User 62]

The wind blast in my ears is unbearably loud at highway speeds without a helmet. I don't see how those hard core manly Harley dudes ride without them.

Simple, Steve.

They don't ride at "highway speeds."

That made me laugh. I was on a ride with my buddies the other day, with helmets we were going 70mph+ up to 90mph at times. Leaving Hilo, they both decided to ride without helmets... suddenly the top speed was 55mph! After the next stop, both their helmets went back on.... lol!

[MCboston]

I've read in a motorcycle magazine years ago that 4 hours of riding without earplugs in any 24hr period will cause permanent hearing damage even if those 4 hours are spread out over the 24hrs. It is the low frequencies we don't hear coming mostly from the road and wind that cause the damage. Even good fitting helmets still transmit those frequencies to the eardrums.
Anyways, I don't always remember to plug up but usually do.
I just bought a 1992 R100GS which I absolutely love.

[Duane Ausherman]

So, after a 1/4 million miles of riding with a helmet, what did you say?

[Chuey]

So, after a 1/4 million miles of riding with a helmet, what did you say?

Huh?

Chuey