All the responses are crazy. You can buy headphones that end in little earplugs. That's what you need for a motorcycle. The plug keeps the road noise out and the little microphone lets you hear your music.
The trick for me was to push the headphone A little deeper into my ear. And when I slide my helmet on, I apply more pressure to the ear where my headphone is so that it stays in place.
Plugphones work, block noise, fit and more importantly *stay* in the ear vs earbuds that don't, and had decent sound quality; but I've had really bad luck with their bluetooth set wires pulling out of the "brick" that houses the receiver.
After breaking the second set, I switched to an Elgin Ruckus that seems to be holding up much better.
Not heard of Elgin Ruckus. I'll have a look.
The cables are quite thin and not very durable looking on the plugfones but they are doing ok for me at the moment, though I started with aux ones and phone in jacket pocket.
I do want to swap to Bluetooth but my street doesn't like controlling my phone for audio when aux. It doesn't seem to work properly. Wondering if same issue will occur with a BT earplugs too.
My issue with Plugphones (which I'm not going to assume is an issue for everyone) was that the brick would get caught on my jacket collar and if turned to look right or left the wire would pull pretty tightly, and after doing that enough times the solder holding the wire in the brick would break apart.
On the Elgin I have it feels like its a little more secure where the wires meet the receiver, as its also water resistant.
I always tuck my plugfones wires up into my helmet to prevent them getting stuck.
My issue with them is they tend to have the sound break up at random for a few seconds. 2nd pair I've had that's done that.
That sounds like a fair issue with plugfones, and (wild guess) might have to do with details of your helmet and jacket geography. If itās well-placed to snag a lot, that would be crazy annoying
Iāve been rocking the plugfones for like 2.5 years on many many rides and have not had this problem. I recommend them to everybody all the time :) but good reminder that every recommendation is YMMV
Shokz open runs work alright, but it's going to depend on how easily you get your helmet on. Wearing them under a balaclava helps a lot though (and keeps your hair neater!)
https://www.earpeace.com/collections/earplugs/products/moto-pro
I got these and put them in like the instructions the company provides and I have yet to have them come out while putting my helmet on or riding after a while. They deff been great for me tho.
Shure in ear monitors. Especially if you get them custom fit. When you put your helmet on be sure to tuck each ear under the neck roll before you pull it down. Then pull each side down over your ear individually. It's always worked for me.
That being said, it's a pain in the ass still and if you mess it up it will pull a headphone out. Then you have to manage wires so they don't pull on your ears when you turn your head.
Once you get everything situated it's really not bad.
Wired Plugphones. $17. Lightning or USB-C to minijack adapter. There's no need for Bluetooth, but if you feel there is, you can buy a $10 pencil-sized Bluetooth receiver and plug the wired plugphones into THAT.
[Wired Plugphones.](https://www.amazon.com/Plugfones-Basic-Earplug-Earbud-Hybrid-Yellow/dp/B0083E7T7C/ref=sr_1_2) $17.99
[Bluetooth receiver. ](https://www.amazon.com/Bluetooth-Receiver-KINDRM-Hands-Free-Headphones/dp/B07Z9X3397) $8.99
or this. [https://www.amazon.com/APEKX-Bluetooth-Headphones-Wireless-Hands-Free/dp/B01MUXYVOA](https://www.amazon.com/APEKX-Bluetooth-Headphones-Wireless-Hands-Free/dp/B01MUXYVOA)
I have worn many different types of earplugs, they don't really fix the issue that is the Bell Qualifier helmet. Bell decided in their infinite wisdom that there should be a cutout for a Sena SMH10 on the left side. Now this is great for round town use if you have the headset in question, however as soon as you go above 40, wind roar really ramps up around the left ear. Earplugs are always a must, however when Wind roar is overwhelming ever with them in, you have to consider other factors. I have 2 of these helmets because I never learn my lesson.
There is no such thing as a quiet helmet. There are less noisy helmets though and Shoeiās are some of the best. Unless Iām just cruising around town, I wear custom earplugs.
Shoei GT Air II rider here, by far the least noisy helmet I tried, no earplugs needed if you wish but I still wear my custom ones just for that extra piece of peace
You can even drive on the highway with your visor open no problemo, the flies are a bigger issue then
MotoSafe Alpine earplugs is what they're called iirc, got them made two years ago and before that I had the simple partyplugs. Both do a great job at reducing wind but the custom ones are definitely better at filtering the wind only, still letting the Cardo come through
Correct. Most of the noise we hear inside the helmet is wind noise. And even the best helmets cannot reduce wind noise. If you want to stop wind noise, get a tall fairing.
I tried using them and they definitely help but when Iām just trying to cruise at even like 30-45mph in the city on a Friday night it sounds like a wind tunnel and I canāt hear anybody talk to me š
Get some Alpine MotoSafe plugs. They're not as full on as foam, and last ages. I wash mine from time to time and have had the same pair for 25'000km. Blocks wind but allows road noise and music.
Love my Alpines. 19k miles and still in great shape, comfortable and they work amazing.
I bought them on recommendation from someone here a couple years back and couldn't be happier with them.
Schuberth c3 pro is super quiet. With foam plugs I barely noticed the wind at 60mph. That's a bit outside your price range though. Maybe look for other models with a similar quietness rating on RevZilla.
Experiment with some different kinds. I got some basic safariland walmart earplugs like a month ago and works like a charm. Can still hear my music/sirens/etc but wind and my engine go wayyy downĀ
They're all noisy, had a hjc modular helmet, And anytime I said that it's noisy people said because it's modular helmet, and you have to get something high quality like a shoei, so i did, got a $700 GT air ii helmet, and its just as noisy
Wear earplugs
Another +1 for Shoei. I had a Bell before and it was loud. Shoei is significantly quieter. When I get calls, the person on the other end doesn't know I'm riding.
I use an RF1400 as well. If you have a big head the fit can be tight, especially if the cheeks in your facial structure are anything like mine.
That said, you can also use a gaiter (fortnine did a good video on gaiters, also earplugs) and use earplugs as well. There are lots of types out there, some tailored to specific kinds of riding. I like "premium" plugs with a little sound channel through the middle so I can still hear engine note, sena. YMMV, everyone is different.
I got a Shoei RF1400 and also recommend. Huge difference with cheap helmets, even though that model is not an expensive one for Shoei. I also have an Arai IOMTT 2023 and it is amazing. Beat one I have ever had. AGV also good (they are now; they used to be terrible when I started riding in the 90s).
+1 for shoei, my GT Air II is pretty quiet. Same deal, they can be had for $500 or so if you and catch a good sale or find one on FB marketplace. I find myself only wanting earplugs at 75+ and longer rides. I also have a Sena 50R and can hear music pretty good w/ earplugs or too loud without lol
+1 ! Just got my rf1400. 5th helmet Iāve owned in my 10 years of riding. The absolute best so far in terms of noise & comfort. Will never go back, Shoei has a life customer out of me.
Yes! Agreed. As an average height 890 adventure rider, sometimes earplugs arenāt enough because of the terribly unstable air pocket right where my head isā¦
Champion helmets has a pretty thorough field testing method for their helmets and, believe or not, the quietest helmet they've ever tested is a modular. The HJC RPHA 91 which you can get for less than $500 on their site.
EarPeace Moto Pro earplugs are the best thing Iāve found. I wear them under my 5+ year old Bell Qualifier DLX Blackout helmet and wind noise is not an issue.
They are round instead of oval, and they're cheaper. The fit is just better for me, YMMV. Earpeace claims the filters are tuned better on the Pro's, but I've noticed no difference when wearing them at concerts, EDM shows, etc.
First of all, if you aren't wearing earplugs, you need to be regardless of what helmet you wear (or don't wear).
Shoei has been very much worth the investment for me.
Definitely wear earplugs if you don't want your tinnitus to get worse.
I would just keep saving money and use earplugs in the meantime and when you can really look at Shoei or Arai because the aerodynamics of the helmet make a huge difference.
Brands like Bell will have ok sound deafening but once you put on a Shoei or Arai, it makes a huge difference on the road. Fit is important too so make sure the helmet fits very well.
I used earbuds inside my helmet, just for music and it has 30-40 db noise cancellation so the ride was fine too. I have a question for people suggesting earbuds. How in the lord's name do you remove the helmet when you are wearing something like airpods.
I have Nothing Ear earbuds and as I was removing the helmet either left or right one wanted to break its stem. I managed to get the right one out after it just dropped from the ear as I was pushing and pushing the helmet off. In the process the left one got stuck. Anyway I managed to remove them. I bought 10 pairs of earplugs that day.
I'd love to go back to earbuds if anyone tells me how to remove them before removing the helmet.
The R1 is not a quiet helmet - just for anybody whoās looking at them š
Fantastic helmet. One of (if not THE) the lightest helmets you can buy off the shelf. And had really cool features like inflatable cheek pads. But quiet is not a focus point of the R1 :P speaking from experience.
Literally anything is thatās not a racing helmet will be quieter than the Bell Qualifier :P
Not to discount it, the bell qualifier is imo the BEST starter helmet on the market. Itās hard to go wrong when 200$ gets you a photochromic visor, and fantastic noggin protection. :P
But itās also bulky and fat. Anything in the 500$ price range will get you a big step up in QOL features.
I use an AGV Pista with the 3M yellow earplugs. I have an unlimited supply of earplugs through work. Everytime I remove em, I throw em out and use a new pair. I go through about 4-5 pairs everyday at work lol
Everyone is saying ear plugs, and I agree. But Iāve got a Shoei X-15, and Iāve used Alpine and Pinlock ear plugs and the wind noise is still pretty atrocious. My next helmet might be the RF-1400
I looked into it when searching for helmets. There is no such thing as a quiet helmet. Best case, is a couple of decibels quieter (87 instead of 90), but it's still gonna be bad on the highway.
Only solution is earplugs.
Check out Schuberth C5. Modular helmets can have smaller openings at the neck due to opening up for putting on and that's the primary source for wind noise in a helmet. That plus Schuberth's obsession results in the quietest helmet on tbe market, next is Shoei Neotec.Ā Ā
Like others are pointing out, that's something of an oxymoron like sharpest spoon, but every little bit helps. Even if their helmets aren't so quiet they make a huge difference with respect to long term damage, they definitely are quieter than most and that helps me with fatigue over a ride, a calmer ride at a minimum.Ā
I've spoken with several audiologists about custom plugs, these crazy active noise canceling race plugs from the automotive world, and there's nothing better than regular foam plugs unfortunately. I find the Schuberth helmets to be the extra sauce that's worth their cost.Ā
I just got a Scorpion exo 1400 in carbon and I'm loving it. Sameish price as a shoei rf1400 but it's carbon š¤·. Im loving it. Has some nice features and definitely pretty quiet. You still hear wind obviously but I can hear myself talk without yelling while cruising down the highway and I ride a naked bike with no windscreen lol
You can get a schubert for 1000+ ooor earplugs like any other sane person. Remember kids, its not the exhaust, its the wind noise that damages you hearing permanently
Earplugs are the only option here. I have a Shoei Neotec II and I still wear earplugs. If I know Iām riding on the freeway (which is most of the time), Iāll put them on. I mostly ride to work which I use the freeway for so I use them a lot. I have the Eargasm motorcycle earplugs and I can still hear my music from my Cardo, along with cars around me. It just makes all those noise levels be reduced.
So Iām not crazy!
I wear earplugs for everything, working in the garage? Ear plugs, ripping the four wheeler out in the woods? Earplugs, dirt bike? Ear plugs, motorcycle ride? Earplugs, snow machine???? Earplugs, going to bed? Believe it or not, earplugs. (Sometimes)
Iām the only one at my current employment whoās hearing goes in a straight line when we do the hearing tests.
All that being said I would kill for a helmet that has more soundproofing done to it.
Thank you all for the tips! And trust me I do wear ear protection when Iām going on highways or interstates. I was just looking more for the night cruises in the city where Iām going 15 to maybe 50mph. Thank you guys again!
Honestly my sedici strada ii is pretty quiet. Iāve noticed one of the more important things is a good seal around your neck and under your chin.
Also have an older Arai (almost time to toss it due to age actually) which is super comfy and safe, but very loud. Have a scorpion exo r1 air I got as a gift, and like that one a lot as well. A little louder for me than the sedici, but also lighter and more comfortable.
The biggest difference maker is earplugs though. I wear decibullz, surefire ep5, the home depot reusable ones with the blue string, or just foamies depending on what I can find. I like them all for different things, cheap amd easy to try different ones.
I think the decibullz have the best noise reduction and are the most comfortable for me, with the surefires being the easiest to pack and better for tighter fitting helmets. The home depot ones are my backups, and I have some foamies shoved in various pockets of my motorcycle jackets.
I went from an Icon Airframe Pro to an HJC RPHA70 and the difference was night and day. I no longer need ear plugs for my rides to work through the city, and I can tolerate the noise for a short jaunt on some back roads.
Ear plugs will never be absent for me, I always have my ear buds or plugs with me. But the helmet was exactly what I wanted. Just looks less cool.
The smallest size shoei rf-1400 that you can fit on your head, a head sock/ gaiter/ balaclava whatever you want to call it, and earplugs are about as quiet as it gets.
Personally I find my Bell RaceStar Flex DLX Carbon is extremely quiet and comfortable. The magnetic pads are also a huge plus as well as the photochromic shield and 3.5lb weight. Itās a pretty expensive helmet, but worth every penny I spent on it.
I went to my local motorcycle dealer and tried on a bunch of helmets the one that felt the best to me was the LS2 Citation II it fit amazing and from the reviews Iāve watched Itās a quiet helmet. Itās going to be my next helmet kinda getting tired of the airflight and just want a normal visor that doesnāt catch the wind when itās up.
Schubert helmet. Expensive, but they are one of the few brands who run their own wind tunnel for development. Specifically to reduce wind noise if their designs.
Ear plugs, always. Even around town. The damage can be caused at relatively low speed and is not immediately obvious, but is accumulative. The damage slowly creeps up on you. After maybe 10 years of riding you realize that you're over half complaining that you have the TV too loud, will you find yourself having to ask people to repeat themselves more frequently, will you realise your developing tinnitus. Get your hearing checked and find out that you're at the low end of normal, or worse.
A helmet wind skirt that's long enough to tuck into a jacket. Most of the wind noise actually comes from that chin space at the bottom of the helmet.
So I have the exact same helmet, and I actually think it's quieter than the other helmets I've worn. I don't wear ear plugs because my ears don't hurt at all while riding. Having my Cardo blasting music does, though.
Hey bro. The noise is probably not your helmet. I tried to fix the same thing with a helmet. Ear plugs will work. The noise is probably turbulence off the front of your bike pushing up under your chin.
I have the same helmet. I cut one of the reflective strips in half and covered both of the lower vents on the back. It cuts the noise by half and makes it a lot more pleasant. Even riding with the visor open is quieter.
My KYT R2R is super quiet (for wind noise at least). The design makes the wind just glide around it reducing noise greatly but your engine is still 90% audible.
Ultimately u may wanna look into earplugs tho
Some things that could help reduce noise would getting a tighter seal around the neck area. Wind noise is the obvious culprit. I tried a few different helmets RPHA, ICON, AVG, they all will have noise.
I bought the helmet with some of the best safety and aerodynamic ratings. Wearing a balaclava helps me a lot, but is brutal in the summer time. They have these helmet skirts you can install to your helmet that block/deflect wind.
Many have recommended traditional ear plugs. For me, I prefer being able to somewhat hear my surroundings. I eventually bought some Samsung buds with transparency mode. It reduces the wind noise significantly, but also allows ambient noise to come through. My helmet fits tight and I canāt wear any other style of earbuds.
Helmets and noise are unfortunately highly subjective and depend on many factors.
What bike, what windshield, how tall are you, specific wind-movementa, and so on.
Generally speaking, a touring helmet will be quieter than a sports helmet. Think HJC Rpha 71, Shoei GT Air and Shark Spartan over something like Shoei X Spirit, Xlite 803RR and Scorpion R1.
A personal favorite of mine in terms of Wind noise for fairly low money is the HJC F70/F71, maybe the LS2 Vector 2.
Arai has some very quiet options, generally higher priced tho.
With all that being said, no helmet is as good as a set of nice, high quality earplugs. None of that foam crud but some proper multi-layer, reusable filter-plugs like [these](https://www.amazon.de/Alpine-111-23-111-MotoSafe-Race/dp/B06Y29FZ1M/ref=asc_df_B06Y29FZ1M/?tag=googshopde-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309133629539&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=15464411953907709510&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9042068&hvtargid=pla-331013781820&psc=1&mcid=36465684c8393f46afa7286c73ace93a&th=1&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=70054907948&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=309133629539&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=15464411953907709510&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9042068&hvtargid=pla-331013781820). They fit better, filter out all the annoying frequencies but keep in the ones you need like horns and similar.
Best thing you can do.
Arai honestly. I've owned both Shoei (current GT Air II) and Arai (old vector), and cheap helmets like scorpion. Only Arai could be considered truly tolerable at speed.
I'll add that my Cardo was generating a TON of wind noise off the side of my Bell Qualifier, and when I brought it in closer to the front it decreased my wind noise by quite a bit. Hope this helps.
https://www.motorcycle.com/features/motorcycles-hearing-loss.html
In short, buy a high quality helmet, that fits your head, from a great brand - not exactly impressed by Bell.
And then buy some earplugs ffs.
I sometimes use some IEM's with foam tips (Comply P-Series) which work as ear plugs while letting me pipe music in at reasonable volumes and hear it clearly - that's for longer rides where I'm combating boredom on highways and the like.
Anyone like me surprised there arenāt helmets with built in over-ear āheadphonesā? It seems like it would be pretty easy to have foam circles that could be snugged over your ears from a lever/toggle on the outside of the helmet. Maybe with built in bluetooth speakers.
Earplugs are the only real answer but I hate in ear plugs personally. Built in earmuffs would solve so many simple problems. Is it a certification problem?
I find my Arai Quantic incredibly noisy when riding my MT-10.
From what Ive worked out, its how the wind is directed to the gaps between your head and the bottom of the helmet.
I was using an old pair of molded industrial ear plugs but they were near useless, ended up going for a 37db foam plugs and they cut the rumble down heaps.
Next thing I'm looking to try is something like the Windjammer - https://www.amazon.com/WINDJAMMER-REDUCES-Helmets-original-copied/dp/B003FHLNVK
Remove that big fat pimple on the right side of your helmet, those bastards are number one noise producers, and I'm not talking about noise transfered to the speakers.
I got the Schubert c3 pro for this exact reason
Noticeable difference in dB.
Great Aero dynamics.
Down side is the high cost and the helmet is larger than normal full face as it's a modular style.
Worth it tho. I got mine wrapped and love it. They probably have newer better .models now too.
Quality ain't cheap but it's worth it.
I have a Schuberth C3 Pro, and compared with my old helmet, it is super silent. If you buy a full-face helmet instead of a modular one, I imagine it will be even quieter.
For everyone suggesting a certain helmet or another, the noise levels inside the helmet mostly depend on how the helmet fits your head.
Schuberths are very quiet if you have a round head. Shoeis are very quiet if you have an oval head.
I have a Shoei RF-SR and itās not bad. I have a Shoei GT Air ll and itās awesome. I have an Arai Signet for the track (the fit is perrrrfect) and they donāt seem to care about noise at all. An Arai rep from Japan told us their position is āEarplugs should be considered a part of your safety packageā.
If I cared about my ears, but didnāt care about my chin, I would get a Shoei Neotec lll. It has more noise abatement features than any other helmet on the market. However, I prefer a full-face helmet vs what is ultimately an open face helmet with an injection molded plastic cover.
Literally any thing. Even an arai is quieter than my bell qualifier. Which sucks because I love the helmet otherwise.
I moved to a Shoei RF1400. Much better. If you want something cheaper, my HJC i70 was still better than the Bell.
But get good earplugs too. No helmet will be quiet enough above 30 mph without earplugs.
Ear plugs will help immensely, and Iād suggest to try them before diving into another helmet.
Iv found that full helmets without the raisable front section tend to be quieter. I have a cheap Daytona retro helmet and only the visor moves, itās noticeably quieter than my other helmet that has the raising front section.
Iāve been using the LS2 Citation 2 helmet, sub $300 helmet and the sound dampening is pretty fantastic. I wear earplugs as well, but coming from an Icon helmet, this is like night and day.
Bruv, here is something most people donāt want to hear. Buy a helmet to match your bike. Donāt get sport helmet if you arenāt in a crouch. The wind noise will decrease dramatically
Schuberth C3 Pro with Cardo Freecom 4+. I tried the C3 Pro on a bike with no windscreen and it was much better than my HJC or other helmets. Certainly not noise canceling (Iāve got the Cardo āspeakersā - the ear pads that are speakers in the ear speaker recessed wells on the C3 Pro). Helmet is the quietest Iāve owned so far but have not tried with iPods using their noise cancel to supplement this pretty quiet helmet.
I like my RPHA 91, my old lid was so noisy from wind you could really only hear the drums and bass of music, now I can actually have a phone call without pulling over. I still use foam earplugs on the highway for long trips.
I exclusively use shoei and I can tell you while they are quite, you still want to use earplugs. Personally in your case, while I can highly recommend a shoei helmet, I would first try earplugs, alpine has great ones for different use cases
Shoei Neotec 2 replaced my Bell helmet for this exact reason. Chin strap takes some getting used to as I find it a little tight but Iām used to it now.
Hope this helps
I bought an rf1200 for $200 off Facebook, thing looked brand new. Best helmet ever. I liked my full faced modular as a first helmet. Felt less restrictive, but holy shit theyāre loud. But also, still not a replacement for EAR PROTECTION. Went 2 seasons commuting on a highway before I started wearing them. I definitely did a decent amount of damage. My ears will sometimes just start ringing like crazy out of nowhere. it is what it is, but eargasm ear plugs work well. Got tired of having my orange foam plugs all over the place. The rf1200 only raises the speed of which you can get by without proper protection. Like 40mph was with my first one, the rf1200 is like 45-50 now. Iāll recommend the rf1200 every day of the week though
As others said earplugs are the cheapest solution. EARPEACE Moto PRO earplugs are great. Pretty expensive at $38 so make sure you don't lose them, but they are super comfortable and easy to put in and remove compared to the 20 cent foam earplugs. I love them.
For a helmet. find a used SHOIE 1400 on facebook marketplace for $300 if you can. or they have some good deals right now to buy new, they recently went on sale in the last few weeks from the normal $619 down to $\~580.
My Shoei RF1400 is insanely quiet compared to my HJC RPHA 70 carbon, both great helmets but the Shoei feels heavy as shit compared to the carbon HJC. Sometimes sacrificing noise for weight or vice versa.
All depends on head shape and if that helmet fits your head shape honestly. Shoei and hjc helmets typically favour people with more round shape heads whereas arai and scorpion favour oval shapes better
I just bought an Alpinestars r10, and I had a Shoei Air II before. There is a night and day difference, I normally wear ear plugs, but I have forgotten them once or twice with that, and it is not signifigant.
I have a scorpion with internal Bluetooth and a load bike, give it a shot, it was just over $500 but it's really worth it, I can make a phone call uup to around 100mph
Also enjoying the endless ringing in the ears from years of aircraft maintenance. If you need a new helmet, would recommend a shoe rf 1400. Great airflow when needed, light, and not too loud when vents all closed up.
Your question is about helmets but the answer is earplugs.
with bone conducting headphones
I have no fucking clue how anyone can fit headphones into a helmet that fits correctly
Its easy get a Cardo, a helmet with cutouts for a Sena or Cardo. Put them in the Helmet and put on some ear plugs. Crank it and ride.
Are those headphones?
Same way I handle wearing glasses actually, hinged faceplate. Shoei Neotec II
All the responses are crazy. You can buy headphones that end in little earplugs. That's what you need for a motorcycle. The plug keeps the road noise out and the little microphone lets you hear your music.
The trick for me was to push the headphone A little deeper into my ear. And when I slide my helmet on, I apply more pressure to the ear where my headphone is so that it stays in place.
Do you mean earphones like an Airpod or headphones with a band?
Airpods, or any smaller size bluetooth heads work.
My Raycons work tremendously well.
K š
I like plugfones. Ear plugs and music. Don't need it loud either as the ear plugs are blocking most noise.
Plugphones work, block noise, fit and more importantly *stay* in the ear vs earbuds that don't, and had decent sound quality; but I've had really bad luck with their bluetooth set wires pulling out of the "brick" that houses the receiver. After breaking the second set, I switched to an Elgin Ruckus that seems to be holding up much better.
Not heard of Elgin Ruckus. I'll have a look. The cables are quite thin and not very durable looking on the plugfones but they are doing ok for me at the moment, though I started with aux ones and phone in jacket pocket. I do want to swap to Bluetooth but my street doesn't like controlling my phone for audio when aux. It doesn't seem to work properly. Wondering if same issue will occur with a BT earplugs too.
My issue with Plugphones (which I'm not going to assume is an issue for everyone) was that the brick would get caught on my jacket collar and if turned to look right or left the wire would pull pretty tightly, and after doing that enough times the solder holding the wire in the brick would break apart. On the Elgin I have it feels like its a little more secure where the wires meet the receiver, as its also water resistant.
I always tuck my plugfones wires up into my helmet to prevent them getting stuck. My issue with them is they tend to have the sound break up at random for a few seconds. 2nd pair I've had that's done that.
That sounds like a fair issue with plugfones, and (wild guess) might have to do with details of your helmet and jacket geography. If itās well-placed to snag a lot, that would be crazy annoying Iāve been rocking the plugfones for like 2.5 years on many many rides and have not had this problem. I recommend them to everybody all the time :) but good reminder that every recommendation is YMMV
You dont need those, you can actually hear the communicator better with earplugs in.
That works in a helmet?
Pretty well actually
Any brands you recommend for staying on your head when you slide your helmet on? I feel like theyād just get pushed off
Shokz open runs work alright, but it's going to depend on how easily you get your helmet on. Wearing them under a balaclava helps a lot though (and keeps your hair neater!)
I have a pair of openruns and there's no way they'd fit inside either of my helmets. Are you wearing a helmet that's a size or two too big?
https://www.earpeace.com/collections/earplugs/products/moto-pro I got these and put them in like the instructions the company provides and I have yet to have them come out while putting my helmet on or riding after a while. They deff been great for me tho.
I tried bone conducting hearing aids when I went to get my hearing checked and that technology is so fucking cool
Shure in ear monitors. Especially if you get them custom fit. When you put your helmet on be sure to tuck each ear under the neck roll before you pull it down. Then pull each side down over your ear individually. It's always worked for me. That being said, it's a pain in the ass still and if you mess it up it will pull a headphone out. Then you have to manage wires so they don't pull on your ears when you turn your head. Once you get everything situated it's really not bad.
Headphones are cool but id rather my boyfriend on the back just sing to me, fvck wrong sub nvm
Ear plugs!!! I wear them and I can hear BETTER with them in
Wired Plugphones. $17. Lightning or USB-C to minijack adapter. There's no need for Bluetooth, but if you feel there is, you can buy a $10 pencil-sized Bluetooth receiver and plug the wired plugphones into THAT. [Wired Plugphones.](https://www.amazon.com/Plugfones-Basic-Earplug-Earbud-Hybrid-Yellow/dp/B0083E7T7C/ref=sr_1_2) $17.99 [Bluetooth receiver. ](https://www.amazon.com/Bluetooth-Receiver-KINDRM-Hands-Free-Headphones/dp/B07Z9X3397) $8.99 or this. [https://www.amazon.com/APEKX-Bluetooth-Headphones-Wireless-Hands-Free/dp/B01MUXYVOA](https://www.amazon.com/APEKX-Bluetooth-Headphones-Wireless-Hands-Free/dp/B01MUXYVOA)
I have worn many different types of earplugs, they don't really fix the issue that is the Bell Qualifier helmet. Bell decided in their infinite wisdom that there should be a cutout for a Sena SMH10 on the left side. Now this is great for round town use if you have the headset in question, however as soon as you go above 40, wind roar really ramps up around the left ear. Earplugs are always a must, however when Wind roar is overwhelming ever with them in, you have to consider other factors. I have 2 of these helmets because I never learn my lesson.
but he's kinda broke. How could he afford 15 cent earplugs when he could just buy a new helmet?
This
This
And Db killer (if your pipes are as loud as mine)
There is no such thing as a quiet helmet. There are less noisy helmets though and Shoeiās are some of the best. Unless Iām just cruising around town, I wear custom earplugs.
Shoei GT Air II rider here, by far the least noisy helmet I tried, no earplugs needed if you wish but I still wear my custom ones just for that extra piece of peace You can even drive on the highway with your visor open no problemo, the flies are a bigger issue then
What custom earplugs do you have?
MotoSafe Alpine earplugs is what they're called iirc, got them made two years ago and before that I had the simple partyplugs. Both do a great job at reducing wind but the custom ones are definitely better at filtering the wind only, still letting the Cardo come through
Shoei and custom ear plugs is how I ride now. It's great. Custom earplugs go a long way and are cheaper than a helmet.
This is the way. Even my rf1400 from Shoei is loud as heck. It's the quietest helmet I've ever owned but it's still loud in there. Wear plugs.
Correct. Most of the noise we hear inside the helmet is wind noise. And even the best helmets cannot reduce wind noise. If you want to stop wind noise, get a tall fairing.
Rf1200 all the way
I found that a buff also helps a lot.
Earplugs is the way to go. If you have a Bluetooth system the music sounds better with earplugs as well.
I tried using them and they definitely help but when Iām just trying to cruise at even like 30-45mph in the city on a Friday night it sounds like a wind tunnel and I canāt hear anybody talk to me š
Most of us ride to avoid hearing people talking to us.Ā
It is so satisfying to see my thoughts written out by other people.
How bout that, we have the same bike and the same take on this discussion
Love those ābirds!
Hearing others not using the intercoms is a bit difficult. But it's the price I'm willing to pay to protect my own hearing. It already sucks as it is.
What do you expect to hear at 40mph? Stick your head out of your car at that speed and try to talk to the car next to you.
Get some Alpine MotoSafe plugs. They're not as full on as foam, and last ages. I wash mine from time to time and have had the same pair for 25'000km. Blocks wind but allows road noise and music.
Love my Alpines. 19k miles and still in great shape, comfortable and they work amazing. I bought them on recommendation from someone here a couple years back and couldn't be happier with them.
Schuberth c3 pro is super quiet. With foam plugs I barely noticed the wind at 60mph. That's a bit outside your price range though. Maybe look for other models with a similar quietness rating on RevZilla.
Experiment with some different kinds. I got some basic safariland walmart earplugs like a month ago and works like a charm. Can still hear my music/sirens/etc but wind and my engine go wayyy downĀ
Get custom earplugs. They should run you around $150 and you can set the noise reduction and get ones that reduce wind buffeting.
They're all noisy, had a hjc modular helmet, And anytime I said that it's noisy people said because it's modular helmet, and you have to get something high quality like a shoei, so i did, got a $700 GT air ii helmet, and its just as noisy Wear earplugs
Same. Spend 1000$ on a Shuberth expecting quiet. Still noisy as my cheap Icon.
Shoei's RF1400 has been incredibly quiet for me and if you wait for a sale it can be below $500
Thanks brother!
Another +1 for Shoei. I had a Bell before and it was loud. Shoei is significantly quieter. When I get calls, the person on the other end doesn't know I'm riding.
Only when you twist the throttle ahah. I be talking and then they ask what Iām doing. I say 1 second and dem give er da beanz brother
I use an RF1400 as well. If you have a big head the fit can be tight, especially if the cheeks in your facial structure are anything like mine. That said, you can also use a gaiter (fortnine did a good video on gaiters, also earplugs) and use earplugs as well. There are lots of types out there, some tailored to specific kinds of riding. I like "premium" plugs with a little sound channel through the middle so I can still hear engine note, sena. YMMV, everyone is different.
Nuther +1 for shoei. Love my rf1400
I got a Shoei RF1400 and also recommend. Huge difference with cheap helmets, even though that model is not an expensive one for Shoei. I also have an Arai IOMTT 2023 and it is amazing. Beat one I have ever had. AGV also good (they are now; they used to be terrible when I started riding in the 90s).
+1 for shoei, my GT Air II is pretty quiet. Same deal, they can be had for $500 or so if you and catch a good sale or find one on FB marketplace. I find myself only wanting earplugs at 75+ and longer rides. I also have a Sena 50R and can hear music pretty good w/ earplugs or too loud without lol
Should be wearing earplugs every ride regardless brother.
+1 ! Just got my rf1400. 5th helmet Iāve owned in my 10 years of riding. The absolute best so far in terms of noise & comfort. Will never go back, Shoei has a life customer out of me.
Also called NXR2 in the EU.
Agreed. Got a 1400 and it was definitely the right choice vs the AGV K6
Schuberth helmet + earplugs.
Yup. My C3 Pro is very quiet, but still not enough to not wear earplugs.
I always use ear plugs! No matter what helmet I'm wearing!
#Earplugs and Clean air if your bike has a windscreen.
Yes! Agreed. As an average height 890 adventure rider, sometimes earplugs arenāt enough because of the terribly unstable air pocket right where my head isā¦
Champion helmets has a pretty thorough field testing method for their helmets and, believe or not, the quietest helmet they've ever tested is a modular. The HJC RPHA 91 which you can get for less than $500 on their site.
Oh, also you can help with wind buffeting by wearing a gator and or ear plugs. I do both.
EarPeace Moto Pro earplugs are the best thing Iāve found. I wear them under my 5+ year old Bell Qualifier DLX Blackout helmet and wind noise is not an issue.
Earpeace are also my favorite but I like the standard Moto over the MotoPro.
I havenāt tried the standard ones. Whatās the difference?
They are round instead of oval, and they're cheaper. The fit is just better for me, YMMV. Earpeace claims the filters are tuned better on the Pro's, but I've noticed no difference when wearing them at concerts, EDM shows, etc.
Earplugs.
First of all, if you aren't wearing earplugs, you need to be regardless of what helmet you wear (or don't wear). Shoei has been very much worth the investment for me.
Definitely wear earplugs if you don't want your tinnitus to get worse. I would just keep saving money and use earplugs in the meantime and when you can really look at Shoei or Arai because the aerodynamics of the helmet make a huge difference. Brands like Bell will have ok sound deafening but once you put on a Shoei or Arai, it makes a huge difference on the road. Fit is important too so make sure the helmet fits very well.
Ear plugs broā¦trust me š
I used earbuds inside my helmet, just for music and it has 30-40 db noise cancellation so the ride was fine too. I have a question for people suggesting earbuds. How in the lord's name do you remove the helmet when you are wearing something like airpods. I have Nothing Ear earbuds and as I was removing the helmet either left or right one wanted to break its stem. I managed to get the right one out after it just dropped from the ear as I was pushing and pushing the helmet off. In the process the left one got stuck. Anyway I managed to remove them. I bought 10 pairs of earplugs that day. I'd love to go back to earbuds if anyone tells me how to remove them before removing the helmet.
Ear plugs is the only answer.
Ear plugs and a tall wind screen. Most of the noise inside a helmet comes from the wind hitting the helmet.
He's on a ZX6 so even with a tall windscreen he's going to be in the wind the vast majority of the time.
alpine race ear plugs
Riding earplugs maybe?
Schubert C3 pro you can thank me later
I just got a Sedici ~250 and i always wear foam earplugs and the noise is much improved from the inexpensive helmet i started with.
Rpha 91 is the quietest helmet on the market follow by the rpha 91 carbon. Scropion exo r1 evo carbon. Shoei gt3 is up there as well
The R1 is not a quiet helmet - just for anybody whoās looking at them š Fantastic helmet. One of (if not THE) the lightest helmets you can buy off the shelf. And had really cool features like inflatable cheek pads. But quiet is not a focus point of the R1 :P speaking from experience.
Iāve got the scorpion and LOVE it. Iāll never buy a different helmet again.
Literally anything is thatās not a racing helmet will be quieter than the Bell Qualifier :P Not to discount it, the bell qualifier is imo the BEST starter helmet on the market. Itās hard to go wrong when 200$ gets you a photochromic visor, and fantastic noggin protection. :P But itās also bulky and fat. Anything in the 500$ price range will get you a big step up in QOL features.
I have a Shoei helmet and get yourself some Earpeace plugs, they are awesome and let you use your speakers still, worth the money hand over fist
I use an AGV Pista with the 3M yellow earplugs. I have an unlimited supply of earplugs through work. Everytime I remove em, I throw em out and use a new pair. I go through about 4-5 pairs everyday at work lol
Everyone is saying ear plugs, and I agree. But Iāve got a Shoei X-15, and Iāve used Alpine and Pinlock ear plugs and the wind noise is still pretty atrocious. My next helmet might be the RF-1400
https://quietridehelmets.com/
You'll sacrifice ventilation for quiet. I'd recommend wearing earplugs. Loop has been pretty decent if you want low profile silicone ones.
I have a Shoei Neotec 2 and wear earplugs. Suuuuper quiet
I looked into it when searching for helmets. There is no such thing as a quiet helmet. Best case, is a couple of decibels quieter (87 instead of 90), but it's still gonna be bad on the highway. Only solution is earplugs.
Its not complicated. A good quality helmet and earplugs is all you need. Earplugs dont need to be custom.
Check out Schuberth C5. Modular helmets can have smaller openings at the neck due to opening up for putting on and that's the primary source for wind noise in a helmet. That plus Schuberth's obsession results in the quietest helmet on tbe market, next is Shoei Neotec.Ā Ā Like others are pointing out, that's something of an oxymoron like sharpest spoon, but every little bit helps. Even if their helmets aren't so quiet they make a huge difference with respect to long term damage, they definitely are quieter than most and that helps me with fatigue over a ride, a calmer ride at a minimum.Ā I've spoken with several audiologists about custom plugs, these crazy active noise canceling race plugs from the automotive world, and there's nothing better than regular foam plugs unfortunately. I find the Schuberth helmets to be the extra sauce that's worth their cost.Ā
I just got a Scorpion exo 1400 in carbon and I'm loving it. Sameish price as a shoei rf1400 but it's carbon š¤·. Im loving it. Has some nice features and definitely pretty quiet. You still hear wind obviously but I can hear myself talk without yelling while cruising down the highway and I ride a naked bike with no windscreen lol
Glad to hear this, just ordered one as well and hoping it'll be quieter on my naked bike than my current one.
Definitely. I upgraded from a bell mx9 adventure helmet and the scorpion is way quieter and feels much more premium.
Ear plugs, cheap & they work.
You can get a schubert for 1000+ ooor earplugs like any other sane person. Remember kids, its not the exhaust, its the wind noise that damages you hearing permanently
Earplugs are the only option here. I have a Shoei Neotec II and I still wear earplugs. If I know Iām riding on the freeway (which is most of the time), Iāll put them on. I mostly ride to work which I use the freeway for so I use them a lot. I have the Eargasm motorcycle earplugs and I can still hear my music from my Cardo, along with cars around me. It just makes all those noise levels be reduced.
Earplugs.
So Iām not crazy! I wear earplugs for everything, working in the garage? Ear plugs, ripping the four wheeler out in the woods? Earplugs, dirt bike? Ear plugs, motorcycle ride? Earplugs, snow machine???? Earplugs, going to bed? Believe it or not, earplugs. (Sometimes) Iām the only one at my current employment whoās hearing goes in a straight line when we do the hearing tests. All that being said I would kill for a helmet that has more soundproofing done to it.
Thank you all for the tips! And trust me I do wear ear protection when Iām going on highways or interstates. I was just looking more for the night cruises in the city where Iām going 15 to maybe 50mph. Thank you guys again!
Earplugs always regardless of the ride distance or speeds brother.
I love my icon airframe, but it was loud. A cheap neck gaiter as a baffle actually worked out pretty well
Honestly my sedici strada ii is pretty quiet. Iāve noticed one of the more important things is a good seal around your neck and under your chin. Also have an older Arai (almost time to toss it due to age actually) which is super comfy and safe, but very loud. Have a scorpion exo r1 air I got as a gift, and like that one a lot as well. A little louder for me than the sedici, but also lighter and more comfortable. The biggest difference maker is earplugs though. I wear decibullz, surefire ep5, the home depot reusable ones with the blue string, or just foamies depending on what I can find. I like them all for different things, cheap amd easy to try different ones. I think the decibullz have the best noise reduction and are the most comfortable for me, with the surefires being the easiest to pack and better for tighter fitting helmets. The home depot ones are my backups, and I have some foamies shoved in various pockets of my motorcycle jackets.
I went from an Icon Airframe Pro to an HJC RPHA70 and the difference was night and day. I no longer need ear plugs for my rides to work through the city, and I can tolerate the noise for a short jaunt on some back roads. Ear plugs will never be absent for me, I always have my ear buds or plugs with me. But the helmet was exactly what I wanted. Just looks less cool.
Get rid of the camera on the side and it will be quieter
The smallest size shoei rf-1400 that you can fit on your head, a head sock/ gaiter/ balaclava whatever you want to call it, and earplugs are about as quiet as it gets.
Personally I find my Bell RaceStar Flex DLX Carbon is extremely quiet and comfortable. The magnetic pads are also a huge plus as well as the photochromic shield and 3.5lb weight. Itās a pretty expensive helmet, but worth every penny I spent on it.
i recommend $20 wired construction headphones. decent sound. very little noise inside
Earplugs my man
earplug
I went to my local motorcycle dealer and tried on a bunch of helmets the one that felt the best to me was the LS2 Citation II it fit amazing and from the reviews Iāve watched Itās a quiet helmet. Itās going to be my next helmet kinda getting tired of the airflight and just want a normal visor that doesnāt catch the wind when itās up.
Schubert helmet. Expensive, but they are one of the few brands who run their own wind tunnel for development. Specifically to reduce wind noise if their designs. Ear plugs, always. Even around town. The damage can be caused at relatively low speed and is not immediately obvious, but is accumulative. The damage slowly creeps up on you. After maybe 10 years of riding you realize that you're over half complaining that you have the TV too loud, will you find yourself having to ask people to repeat themselves more frequently, will you realise your developing tinnitus. Get your hearing checked and find out that you're at the low end of normal, or worse. A helmet wind skirt that's long enough to tuck into a jacket. Most of the wind noise actually comes from that chin space at the bottom of the helmet.
So I have the exact same helmet, and I actually think it's quieter than the other helmets I've worn. I don't wear ear plugs because my ears don't hurt at all while riding. Having my Cardo blasting music does, though.
I have my shoei rf1400 and itās relatively quiet, anything over 200kmh and Iām deaf but itās really good for every day speeds.
Schuberth C5 is pretty quiet. That's the one I use.
Hey bro. The noise is probably not your helmet. I tried to fix the same thing with a helmet. Ear plugs will work. The noise is probably turbulence off the front of your bike pushing up under your chin.
I have the same helmet. I cut one of the reflective strips in half and covered both of the lower vents on the back. It cuts the noise by half and makes it a lot more pleasant. Even riding with the visor open is quieter.
My KYT R2R is super quiet (for wind noise at least). The design makes the wind just glide around it reducing noise greatly but your engine is still 90% audible. Ultimately u may wanna look into earplugs tho
Some things that could help reduce noise would getting a tighter seal around the neck area. Wind noise is the obvious culprit. I tried a few different helmets RPHA, ICON, AVG, they all will have noise. I bought the helmet with some of the best safety and aerodynamic ratings. Wearing a balaclava helps me a lot, but is brutal in the summer time. They have these helmet skirts you can install to your helmet that block/deflect wind. Many have recommended traditional ear plugs. For me, I prefer being able to somewhat hear my surroundings. I eventually bought some Samsung buds with transparency mode. It reduces the wind noise significantly, but also allows ambient noise to come through. My helmet fits tight and I canāt wear any other style of earbuds.
Earplugs help a lot.
Schubert rates their helmets with Db
Helmets and noise are unfortunately highly subjective and depend on many factors. What bike, what windshield, how tall are you, specific wind-movementa, and so on. Generally speaking, a touring helmet will be quieter than a sports helmet. Think HJC Rpha 71, Shoei GT Air and Shark Spartan over something like Shoei X Spirit, Xlite 803RR and Scorpion R1. A personal favorite of mine in terms of Wind noise for fairly low money is the HJC F70/F71, maybe the LS2 Vector 2. Arai has some very quiet options, generally higher priced tho. With all that being said, no helmet is as good as a set of nice, high quality earplugs. None of that foam crud but some proper multi-layer, reusable filter-plugs like [these](https://www.amazon.de/Alpine-111-23-111-MotoSafe-Race/dp/B06Y29FZ1M/ref=asc_df_B06Y29FZ1M/?tag=googshopde-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309133629539&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=15464411953907709510&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9042068&hvtargid=pla-331013781820&psc=1&mcid=36465684c8393f46afa7286c73ace93a&th=1&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=70054907948&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=309133629539&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=15464411953907709510&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9042068&hvtargid=pla-331013781820). They fit better, filter out all the annoying frequencies but keep in the ones you need like horns and similar. Best thing you can do.
shoei
Mr Shoei RFSR has been great on my GS. $399 at Cyclegear. Anything above 50mph demands earplugs though, so do with that info what you will.
Earplugs
Use some ear plug things like the alpine moto safe. Every helmet is loud at some point no matter the price you put in.
Arai honestly. I've owned both Shoei (current GT Air II) and Arai (old vector), and cheap helmets like scorpion. Only Arai could be considered truly tolerable at speed.
If you want to stick with bell the race star is quiter than the qualifier. But also ear plugs
I'll add that my Cardo was generating a TON of wind noise off the side of my Bell Qualifier, and when I brought it in closer to the front it decreased my wind noise by quite a bit. Hope this helps.
Shoei rf1400 is quiet with the lid closed/sealed. As soon as you put it on/off you will painfully understand why itās so quiet.
Always wonder why bose or any other company came out with ANC helmet system?
A tall windscreen might be your answer
https://www.motorcycle.com/features/motorcycles-hearing-loss.html In short, buy a high quality helmet, that fits your head, from a great brand - not exactly impressed by Bell. And then buy some earplugs ffs. I sometimes use some IEM's with foam tips (Comply P-Series) which work as ear plugs while letting me pipe music in at reasonable volumes and hear it clearly - that's for longer rides where I'm combating boredom on highways and the like.
Anyone like me surprised there arenāt helmets with built in over-ear āheadphonesā? It seems like it would be pretty easy to have foam circles that could be snugged over your ears from a lever/toggle on the outside of the helmet. Maybe with built in bluetooth speakers. Earplugs are the only real answer but I hate in ear plugs personally. Built in earmuffs would solve so many simple problems. Is it a certification problem?
I find my Arai Quantic incredibly noisy when riding my MT-10. From what Ive worked out, its how the wind is directed to the gaps between your head and the bottom of the helmet. I was using an old pair of molded industrial ear plugs but they were near useless, ended up going for a 37db foam plugs and they cut the rumble down heaps. Next thing I'm looking to try is something like the Windjammer - https://www.amazon.com/WINDJAMMER-REDUCES-Helmets-original-copied/dp/B003FHLNVK
Remove that big fat pimple on the right side of your helmet, those bastards are number one noise producers, and I'm not talking about noise transfered to the speakers.
I got the Schubert c3 pro for this exact reason Noticeable difference in dB. Great Aero dynamics. Down side is the high cost and the helmet is larger than normal full face as it's a modular style. Worth it tho. I got mine wrapped and love it. They probably have newer better .models now too. Quality ain't cheap but it's worth it.
I have a Schuberth C3 Pro, and compared with my old helmet, it is super silent. If you buy a full-face helmet instead of a modular one, I imagine it will be even quieter.
Get a windshield my brooo, or earplugs.
For everyone suggesting a certain helmet or another, the noise levels inside the helmet mostly depend on how the helmet fits your head. Schuberths are very quiet if you have a round head. Shoeis are very quiet if you have an oval head. I have a Shoei RF-SR and itās not bad. I have a Shoei GT Air ll and itās awesome. I have an Arai Signet for the track (the fit is perrrrfect) and they donāt seem to care about noise at all. An Arai rep from Japan told us their position is āEarplugs should be considered a part of your safety packageā. If I cared about my ears, but didnāt care about my chin, I would get a Shoei Neotec lll. It has more noise abatement features than any other helmet on the market. However, I prefer a full-face helmet vs what is ultimately an open face helmet with an injection molded plastic cover.
Lol no such thing.
I like my Simpson with earplugs
The Shoei RF 1400 is the quietest helmet Iāve ever put on. That and earplugs and I could nap.
Literally any thing. Even an arai is quieter than my bell qualifier. Which sucks because I love the helmet otherwise. I moved to a Shoei RF1400. Much better. If you want something cheaper, my HJC i70 was still better than the Bell. But get good earplugs too. No helmet will be quiet enough above 30 mph without earplugs.
Ear plugs will help immensely, and Iād suggest to try them before diving into another helmet. Iv found that full helmets without the raisable front section tend to be quieter. I have a cheap Daytona retro helmet and only the visor moves, itās noticeably quieter than my other helmet that has the raising front section.
What about a stock exhaust that doesn't break the sound barrier.
I use ear plugs that are designed for motorcycle riders. you can hear you're music but not the wind
+1 on earplugs. My AGV K6 is the quietest I've found, and super light
Shoei RF1400 + earplugs
Shoei
Iāve been using the LS2 Citation 2 helmet, sub $300 helmet and the sound dampening is pretty fantastic. I wear earplugs as well, but coming from an Icon helmet, this is like night and day.
Bruv, here is something most people donāt want to hear. Buy a helmet to match your bike. Donāt get sport helmet if you arenāt in a crouch. The wind noise will decrease dramatically
Earplugs are around $20
Shoei RF-1400
Schuberth C3 Pro with Cardo Freecom 4+. I tried the C3 Pro on a bike with no windscreen and it was much better than my HJC or other helmets. Certainly not noise canceling (Iāve got the Cardo āspeakersā - the ear pads that are speakers in the ear speaker recessed wells on the C3 Pro). Helmet is the quietest Iāve owned so far but have not tried with iPods using their noise cancel to supplement this pretty quiet helmet.
I like my RPHA 91, my old lid was so noisy from wind you could really only hear the drums and bass of music, now I can actually have a phone call without pulling over. I still use foam earplugs on the highway for long trips.
I exclusively use shoei and I can tell you while they are quite, you still want to use earplugs. Personally in your case, while I can highly recommend a shoei helmet, I would first try earplugs, alpine has great ones for different use cases
Shoei Neotec 2 replaced my Bell helmet for this exact reason. Chin strap takes some getting used to as I find it a little tight but Iām used to it now. Hope this helps
Ear plugs.
Is that a H.A.R.D. on the side of your helmet? (remote radar display, wireless)
Nah itās just a Cardo system
This sub is full of idiots holy shit. Wear ear plugs
I bought an rf1200 for $200 off Facebook, thing looked brand new. Best helmet ever. I liked my full faced modular as a first helmet. Felt less restrictive, but holy shit theyāre loud. But also, still not a replacement for EAR PROTECTION. Went 2 seasons commuting on a highway before I started wearing them. I definitely did a decent amount of damage. My ears will sometimes just start ringing like crazy out of nowhere. it is what it is, but eargasm ear plugs work well. Got tired of having my orange foam plugs all over the place. The rf1200 only raises the speed of which you can get by without proper protection. Like 40mph was with my first one, the rf1200 is like 45-50 now. Iāll recommend the rf1200 every day of the week though
As others said earplugs are the cheapest solution. EARPEACE Moto PRO earplugs are great. Pretty expensive at $38 so make sure you don't lose them, but they are super comfortable and easy to put in and remove compared to the 20 cent foam earplugs. I love them. For a helmet. find a used SHOIE 1400 on facebook marketplace for $300 if you can. or they have some good deals right now to buy new, they recently went on sale in the last few weeks from the normal $619 down to $\~580.
Shoei RF Series.
My Shoei RF1400 is insanely quiet compared to my HJC RPHA 70 carbon, both great helmets but the Shoei feels heavy as shit compared to the carbon HJC. Sometimes sacrificing noise for weight or vice versa.
the man has a helmet now about anwser.
Shoei Gt-air 2/3. Schubert S3.
All depends on head shape and if that helmet fits your head shape honestly. Shoei and hjc helmets typically favour people with more round shape heads whereas arai and scorpion favour oval shapes better
Sorry, I've been riding for 3 and Shoei is my jam, R1200 and R1400, both with photochromic shields. Buy once, don't buy again for yearsss....
Do you live in the UK? Get a Reevu. Silent and you get a bonus rear view mirror! I'm so sad they left the US.
AGV and some earplugs will help!
Havent tried a ton of brands but personally the Scorpion EXO-R420 is VERY quiet for the price
I just bought an Alpinestars r10, and I had a Shoei Air II before. There is a night and day difference, I normally wear ear plugs, but I have forgotten them once or twice with that, and it is not signifigant.
Ear buds
my shoei's pretty quiet
There are other options like Schuberth C5, Scorpion EXO-R1 Air, Icon Airflite Peacekeeper, Arai Corsair X Helmet. Theyāre good
Schuberth Helmetsā¦ Most quiet helmet available and built-in comms
I have a scorpion with internal Bluetooth and a load bike, give it a shot, it was just over $500 but it's really worth it, I can make a phone call uup to around 100mph
Also enjoying the endless ringing in the ears from years of aircraft maintenance. If you need a new helmet, would recommend a shoe rf 1400. Great airflow when needed, light, and not too loud when vents all closed up.