Any Advice on Wind Noise?

[TobyJug]

Hi

I'm riding a naked V7II and I wear an HJC IS Max II helmet and I'm looking to cut down on the wind noise.  Should I look at a quieter helmet or put a windshield on?  Any helmet or windshield suggestions?

Thanks

Jug

[yogidozer]

ear plugs. take it from a nearly deaf guy 

[Toecutter]

Get yourself a pair of custom earplugs made... the kind that are injected into your ear, and take about 15 minutes to make.

Cheapest, best solution. Hands down.

[Gliderjohn]

Maybe it is just me. I rode for over 12 years on a naked bike, didn't know anything different. Bought my T-3 and rode it naked the first year than put a SP I upper faring and shield on it. My first reaction was to kick my butt 12 times, once for each year I had gone without protection. Much reduced wind pressure on body, quieter, less bugs and debris in face and riding in rain is much more pleasant. But...the effectiveness of screens and helmets varies greatly or to what matches what you are trying to achieve. My 2.5 cents worth.
GliderJohn

[JeffOlson]

In my experience, windshields generally create a horrendous din by directing all the wind off your chest onto your helmet. In my experience, the only windshield that truly cuts the noise is a tall one that you look through. Short of that, no windscreen at all is better. Just get a nice quiet full face helmet.

[Toecutter]

I wear a Biltwell Gringo... might as well be an open face. Earplugs are essential riding gear for me.

My wife wears a beautiful high end closed-face Shoei... earplugs are essential riding gear for her.

They just make sense, regardless of lid. The custom ones aren't even noticeable when in, compared to anything "off the shelf". Well worth the money.

[yogidozer]

Not always easy to find a quiet helmet that works for you. Different size heads make a huge difference in wind noise.
Earplugs are relatively cheap, and can be used for other loud things.
Lawnmowers, woodchippers, chainsaws.....an angry spouse 

[Guzzi Gal]

Wear earplugs of some type!  I had a nasty ear infection as a preschooler that perforated one eardrum and I've had tinnitus since.  I've no interest in making it worse.   

[yogidozer]

Wear earplugs of some type!  I had a nasty ear infection as a preschooler that perforated one eardrum and I've had tinnitus since.  I've no interest in making it worse.   

True, thank God for closed captioning on TV

[Lannis]

Get yourself a pair of custom earplugs made... the kind that are injected into your ear, and take about 15 minutes to make.

Cheapest, best solution. Hands down.

Yep.   You can even get them with a little "waveguide" molded through the middle that lets speaking tones through, but cuts the "SHSHSHSHHHH" of wind noise so you don't lose any more hearing.   You can't get it back.

Lannis

[Guzzistajohn]

I always carry a few pairs of cheap ear plugs in the tank bag. If I bought a nice custom made pair I'd loose one for sure.

[Sheepdog]

A chin curtain and thicker cheek pads can quiet things down a bit. HJC has a great selection of replacement parts for their lids. Below are a couple of links you might like to check out...

http://www.motorcyclegear.com/street/street_helmets_and_eyewear/replacement_base_plates_gear_kits_and_other_parts/hjc/chin_curtain_for_is_max_ii_helmets.html


http://www.motorcyclegear.com/street/street_helmets_and_eyewear/replacement_cheek_pads/hjc/cheek_pads_for_is_max_ii_helmets.html

[Two Checks]

If you install a screen dont get one that turns up at the top of the screen. That creates turbulence. That creates noise.

[rocker59]

Motorcycle Wind Noise?

Ear Plugs!

[rss29]

Yep.   You can even get them with a little "waveguide" molded through the middle that lets speaking tones through, but cuts the "SHSHSHSHHHH" of wind noise so you don't lose any more hearing.   You can't get it back.

Lannis

I got a pair of these made at a motorcycle show and they are fantastic. The channel allows me to listen to music or talk on the phone but blocks out a good portion of the buzz and drone. The disposable plugs are OK but I find them uncomfortable after a while. The custom ones I can wear all day. I got ones with a cord molded in so they hang around my neck. I was able to specify the colors as well so I went with a red one for the right ear, which makes it easy to identify at a glance. I think they were $150 or so but worth every penny.

[Toecutter]

Paid $75 Canuck-bucks for mine, got 'em at the Moto-Show. Had them molded in black and dayglo green swirls...easy to find if dropped. As soon as my helmet comes off, they go into their little wallet, and into my pocket.

[malik]

On the V7, I found the OEM screen put the wind at visor level. It's better with either no screen or a small fly screen that just covers the instruments. Rear sets change the effect of the wind on the front again, & for me, it's an improvement. Otherwise, it's ear plugs until you come across a helmet that fits your head so well that wind is no longer a factor - they are out there, I've come across others who've achieved success here, I'm still trying, but it is a long time between experiments. What I have gleaned to date, is that helmet price has little affect on quietness - other factors are at play. For example, the Vozz helmet for some is very quiet, for others it's so noisy to be unbearable, though for most of us, it seems to fall somewhere in between.

[Laker]

Get yourself a pair of custom earplugs made... the kind that are injected into your ear, and take about 15 minutes to make.

Cheapest, best solution. Hands down.

Couldn't agree more. Those custom earplugs go with me on airplanes, to the shooting range, sporting events and anytime I'll be near a bunch of kids. They are fantastic.

[bad Chad]

Like everyone said, butt ear plugs!  Although, some helmets are significantly quieter than others.

Also, a Swanee style windshield from Harpers, pricey, a bit weird looking, but absolutely the best for eliminating wind noise, I could put a baby to sleep behind mine.

[Wayne Orwig]

As others have stated. Windshield buffeting can be horrible. Direct wind noise with good ear plugs is easy to manage. Windshield buffeting can be hard to fix, and even earplugs may not help. I have a Suwannee on the EV. It has a couple of large holes to fill the back side vacuum space, and isn't too bad. My previous Plexifairings were unmanageable and I'm convinced contributed to the LOUD constant ringing in my ears.

[mjptexas]

Shoei GT Air and ear plugs.

[lazlokovacs]

+1 on the harpers fairing, only thing that beats it is the MG police fairing on my loop.... quiet as quiet can be

[TobyJug]

Thanks folks.  There's some good advice there that probably saved me lots of time and money.  I should have known that I'd get the 'cheapest' solution here.

Jug

[Muzz]

Thanks folks.  There's some good advice there that probably saved me lots of time and money.  I should have known that I'd get the 'cheapest' solution here.

Jug

You learn fast Grasshopper.

I have tinnitus from industrial deafness, when we didn't know about these things. Probably 200,000 miles with an open face helmet on an old English thumper didn't help either.   I personally use the soft plugs and carry spares in a small pill bottle in my jacket. Essential

[guzziownr]

I have been wearing foam earplugs for 20 years and there has always been a trade-off between comfort and efficiency.  I found these at Walmart.  Super quiet and very comfortable. 

[Darren Williams]

I use the 3M EARS brand of earplugs. They have yellow foam on a blue plastic stem. Washable and easy to insert. I bought a 100 pair box on Amazon. They last me a month or more per pair (I ride almost everyday).

I got ones with a cord molded in so they hang around my neck. I was able to specify the colors as well so I went with a red one for the right ear, which makes it easy to identify at a glance.

If the right one was red, that would so confuse me.   

[LowRyter]

I wear ear plugs at all times, it's part of my ATGATT.

In fact, you might get some custom made (red one for right ear and black one for left).  I find most of the commercial ear plugs don't work for me except for the yellow foam ones.

[rss29]

I use the 3M EARS brand of earplugs. They have yellow foam on a blue plastic stem. Washable and easy to insert. I bought a 100 pair box on Amazon. They last me a month or more per pair (I ride almost everyday).

If the right one was red, that would so confuse me.   

Red for the right ear makes me think of channel markers.

[Darren Williams]

Red for the right ear makes me think of channel markers.

You're thinking of the old "red right return" rhyme to remember which side of the channel markers to be.  Me, it's green or blue  for starboard and red for port. When you have a cockpit full of spaghetti, makes it easier to find the spin guy and sheet.

[twowheeladdict]

I have been wearing foam earplugs for 20 years and there has always been a trade-off between comfort and efficiency.  I found these at Walmart.  Super quiet and very comfortable. 

Those are the brand I wear.  I have very sensitive hearing (don't tell my wife) so I always wear ear protection when doing anything where there is noise involved.  It is hot here so I want a helmet with a lot of vents which comes with extra wind noise.