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Any motorcyclists on this forum?

Sal1950

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I think the law prohibits plugs unless "specifically designed to reduce harmful (injurious) noise levels". Nothing about Rx. I would think the squishy orange ones, used by machinery operators for years, would qualify.
Ah no, I don't believe so.
I believe the only acceptable thing would be electronic type devices that allow voice level sounds
though but supress anything very loud. I don't see how a passive device could be proven to meet the letter of the law.

"A person wearing personal hearing protectors in the form of earplugs or molds that are specifically designed to attenuate injurious noise levels. The plugs or molds shall be designed in a manner so as to not inhibit the wearer’s ability to hear a siren or horn from an emergency vehicle or a horn from another motor vehicle."

Friends, you couldn't get me to live in the Peoples Socialist State Of California for any amount of money.

God Bless Florida.
 

steve59

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I thumbed across the country a few times in the 70's to visit california, even got a job in LA to try to live there. I seems like its not so much the destination it used to be. I would love to ride the mountain roads tho'.
 

MRC01

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I guess, you haven't ever been pulled over while wearing them. ...
I have, as mentioned above. In my case it wasn't a problem. Nor were my "loud" aftermarket V&H pipes. Maybe I just got lucky with a nicer cop than you did. Or perhaps it was my attempt to be courteous. I know police have a hard enough job dealing with general public @$$-holes, I try not to make it worse for them.
Come to think of it, back in the 90s I also got pulled over for 80 in a 55 on my GSXR-750 which was jetted and dynotuned with extremely loud D&D exhaust. Didn't get a ticket for the earplugs or illegal loud exhaust, only for the speeding. Go figure!
 

pseudoid

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Friends, you couldn't get me to live in the Peoples Socialist State Of California for any amount of money.
Okie, and Yeah!
CA put a target on themselves and you are welcome to call it anything you wish and I could not disagree with you (or others).
But if you have never rode the PCH (SLO to SF), or hauled-some-hay on the AngelesCrest, during days that it is not a 'funeral procession' or the Ortega Highway in its hooligan hay-days (as just 3 examples); all that 'socialist-ish CA crap" turns into noise well below -96dB.
Heck, even I-405 - during the rush hour periods - becomes fun for 2-wheel assaults, as you feel like you are cheating life thanks to splitting lanes!
:cool:
 

Gringoaudio1

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The only sound I want to hear while riding is the wondrous sound of an internal combustion engine.
Much preferably a H-D or Ducati V-twin.
Unfortunately all I hear is wind noise. I cannot hear my lovely Ducati motor unless I go for a slow city cruise without earplugs. Why can’t the aerodynamics of helmets be improved so that the ear damaging wind noise can be reduced?
Just putting my left hand beside my helmet and deflecting the wind shows that airfoils of some sort on the helmet would help.
 

steve59

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we agree to leave politics at the door when we come in here right?

unfortunately the biggest tool our government picked up propaganda as one of its campaign tools and this isn't the place to argue what's what.
 

MRC01

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... if you have never rode the PCH (SLO to SF), or hauled-some-hay on the AngelesCrest, during days that it is not a 'funeral procession' or the Ortega Highway in its hooligan hay-days (as just 3 examples); all that 'socialist-ish CA crap" turns into noise well below -96dB. ...
Been there, done that. CA does have some excellent riding. Also up north Hwy 1 toward Mendocino. And down south, the twisty roads around Mt. Palomar. Good memories of high lean angles and G forces :cool:
 

Blumlein 88

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Unfortunately all I hear is wind noise. I cannot hear my lovely Ducati motor unless I go for a slow city cruise without earplugs. Why can’t the aerodynamics of helmets be improved so that the ear damaging wind noise can be reduced?
Just putting my left hand beside my helmet and deflecting the wind shows that airfoils of some sort on the helmet would help.
I made such airfoils for this purpose at one time for both motorcycle and bicycle helmets. Also in bike helmets it could shield ears from cold air if riding in cold weather plus they reflected and increased the sound of cars coming up behind you so a safety aspect for bicycles. Not an issue with most motorcycle helmets. Just a one off experiment using some heat molded plastic. Maybe I should have patented the idea. You are right such things could be done to reduce noise.
 

MRC01

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Regarding wind noise, it's also affected by any fairings on the bike itself. Some make it louder, others quieter.
Typical foam earplugs rated at peak 25-30 dB block too much, and it's focused on the highest frequencies where you don't need it as much. I found that the Etymotic musicians earplugs (whether custom molds or the cheap ones) had the right amount of attenuation, about 15 dB more or less flat across the spectrum. And they fit neatly in my ears under the helmet.
 

pseudoid

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I think it was an audiologist who also happened to be biker that did brisk business (via word-of-mouth), bephore fones!:confused:
202209_EarPlugs.jpg

At least, that was the way it was, per CA DMV... possibly more strict now that peeps pipe stuff into their ear canals directly, IV style!
 

Spkrdctr

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I made such airfoils for this purpose at one time for both motorcycle and bicycle helmets. Also in bike helmets it could shield ears from cold air if riding in cold weather plus they reflected and increased the sound of cars coming up behind you so a safety aspect for bicycles. Not an issue with most motorcycle helmets. Just a one off experiment using some heat molded plastic. Maybe I should have patented the idea. You are right such things could be done to reduce noise.
I think that is sorely needed. You should have gone on to become rich making helmets that are low noise. The wind noise is way, way too loud when riding.
 

pseudoid

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I made such airfoils for this purpose at one time for both motorcycle and bicycle helmets. Also in bike helmets it could shield ears from cold air if riding in cold weather plus they reflected and increased the sound of cars coming up behind you so a safety aspect for bicycles. Not an issue with most motorcycle helmets. Just a one off experiment using some heat molded plastic. Maybe I should have patented the idea. You are right such things could be done to reduce noise.
Someone must have already thought of offering "custom molded" helmet inserts for noise reduction!
Or... like that famous line by DiCaprio in the movie Avatar... ;)
(Remove the *asterisk >> https://www.you*tube.com/watch?v=xUa7ikBHpaI)
 

TonyJZX

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as a part of mid life crisis i would love to get a motorcycle license but i suspect its something i can do only once my olds have passed away

they barely tolerated my love for rwd v8 sports saloons and turbo japanese sports cars

to me there's a lot of beauty simplicity rawness pleasures in motorcycles

here's one of my favorites as far as aesthetics goes


this isnt mine, i dont think these were even ever sold here

and big singles are largely not a thing now

but i cant think of much that is as pleasant looking mechanically as this
 

EJ3

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Electric bikes are certainly appealing for the stealth factor. Nothing says "I'm speeding" like a screaming sport bike approaching. However I do love the screaming symphony of thrashing metal. Their not great for retaining hearing though, the wind noise in particular is savage.
But the noise helps keep others from pulling into/onto you.
I predict many more motorcycle fatalities with silent electric ones.
 

EJ3

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I ride and have owned a number of bikes over the years. I'm old now and have stepped down to a slow and 'safer', easier to handle bike for occasional rides, a late model Honda Rebel 500. It feels like and rides like a 1970 Triumph 500 I once owned. It's got about zero cachet but it goes and stops and doesn't overwhelm me. Like I said, I'm old.
Yes, the good Rebel (the 250 was a good bike to train people on due to low seat height and low power))
I believe that my 1971 Honda CL (a Scrambler style bike, bought new when I was 14) could run circles around the Rebel 250.
Many bikes since then
71 Honda Sl 350, 64 Honda 305 Dream, 69 Harley Sportster (Highly Modified), first and second year Honda 550's, 79 Honda 750, ????Kawasaki 440 (also great to train people on due to low seat height). I ended my motorcycle career at 48 (when I finally got married [don't tell my wife, it was 54]) because a number of her brother's friends had been killed on them (because they did stupid things, the damn SOB's caused the end of my riding career).
 
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Morpheus

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Bought my first bike when I was 36, a BMW GS 650ST, excellent first bike actually..late bloomer I guess.
All of them have been red: as a thing of passion, could not have a silver one.
Have two now, rather different : Moto Guzzi Griso 1100, stock, just matte blacked the a couple silver bits and a narrower handlebar, and a BMW K1200 R with carbon exhaust and diff.windshield, for much better protection than stock, for just a few more cms, plus a discreet matt belly. The BMW was silver, doesn't come in red at all, so, had it painted BMW racing red.
The Guzzi is a nice brute, with excellent handling, and gorgeous in every detail, but a bit gruff and underpowered. The BMW was the fastest naked when it came out, with a cool 163 hp.The engine, suspension, ergos and general execution is flawless. Heated grips, electronically adjustable suspension from 1 up to 2 fully loaded in 6 steps, brilliant..What sucks is the stupid
servo ABS: need to change oil every year or it goes and its a 2500E repair, and even then...and never, never forget you pratically don't have brakes if the engine is off, scared the s*** out of me a couple of times..and its a cool 2500E for a part that canl fail you again eventually.
Other than that, the gearbox is a bit clunky and fragile, but it is a brilliant, powerfull, confortable sports touring bike, would only trade for...a K1300R :)
 
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