ElectricMotorcycleForum.com
Makes And Models => Zero Motorcycles Forum | 2013+ => Topic started by: Rugby4life on May 14, 2018, 12:59:32 AM
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I was riding through the mountains and the bike started making a strange noise. It sounded like valves tapping (ICE flashback). After much investigation, I discovered that it was my untucked shirt flapping in the breeze and touching the tank plastics. Such are the details you can hear when you ride electric. :-)
As a side note, it's time to replace my Nolan N44. I wear it without the chin bar (doesn't fit with it on), but it's still rather quiet. Anyone found another helmet with very little wind noise on an unfaired bike?
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Always wear ear plug protection and get any helmet you want
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Naked bike? Windshield? Turbulence from the mirrors? Some helmets that are magically quiet in clean air are loud with some turbulance. And vice versa.
Schuberths are well known for quietness in all situations. But YMMV.
Custom earplugs theoretically are the quietest. I've found howard leight earplugs to be almost as quiet, and much more comfortable.
https://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=howard+leight+earplugs&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=241922347577&hvpos=1t2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13473576321892938530&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9008375&hvtargid=kwd-11410130&ref=pd_sl_3f6gv22dzl_b
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Always wear ear plug protection and get any helmet you want
Yep......
I wear these under my Schubert C3
https://www.amazon.com/Howard-Leight-MAX-1-Plugs-Uncorded/dp/B0033YLEGO
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I also have the Nolan N44. Compared to other helmets I have had, the N44 is very noisy but it also lets more airflow compared to the other helmets I had. I have to wear earplugs when I wear it because of the wind noise.
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I have never owned any quiet helmets, but I have owned plenty of noisy helmets. Wear earplugs and buy a helmet that fits comfortably on your head. After many hours of riding, comfort becomes much more important than noise. ;)
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I agree, there's really no such thing as a quiet helmet. I think the amount of wind turbulence is a bigger factor than the actual helmet. I use a pair of custom ear plugs that I had made by a hearing specialist and love them. Not cheap (around $130 I think), but super quiet and comfortable enough to wear all day long. I never had much success with those cheap foam type ear plugs.
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I agree, there's really no such thing as a quiet helmet. I think the amount of wind turbulence is a bigger factor than the actual helmet. I use a pair of custom ear plugs that I had made by a hearing specialist and love them. Not cheap (around $130 I think), but super quiet and comfortable enough to wear all day long. I never had much success with those cheap foam type ear plugs.
All agreed there. I ride with a Schuberth C3 Pro many 1000's of miles and, while it is noticeably less noisy than the HJC that I'd been riding with, it's still damaging to my hearing above 30mph. I've found that it's actually the windscreen turbulence that really brings on the fluctuations in pressure (and so, noisy conditions); My bike a 2016 DSR with the Zero touring screen. When I flip the touring screen down very low and my helmet sits completely in the air stream it is not "buffeting" any oscillating noises and that is much less annoying to my hearing. I do ride with foam earplugs anytime I'm anticipating to go quicker than 30mph for any length of time; I find them to be difficult to seat correctly in one of my ears.
Where did you get your custom ear plugs?
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I use the NoNoise plugs. They seem to filter souunds well. https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/nonoise-motorsport-noise-filter-ear-protection
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I use nothing but foam earplugs and have been doing so for many years. It is a lot easier to insert them if you lick them a little before inserting them into your ear. Or (if you are not into licking dirty earplugs) you can moisten your ear with a little water or hand lotion before inserting the plugs.
Whenever I remove my foam EAR-brand earplugs they stay somewhat compressed, so I always place them in a plastic case and put the case on a hot engine (if I am riding one of my IC motorcycles) or place them in a sunny location. Then they will get hot and expand back into their original shape. Once that happens, you want to cool them and, once cool, that will make them roll up easier and tighter and stay that way longer as they are inserted into your ear. However, most other disposable foam earplugs, such as the Hearos-brand, (which I also like) do not need this treatment, although they do typically insert much easier when lubricated slightly.
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I have a Shoei Aero helmet that I've been using for a year or so now, and it is quiet. It's also incredibly annoying to put on -- to make it quiet, they pack so much foam around the neck area that it's almost impossible to get your ears in without bending them over, and believe me you don't want to ride with bent-over ears!
I finally gave up and ordered some thinner cheek pads to make my helmet an XL (I've been a Shoei large forever). It's still very tight, but it works better and the pads are taking a set to my head. I think in another month or so it'll fit reasonably well and I'll actually be able to put it on without a struggle.
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I ordered them from:
Queen City Hearing
11147 Montgomery Road
Cincinnati, OH 45249
(513) 429-4327
You have to make an appointment so they can make a mold of your ear canal and then the ear plugs are ready about a week later. I attached a photo of mine. They are made of a silicone type material. The ones I have are specifically designed for motorcycle riding to reduce the wind noise and they do a great job at that. I believe the ear plugs are actually made by a company called Westone. A hearing specialist in your area should be able to make the molds and order them for you.
PS - here is a link to the ear plugs that I have. Looks like you have the option of making your own molds and ordering direct from Westone. Mine are several years old and still work great.
https://www.earplugstore.com/westone-motorcycle-4rt.html
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I was riding through the mountains and the bike started making a strange noise. It sounded like valves tapping (ICE flashback). After much investigation, I discovered that it was my untucked shirt flapping in the breeze and touching the tank plastics. Such are the details you can hear when you ride electric. :-)
As a side note, it's time to replace my Nolan N44. I wear it without the chin bar (doesn't fit with it on), but it's still rather quiet. Anyone found another helmet with very little wind noise on an unfaired bike?
One thing that can be noticeable is whether you get turbulence inside the helmet. A perfect fit helmet will cause less noise than one that allowes air in by the neck. Wearing a collar might help too. For my own part i bought a Schubert S2 Sport, which fits me nicely. I got it discounted which is why i preferred it to Shoei GT air (and it felt slightly lighter and less claustrophobic). The helmet i had before (LS2 FF396) was extremely noisy, so schubert wins hands down. My wife is happy, since there is virtually no turbulence around the intercom microphone.
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Apparently in the same boat as my other quiet-loving electric motorcycle compatriots, I also have the Schuberth c3 pro and am quite happy with it with regards to noise, though unlike Shadow I don't have a windscreen and get no buffeting normally and like the helmet a lot. I also have the bluetooth neck collar for it and its lovely and a great way to receive stress-free driving directions for areas I don't know as well and tunes to glide down the highway on. It also has some great features around automatically adjusting the volume around the relative amount of wind noise around you, which really makes it a nice hands-off experience.
Mostly I went with Schuberth because they were the only people at the time I got a helmet (afaict) to do real wind tunnel testing and publish actual decibel numbers.
The only negative I have about the Schuberth is that I actually enjoy the 0-45 mph (my normal commute) sound levels of my previous helmet where I could really really hear the whines and groans of the zero, which I miss out on with a better noise-insulated helmet. But on highways...
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I have always been a loyal Shoei helmet guy. My current one is the GT Air, but I'm definitely going to have to check out the Schuberth C3 Pro.
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The Shoei GT Air is great helmet and is relatively quiet compared to most others. I tried a Scuberth C3 but it did not fit my head shape very well and caused discomfort within minutes of putting it on. If it fit, I would own a Scuberth instead of a Shoei.
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I got the Shoei J-Cruise jet helm, and to my surprise it is (a lot) better than my € 500 Shuberth S1 Pro i bought a couple of years ago (best helmet in terms of quietness).
I ride with and without windscreen.
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If you're looking for a modular helmet, the Shoei Neotec II is another good choice to consider. It has very good reviews, but is not cheap. You can still find some Noetec I's out there on a good clearance sale.
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If you're looking for a modular helmet, the Shoei Neotec II is another good choice to consider. It has very good reviews, but is not cheap. You can still find some Noetec I's out there on a good clearance sale.
I have been using the Neotec 1 for the past couple of years and really like it, especially for touring when I might be stopping at regular intervals at a rest stop or to take pictures and the flip-up design is convenient. From the reviews that I have read, the Neotec 2 doesn't seem to be that much of an improvement over the original version.
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Very happy with my Schuberth C3 Pro. Earplugs are a must. Get the custom fit ones. I got mine at a bike show where they took a molding.
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I've been disappointed with my Schuberth. Subjectively it doesn't seem much quieterr than my cheaper helmet. Fits well.
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Just adding, having owned more than 20 helmets:
Fit is a HUGE variable, and very personal. For many Schuberth "fits well". BUT many people don't have a "Schuberth head" - some are long oval or and many others are too round.
My point is:
Try before you buy.
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Seems counter-intuitive, but the quietest helmet I've ever had is an open-faced Davida Jet (and I've had mostly full-face helmets in my 44 years of riding).
https://davida-helmets.com/collections/davida-jet-helmet
You actually have to pry open the shell slightly to get your head in there (they state that outright, and it's not a big deal). But the leather-covered foam (or whatever is in there) surrounds my ears very effectively. I also have a Biltwell bubble shield attached, which help a bit, too.