Beginner advice!
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Wear your earplugs!!! At least just say you are wearing them so this thread will go away!!! HAHAHA!!! C'mon guys this is a motorcycle forum not my Dad telling everyone how well he used to be able to hear!!! Chill....
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If you wear shoes with lacies when you ride make sure the bow is tucked inside the shoe because there is a chance that it could get caught up on something. This is my best advice to the Noobs on motorcycles, don't be a SQUID it's not cool.
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Originally Posted by 3ngin33r1,Apr 4 2008, 04:39 PM
You don't need to prove it to make it right? Santa is real too right?
I already DID look it up and read the site you quoted already. The text doesn't even match the graphs that are displayed there.
You've got one doctor with an observation and opinion, that's not hard data and that's not a study proving that ear plugs prevent hearing loss on a motorcycle or proves that not wearing them while riding does.
There isn't a whole lot of data out there showing it one way or another and the majority of the search results either reference the ridemyown site or webbike's opinion that they are good for you.
Just because 1000 people quote 2 sources does not make it true.
Has there ever been a long-term, controlled study that proves there will be hearing loss if you do not wear ear plugs?
If there has, I'm pretty sure every state would allow the use of ear plugs on motorcycles or there would be plenty of lawsuits and regulations would get changed in a hurry.
I've got some quotes from doctors that say male enhancement pills work too, would you believe them too? I can find more then 2...
Wearing them won't hurt you, but you've provided no evidence that you will be hurt if you don't wear them and said that anyone who says otherwise is giving bad advice.
Wearing full body armor will help you in a wreck too, and there's data to back that up, why don't you recommend that along with your ear plugs?
I already DID look it up and read the site you quoted already. The text doesn't even match the graphs that are displayed there.
You've got one doctor with an observation and opinion, that's not hard data and that's not a study proving that ear plugs prevent hearing loss on a motorcycle or proves that not wearing them while riding does.
There isn't a whole lot of data out there showing it one way or another and the majority of the search results either reference the ridemyown site or webbike's opinion that they are good for you.
Just because 1000 people quote 2 sources does not make it true.
Has there ever been a long-term, controlled study that proves there will be hearing loss if you do not wear ear plugs?
If there has, I'm pretty sure every state would allow the use of ear plugs on motorcycles or there would be plenty of lawsuits and regulations would get changed in a hurry.
I've got some quotes from doctors that say male enhancement pills work too, would you believe them too? I can find more then 2...
Wearing them won't hurt you, but you've provided no evidence that you will be hurt if you don't wear them and said that anyone who says otherwise is giving bad advice.
Wearing full body armor will help you in a wreck too, and there's data to back that up, why don't you recommend that along with your ear plugs?
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The kid comment was directed towards your attitude not age.
Actually you are supposed to wear ear plugs when you ride in a convertable but it's not [even in theory] the same situation.
On any sport bike, unless you are fully tucked, your head is directly in the wind [as in it hits you at 60mph if you are going 60mph]. When in the s2000 the wind clears your head for the most part although there is some wind noise. It's the buffeting that is the biggest issue.
Now if you take your windshield off your s2000, then you'll be right. Probably similar to driving an Atom I'd imagine.
Actually you are supposed to wear ear plugs when you ride in a convertable but it's not [even in theory] the same situation.
On any sport bike, unless you are fully tucked, your head is directly in the wind [as in it hits you at 60mph if you are going 60mph]. When in the s2000 the wind clears your head for the most part although there is some wind noise. It's the buffeting that is the biggest issue.
Now if you take your windshield off your s2000, then you'll be right. Probably similar to driving an Atom I'd imagine.
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From: Kingston, WA
My attitude? I was not aware that I had an attitude about this. Is asking for evidence considered having an attitude? I suppose no one should ever question anything then, they might be perceived as being immature for doing so...
You are supposed to wear ear plugs in a convertible? I have never heard of this before, is that in the manual? I'll have to read it again.
I read my helmet manuals and all of the manufacturers manuals for the various bikes I've owned over the years that I can still find laying around this weekend and none of them say anything about ear plugs being required or even recommended except with the ORVs.
What I don't understand is if there is such a serious risk of damaging your hearing, why wouldn't the manufacturers of the bikes or the safety equipment drop in a one liner somewhere in their manuals that states "The use of hearing protection is recommend during operation - check your local and state laws".
One could potentially file a lawsuit against them if they have hearing loss that can be attributed to the operation of a motorcycle. With a one-liner in the manual, they are off the hook and the states or local municipalities could then be sued if it was against the law to wear them.
They have enough one-liners about everything else in there, but not ear plugs.
You are supposed to wear ear plugs in a convertible? I have never heard of this before, is that in the manual? I'll have to read it again.
I read my helmet manuals and all of the manufacturers manuals for the various bikes I've owned over the years that I can still find laying around this weekend and none of them say anything about ear plugs being required or even recommended except with the ORVs.
What I don't understand is if there is such a serious risk of damaging your hearing, why wouldn't the manufacturers of the bikes or the safety equipment drop in a one liner somewhere in their manuals that states "The use of hearing protection is recommend during operation - check your local and state laws".
One could potentially file a lawsuit against them if they have hearing loss that can be attributed to the operation of a motorcycle. With a one-liner in the manual, they are off the hook and the states or local municipalities could then be sued if it was against the law to wear them.
They have enough one-liners about everything else in there, but not ear plugs.
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From: La Habra
I can't explain why the manufacturers don't have warning labels but you protest too much. Can you hear me? 
http://www.freehearingtest.com/hia_m...clefacts.shtml
http://www.msgroup.org/tip.aspx?num=150
You can Google on your own as much as you like but you won't find studies with the result saying not to wear earplugs.
I know we're not going to change YOUR mind but your advice is sort of like the old-timers who said "don't use that front brake. It'll kill you." Not right for the smart rider.
http://www.freehearingtest.com/hia_m...clefacts.shtml
http://www.msgroup.org/tip.aspx?num=150
You can Google on your own as much as you like but you won't find studies with the result saying not to wear earplugs.
I know we're not going to change YOUR mind but your advice is sort of like the old-timers who said "don't use that front brake. It'll kill you." Not right for the smart rider.
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From: Kingston, WA
No I won't find any sites with studies saying that you shouldn't wear them, and you can't seem to find a site that presents anything new to this argument.
One site you listed references the same data as the rest (1994 study) that have been posted, the other one quotes data from a 1991 study! It's the same stuff, over and over and it's old!
I'm like the old-timers? Right, and you with your old data would be what?
Are you saying that in 13-17 years, helmets have not changed and they would show the same results today as they did in those two studies?
In 17 years there have been numerous changes and advances in motorcycle safety but they just can't seem to beat the wind thing?
I don't buy it.
And you CAN change my mind if you provide some more in-depth studies that provide text that matches their graphs.
For example:
If you look at the graph on that site, it shows wind speed noise at 65mph to be around 100dB. How do you go from 100dB at 65mph on a graph to 110-116dB at 35mph in the text? According to the graph, you only hit 110dB at 100mph and that's well above highway speeds and below the "probable hearing damage" threshold. So which is right? The graph or the text?
One site you listed references the same data as the rest (1994 study) that have been posted, the other one quotes data from a 1991 study! It's the same stuff, over and over and it's old!
I'm like the old-timers? Right, and you with your old data would be what?
Are you saying that in 13-17 years, helmets have not changed and they would show the same results today as they did in those two studies?
In 17 years there have been numerous changes and advances in motorcycle safety but they just can't seem to beat the wind thing?
I don't buy it.
And you CAN change my mind if you provide some more in-depth studies that provide text that matches their graphs.
For example:
these helmets still produce wind noise readings of 110 to 116dB's, from 35mph to highway speeds.
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From: La Habra
I've been wearing ful-face helmets longer than 17 years. No, wind noise is not reduced in my experience. If you're hearing less noise perhaps it is loss of hearing?
The maximum improvement I've "heard" is from sealing the neck area completely, something no helmets do well. I've had top Arai's and Shoei's so you can't pull the quality-brand card either.
I assume the text you are noting has a typo but I don't have to defend it Doesn't change the final analysis. I don't know why you feel the need to tack against the wind on this topic. You don't have to defend your own unsafe behavior to anyone else. Just don't spout bad advise to novices and expect not to be called on it.
The maximum improvement I've "heard" is from sealing the neck area completely, something no helmets do well. I've had top Arai's and Shoei's so you can't pull the quality-brand card either.
I assume the text you are noting has a typo but I don't have to defend it Doesn't change the final analysis. I don't know why you feel the need to tack against the wind on this topic. You don't have to defend your own unsafe behavior to anyone else. Just don't spout bad advise to novices and expect not to be called on it.