Hi all,

Sorry if this has been covered before... I searched but couldn't find a result.

I'm a newbie to (motor) cycling (at 68yo) and have zero experience to call on. I use a Nolan open face helmet with a visor which seems quite good and comfortable but when I'm riding at anywhere over 60 km/hr I get a terrible roaring from wind turbulence in my ears. Now, I accept this might be normal but I reckon constant riding with this roaring going on could have an effect on my hearing. I considered using ear plugs but I also ride a cycle for exercise and don't like the idea of losing one of nature's 'senses' (hearing) while riding. At the moment I'm doing shorter rides but when I get my HD in 12 months time and  start to go for longer rides I reckon the noise would drive me batty

Is there a way around this (easy fix) or am I just being a bit girly?  

Cheers

Some helmets are noisier than other helmets but most open face helmets are pretty noisy and most of the quieter ones are full face helmets. I prefer not to wear a full face (although I will if it's shitty cold weather) but if you don't want to wear ear plugs that's probably your only other option.

Yup, I rotate a couple of sets of earmold earplugs....first ride may be a little strange, but afterwards you will not leave home without them.

 

 

ay,, what's that you say?,,, you'll have ta speak up man, I can hardly hear ya,,,,,

Thanks guys, I'll try Blu Tack first, I've used it successfully swimming.

I use ear plugs & sometimes cotton wool...........

 It's like this, and don't think I don't appreciate the advice, but the help I sought wasn't necessarily for what kind of earplug if you read my post, it was to ask for a remedy for the wind noise. A number have kindly answered my question and suggested earplugs which is fine. The kind of earplugs I choose to wear is up to me I would think.

My open face is quieter than my piece of fucking shit Rjays flip up full face . The concept is good , but the chinese manufacture......

 Thanks Geoff and everyone for your input,

I do have experience as a distance swimmer and I've used both moulded ear plugs and Blue Tack. The Blue Tack worked a treat for swimming but who knows with wind noise reduction. I'll do a bit of a test ride tomorrow. I also have an (expensive) set of Etymotic Research ear plugs for my iPone and iPod. Fantastic sound quality but they eliminate almost all outside noise which is what I didn't want. As with cycling I don't really like the idea of completely eliminating the sound of potential danger etc. As another poster mentioned too, the beautiful sound of the HD exhaust.

I listen to music while riding to and from work each day. I can't hear a fucking thing over the Short Shots anyway so I figured I may as well just plug into my phone... Probably not really recommended but it works for me. I can still hear sirens when they get close enough ...

i wear a peanut half helmet, suffer from industrial deafness and have a permanent ringing in my ears, whats a bit of wind noise lol, at hiway speeds i could see some benefit but not for round the burbs

Mate, it's got very little to do with open or closed helmet. My out-of-this-world melon won't fit into anything other than a Shoei full face number. Now the headaches don't come from a poorly fitted helmet anymore but instead from enormous wind noise. Even using (standard) earplugs doesn't prevent me from having ringing ears in the evening after a day's ride not unlike those experienced after a loud concert. I may have to go down the track of these (super expensive) fitted ones if I still want to be able to hear in a few years' time...

fuckme ,stick some shithouse paper in ya ears than ride ya fucken bike, it aint rocket science.

Yep, I only wish open face helmets blocked wind noise. They dont. Every vent, ridge or seam between visor and helmet work together to creating wind resistance.

Yep, I only wish full faced helmets blocked wind noise. They dont. Every vent, ridge or seam between visor and helmet work together to creating wind resistance.
 

 hi,

yeah man, I use a shoei RJ platinum 3/4 and got given a full face to use and crikey the piercing noise from the wind was bad as

thanks

robots

It seems what I'm experiencing is normal. OK, I'll deal with it.
A question though, (this may be slightly off topic) I read in another post about a tree branch being thrown up and hitting someone in the face causing a number of minor injuries. Now I reckon he was very lucky to remain on board.
The thing is, I was riding in an 80 zone the other day on my scooter when a bird came from nowhere and missed me by maybe a couple of feet. Very close... I actually ducked. I hate the thought of striking a bird at 100km / hr or more with an open face helmet. Is this a common thing or only happens rarely?