Motorcycle Explorer Issue 6
METHODS OF HEARING PROTECTION .
Riding Screen – Removing the hazard will of course remove the harm . So if you have a screen that deflects the wind from your head then you ’ re going to get away with a lot of the noise , obviously . Depending on how effective that riding screen is at removing the air the more protection you ’ re afforded . I ’ ve always had issues with screens , at 6 ’ 2 ” I ’ ve yet to meet a stock screen on a dual sport that will push all the air turbulence away from my head . But there are of course lots of little addition bits you can get . You could get a bigger screen out of your cash , looking at buying a new bike , then have a go and see how much buffering you ’ re going to get – work out the price of a screen and haggle baby , haggle !
Position – Riding position is a factor if you ’ re taller than average as we said above . So of course if you have a lower screen then stooping down for short stints on the motorway / highway / autobahn etc is going to reduce the noise . I ’ m not going to go into this too much , you ’ re a biker and you ’ re reading this so that means you ’ re wrapped around a tree , telling me you have more common sense than 70 % of the public anyway !
Fullface Helmet – Again an obvious reduction measure with the fact that the less there is of turbulent air coming at your ears the less risk there is of damage to the eardrum . The more turbulent air , the more there is the risk of damage at higher speeds .
Speed – The figures above and your own experience tell you that the faster you go the faster the air moves around you . The more turbulence you have then the higher the risk of damage is if you have no protection . You could of course get a Honda C90 and never have to think of this again as small children ride past you on their pushbikes .
Time of exposure – If you find that you have ringing in your ears or getting headaches then you can of course take more breaks and limit the time you ride . But who the hell would want to limit the time that they spend on the bike ? I only put this in to be through of all the hazard reduction techniques . Just apply the other techniques and spend all day and night zipping around the world in state of pure bliss .
Ear Plugs – Of course ! I hope by the time you have got this far you ’ re starting to see the importance of these little buggers . By reducing the amount of sound that can get in the ear you reduce the risk of any damage being done to your hearing .
Combination – Mix that lot up and you have the recipe for care free riding all day and still be able to hear a nat fart at 50 paces , how that comes in handy I ’ m yet to find out but you ’ d be able to do iit .