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Motorcycle.com on Ear Plugs

I went for a ride with my brothers Christian "gang" last weekend. Everyone on cruisers, no wind protection, half helmets and no earplugs. I keep telling my brother to wear ear protection.
It's like he can't hear me or something...ba dump bump.
I either wear foam plugs, or listen to music with some good ear plugs -they actually work pretty good even when the music stops. I also have an HJC CL-16 that fits very well.
 
i use etymotic (sp) ear plugs. I got them made for me at a bike show one yr, for a decent price.
I can still hear the engine, and other sounds around me, but the sounds are definitely
not as loud.
its amazing the difference when I don't wear them, if I'm just running up to the store, or
close by.
 
I have relatively short rides when I commute (10-15 min) to work and I have been neglecting putting the ear plugs in, but when I know if will ride farther I do put them in my ears.
 
When you’re old like me you will wear ear plugs anytime you’re around loud noises. I have tinnitus in both ears (primarily from automatic machine gun fire) and I will do everything and anything to protect what hearing I have left.
 
Also helpful for the leading cause of bedroom problems for couples. . . .








Hint: it's not about sex.
 
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Since we are the subject, let's slightly shift it to earphones/earbuds.

California has a law in the Vehicle Code, 24700 that states it is illegal to operate a motor vehicle (any) with both ears covered.

I found the amount of the fine for this infraction:

VC 27400 $178 Headsets or Earplugs covering both ears.

Also for failure to wear a helmet:

VC 27803 $178 Violation of motorcycle safety helmet requirements.

Funny how the amount of these fines are exactly the same. Hmm... :confused:
 
And I guess $178 is a proven , effective deterrent, scientifically arrived at . Sheese!

It's also against the law here in Louisiana (not plugs - only buds). BUT, it's against the law to be pulled over for it. And I think the fine is something like $25 if remebery serves.
 
Here's what Webbikeworld.com has to say:

California has recently passed a bill (SB 315 from the 2004 session) to amend Vehicle Code Section 27400. The revised law takes effect January 1, 2004 and will allow the use of foam, "non custom" earplugs by motorcyclists. Thanks to California State Senator Debra Bowen (D-Redondo Beach) (send an email thank-you to [email protected]) and the American Motorcyclist Association for their work on getting this law amended!

The State of California passed a law in January of 1986 (Vehicle Code - see Section 27400) that apparently prohibits motorcyclists from using over-the-counter earplugs, but allows them to use "custom earplugs or molds". Personally, I interpret the "custom earplugs" to cover any over-the-counter earplug, as they must be rolled up and then "custom" fitted to each individual ear.

Recently, there have been reports that police officers in California are ticketing motorcyclists who are wearing earplugs that don't meet the letter of the law. This is obviously ridiculous and I hope the law is challenged and changed soon.

In the meantime, here is the California regulation:

27400. No person operating any motor vehicle or bicycle shall wear any headset covering, or any earplugs in, both ears. The prohibition of this section does not apply to any of the following:

(a) Persons operating authorized emergency vehicles, as defined in Section 165.

(b) Any person engaged in the operation of either special construction equipment or equipment for use in the maintenance of any highway.

(c) Any person engaged in the operation of refuse collection equipment who is wearing a safety headset or safety earplugs.

(d) Any person wearing personal hearing protectors in the form of custom earplugs or molds that are designed to attenuate injurious noise levels. The custom plugs or molds shall be designed in a manner so as to not inhibit the wearer's ability to hear a siren or horn from an emergency vehicle or a horn from another motor vehicle.

(e) Any person using a prosthetic device which aids the hard of hearing.
 
Thanks for the information on the earplugs. I never really took it seriously before. I was always thinking about the sound from the bike. The bike isn't loud and it didn't make my ears uncomfortable so never thought it was an issue. Never considered the wind noise effect.

I have customer ear plugs from when I worked in machine shops in my youth. I wore them on the ride today and I got a new found appreciation for how loud it is. Perhaps my ears had trouble hearing the frequency before but I now have a new found appreciation. I think wearing the plugs helped my riding. I will now wear them as a regular part of my gear.
 
Illegal in Georgia too. No cop has said anything to me and I have multiple times installed or removed them in front of them. I will continue to wear ear plugs and risk a ticket as the ticket cost will be worth it to save my hearing.
 
Same here, I'll run the risk of a ticket to protect my hearing. Wind noise on a long trip will give me a splitting headache. I can hear traffic around me quite well. The only thing I have trouble with is when I'm trying to talk to someone, I have to ask them to shout. My old favorite plugs were Moldex corded Rockets and my new favorites are the Moldex corded Glide foam 6945 plugs. moldex
 
I've user Hearos Ear Plugs Xtreme High Noise, Howard Leight Laser Lite LL1 Uncorded,and CVS brand Max earplugs. The Howard Leight plugs are the most consistent and comfortable plugs I've used so far. I wear them every time out. Can hear most of the "usual" traffic sounds, and the wind noise is virtually eliminated. It is very important to properly insert your earplugs. If you don't put them in right it can be worse than not having them.
 
I've been wearing earplugs on motorcycles (and elsewhere) since the 1970s. More recently, tired of buying small quantities from drugstores with iffy fit, I got a sampler pack here. I discovered my right ear canal was bigger than my left, so I picked the two best performing ear plugs and boughtt a case of each from Amazon. Which boils down to a three lifetime supply. Cheap though and I never run out.
 
Molded Rockets have worked for me for years. Again, hearing loss is permanent, and tinnitus is no fun (though the little crickets you hear ALL the time is something you adapt to). wind noise on even a quiet bike is WAY over OSHA PEL’s-as for the straight pipe morons…. Protect your ears, ya only get one set per customer.
 
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