Unless you want to go deaf at an early age, you are going to want to get hearing protection for riding, even if you have a quiet bike.
Before riding with ear plugs, I would find myself hearing ringing in my ears for hours after rides, and I would notice that I could not hear as well. I would also get headaches. The condition worsened after time. I realized that I was actually loosing my hearing due to riding without protection.
I am not a hearing specialist or a decibel level engineer, I am a biker and a lawyer. As you all know the wind noise alone while riding at speed is very loud, even if you have a quiet bike.
In regular city traffic the sound of big rig trucks and cars coupled with the wind noise is flat out deafening.
You do not have to be a rocket scientist to realize that riding without hearing protection is probably not a good idea, unless you look forward to wearing hearing aids when you get old, or learning sign language!
You can get custom fitted ear plugs made to fit your ear, or you can buy the cheap foam hearing protectors from any drug store. Either way, I highly recommend that you use some type of ear plug while riding to protect your hearing.
By Norman Gregory Fernandez, Esq. , Copyright 2006
I wear these earplugs all the time when I ride. It cuts out the Wind Noise!!! But still lets you hear the important things like traffic, sirens, and even your pipes!!! They are custom molded to your ear and are light weight. Not as much as you would find at a bike show. Only $21.50 Shipped. I also molded a set around my earphones for my MP3 Player.
Thanks Matt, I think I will order a set right now to check it out!
Norm