[Closed] What earplugs for riding my motorcycle?

Basically any work.
Experiment and see what's comfortable.
Boots disposables work well for me and i reuse them alot.
Ryan F9 of Fort Nine on YouTube has a video on the subject.

I tried a couple of the silicon/rubber types you see advertised on Facebook but have gone back to standard disposable ones: they're the comfiest, they block out most noise and they stay put. Probably not that great for the environment though.

Depends on the shape of your ear canal, I use Howard Leight Laser Lite, but they don't work at all for the wife and she uses a different brand.

The Laser Lites were Ride Magazines #1 ear plug back in 2000-ish when I first tried them.

Sound like earpeace?
The best I've found for me

Earpeace are good, but they're also a little easier to get wrong than the foam ones and you don't realise it until you've set off.

I've a pair of molded jobs and to be honest prefer the foam disposable one. I find I get sore ears with the pressure from the helmet pushing on the semi rigid siliconish ones. The foam ones are quieter too ime.

I use Alpine. Really impressed with them

https://www.alpinehearingprotection.co.uk/earplugs/motosafe-race/?utm_campaign=organic_shopping&utm_content=&utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_term=&gclid=CjwKCAjw6qqDBhB-EiwACBs6xxMqOtNZd2CrAoScuTnLa5FVD_fBP49EnXwLDhLLtNMsIeWVv5aefRoC8Z4QAvD_BwE

Bog standard 3M foam ones for me. Cheap and effective. Anything tapered won't stay put in my lugs.

3M foam ones here also - I bought a big box from Screwfix.

https://www.screwfix.com/p/3m-1100-37db-foam-ear-plugs-200-pairs/50346

I’ve always used custom made ones. I’ve got very narrow ear canals apparently so I struggle to get foam ones in.
Any earplug though is only as good as it fits and foam ones can, in theory, give better attenuation than custom made as they expand to fit. But it’s critical that you insert them correctly. With custom ones it’s almost impossible to get it wrong.

Ooh thanks all, it was an older pair of Alpines that i had and liked

I shall also heck out the other suggestions. Much obliged.

Ian

I use a set of Pinlock earplugs. There are two sizes in the pack so a good chance of fitting well.

I’ve used flare audio isolates, Howard Leights, some silicone tree style ones and my bose active noise cancelling ear buds. I’ve always gone back to bog standard 3m foam plugs in the end. They just work best.

Howard Leight Laser Lite's for disposable. However most of the time I use Bose Quiet comfort in ear noise cancellers with my Senna headset. They are amazing.

I have tried moulded (snugs) earplugs at great expense and they are good but hurt my ears after a few hours. To the point I wonder if the initial mould was wrong.

I commuted every day for a couple of years and the only issue with alpines and the like is the expense. I found I lost one every few months...
So after I ordered a replacement set of Alpines, I bought cheapo ones that looked similar and came in a pack of 24.
Back to back testing and the cheap ones are just as good.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Silicone-Waterproof-Reusable-Earplugs-Reduction/dp/B088WRP54L/

Do all motorcyclists ride with earplugs?

Do all motorcyclists ride with earplugs?

No, but i'd say a fair percentage of them do based upon what i've seen.

@Daffy - I didn't when I was very much into motorcycling, more than 25 years ago. Getting back into it, I was amazed at just how much wind noise there is. Much more than I recalled. My hearing as been a wee bit dicky for years, I struggle to hear conversation if there's a background noise like a pub. I put that down to 10+ years of motorbiking.

I never used to but my tinnitus scares the shit out of me now so I use them every ride (last ten yrs)

Any will do. I have moulded, but one pair was left long to block more noise so are unwearable under a helmet as they kill your jaw.

Soft Howard Sleight type are as good as anything, if not the best.

Rode in a pack of 50 bikes for 200 miles recently and could hear the ringing in my heed over the noise. Not good.

I have tried moulded (snugs) earplugs at great expense and they are good but hurt my ears after a few hours. To the point I wonder if the initial mould was wrong.

I know a few people who've had similar experience with moulded plugs. I wonder if they need to take the impression with your head in a helmet? Anyway the moulded plugs are nowhere as good at noise blocking as bog standard industrial ones.

There's nobody in my riding circle who doesn't wear plugs of some sort. I reckon it's at least 10mph difference in comfortable cruising speed. Even a brief spell on a motorway (at legal speeds) will leave my ears ringing. I'd like to think it'd be the next thing lid manufacturers address - some are definitely worse than others. Likewise bikes - my KTM adventure bike is far worse for wind noise than my unfaired supermoto was. It's probably because I'm in the turbulent wash of the screen, while on the SM I'm riding in clean air. So my neck is no longer being forced back, but the sides and top of my head are battered by what feels like a jet blast.

Do all motorcyclists ride with earplugs?

No, but my instructor advised it was a good idea if I did not want to get tinnitus like he had. Its the wind noise that is damaging I believe

Anyway the moulded plugs are nowhere as good at noise blocking as bog standard industrial ones.

Yep I would agree with that too. I find the foam ones the best for blocking noise and most comfy.

...standard disposable ones: they’re the comfiest, they block out most noise and they stay put. Probably not that great for the environment though.

Back when I used to be able to just grab a handful out the dispenser at work, I discovered* that the yellow foam ones wash quite well and can be used dozens of times before disposal.

*after accidentally leaving some in a pocket.

tried loads, including custom ones but these have been the best if you can find them
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Senner-protection-aluminium-motorcycling-especially/dp/B077NB9PJ3

The ones that sailor74 posted, or basically what you’re looking for are attenuated hearing protection for musicians, designed to cut out the damaging high frequencies. I’ve got several sets made by Rooth, that I bought through Drop, formerly Massdrop. I wear them at gigs, for the same reasons, the higher frequencies are the ones that cause the ringing and tinnitus, which I already suffer from, those plugs let me hear more of what’s going on. There’s loads online.

As with the common theme above, I've got some custom moulded ones that are uncomfortable after a while so use Howard leight laser or max lites.
But since I fitted the decat and staintune can to my r1150r I embrace the noise 🤣

This thread explains all the "look at me" loud bike exhausts that I assumed were there to satisfy attention craving bikers who didn't get any attention as kids. In reality it's because their exhaust silencers must be broken and because of their earplugs they can't hear the noise so they haven't found out yet.

If only the bikey enthusiast MOT guy's hearing wasn't goosed from yrs of biking without earplugs we wouldn't have to suffer the noise of middle managers blipping the throttles on their Harleys all weekend.

Do all motorcyclists ride with earplugs?

Dunno about anyone else but I always did, riding without was just horrendous.

I'm a fan of Mack's. You can get jars of them for not much money.

This thread explains all the “look at me” loud bike exhausts

The primary problem is wind noise rather than engine noise.

This thread explains all the “look at me” loud bike exhausts that I assumed were there to satisfy attention craving bikers who didn’t get any attention as kids. In reality it’s because their exhaust silencers must be broken and because of their earplugs they can’t hear the noise so they haven’t found out yet.

Nah, it's because as everyone knows loud exhausts are the coolest thing ever.

If only the bikey enthusiast MOT guy’s hearing wasn’t goosed from yrs of biking without earplugs we wouldn’t have to suffer the noise of middle managers blipping the throttles on their Harleys all weekend.

No MOT here in Australia hun.

Do all motorcyclists ride with earplugs?

most do nowadays. I have hearing damage from the wind noise - constant tinnitus and noise damage deafness. Noise levels inside helmets can be 110 db + even 120 db+

I bitterly regret not wearing them for the one trip that started this

As for which ones - I used lazer lite

You should use earplugs on any motorcycle or scooter, iirc once you get above as little as 30mph you’re facing +100 db wind noise. I’ve been using them since I started 30+ years ago and won’t ride without them. I just keep a bag of foam ones in my bike jacket pocket