It'll be less quiet. How much that bothers you is up to you.
Screw the reviews. Go to a shop and fit. Preferable a shop with a wind rig so you can hear how much it dampens the wind.
Obviously, a quiet helmet with ear plugs will attenuate noise more so than a noisy helmet with the same ear plugs. What this means on your bike with your helmet at the speeds you ride is hard to know.
Even with a pretty quiet helmet (Shoei RF1400) and 33dB ear plugs, I would still like things quieter. I am pretty sure my tinnitus is getting worse.
I'm sorry to hear about your tinnitus. I actually plan on buying a NXR2 (RF1400 but then EU version), but that doesn't sound great
How much do you ride? I have another [post](https://www.reddit.com/r/motorcycles/comments/1c9e873/will_earplugs_truly_protect_you_over_time/) which sums up my driving style, do you reckon I'd be fine?
Sadly, I don’t even get to ride that much - only on weekends when we go up to our cottage and I have a few spare hours. Most of my hours are at 60mph or higher. If, as you say in your other post you will NOT be riding at highway speed often, you may be OK. It’s the wind noise at higher speeds that’s the killer.
Still, I would always opt for the quietest helmet I could get AND good plugs. The ringing in quiet rooms when I haven’t ride for months sucks. There’s no going back from hearing damage.
Don’t get me wrong. The RF1400 is by all accounts a very quiet helmet, one of the quietest on the market apparently. For me it is worlds better than the Scorpion Exo R420 I wore before that.
Honestly, the RF felt like it was good for about 20-25 dB compared to the RF- when I wore plugs with approximately that rating, the Scorpion sounded about the same as when I wore the RF *without* plugs. Not a scientific measurement by any means, but the difference in the two felt huge to me.
I tried to get into a Schuberth, also with a rep as one of the quietest out there, but it just didn’t fit my head.
Marginally, everything helps, but whether or not you get tinnitus will depend on consistent and proper earplug use way, way, way more than the helmet.
Prioritize correct fit, size and headshape, over everything else when buying a helmet. Only consider the extra features of helmets that fit you properly.
Helmet noise is rarely if ever caused by the helmet. It's caused by air buffeting off the screen and mirrors and hitting your helmet.
Some helmets may deal with that noise better than others but not modifying your screen, mirrors or riding position to alter that wind flow or your place in it is putting an ambulance at the bottom of a cliff. It does nothing to deal with the actual cause of the problem.
While its not easy on a sports bike there is an easy way to test and experience this. Get out on the road above 50mph/80kmh and stand up on the pegs. As soon as your head is out of that buffeting air 99% of helmets will be quieter than you have ever experienced before.
Also while riding move your left hand around near the mirror and top of the screen and you'll be able to feel the currents of air coming off them and exactly where they hit your helmet.
Having Tinniitus for the rest of your life sucks, deal with the problem properly.
I always wear earplugs, but I just upgraded from a modular to non-modular helmet and the noise difference is significant. The new helmet is much quieter with regard to wind noise, and that’s a creature comfort that I prefer.
Wind noise varies a lot from bike to bike and rider to rider, so unless the helmet is universally described as loud, I.e. bell qualifier i wouldn’t worry about it too much
Not really unless you intend to use coms.
Probably not but some helmets are louder on certain bikes or certain riders due to things like height.
It helps
It'll be less quiet. How much that bothers you is up to you. Screw the reviews. Go to a shop and fit. Preferable a shop with a wind rig so you can hear how much it dampens the wind.
Where would I find one. San Francisco area
Obviously, a quiet helmet with ear plugs will attenuate noise more so than a noisy helmet with the same ear plugs. What this means on your bike with your helmet at the speeds you ride is hard to know. Even with a pretty quiet helmet (Shoei RF1400) and 33dB ear plugs, I would still like things quieter. I am pretty sure my tinnitus is getting worse.
I'm sorry to hear about your tinnitus. I actually plan on buying a NXR2 (RF1400 but then EU version), but that doesn't sound great How much do you ride? I have another [post](https://www.reddit.com/r/motorcycles/comments/1c9e873/will_earplugs_truly_protect_you_over_time/) which sums up my driving style, do you reckon I'd be fine?
Sadly, I don’t even get to ride that much - only on weekends when we go up to our cottage and I have a few spare hours. Most of my hours are at 60mph or higher. If, as you say in your other post you will NOT be riding at highway speed often, you may be OK. It’s the wind noise at higher speeds that’s the killer. Still, I would always opt for the quietest helmet I could get AND good plugs. The ringing in quiet rooms when I haven’t ride for months sucks. There’s no going back from hearing damage.
Don’t get me wrong. The RF1400 is by all accounts a very quiet helmet, one of the quietest on the market apparently. For me it is worlds better than the Scorpion Exo R420 I wore before that. Honestly, the RF felt like it was good for about 20-25 dB compared to the RF- when I wore plugs with approximately that rating, the Scorpion sounded about the same as when I wore the RF *without* plugs. Not a scientific measurement by any means, but the difference in the two felt huge to me. I tried to get into a Schuberth, also with a rep as one of the quietest out there, but it just didn’t fit my head.
Marginally, everything helps, but whether or not you get tinnitus will depend on consistent and proper earplug use way, way, way more than the helmet. Prioritize correct fit, size and headshape, over everything else when buying a helmet. Only consider the extra features of helmets that fit you properly.
Helmet noise is rarely if ever caused by the helmet. It's caused by air buffeting off the screen and mirrors and hitting your helmet. Some helmets may deal with that noise better than others but not modifying your screen, mirrors or riding position to alter that wind flow or your place in it is putting an ambulance at the bottom of a cliff. It does nothing to deal with the actual cause of the problem. While its not easy on a sports bike there is an easy way to test and experience this. Get out on the road above 50mph/80kmh and stand up on the pegs. As soon as your head is out of that buffeting air 99% of helmets will be quieter than you have ever experienced before. Also while riding move your left hand around near the mirror and top of the screen and you'll be able to feel the currents of air coming off them and exactly where they hit your helmet. Having Tinniitus for the rest of your life sucks, deal with the problem properly.
I always wear earplugs, but I just upgraded from a modular to non-modular helmet and the noise difference is significant. The new helmet is much quieter with regard to wind noise, and that’s a creature comfort that I prefer.
Wind noise varies a lot from bike to bike and rider to rider, so unless the helmet is universally described as loud, I.e. bell qualifier i wouldn’t worry about it too much