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Bcsmith

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Hello I’m bcsmith from Canada. I just purchased a 2014 NC750X. Bought it brand new in 2020. I am returning to motorcycling after a 35 year hiatus. I have put on 1000 km now and love this bike as it it so nice to ride. I am looking forward to reading the threads to see what others are talking about. My bike is stock with the only exception being a 19 inch windscreen that had beef added when I bought it from the dealer. The only issue I have is the wind noise on my helmet. I have a HJC helmet with a full face shield but when driving at 100km per hour the roar of the wind bothers me. Not sure if this is common or not and I thought the helmet I purchased was a top of the line one. Any feedback would be appreciated.
 
HI and welcome to the forum!
Helmet noise: This is a problem for a LOT of folks- first of all, a full face helmet will be a bit quieter, but to get a full , safe, quiet ride, I'd recommend earplugs. I wear a fairly quiet helmet, a Shoei Neotec, but when going further than a trip to town, I always throw in a set of plugs.

I have two bikes, my other bike is a Honda ST1300, which is fairly well faired ( has a large fairing on it) and is as quiet as a touring bike can be- however, I still put plugs in while riding any distance on it. The NC is pretty loud from a wind standpoint, even with a larger windshield ( I have a Puig) and a little wind jammer on top of it.

I mean no offense, but HJC is not what I'd consider a "top of the line" helmet. That moniker would be reserved for a Schuberth, Arai, AGV, or a higher end Shoei. I am sure they are fine helmets, in their class ( I wore Scorpion helmets for years 'cause they fit my head so well, and others did not), but they are not comparable to the higher end units. Yes, the higher end ones ARE quieter!

Wishing you twisty roads and safe travels!
 
Hey Bcsmith, welcome. I'd suggest having some chin protection which comes with modular or fullface helmets because the jaw is a major injury area. They are often quieter as well and you don't have to wear lower-face apparel when it gets colder out. And yes, on earplugs for longer rides, or if not using the earcups for communication or music, adding some dense [cloth-covered] foam in them to go flush against the ear.

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Welcome, bcsmith.

Wind noise is a problem to some degree on all my bikes. I spend a lot of time trying to reduce it, by trying different windscreens or modifying them, but ultimately I wear earplugs while riding on all my bikes. The only exception is when using an intercom to converse with the wife.

Sometimes mid sized windscreens aggravate the noise by directing wind at your neck area. While riding, reposition your head up, down, and sideways to try to find the noisy and quiet spots. Maybe then you can design some changes to improve the air flow.

Finally, as I mentioned, a lot of noise comes from wind directed at the base of the helmet. A full face helmet can potentially reduce that noise, as well as offer crash protection for the chin and face.
 
One casual study I read a couple years ago linked the windscreen's effectiveness when interacting with the helmet. In some cases the way the windscreen directed the flow actually made a open face or half helmet less noisy. That seemed to correlate with my own observations of riding a naked bike, or a dualsport with a very small – often narrow screen. But those instances are likely in the minority. Since the jaw seems to be the area most at risk it seems like it's worthwhile to find a combination that prioritizes a little more in the direction of protection.
 
price ranges are not always an indicator.

My apologies, you are correct. I just needed a nudge to recall my wife’s 400$ Arai slowly fall apart. It was not a particularly quiet helmet either. And yes, a less expensive helmet CAN be quieter if it fits better, although higher end helmets usually offer more in the way of fitting choices- different cheek pads, etc.
And yes, a full face helmet is a good idea,
 
Wow thanks for all the advice. Went for a ride today and used earplugs and what a difference. Maybe I will look into a second helmet but when I was trying them out I was not a big fan of the full face ones. I will do some more research before I head back this time. Ride safe everyone
 
Wow thanks for all the advice. Went for a ride today and used earplugs and what a difference. Maybe I will look into a second helmet but when I was trying them out I was not a big fan of the full face ones. I will do some more research before I head back this time. Ride safe everyone
You can try modular helmets...easier to get on/off than a full face helmet.
 
You can try modular helmets...easier to get on/off than a full face helmet.
Only recently did I Try using a full face helmet. It probably took about 2 months to get used to, but now I barely notice it. I think the biggest deal was realizing how much of a difference it made when I flip my visor up to do the smallest of tasks, otherwise I felt claustrophobic.
Modular helmets seem awesome to me, but a big part of the reason that I made the change to the full face helmet was because I was looking for a quieter helmet. It's my understanding that there is a bit of a sacrifice in sound reduction when going from a full face to a modular… but some of them look really sweet!
Greenboy's point is also a good one - if you're going to wear a helmet, it may as well include the part which offers protection at the most injured section of our noggin.
 
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