Quiet lids

[Pigeon]

Shoei Qwest, started out quiet(ish), but after 3 years it was loud.

Shark Speed R, started out very quiet, but after 2 years its now noticeably louder.

I think the foam inserts just lose density / shape over time.


Things which help, decent earplugs, but also a snood. Without the snood, wind noise is 5x as bad.
Fairing helps of course.

[XBIKER]

[OmegaA]

[talkToTheHat]

The thing about exposure enduced hearing loss is it sneaks up on you. It's not like turning off a switch. You slowly and progressively lose frequency response. If you can't hear the wind noise then it may be too late.

That said, at 30mph noise is negligable, so for urban riding in heavy traffic you exposure is fairly low. When I lived in a suburb and most of my short trips didn't see more than 40, helmet noise was not an issue. At motorway speed it really is.
____________________
Bandit. does. everything.

[Johanna]

I've done a bit of research into this noise thing. I went to the cinema the other day to see Venom, and at some points the film was so loud it was physically painful. Comparing to riding on the motorway I've never felt pain from the noise in my helmet. Various surveys of helmet noise levels say the sound level is around 90-100dB at about 60-70Mph. Obviously I stick to the speed limit strictly, but if I was to go, say, 90-100Mph then it would be getting up to 110-120dB.

The level for physical pain is 120dB, which is the same as a jet fighter flying low overhead and I assume the film was over 120dB at certain points since it was painful. (Edit: I found a study that said they measured 118dB in the film Inception.) Makes sense if the noise in my helmet is sub-120dB.

Apparently the threshold for permanent hearing damage is 85dB. There are regulations preventing cinema staff from being exposed to film noise to protect their hearing but no regulations to protect the audience (except in Belgium).

So the film was obviously way too loud. I should have worn ear plugs.

I commute on the motorway on my bike so I started wearing ear plugs today. It felt like I was riding in cotton wool. I felt like my peripheral vision was impaired because my hearing wasn't as good as normal. I really hated it! I'm going to persist and hopefully the numb feeling will go away so I can enjoy the ride again. Those who wear ear plugs - was it dull and cotton-wooley at first? Did it get better?

Edit again: The study also suggested that the noise level can vary depending on the combination of bike and helmet. If you have a small screen and change to a bigger one you might find that the screen is directing the air into the helmet vents which could increase the noise. It was suggested that one of the worst problem areas on the helmet is the neck opening. A good chin curtain or neck buff can help reduce noise.

I would post a link to these things I was reading but it was a few days ago and I didn't save any of it, sorry...

[Shaft]

[Motorhate]

[MarJay]

I've heard the HJC R-PHA 70 is pretty quiet, although it seems to depend on the shape of your head. I've been regularly wearing earplugs on the bike for years. Which reminds me, I need to order some more.
____________________
British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[B5234FT]

[ocatoro]

[MisterPrice10...]

Schuberth S1 was by far the quietest lid i have ever owned

It felt like i was wearing earplugs even when I wasn't. Great visibilty too.


A girlfriend at the time dropped it and it made a satisfying crunch so its days were short lived but I would fully recommend looking at Schuberths current range if its anything like the S1!
____________________
18 bikes later and still no idea what i'm doing.