I got fed up of the hit and miss fit and comfort of the disposable earplugs. I bought these off ebay.

Dispatch was super quick and I got two tubs of silicone putty and a 1 page set of easy to follow instructions. The quantity supplied makes two pairs. I made one for starters and trial purposes. It was at this point I wished they supplied a color dot or something to avoid mixing up the lids.



The instructions advised to leave them in place 15 minutes to set. I felt they were not ready and left them in longer, it was 25 mins before I felt ready to remove them and at that point they were still maleable enough to poke a small hole and set in some cord (not suplied) which will help me not to drop or loose them. I also didn't attempt to make the pinch grip as shown on the auction photo but the cord makes removal simple.

I used them on the bike for the first time on Saturday and they are effective and very comfortable. I hate having my hearing blocked to the point I feel like I'm listening through my jaw bones. I also hate not being able to hear the traffic. I was able to do both whilst enjoying a great reduction in wind noise. I'm happy to give these a real ....

So its been 6 months now. have they worked out. I'm considering purchasing the DIY plugs myself

I bought a couple of tubs of the stuff.

Enough for two sets.

Made the first set which is quite easy and let them harden. Pull them out, put them in, pull them out. All very easy.
Unfortunately they were not very effective. I put it down to fat fingers while trying to get the putty into my ear holes.
Tried them a few times and gave up. No problem, I have enough to make more.
2nd attempt gave the same result.
Maybe it is my ears as I am still looking for a solution.

For the price of the putty I would recommend giving it a go. I can see how good they would be if you can get them to seal properly

I use the disposable Moldex Spark Plugs - 36db noise reduction but I can still hear the guy next to me. It seems that as far as disposables are concerned, it very much depends on the shape and size of your ear canal. I went through half-a-dozen or so different types (including some of the Moldex variants) before setting on the Spark Plugs.

I just use the green and yellow ones from the cbhemist $1.50 a pair, as long as you get them in right first up and don't use them too many times. I have to wear them at night as someone in my house is a bad snorer and have done so for years, then use them on the bike for a few trips. Good noise reduction, but makes you think that your bike is humming away perfectly. Never take them out.

I was the same as rosskko. Made a pair but just didn't find them as effective.
I put it down to having very small ear canals. I struggle to find a pair of earphones that will stay in.
Back to the foam ones but intend trying the other half of the pots again sometime.

G'day All , I had a set of silicone earmold's made , the base material looks the same ( 2 part stuff ) only difference was the gent that made them for me injected the putty into my ear canal using a big syringe , had to sit for 25 minutes while it set with instructions to not talk or swallow ( jaw movement moves the outer ear canal causing the silicone to not set as tight ) , got a red one for the left & green for the right , they work great , I use them for all trips now

www.earmold.com.au

JR

They are like bucket seats...depends what shape your bucket is

http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_EU/PPE_SafetySolutions_EU/Safety/Product_Catalogue/~/3M-E-A-R-Tracer-Earplugs?N=3294857473+3294471258+5022805&rt=rud

I use these yokes. Pull the string out of them, cut a few mm off the end of the stem, lick and stick. Work quite well, last a long time and are washable.

I think JR_K100RS has hit it on the head with his custom earplugs. Having the putty injected into the ear canal would make a big difference.
When I used the DIY type only a small amount actually entered the canal. Maybe this was why they weren't very effective.
I may have another go at it and try to get more into the ear canal when starting to mould the putty.

Another idea is a more advanced type of earplug like THIS.
These are used by musicians and I came across them while looking for a solution for my wife, who is unable to stand noisy environments due to a health problem.
They allow her to still be able to hold a conversation even when it's very noisy.
I've used them myself and found them quite effective. Hard to describe, they allow you to hear stuff but it never gets uncomfortable.
Pricey at £13, but they're reusable and available in different sizes.

The problem I have with earplugs is that it affects my balance, like when you have your sea legs and then get back on land it feels like everything around you is moving. Gets very bad sometimes so that I usually wear earmuffs in noisy environments which is a bit difficult with a helmet.

Drunken sailor... been there!

After trying many different diy types of ear plugs I took the plung and got some custom plugs made locally...expensive...yes...but will last forever. Must remember that the red dotted plug is for my right ear and that should leave one plug and one ear to go. Apparently they used to colour code the plugs red and green.....not good for colour blind people...although it could be amusing.

"There is no port left" , port is red ( usually ) , for drunken sailors port = left , so for me the left one was made red

JR

Probably won't help most of us due to distances, but GPGuyer , Gordon, makes custom ear plugs.

Based in Tamworth if you are ever passing through.

Just to breathe life into an old thread...
As I type this I'm waiting for another set of the silicone putty earplugs to set.
Difference this time is that I'm trying to mould a pair of iPod earpieces into them. I'm playing music through them as they are setting and so far the result is ok.
Tried a pair of small speakers in the helmet lining but the sound quality was horrible once the bike was on the move.
I've small ear canals and thought that if I remove the little rubber ring things on the iPod earphones I can get them further into the canal and the putty will hold them in place as well as block out wind noise.
Maybe give them a try out on the way down to the classic bike show in Leopardstown, Dublin on Saturday.
If they work out ok I may try to hard wire them into the radio/mp3 player.  
It lives under the passenger seat so shouldn't be too difficult to do.

Moulding the earphones into them sounds interesting - I should like to hear how they work out both by music / sound quality and for noise reduction.

After trying different disposable ones I stick with Alpine MotoSafe - so far the best for me.

JR_K100RS wrote:"There is no port left" , port is red ( usually ) , for drunken sailors port = left , so for me the left one was made red

JR

 Yep. Left is port and port is red

Comberjohn wrote:As I type this I'm waiting for another set of the silicone putty earplugs to set.

I'm interested to know what brand or type of putty you're using. Also keen to hear how the earpieces worked out sound wise.
I have smaller ear canals too and find the standard earplugs hurt after a while and don't do an effective job of blocking out wind noise.

Hi Nigel.
The results are mixed. I didn't manage to get the stubs into the ear canal as the earpieces turned slightly as I was fiddling with them during the putty curing.
BUT. The sound is quite good and they do seem to fit snugly into my ears. I think they should work quite well.
With hindsight, I'm not sure now if it's a good idea to have the stubs actually in the ear canal in terms of comfort over longer periods of time.
I've ordered another pair of the pots of putty and may have another go in the next day or two with the intention of trying them out on the trip down to Dublin on Saturday. It's motorway for most of the way so it would be great if successful.

Slightly off topic...but I have just gone through a similar line of thought, and would like to chuck in what I settled on....

After reading a bunch of reviews, I bought a set of Shure SE215 Earbuds.



These things are great for a bunch of reasons....

- They come with the 3 sizes of your standard variety plastic earbud tip thingys, BUT they also come with 3 sizes of foamy earbud tip thingys. Now, these are the same material (although I guess of a higher grade) as the foam ear plugs. They are great. I use the smallest size and they just feel like having ear plugs in...

- They have this loop over the ear cable thingy that at first seems weird but for us riders is a god send. The cable runs down your back instead of in the front and the combination of this means 1) you rarley snag the cable and 2) if you do they earbuds stay firmly in place. Its basically impossible to pull them out while wearing a helmet.

- They sound awesome - Shure make great shit.

- The earbuds are removable from the cable, so if you break the cable you can just buy a new one instead of an entire new set of earbuds.

- They are designed in such a way as to not protrude out of your ear and they dont get mushed up in your helmet. 


Just my 2 cents. Had them for 2 weeks and really like them. When the music/radio stops or I get sick of it, its just like having ear plugs in.

Hi Floyd. Was wondering how you are getting on with your ear phones?
I've wired a 3.5mm socket directly to the radio under the passenger seat and the socket is on a lead just at the front of the seat.
This allows me to change stations and adjust the volume from the 'wonder wheel' on the bars. Can also change tracks when using the mp3 memory stick.
Like the sound of the Shure earphones but am nervous of spending that amount of money in case they don't fit my small ear canals.
Do they cut out the wind noise?
Would the actual pipe that holds the foam or silicone seal be smaller than most earphones?

Hi Comberjohn. The specs say the Shure SE215 have noise isolating foam sleeves rated at 37dB which is reasonably high. Std earplugs are around 30dB. I think there's also a cable/mic/controller for these as well (Apple compatible only).
If fitting/comfort is an issue then possibly these foam and silicon sleeves from http://www.complyfoam.com/ which are noise isolating as well may be the answer. They have a big range and you can find a sleeve for your brand/model using the Tip Finder tab at the top of their home page. 
Then there's http://www.plugfones.com/ which are noise isolating and very reasonably priced. They also have a bluetooth controler.
I've not tried any of these as I've just gone for straight plugs. I prefer the peace and quite when riding and have decided to pay for custom moulded plugs.
Cheers

An other option to the Sure earphones is the MEElectronics Sport-Fi M6 Noise Isolating In-Ear Headphones about $19 from amazon.com
There's also a version available with microphone and controller for about $25
Apparently the musos use these and mould them directly into their moulded earplugs.

From what I can work out, the quality of the moulding material will determin the ear-fit and ability to block environmental noise. The injectable moulding material is best for this but is a little more expensive and needs a small amount of skill to use. You can get this Got Ears? OCEPS (On-Site Custom Ear Plug System) Trial Kit from the US for about $30 + postage. It makes 2 sets. I'm going to give this one a go. There's also a 20-30 set kit if you want to have an 'Earplug Party'  

There're quite a few Youtube videos showing various DIY methods. Just take from those what you feel is useful and find your own method.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rnmwllxh_Xg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nb7bTe5XZPs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmVFGypZm2g
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKCLdLWi558

Couple that with this inexpensive Bluetooth adapter and you've got a pretty useful system.
http://thirdgear.com.au/motorcycle-helmet-bluetooth-chat-kit/

At the risk of broadening the topic, I'm looking at some form of audio to be driven from my iPhone. I don't want to get too much into making/receiving phone calls, and I'm not sure whether I want/need intercom type communication.

I was looking at a Sena SMH10 mainly for the bluetooth connection to helmet speakers, which would need earplugs of some kind for excessive noise on the road.
I have also looked into the Shure SE215 mentioned in this thread, which would take a wired connection rather than bluetooth.

Is anyone able to give me first hand experience of either of these, or ideally tried both of them?
Floyd's experience noted, thanks. Not doubting, but would like confirmation if anyone else has tried them.
I don't mind paying the price for either of them if they do the job well, but would hate to buy one and then find I'm not happy, need to buy the other and waste the money on the first.

Thanks,

Bill

Comberjohn wrote:Hi Floyd. Was wondering how you are getting on with your ear phones?
I've wired a 3.5mm socket directly to the radio under the passenger seat and the socket is on a lead just at the front of the seat.
This allows me to change stations and adjust the volume from the 'wonder wheel' on the bars. Can also change tracks when using the mp3 memory stick.
Like the sound of the Shure earphones but am nervous of spending that amount of money in case they don't fit my small ear canals.
Do they cut out the wind noise?
Would the actual pipe that holds the foam or silicone seal be smaller than most earphones?

Hi mate, 

Im really happy with them so far and dont regret the purchase at all. They sound great, block heaps of wind noise etc 

Perhaps give Kaptain Holisters suggestions a go first, may be all you need. I am somewhat of an audiophile and dont mind at all spending coin on quality speakers/amps/headphones/ear buds, as there is often a massive difference in quality. The Shures are not top of the range, but for my money were the best value/bang for buck when looking at the options. They feel like they will last me years and years and be fixable, which I value a lot.

I use the smallest size of the foamy ear buds and they work for me. I can feel that I have something lodged in my ears, but it rarely becomes uncomfortable and my ears never get tender even after many hours use. Often the music/podcast will stop and 10 mins later I have forgotten I still have ear buds in. I used to ride with 'normal' ear buds in and they used to kill my ears after about 20mins. 

anyways, I was saying....I use the smallest size, and they are fine, but I have normal or large sized ears....I would be hesitent if I were you and the small ear thing was an issue....

indian036 wrote:

I was looking at a Sena SMH10 mainly for the bluetooth connection to helmet speakers, which would need earplugs of some kind for excessive noise on the road.

Thanks,

Bill

Morning Bill,

I have the SMH10 and it is great. Never tried it between headsets, but no reason it should not be good.

Works fine for phone calls. Only taken a call and the clarity is very good. Making calls depends on how good your helmet is. Wind noise can interfere with the microphone and the voice recognition.
Controls are easy to use.
Battery lasts for about 2 weeks between charges and is used for about an hour a day every day.

On long rides it rarely goes flat over a weekend unless you leave it on overnight.

Always connects to the phone (samsung S4) and you can charge it while attached to the helmet.
It also has a separate plug if you do not want to use bluetooth for music.

New firmware makes compatible with most other headsets that use the same protocol. Not sure what that is, but is widely used.

I would recommend it.

rosskkko

Tried a cheapie Bluetooth unit from eBay and it worked well enough with my iPhone and the radio unit on the bike.
Just can't stick the wind noise. Maybe I need to go slower. 
Tried using ear plugs with them but couldn't get enough gain to hear the ear pieces.
Have a 3.5mm socket on a lead between the tank and seat.
Going to try the foam earpieces. Maybe will try the Shure's.

mate,

also check out this company's range.... Tork (link)

What made me think of them was your line about not getting enough gain to the earbuds....these guys make a headphone amp for motorcyclists. They also make (as far as I can tell) the best in helmet speakers - which may be an option for you....?

Good site, Floyd.
Might be the answer.
Prices seem reasonable, too.
Lot of this type of stuff seems to get very expensive when you mention motorcycling.

Just as a reminder to the Oz folk, GPGuyer lives in Tamworth and makes custom molded plugs and can fit your favourite buds in them if you like (I think)

Anyone heading to Guyra it is not far to ride to see him.

Kaptain Holister wrote:So its been 6 months now. have they worked out. I'm considering purchasing the DIY plugs myself

Sorry Kaptain H - I have not been a regular visitor on the forum over the past few months.

Yes these have worked really well still have the first set I made due to the tether/string. They have survived undamaged all summer and are easily wased and cleaned - Still a thumbs up from me!

Cool. From what I've read if you can get the putty into the canal properly you'll get a good fit. I've just ordered a DIY injectable kit from the US. Should take a little while to get here so I'll post results in a few weeks.

The quest continues...
I was considering Floyd's idea about helmet speakers with an amp and realised that as I was plugging in to the radio I already had plenty of gain.
I wired a pair of cheap helmet speakers to a 3.5mm plug and tried them with foam ear plugs. Because I had to turn the volume up so loud, I could have heard the fairing speakers anyway!
But! I think my own journey is nearly over.
KH suggested a pair of Meelectronics M6 ear phones. I ordered a pair and they arrived yesterday.
Very reasonably priced at £15 including p&p from Amazon.
The design is similar to the Shure SE215's in that they sit in the ear vestibule and loop over the top of the ear which makes taking the helmet on and off so much easier.
They come with six pairs of silicone buds, none of which were small enough for my ears, and a handy carry case.
Had a really tiny pair of silicone buds which fitted and tried them out yesterday. Really impressed. Had to moisten the buds (yuck) but the results are great.
I've ordered up a set of foam buds for them as I think they'll be more comfortable for longer periods.
I would imagine that the Shure ones are better sound quality and I may treat myself at some point. Hands up who has lost an item like this or put them through the washing machine?
So, they keep the wind noise out and provide me with an acceptable quality of sound. And they're cheap. Sorted!

Glad that worked Comberjohn. I've just ordered the same (with mic/control) but not yet arrived. I've also ordered DIY earplugs from US and will give that a go with the Meelectric phones. I think I'm a bit like you. Don't really have a need for intercom or phone calls. If I need to make a call I'll pull over. The in-line mic/controler will make it possible to do that without taking my hemet off. Like to have some cruising music now and again but the big concern for me is eliminating the wind noise with good ear plugs.

From what I read, the musicians prefer the ME's over Sure. The mould them into their ear monitor plugs.

Hi KH.
I think that I must have abnormally narrow ear canals.
Received a set of foam plugs for the M6's and while they're more comfortable, constantly have a feeling that they're about to fall out!
The silicone plugs I'm using are very small, much smaller than the ones that came with the M6's, and they're not bad but not as comfortable. Ready to give up.
Was looking at the youtube links that you put in. The one where he tried to make it in two parts was interesting. Had a similar idea myself but when I tried the first stage there was no putty on the earpiece. Think my ear canals are only marginally wider than the earpieces without any buds!
So, as I type this I'm waiting for the putty to harden on another (last) idea.
I've removed the buds from the earpieces, placing them in my ears and moulding around the earpieces to hold them firmly in. Not unlike my very first attempt but this time the earpieces are in a much better position. So far, so good.
If it works, I'll try to use the foam plugs with the silicone to hold them in place rather than depending on the buds themselves.
Watch this space.

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This is how they look.
Tried them out and they are quite comfortable and seem to block out outside noise. Should be fine for wind noise. The silicone seems to hold them in place quite firmly.
Just need the rain to stop to try them out on the bike.

This is how they look.
Tried them out and they are quite comfortable and seem to block out outside noise. Should be fine for wind noise. The silicone seems to hold them in place quite firmly.
Just need the rain to stop to try them out on the bike.

Any update CJ?

Hi Will.
Was just looking at them again last week. Haven't used them in a while.
With my narrow ear canals I think they're the best they're going to be.
They work well up to quite a high speed, ahem.
I've teed a cable directly from the radio/mp3 unit that's under the passenger seat. Didn't disconnect the speakers as you only need minimal volume for the earphones.
Barely hear the speakers when using the earphones even without a helmet. Means I can use the wonder wheel on the bars to adjust the volume.
The 3.5mm socket is tucked in at the back off the tank when not in use.
Only downside is the interference from the electronics under the seat when the radio is OFF.
To be honest, much of the time I can't be bothered using them.
Maybe on a long motorway run.

Sorry to resurrect an old post, but I feel I've got some useful info for those considering moulded ear protection.

Ive been provided moulded ear protection from my work on two separate occasions, from two different high end manufacturers. Both were of a similar kind of material, and more to my point, both had the same clever features:

> A TINY pin prick hole right through the middle of them. You can't see through it, but it allows air pressure to equalise, and allows throughput from speaking to people, yet the louder (and physically larger) sound waves will be omitted for the most part. This is a brilliant idea for you guys if you want a "talk-through" feature. I'd use a very fine sewing needle or pin.

> They both had a build in 'bore hole' the exact width and depth of your average in ear headphone speaker. I understand this is a pretty shoddy description so I'll go on..
The headphones (earphones, whatever you call them), that have a squidgy rubber mushroom cap on the end that comes in various sizes and you jam in your ear to get the sound deadening effect? Well if you remove this mushroom shape completely you're left with a plastic cylinder a few mm thick. If you bore a hole marginally smaller than this on the outer side of your moulded ear protectors, and also have the fine talk-through hole.. (see where i'm going here?)... you can plug your own headphones in, and have superb hearing protection, whilst being able to hear whatever you've got your headphones plugged into. The only issue with this is, because of the extremely narrow canal you've made with a pin (or the manufacturer has created), the sound quality won't be great. It'll sound a bit muffly, but it'll be good enough for a hands free kit, or a talk show on the radio.


Thats just my experience, and as a new rider, i wouldn't even consider riding with headphones in. But some of you guys might.

**Oh, and when you're sat with the gunk in your ears for the moulding process - don't speak, smile, chew, swallow or generally move any facial muscle if possible for the entire curing time otherwise you'll create air leaks and they won't work properly. I found out the hard way!**

Hope thats of some use to you guys.

Jase

Thanks Jase...I've been pleased with mine. A tiny needle hole shall be made to see if it helps..maybe do one first as a test.