Bonneville America Forums Forums Technical Forums Exhaust Long Ride, ears hurt

Not sure where to post this, but wanted some feedback from those on longer rides. Did over 700 miles yesterday on the best bike ever made. However, as happens to me on all long rides at decent speeds, my ears rang all night. I couldn't hear much until this morning.

I used ear plugs for the entire ride, and my Specialty Spares pipes are modified exactly like Triumphant's pipes (partially removed packing and holes in baffles).

Overall, I don't think they are all that loud. Is it the higher pitched growl that our bikes have at higher speeds? At 80 the bike just screams.

Mine rang a bit after I got home from the NY rally. I think most of it is due to the wind noise generated by my helmet. I've tried earplugs before but they didn't help much. Because were sitting on the source of the noise/vibration it gets transmitted through the body (just my $0.02). I might try some of those custom fitted earplugs if I go to an IMS convention but since Triumph won't be there I'm not sure if I'll bother.

Depending on the helmet wind noise can be so bad you can't even hear the bike. But i gotta think he's got a pretty quiet helmet if the pipes are much louder than wind noise. If the pipes are bothering your ears i would normally say they must be loud because my thunderbike pipes which are supposed to be louder than yours are stock are hardly noticable cruising at 80. So unless you really opened them up to where they are much louder than they were stock, the only other thing i can think of is that when doing 700 miles rides you gotta expect that ! maybe the ears just can't take much noise for that long. After all, at 80 MPH thats about 9 hours of riding. I've never gone near that far myself so i can't comment. But as i said, my Tpipes are just a light rumble at 80 that the wind even with ear plugs almost totally drowns out. Are you sure the wind noise isn't as loud as the pipes? thats what kills me.

Probly the wind noise over time.. Ever tried a bandana or something around your neck to maybe cut down on that a little? What kind of helmet? Full face?

I use the bandana method, Im not sure how much it cuts down on noise. But on a cold night it keeps your face warm

Ryan,

How about last spring on that run from Dahlonega to your house. Were they ringing when we got there?

If not, then the change in your pipes is probably the cause.

If so, you probably should get some custom earplugs with the electronic dampening. Probably about $150 or so. I am seriously thinking about making that plunge.

Shoot, with your NASCAR connections, you should be able to get a free pair!

I'm guessing that 700 miles in one day is closer to 12-14 hrs.

I used a 1/2 for this trip and a full face for the Georgia trip. I didn't have ear plugs on the Georgia run and had a little ringing. This time it was much worse with the half shield and ear plugs. On the Georgia trip with a full face riding behind both Phil and Moe, I could still hear Moe's Sceptres. Do your ears ring Moe?

Phil, we might need to look at that ear plug option before Georgia. Where do you get them? Maybe they will have some at Biketoberfest.

My bike screams at high speeds with the pipe mods. I am betting the mods with the increased wind from the 1/2 face helmet and the vibration did the trick. It was alarming and uncomfortable, so a change is necessary. I ain't gonna quit ridin'!

Thanks for the discussion and keep it coming if anyone has had similar experiences.

I've been looking around and here are a few:

http://shop.store.yahoo.com/earplugstore/jbcuearpl.html
Scroll down to 'JB1000 Custom Breaker-Vented Noise Reduction Plug'

http://www.hear-more.com/index.htm
Some good information

http://www.earplugco.com/products.htm

http://www.earinc.com/index.php
An interesting site

btw, I used the search term: 'custom electronic hearing protection' in Google to find these. There's a crapload more...

I think I'll go with the JB1000 in fuscia.

Holy cow, I wonder if I could spend $130 on ear plugs and then somehow not lose them after drinking with you and the rest of BA.com?

Ryan,
Could you ask a little bit louder? I can't seem to hear you! My pipes are loud? Hum, I've got to ride behind myself one day to listen. They’re not too loud when I'm on her. I have to admit that I do use earplugs. Not all the time, but from Virgina to home I did. And on one tank of gas on the way up to Chy’s place.
See if your full face helmet has a chin cover insert. Notice that when at speed if you take your hand and cover the area of the chin guard the noise will lessen somewhat. I say this but I haven’t used the chin cover in a year or so. And you’re right, at much anything over 60 mph the noise gets worse. At a ton it's nice to duck a little behind the windscreen too. OK more like 85 and above...

I wasn't always going 80. I would say above 70mph, how many RPMs I don't know without a tac, the pitch of the engine noise really changes. I love it. Better sound than a Hardley for sure. I didn't notice any ringing during stops, only when I got home and turned off the bike for the night. Maybe I was depressed that it was over?

BTW, the Hardley Road King I was riding with had two mechanical issues on the ride. One was shifter arm related, and the other was gearing. Did you know that when a Road King gets really hot, sometimes gears "go away"? My buddy lost 2nd gear for the last 200 miles or so of our trip, and I almost ran him over the first time he missed the gear. Whoops!

Good stuff being produced up there in Wisconsin.

Ride Safe.

Ryan

btw, where did you ride?

Post deleted by Grump

Yeah it could be one of those straw that broke the camel's back situations with tinnitus. I'd also say the helmet was a huge factor.

I'll trade you for my stock pipes

Ben

Since I have been riding my bike with epco's without the baffles, I have had to learn sign language.

After 10 to 12 hours in the saddle on the highway wind noise becomes a real factor. Even a neck apron on a half helmet seems to help. In the winter I use a balaclava along with the neck apron and my ears don't bother me much. Of course I don't spend 10 to 12 hours in the saddle during the winter months.

I also have std epco's (w/baffles), wear a 3/4 helmet and mostly, sometimes use 25 cent foam rubber earplugs. The only time noise gets me is on an uphill where the engine is working. And then it can be noticeable. I think the epcos may be louder than I think they are.

Phil, we rode up to the South Carolina vs. Auburn game and then on to Talladega for a little work. Road all the way back from Anniston, Al. on Monday. I had no fewer than 5 people walk-up to my bike while ignoring the Road King, one at a Chick Fil-A at 7AM.

Passed by Andersonville, and next time, I will make sure to stop. I have always wanted to see that infamous site.

Ryan

Now I'm not a Doctor either, BUT, I was trained to do hearing tests and sound level testing by the Navy! And I do get annual hearing tests because I work on a Chopper. I started wearing ear plugs on bikes years ago when I did a "not so" scientific study.

I knew there was wind noise but I didn't know how loud until a friend gave me a cheap ear piece radio that had no volume control and I thought it was too loud under normal conditions. One day I plugged it in while riding my bike and I could not hear the radio over the wind noise! With a full face helmet!

Some real information for hearing on a motorcycle. Noise generated on a bike ranges from 95 dBA - 110 dBA

Following Information:
"How Loud is Too Loud? Experts agree that continued exposure to noise above 85 dB over time, will cause hearing loss. To know if a sound is loud enough to damage your ears, it is important to know both the loudness level (measured in decibels, dBA) and the length of exposure to the sound. In general, the louder the noise, the less time required before hearing loss will occur. According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (1998), the maximum exposure time at 85 dBA is 8 hours. At 110 dBA, the maximum exposure time is one minute and 29 seconds. If you must be exposed to noise, it is recommended that you limit the exposure time and/or wear hearing protection."

I personally use plugs called "Pillow Soft" get them at Wal-Mart, they are made of silicone or something and they block all the extraneous noise and I can still hear my engine and stuff around. They are the best I have found so far (besides custom fit ones) and stay put and are only around $5 for a box of 12, but I don't use them as the manufacturer suggests and get double because I "stuff" them in my ears like a normal plug. I know, I'm a bad boy, but they work better this way.

Point is, you really need to wear something. Tinnitus or ringing of the ears is a sign of hearing damage (as well as others problems as Grump wisely pointed out) but when it is relational to a ride, better do something about it or you'll pay down the road.

ed

For my ride from MD to Syracuse NY this September, I used ear plugs with my similarly modified Specialty Spares. The foam ear plugs worked fine with my half helmet. The foam plugs worked great, all I heard was a slight murmur of engine. If I take another long trip like that, I'll buy a open-faced helmet that covers my ears, still use the ear plugs.

Hey Phil,
There is a place on Oakland Park Blvd in Ft. Laud. It's called A Atlantic Hearing 954-563-4226, they sell custom made ear plugs for $75.00. They advertise in the Wheels on the Road magazine.

Van

Thanks Van, I'll give them a call.

"Chick Fil-A at 7AM"

The last time I did that was on the ride to Robert's town. Hot food for our frozen fingers to handle on the way down to our frozen stomachs! At least I think it was Chick Fil-A!

Get the wife her own bike, does wonders for the hearing.