headphones for under helmet

[ocatoro]

can anyone recommend some headphones that don't mind being stuffed into a helmet without the wires ripping out etc.

i don't get on with in-ear ones, i've never found a set which stay in my ears for more than like 10 seconds.

the type i usually go for are the ones which hook over the back of your ear. but mine won't go in the helmet so i'd like a new pair.

in brief: durable, decent volume level, able to go in the helmet, and preferably under £20.
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CBT - 17/09/12 * Theory - 23/10/12 * Mod1 - 05/03/13 * Mod2 - 25/03/13 * BOSH!
Current - None but shed project H100 (first bike )
Past - ER5, '93 ZZR600, '92 CB400 SF, ZZR600 (again), yellow Monster 620, Blackbird - black Monster 620ie - '96 ZZR600

[pdg]

I take it you want to listen to music?

If so, I wouldn't recommend it at all.

[ocatoro]

music and/or sat nav yes.

how comes?
____________________
CBT - 17/09/12 * Theory - 23/10/12 * Mod1 - 05/03/13 * Mod2 - 25/03/13 * BOSH!
Current - None but shed project H100 (first bike )
Past - ER5, '93 ZZR600, '92 CB400 SF, ZZR600 (again), yellow Monster 620, Blackbird - black Monster 620ie - '96 ZZR600

[pdg]

Music on isolates you from your surroundings. And before anyone starts on about having a car stereo, it's very different. A pair of headphones almost totally blocks any external noise.

Sat nav not quite so bad, but still quite distracting.

[U_W v2.0]

sorry pdg thats utter crap.

i (and many others) ride with headphones in with music.

if you have it at a sensible volume level then its not a distraction and doesnt isolate you.

agreed its different to being in a car, but no where near what your saying.

when im out and about with music on i can still hear other vehicles and so on around me and in the early mornings or late at night it helps to keep me alert and awake.

you just need to be sensible.

one option would be to get some flat speakers and install in the helmet under the lining. further round behind you would be good as it blocks less surrounding noise than in ear headphones. not that its that bad.
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BCF's biggest cunt list: Cansa, Pits, Rob

[barrkel]

For a cheap solution, you could try dismantling one of those old-fashioned over the head headphones that used to come with walkmans in the 80s and take the drivers out. Stick velcro to the back of them, they should stick to the inside of the helmet without too much hassle; and perhaps a little foam or cloth on front to avoid rubbing. Some helmets come with removable pads where the ears go - in particular, the Caberg Konda has two types of foam glued together, can be pulled apart to act as a nice sandwich for a driver. Other helmets - especially ones designed to take bluetooth accessories - may be similar.

Intercom kits like Cardo Scala Rider can be used as headphones for music and bluetooth, but they also need charging, which is a bit of a pain.

If money isn't a problem, you can go with moulded in-ear headphone / earplug combos like https://www.ultimateear.com/motorcyclist.php - I'm thinking of going for these myself.

As to people who say you shouldn't wear them; they definitely reduce your awareness and potentially cloud your judgement in urban traffic initially (e.g. if a high tempo song comes up on rotation), but I think the effect wears off, and I find they improve your concentration on longer motorway journeys. Interesting study here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20602740 : "Exposure to self-selected music resulted in overestimation of elapsed time and inaccuracy, while benefiting accuracy and experience".

If you don't already wear earplugs, not hearing engine noise may result in stalling a few times at traffic lights initially.
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Bikes: S1000R, SH350; Exes: Vity 125, PS125, YBR125, ER6f, VFR800, Brutale 920, CB600F, SH300x4
Best road ever ridden: www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2MhNxUEYtQ

[pdg]

[U_W v2.0]

no, not everything, but you did exaggerate the affect of music too far.

although it does depend on the type of earphone.

i use crappy plastic "in ear" ones. "ear buds" will drown out more traffic noise and isnt advised.
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BCF's biggest cunt list: Cansa, Pits, Rob

[ocatoro]

[U_W v2.0]

he wasnt giving you completely bad advise.

what he says is applicable. but having ridden just over 1000 miles in 2 months with headphones in its my PERSONAL experience that if you use the volume wisely then it can be beneficial in cold weather or when your still a little tired/getting tired.

i wouldnt recommend anything that would drown out all surrounding noise.

i also find it helps kill wind noise. which in all honesty, can have the same affect as having music at full volume in your ears.

see, he didnt bother to mention wind noise having the same affect at drowning out your surroundings did he?

of course, a good helmet with little to 0 wind noise soon fixes that argument lol
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BCF's biggest cunt list: Cansa, Pits, Rob

[pdg]

[U_W v2.0]

would that really stand up in court pdg?

i mean, that is no different to being in a car. i can see where your coming from with it, but thats jumping to conclusion and surely they'd need to be able to prove the genre of music you had on affected your riding?

i will admit though, sometimes when an awesome tune comes on my riding can get a little more.....well faster.
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BCF's biggest cunt list: Cansa, Pits, Rob

[pdg]

[ocatoro]

yeah i have a caberg, so i'm told it's bad for wind noise. though at the moment i'm not able to go fast enough to get that (or it's just not noisy)

i think i'll go with the stick in speakers behind my ears or under the cheak pads or something. seems a good idea just to have something to listen to.

or, i had something along these lines on my cbt, just 1 ear for the radio with the instructor

hook

d-shape
____________________
CBT - 17/09/12 * Theory - 23/10/12 * Mod1 - 05/03/13 * Mod2 - 25/03/13 * BOSH!
Current - None but shed project H100 (first bike )
Past - ER5, '93 ZZR600, '92 CB400 SF, ZZR600 (again), yellow Monster 620, Blackbird - black Monster 620ie - '96 ZZR600

[U_W v2.0]

those "on ear" things are a pain in the backside. on my cbt i had one and it kept wiggling around.

i think wind noise isnt an "in your face" problem when it comes to the health aspect. but more the collective affects of wind noise over a prolongs period of time.

also, many people ride with ear plugs in to counter act wind noise.

so between earplugs, wind noise and earphones, i think they all can be as bad as each other, the difference being that wind noise at low speed isnt that bad, and headphones you can adjust the volume to suit. earplugs probably being the worst of them all.
____________________
BCF's biggest cunt list: Cansa, Pits, Rob

[ocatoro]

my alternative is just singing. do you think pedestrians can hear me from inside my helmet? i was singing in town the other day and i wasn't sure as nobody looked at me.


looks like the stick on jobbies then. at least they have a quick release connector on too to just unplug quickly at the petrol station without faffing with my mp3 player.
____________________
CBT - 17/09/12 * Theory - 23/10/12 * Mod1 - 05/03/13 * Mod2 - 25/03/13 * BOSH!
Current - None but shed project H100 (first bike )
Past - ER5, '93 ZZR600, '92 CB400 SF, ZZR600 (again), yellow Monster 620, Blackbird - black Monster 620ie - '96 ZZR600

[U_W v2.0]

oh yes!

they can hear you.

sitting at some lights at school time, strangling the local cats getting some very funny looks. had just passed module 1 so didnt give a rats arse hehe
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BCF's biggest cunt list: Cansa, Pits, Rob

[Flip]

[U_W v2.0]

thats kinda harsh.

maybe he just had his music up to loud when he used to do it, or some other factor was involved. who knows...no need to be cruel though.

in his defence, pdg does offer up solid advice at times.
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BCF's biggest cunt list: Cansa, Pits, Rob

[Flip]

[ocatoro]

[pdg]

[U_W v2.0]

[ocatoro]

[Nick 50]

Pass test, get V-Twin, stick decent cans on............

All the music you will ever need
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Current Bikes: ZX7r 97 (Black Beauty), VFR400 NC24 (The banana)
Previous Bikes: Aprilia Tuono 03 (The Beast), CBR600f (97)
First bike: A GZ125 Lemon.......