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Quiet helmets

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G

Greenman

Lifer
I've been searching for a quiet helmet, and discovered that noise levels seem to be pretty subjective. I'd like to find something reasonably priced, and as quiet as possible. Any recommendations?
I wear ear plugs, but they bother me a lot after a couple of hours use. Most of my riding is trips of 100 to 250 miles, so not having to use plugs would be a huge plus. Also, whatever helmet I end up with, I'll probably have to buy one for my wife as well, so cost does become an issue.
 
My Shoei Qwest isn't bad without plugs, and I got it on sale from motorcyclegear.com for $250 (they might be OOS at this point)

i almost always wear ear plugs though. anything > 40mph and it gets uncomfortable.
 
My Shoei RF1100 is decent but with the vents open it gets much louder. I've heard the X12 is really nice but man those are like twice what I paid for my RF1100.

I bought some of the molded ear plugs they sell at shooting ranges and those worked pretty well but I lost them. Need to pick up another pair. They are more comfortable and easier to use than foam earplugs.
 
What kind of plugs do you wear? Different plugs make a huge difference in comfort. Personally, I don't find any helmet adequate without plugs at highway (65mph) speeds.

If you're using those foam disposables, you might be better off spending more on the reusable or custom plugs that will still let you use your current (I'm assuming well fitting and comfortable) helmets.

Have you tried these ~$13 surefire ear pros?
http://www.surefire.com/tactical-equipment/hearing-protection.html

That, or try a custom molded set of ear plugs for around $50-70.
 
I've been using the cheap foam plugs I get at the lumber yard. They're made for use in construction, and work pretty well. I'll try the better quality plugs and see if they bother me.

Thanks for the info.
 
Well I can't speak for the helmets above, but I can tell you not to get an HJC. I have one and it's loud as balls. I don't do much high way riding, so it's not a huge issue, but when I do, I hate my life.

I am waiting until my next bike to pony up for more helmet $$, and I am leaning toward the Bell RS-1, maybe a Shoei RF1100 if I find a good deal. Interested in the Shark helmets, too.. Although I haven't watched any video reviews yet.
 
z1ggy said:
Well I can't speak for the helmets above, but I can tell you not to get an HJC. I have one and it's loud as balls. I don't do much high way riding, so it's not a huge issue, but when I do, I hate my life.

I am waiting until my next bike to pony up for more helmet $$, and I am leaning toward the Bell RS-1, maybe a Shoei RF1100 if I find a good deal. Interested in the Shark helmets, too.. Although I haven't watched any video reviews yet.
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Try with earplugs. It helps quite a bit plus that noise really does fatigue you on a longer ride. You may not even realize it but once you ride with earplugs in you'll realize how much of a difference it makes.
 
JulesMaximus said:
Try with earplugs. It helps quite a bit plus that noise really does fatigue you on a longer ride. You may not even realize it but once you ride with earplugs in you'll realize how much of a difference it makes.
Click to expand...

truth :thumbsup:

i did a 2000 mile trip with a track weekend stuck between each 1000 mile leg. plugs make a HUGE difference 🙂
 
I never had a helmet that was quiet enough, at least at freeway speeds and up. The best purchase I ever made was getting the custom molded silicone plugs. I found my first pair at a local gun show, and they lasted a long time. I replaced them when a riding buddy took some course and could make them.
 
z1ggy said:
Question: With really good ear plugs, are you still able to hear sirens and/or car horns?
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Yes, but somethings get muted as well.

I rode with earbuds but not plugged in for a while just to see. While the ride was better in some points, i disliked it because of how they felt in my ear and in some cases the earbud jumped out of my ear. Maybe real ear plugs would be different, i've only owned one helmet Scorpion EXO-700, cant tell you too much.
 
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