Hearing muffled after a 300 miles 24 hours trip

[ncx700]

Hello everyone,

I have been silently following this forum for quite sometime now. Thank you everyone for sharing information on this forum and it has been really useful.

I recently bought a NC700X after owning couple of other street bikes in my past. Of the last two bikes I have had, I have never ridden them for a long time on freeways (1.5 hours max/day).

Everything has been good so far except for the weekend when I took the bike out on a 300 miles trip. At the end of the first part of the trip (150 miles), I felt that my hearing was muffled and I didn't really bother thinking that this is usual for highway riding. But after a overnight sleep, it went away. After having a brunch, I started riding back and at end of this trip, I got my hearing muffled again and this time, I took it serious and looked up on it and found that I could have damaged my hearing temporarily and or permanent.

In total, I did about 5.5 hours riding in a 24 hour time period at an average speed of ~55 mph sometimes consistently as high as 65 to 70 mph.

It has been 12 hours and my right hearing is more muffled than my left. I would say left is almost okay now.

As far as the helmet goes, I used SHOEI QWEST which i bought new very recently. I did not install the chin guard for the trip, but after the trip now, I have promptly installed it.

So, questions are
1. Is it the windshield of this bike that makes the wind noise worse than other bikes? If so, should I remove it completely and just stay city riding.
2. What do you guys wear for hearing protection ,especially high mileage riders? It would be helpful for all beginners like me.
3. Will my hearing be okay based on your guys experience? I am consulting my doctor as soon as I can get an appointment, planning on doing a hearing test along with it.
4. Is it worth my hearing holding on to this motorcycle? (Assuming hearing protection works, I don't want to guesstimate saying it will reduce 20-30 decibels, so I will be okay and so on and so forth)

For someone who have ridden for more than 10 years, mostly in town, I learnt something this weekend about bikes and freeways.

Any input is appreciated.

 

[Blackrider]

I always wear earplugs. More than half an hour of steady riding can cause noise damage.

Depends on the helmet. My dealer let me go test ride helmets because everyone's
head is different. Bell was the quietest. More expensive Ariai were noisy. Shoei was
o.k. but still noisier than Bell for me.

My father has worked around wood shop equipment all his life and never worn ear
protection. He is like 65 and just recently had to get a hearing aid. I'd say you are
o.k. Just get some good ear plugs in the future.

 

[anglachel]

1.) Windshield might help, it might hurt, it depends less on the bike and more on you... go for a ride, take your hand put it at the top of the windshield... you'll feel where the air is pushing hard as it goes over the shield, and you'll feel where it isn't pushing at all... move your hand back towards your body keeping it right at the point where you can feel both the jet stream and the still air, figure out where the jet stream is hitting you... that is where it is going to be the loudest... you can raise or lower your shield to help with this, or get a bigger one, or what ever you'd like... but no one can say what is right for you except you, and we can't even guess with out knowing what size you are.
2.) Ear plugs. Anything will help. The noise you are hearing is likely pressure differences in the air as opposed to harmonics, anything that keeps the air from pressing on your ear drum will be a massive improvement. I use orange foam ones I picked up from CVS, I carry a small water proof plastic box with maybe a dozen ear plugs under the rear seat, and refill it from the bigger box every couple of weeks.
3.) I'm not a Dr. but loud noises damage your hearing... eventually you'll loose it. That being said, I mow the lawn with out ear plugs (probably shouldn't) and have done plenty of other stupid stuff to my ears over the years... given my experience I can still hear, but I'm not you, and my experience is really only pertinent to my ears.
4.) EAR PLUGS. also it doesn't sound like the bike is the problem so much as the miles you put on it.

Any time I'm planning on going up to highway speeds (65-80mph) I do full gear. Full gear includes ear plugs.
When I'm just going to work (max 45mph speed limit, so actual max speed of 55mph) I don't normally bother, I'm only at speed for a few minutes and most of the trip is at 30-35 mph... I usually skip the riding pants for these trips too...

For a shorter long trips (less than a full tank of gas) ear plugs are easy, and they don't really bother me... when I start getting into the two or 3 tank of gas trips they start to put outward pressure on my ear canal, but it's still better than going deaf. I'd imaging if I were spending 10-12 hours a day on the bike I'd need something more comfortable for my ears, but as of this point 6-8 hours has been the longest I've been on the bike.

 

[anglachel]

I always wear earplugs. More than half an hour of steady riding can cause noise damage.

Depends on the helmet. My dealer let me go test ride helmets because everyone's
head is different. Bell was the quietest. More expensive Ariai were noisy. Shoei was
o.k. but still noisier than Bell for me.

My father has worked around wood shop equipment all his life and never worn ear
protection. He is like 65 and just recently had to get a hearing aid. I'd say you are
o.k. Just get some good ear plugs in the future.

You father is lucky, My father worked in a shop most of his life, and the damage he incurred was such that a hearing aid wouldn't help.
With the gradual decline in his hearing he has learned to partially read lips in noisy environments to compensate. He also wears ear plugs when he is on his gold wing... and that has a massive windshield (everything about that bike is big).

 

[SergeantChuck]

There are several threads on the forum regarding ear plugs. I'm being lazy and only searched for one of them. http://nc700-forum.com/forum/new-riders-q/227-save-your-ears-wear-ear-plugs.html


1. Is it the windshield of this bike that makes the wind noise worse than other bikes? If so, should I remove it completely and just stay city riding. What windscreen do you have? If you have the standard small windscreen your head should be in clean air and would not be any different on any other bike unless you rode something with a very tall screen which blocked out all the wind.

2. What do you guys wear for hearing protection ,especially high mileage riders? It would be helpful for all beginners like me. I always wear ear plugs. ALWAYS. My hearing is bad enough from being an infantryman in the army (many years of shooting near the right ear) and a couple tours in Iraq with no hearing protection. You need to wear earplugs. I wear them for city riding too. When you get you ears tested have them fit you. No one earplug works on everyone.

3. Will my hearing be okay based on your guys experience? I am consulting my doctor as soon as I can get an appointment, planning on doing a hearing test along with it. I can't answer this but my opinion is you'll be fine off of a couple occurrences. Anything over 30 minutes of continuous damaging noise CAN (not saying will) do permanent damage.

4. Is it worth my hearing holding on to this motorcycle? (Assuming hearing protection works, I don't want to guesstimate saying it will reduce 20-30 decibels, so I will be okay and so on and so forth). Regardless what bike you have unless it has a full screen your going to have louder wind noise at high speeds.
A good Helmet and earplugs are your best friend.

 

[itlives]

You should ALWAYS protect your hearing. Damage does not go away. The ringing maysubside, but the damage doesn't. Over time you will realize the loss - the damage is accumulative.
You are right on the noise reduction of ear plugs. Most of them are around 22-32 NR. I buy 29NR. I use them all the time except when I have my ear buds in. The ear buds offer some protection, but not as much as the ear plugs.
I like to listen to music when I'm in town. On the road, it just gets to be a buzz I'm not really listening to so, in go the plugs.
I bought some of these even after reading the reviews which stated they don't last long. One went out in the first two weeks. I would not recommend them. Just putting in my two cents.
Earplugs with Music - Plugfones
There may be other brands that are better but the money keeps me away. Also, it's hard to get the helmet off with them in.

 

[StratTuner]

So, questions are
1. Is it the windshield of this bike that makes the wind noise worse than other bikes? If so, should I remove it completely and just stay city riding.
2. What do you guys wear for hearing protection ,especially high mileage riders? It would be helpful for all beginners like me.
3. Will my hearing be okay based on your guys experience? I am consulting my doctor as soon as I can get an appointment, planning on doing a hearing test along with it.
4. Is it worth my hearing holding on to this motorcycle? (Assuming hearing protection works, I don't want to guesstimate saying it will reduce 20-30 decibels, so I will be okay and so on and so forth)

1. the windshield for the NC700x is a fashion acessory. It's meant to look good. It doesn't do much of anything else. Get the biggest replacement you can find or make your own... especially for interstate riding.

2. wear ear plugs. I buy "hearos" from Walmart. They're bright purple and cost very little.

3. I can guess about hearing loss. Usually folks recover completely from short term abuse (rock concerts). Wear ear plugs for long rides.

4. No, No motorcycle is worth losing your hearing... is the direct answer to your direct question... You're frustrated that you even have to ask the question, I would say.

Best advice:
- Short rides around town, no ear plugs. Anything that involves an interstate.... ear plugs.
- Replace the windshield.

Here's what I make from lexan and stuff from Home Depot.

 

[musicman]

They should teach in the rider classes to always wear ear plugs. I wear them all the time. When I forget them I find the ride is more stressful, ya get tired quicker. As for music I use noise canceling ear buds, they work surprisingly well. I've learned from experience that the helmet fit is the biggest contributor to noise too, a good fitting helmet and plugs will surprise you.

 

[CobraJet]

I wore foam ear plugs for the first time while riding this past weekend. The ear plugs really helped make the ride more enjoyable. Last weekend I installed a taller (17") Puig touring screen, but removed it for this last ride. I would use the ear plugs plus taller shield if I was taking a longer ride. For quick blasts up the mountain, I prefer the shorter shield, and the wind in my face!

I bought my Shoei RF-1200 this summer based on reviews saying it was quieter. It's not. However, I do have problems putting on the helmet without dislodging the foam earplugs. I guess it just takes practice.

 

[Ackme]

I can only repeat what others have said - wear protection. Here are a couple of links with good information on how different helmets measure up and how complex a problem it is to say one helmet is quieter that than another.Motorcycle Helmet Noise - webBikeWorld

This page has great info on different types of hearing protection. Again, a very complex and personal situation to find a solution that works for you.
Ear Plug Reviews - webBikeWorld

Get something to start with. The Heroes are a good choice and easily available. Best is to get variety pack so you can play with different types and see what is most comfortable and effective for you.

Good luck and thanks for bringing up an important topic.

 

[dduelin]

There are guidelines published by the AMA or some other professional medical associations concerning exposure to loud sounds. A few episodes of high decibel exposure loud enough and long enough can cause permanent hearing loss but I don't think you did that but I don't know your past. There are other medical conditions that can cause a rapid onset of loss of hearing. My son suffered profound hearing damage in a few hours that never got better just from a virus that attacks the nerve pathways in one's skull. Go see a doctor.

I wear Howard Leigh uncorded Max Lites if I am going to be riding more than 50 mph for more than 15 minutes. These are disposable foam plugs that happen to fit me well. The Noise Reduction Rating is 30 and I buy them in 200 count (200 pairs) boxes for about $20. On a trip I can use 1 pair for a day or two. I give them to friends and sometimes strangers I encounter when riding. I also use Sony ear buds of unknown NNR for listening to music when riding. They may have an NNR of 20 so I limit the time of use to about 2 hours a day when riding.

Edit to add that I don't think the brand and type of motorcycle matter too much if air is rushing past your head when riding it. My ST1300 has an adjustable windshield that goes up high enough to block all wind. That's very quiet with virtually no wind noise but I like to ride with my helmet in clean rushing wind and I prefer to look over the top edge of a shield so the 1300 is no quieter than my 700X. I can raise the shield enough to lower wind noise but not eliminate it.

 

[JDE]

Everyone has some good replies so far so I'll keep mine kinda short.

I always wear earplugs. When I got the bike I had ordered the Honda tall screen. I had it on for quite some time, but I recently took it off as I was tired of the buffeting from it. I figured I'd deal with some extra wind on my upper body. Bonus is the ride got quieter. I'm still planning on getting a Madstad windscreen in the future.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[mreric]

tinnitus is inevitable if you do not protect your ears..... the body is letting you know that you are destroying it.

our human ears were never develop to go 70 mph..

WEAR EAR PLUGS. get a windshield that take most of the air of the face of your helmet.

NO motorcycle riding is not worth losing your hearing. so you want to continue riding? WEAR EARPLUG, no matter how short your ride is.

To use ear plugs at first is troublesome, now i get them in less then 10 sec.

the important thing about earplug is to learn to wear them properly is not a simple insert, the depth is very important. please pay attention to the following video.
proper insertion is IMPORTANT:
Fitting Foam Earplugs - YouTube

the next important thing is the type of earplug, not all earplug will fit you. buy a sample pack and try them all.
Ear Plug Assortment Packs - Ear Plugs

Like fingerprints, no two ear canals are exactly alike, so no one can accurately predict which ear plugs will work best for you in your application. Experimentation is the only reliable method we know of to find the right ear plugs for you.


I discover that the NC buffeting noise came from the mirrors, i replace them. you must do everything possible to quiet the ride to a level that will not destroy your hearing PERMANENTLY. no motorcycle is worth that. the NC has so many option that you will find a screen that fit you, I have already spend $500 in trying different screens and will not stop until i find the best. the NC is a commuter bike, but i can also drive, so this motorcycle is luxury item. if i cannot afford to make it quieter i would sell it. but luckily i have the mean for this luxury.


get a hearing test every year. they are free!


get a quiet helmet
http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/schuberth-c3-pro-helmet 82 db
or hjc rpha max 84 db
http://hjchelmets.com/hjca/rphamax_align

 

[Grey1one]

I have custom molded ear plugs, been using them for 4 - 5 years and they still work great.
If I forget to put them back in after a stop, I do stop again to put them in, it's almost painful without them now.

 

[wozza]

Wearing ear plugs is pretty essential for saving your ears if you ride any sort of distance at reasonable speed.

 

[mreric]

I love wearing earplug, some might say that it take the motorcycling experience away. F that. i love my hearing.

it feel like riding a lexus or bmw.... like a quiet luxury car. I love how quiet the NC is, but my old scooter was quieter, miss that

by the way, replacing your exhaust for a louder pipe also not worth it. performance is minimal, and might produce noise that no ear plug can attenuate.

 

[Harald]

Since I started riding street bikes at 16 and until about age 43, I never wore earplugs. Early on I never even heard of anyone doing such a crazy thing. Probably about 200,000 miles on motorcycles and all of them had no wind protection around the helmet unless in a race tuck. But my annual hearing tests over the past 25 years have shown the steady decline in my hearing. Now in my 50's I really regret not wearing earplugs all those years because the damage is done and can't be fixed.

Different bike/shield/helmet/etc combinations yield different wind noise, but even the quietest combination would not be quiet enough for me to not wear plugs unless it was city riding at slow speeds. My FJR with electrically adjustable aftermarket windshield is pretty quiet when the shield is up where I can look over it but the wind is shooting over the helmet, but I still wear plugs for any freeway riding and only don't wear plugs for short trips at speeds below 45mph with the windshield up to block wind noise. Gotta protect what hearing is left!

Ear plugs are very personal and you'll have to try different brands/styles to find what works for you. One thing I've noticed is that many people don't insert the ear plugs correctly. Mreric posted a video (that I can't see due to the net Nazi filter here at work) that probably shows the correct way to insert plugs. For me, the key is to reach over the top of my head and pull up and out on the top of my ear before inserting the rolled up earplug. If your earplugs are falling out when putting your helmet on, they are not inserted deep enough to do their job!

 

[dog]

You should ALWAYS protect your hearing. Damage does not go away. The ringing maysubside, but the damage doesn't. Over time you will realize the loss - the damage is accumulative.
You are right on the noise reduction of ear plugs. Most of them are around 22-32 NR. I buy 29NR. I use them all the time except when I have my ear buds in. The ear buds offer some protection, but not as much as the ear plugs.
I like to listen to music when I'm in town. On the road, it just gets to be a buzz I'm not really listening to so, in go the plugs.
I bought some of these even after reading the reviews which stated they don't last long. One went out in the first two weeks. I would not recommend them. Just putting in my two cents.
Earplugs with Music - Plugfones
There may be other brands that are better but the money keeps me away. Also, it's hard to get the helmet off with them in.

I'm on my second set of the plugfones and the design is certainly weak for riding use. On the latest set one side stopped working after about 6 months. I decided I actually liked the messed up set better for my commuting because I could still listen to the radio for news/traffic, in one ear and just protect the other. I discovered the main design flaw when the rubber plug on the side that failed eventually fell off. It appears they used something like RTV Silicone that didn't really ever set. I used some gorilla glue on both sides and it's holding so far. I've already got another set and will try hardening them prior to use; maybe with liquid tape or something like that. No BS, they really work great when they work -- I just soak 'em in spit and stick 'em. They are soft rubber and seal well.

 

[mreric]

I wore foam ear plugs for the first time while riding this past weekend. The ear plugs really helped make the ride more enjoyable. Last weekend I installed a taller (17") Puig touring screen, but removed it for this last ride. I would use the ear plugs plus taller shield if I was taking a longer ride. For quick blasts up the mountain, I prefer the shorter shield, and the wind in my face!

I bought my Shoei RF-1200 this summer based on reviews saying it was quieter. It's not. However, I do have problems putting on the helmet without dislodging the foam earplugs. I guess it just takes practice.

watch the video i posted.

 

[Russell733]

Wow glad I watched that video. Had bought some foam plugs but only used them once so far and was doing it all wrong. Also got some silicone plugs that seem to not block hearing of normal voices and sounds but supposedly still stop damage from wind noise but not sure if they fit right. And they are harder to get helmet over, seem to nock the right one out of place a lot and then it gets uncomfortable after a while.
Have also used my earbuds some for highway riding, hooked to phone with Pandora on. Bad part of that is losing signal a lot, seem to always listen to half of a song and then it starts a new one, or just goes silent but they still block the wind noise.