Riding an allroad touring motorcycle and protecting one of the sensitive senses, hearing is very important for the quality of life. Once the damage is done, there is no going back. Riding all day long can be exhausting for ears too, unless they are protected. Good hearing protection keeps the rider comfortable and helps to stay focused, but also allows the use of helmet intercom and to discuss with fellow riders along the road.
When selecting a proper hearing protection, pay attention to the noise absorption effect SNR and frequency range HML. The motorcycle riding noise is mostly at the low frequencies and reaches easily dangerous decibel levels. The wind noise and turbulence around the helmet can be very loud and harmful. Along with the earplugs also aerodynamics should be in focus with hearing protection so that as much turbulence as possible would be eliminated.
Hearing Protection with Passive Earplugs
Most of us use passive earplugs for hearing protection. There are memory foams of several kind and reusable earplugs that can be washed and used again and again. Even with disposable earplugs, the level of proper protection and touring comfort can be easily accomplished. The best comfort mostly comes with the tapered shape, but also with softness when memory foams are in question. Custom made silicone earplugs are the highest level of comfort, but they can be also equipped with active noise filtering features and communication interfaces. For those who ride more than just a little bit, the custom moulded earplugs could be an interesting choice. Read more about hearing protection here.
