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Does anyone have a suggestion as to a quiet (or less noisy) full face helmet? AJ

ajs3102 wrote:Does anyone have a suggestion as to a quiet (or less noisy) full face helmet? AJ

Which helmet are you using now? I have a Nolan N103 and didn't realize how loud it was until I got an HJC Sy-Max II; still not the quietest but a little better than the Nolan. I tried a friend's Schuberth C3 and it was so quiet I didn't need earplugs- a really astounding difference. I've found webBikeWorld a great resource for comparing helmets and being reminded of the importance of earplugs.

+1 on the Schuberth C3. Rolled the dice on a large from www.designerhelmets.com — you can't buy them in the USA — and it fits like a glove. I love the integrated sun visor.

After 3 days almost continuous riding , with only occasional use of ear plugs , returned home only to suffer temporary tinitus for 24 hours. It was awful , and very scary. Thankfully it cleared.
Stark warning - always wear ear plugs, even if they do hurt after a while.
Search for a quieter helmet high on my list now.

Another option if you happen to have those "gun shows" that come to your area is to find a vendor inside that will make "molded ears" for you. Have a pair of these and they have saved my bacon more than once .. used to wear them on long airplane flights ...

BTW, molded ears are custom to YOUR ears and end up being comfortable over the long haul ... although, extended wearing might be somewhat annoying. YMMV.

One more thing, I use a Shoei RF1100 and Arai (cant remember model number) and find they are pretty quiet.

I use a Shuberth C3 always with custom molded ear plugs and since a few weeks a Rev'it balaclava which has a long double layered waterproof neck with a thin breathy head.

So the routine is (1) plug snug my custom ear plugs in my ears (2) slide on properly the Balaclava (3) Slide on the helmet (4) Snug the balaclava neck inside the jacket (5) Close properly the helmet buckle over the Balaclava (6) Close the helmet.

(7) Enjoy the silent ride for hours ! all venting close and the head in the right position...
it feels a little like riding an electric car... let's say "Electric Atomic Car".

Unless you are fixed on a "Full Face Helmet" I recommend this combination
as it works great...at least for me.

(safety remain as including the earplugs the whole system is designed to intelligently filter the harmful sounds not to block)

Failed to mention that on non-commuting rides, I wear Etymotic ER-6 earbuds with the C3.

+1 on the Etymotics ... have one for my phone w/mic and one without. Best noise canceling stuff out there for their size ... plus you can get "molded ears" with them as well. There are better higher-end headphones, but for the $$$ Etymotic is VERY good.

Webbikeworld gives a subjective noise report on helmets they review. My Fulmer D4 seems OK. Ditto on the earplugs, per flash gordon MD.

On the matter of earplugs:
I've always used the cheapo foam plugs from any drugstore but perhaps should look further.
Found this comparison site - <http://www.earplugstore.com/reusable_consumer_plugs.htm>.
The 'Hear tech silent ear' looks good, though more costly than foam plugs. Does anyone have experience with these?

--Roger
---------------------------------
Roger Poppen
<http://mypage.siu.edu/drrock/>

rpoppen wrote:On the matter of earplugs:
I've always used the cheapo foam plugs from any drugstore but perhaps should look further.
Found this comparison site - <http://www.earplugstore.com/reusable_consumer_plugs.htm>.
The 'Hear tech silent ear' looks good, though more costly than foam plugs. Does anyone have experience with these?

--Roger
---------------------------------
Roger Poppen
<http://mypage.siu.edu/drrock/>

I've got the vented breaker plugs http://earplugstore.stores.yahoo.net/ho ... plugs.html, and find that they are much easier to put in, and seal as well as or better than the disposables. For me, they were money well spent.

Thanks for all the replies. To answer an earlier question, I now have a cheapo vega that was given to me free when I bought one of my old bikes. A few months ago I tried a Scorpion 900 and I returned it. Too noisy, too heavy. I decided then that I want a quality helmet to fit my quality bike and I don't mind if I need to pay extra for it. The main qualities I'm looking for is 1- Quiet, 2- Light, 3- the option of an amber face shield (I love amber shields). I have been using ear plugs and they work ok but they are a pain to put in every time I ride and then as soon I get them in somebody will start asking me questions . My last bike was a loud a_ _ harley. I'm looking for peace and quiet now. I don't have to have a full face but I figured they were quieter.

My Arai RX-7 is a pretty loud helmet (if spectacularly aerodynamic) and I never ride without earplugs if I'll be going highway speeds for any length of time.

After much testing I discovered what is--for me--the perfect earplug. They are soft and comfortable for loooong days, and are rated to NRR 32 protection which seems as good or better than anything else i've tried. I also find with the soft texture i can get them inserted completely, lending even better protection. A nice thing about disposables is you can have a pair in every bag and jacket so you're ready for those unplanned blasts out to the hinterland.

http://www.howardleight.com/

Found a good article that includes sound files if anyones interested

http://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcycle- ... -noise.htm

ajs3102 wrote:Found a good article that includes sound files if anyones interested

An interesting quote from the article:

Webbikeworld wrote:We've also discovered that riding a "naked" bike can actually cause less turbulence and lower noise levels. This may seem counterintuitive, and many riders don't believe it. But helmets that are out in the clean air stream and not influenced by "dirty" air and turbulence caused by a windscreen can provide much lower noise levels.

This is something I've suspected as, only having the sport screen, i've always found the airflow quite acceptable. I know windscreens are a favourite topic of discussion, and i've never owned a bike with a windscreen so i'm not fit to compare, but there's something to be said for good clean air. A well designed helmet in the proper size (careful with that XXL on an M head...) can take care of the rest.

LumpyCam wrote:

ajs3102 wrote:Found a good article that includes sound files if anyones interested

An interesting quote from the article:

Webbikeworld wrote:We've also discovered that riding a "naked" bike can actually cause less turbulence and lower noise levels. This may seem counterintuitive, and many riders don't believe it. But helmets that are out in the clean air stream and not influenced by "dirty" air and turbulence caused by a windscreen can provide much lower noise levels.

This is something I've suspected as, only having the sport screen, i've always found the airflow quite acceptable. I know windscreens are a favourite topic of discussion, and i've never owned a bike with a windscreen so i'm not fit to compare, but there's something to be said for good clean air. A well designed helmet in the proper size (careful with that XXL on an M head...) can take care of the rest.

No argument at ALL in this respect. I got a new respect for how quiet and smooth my Shuberth C2 is in clean air when I had the sport shield on my bike (and that's why I bought a replacement for the shield after selling it in a fit of "I'll never use this..") If it wasn't for the rain/bug level, and the need to HOLD ON at speed, I'd still be riding with the sport shield. No helmet manufacturer can be expected to design the aerodynamics of a helmet for turbulent air.. just ain't doable... too many variable in turbulent air.

Riding trip to Belgium this weekend (to visit an old schoolmate) and after my experience in Scotland last week (noisy Touring screen), I'm actually swapping my BMW Touring screen for the Sports screen. Will be an interesting experiment. Longest ride with the sports screen so far is 4 hours and it was fine. Belgium will be 5.5 hours each way) so don't expect a problem

Decided I prefer the quieter air flow even if it I have to sacrifice some wind blast protection.

Rocket wrote:Longest ride with the sports screen so far is 4 hours and it was fine. Belgium will be 5.5 hours each way) so don't expect a problem

I've never ridden with a large screen so i have no opinion about what's better, however I've done several 1,000km (600mi) days with only the sport screen and never had a problem. Enjoy the air!

My new Arai Vector helmet, puchased last fall at Max BMW is pretty quiet even at speed. (I never went that fast and you can't prove I did!) The trip to pick up the helmet was what precipitated my decision to buy the R1200 R, so it was a pretty expensive helmet. It replaced my 15 year old Arai Quantum which was much more comfortable and much quieter. The Vector is the new model for that head shape. I had to give up on the old one because of the decomposing foam liner that was covering my head with black flecks.

The Vector would lift off my head at about 65 mph when I was using the Sport Shield. And I had to wear ear plugs, which cause me no end to ear problems. Since installing the Cee Baily's 22" shield, tilted back to the maximum, no more disagreeable noise, and no more helmet lift.

Bruce

Helmets I have owned: Arai Vector, Shoei Multitec, Nolan N103/with bluetooth headset. (over $1,500 in helmets within the last 3 years....)

Nolan N103 = Loud... very loud (currently in use)

Arai Vector = a little noisy, not that bad really (it was green to match my Speed Triple which I traded in for the R12R)

Shoei Multitec = Quiet, surpriseling quiet for a flip face helmet, I would still be using it if it fit my head properly (my head is ovalish in shape, Shoei is roundish, created a hot spot on my forehead after 30 minutes of riding)

If the Shoei fits you comfortably, I highly recommend it. It can be a bit on the pricey side though.

About to try out a Shark Evoline next. After a year and a half of abuse, the N103 is not fairing very well.