Earplugs - do I need to bother?

[Participant]

Hi all

I ride my Yamaha YBR125 with standard exhaust about 25 mins each way to work every day. I've started using some cotton wax earplugs, which are very comfy, but I'm not that bothered by the noise from the engine and the wind, only the potential to damage my hearing. Therefore I'm wondering if I need to faff around with earplugs or if it's overkill. It's just an extra thing to have to do when I leave or get to work...lazy I know, but I'm all about efficiency .

My helmet is an HJC IS-17 and whilst it seems quiet enough, it's the only helmet I've owned so I've nothing to compare it to.

I go on back country lanes and only hit 60mph a handful of times on the journey (bike won't go any faster anyway, with 90Kg of me sitting on it!).

So my question - in my circumstances, would you bother? I don't get tired or fed up of the wind noise, I'm purely concerned with aural safety.

Cheers.

 

[Participant]

Well, the above's convinced me that I should bother! Cheers guys.

 

[Participant]

Any prospect of hearing damage terrifies me. I already say 'pardon' in conversations most than other people seem to, though that might be provincial accents confusing my brain. Kidding.

 

[Participant]

It's nice to feel like you have superman's hearing for 5 minutes after a journey on the bike with earplugs in. I feel like I could hear a fly fart in a recording studio.

 

[Participant]

Cotton wax jobbies, but they're a bit of a pain because although they're mega comfortable and block noise pretty well, you have to soften them before you insert them in your ear. I'm after some foam / rubber ones that can be inserted instantly.