mark (09/02/82)
Is there a way to install headphones (of the walkman genre or similar) in a motorcycle helmet which (a) works, (b) is safe, (c) is legal, (d) any combination of the above? Do particular helmets or particular headphones work better? Are the on-the-ear phones much better in this respect for hearing outside noises than the over-the-ear phones? How might the ability to hear horns, sirens, etc with such a setup compare with (1) helmet and typical motorcycle engine noise alone, (2) stereo mounted in your fairing [how do you keep these weatherproofed and burglerproofed? - no, I don't have a fairing], (3) a tanky car with the windows rolled up and the stereo on?
hsc (09/03/82)
Many companies sell earphones that are designed to be installed
inside the helmet. One or two also sell a small speaker enclosure
that screws onto the outside of the helmet. Check magazine ads and
local dealers. Honda also has their own in-the-helmet earphones.
Many people just take the transducers (minus foam earpiece, frame,
etc.)and glue or screw into the inside of the helmet opposite the ear.
Wires can be run out the bottom or brought to a mini plug installed
in the helmet shell.
The worst noise exposure on a bike is from wind noise without a fairing -
about 90dBA with an open-face helmet. Many riders, including quite a few
of the staff of the various magazines, routinely wear in-the-ear
hearing protectors to avoid fatigue and hearing damage. These actually
enhance "survival" hearing a bit, too. If you are already riding without
a fairing, your ears are being punished enough and your abilityto
hear cars is already sufficiently masked by wind noise. The big
disadvantage of earphones at home or on the bike is that it is
possible to blast your ears with very high sound levels. The potential
for masking "survival" hearing and for permanent hearing damage is
correspondingly increased. At least with a fairing-mounted speaker
you can't get such a high sound level at the ear as with a headset.
If you must have music, get a Rooster or something with speakers.
Personally, I find just rinding to be a sufficiently rich sensual experience.
Another thought - You might be reacting to the high wind noise
level without realizing it. Try hearing protectors, a quieter full-face
helmet, or a fairing, and see if you still feel the need for stereo.
Earphones for motorcyclists are illegal in some states.
Not, I think, in NJ. Check, though.
My biases are very apparent in what I've said here.
Remember, though, that the guy in the Mercedes with the 200 watt
quadraphonic system may not be able to hear anything at all,
but he's sitting in a two-ton steel box. Also, if someone
creams you with their car, the presence of earphones in your
helmet (or even speakers on your bike) may keep you from collecting
in court (or maybe even from insurance). It's a hard world.
Keep it shiny-side-up,
Harvey S. Cohen BTL Lincroft,NJ houxn!hscniel (09/03/82)
A number of companies sell headphones which can be mounted in helmets. Some will simply sell you parts while others want you to send your helmet for their installation. Often the installation requires cutting away some of the liner which might slightly distract from the safety and comfort of the helmet. Most use adhesive backed speakers though I have heard of one which requires drilling holes in the helmet (which probably reduces safety considerably). These are very special, ultra thin speakers. I suspect Walkman headphone speakers would be too thick for this application. What I use is a special liner/speaker combination make by Nava for use in their helmets only. As the liner is thicker than the regular liner, it is harder to hear street noises even when the thing's turned off. As for legality, that varies from state to state. They're illegal in Illinois (except for the police). ihtnt!niel
donch@sri-unix (09/15/82)
Recent discussions here concerning headphones and helmets brings to mind
a discussion I had with a grad student audiologist.
This fellow was a grad student at Portland State University (Oregon) several
years ago and was doing massive testing of people chosen at random for
his thesis. He told me that one result of his tests was to be able to
identify a motorcyclist based solely on the standard full-spectrum
audio test. Apparently cyclists have reduced sensitivity in a particular
region of the sound spectrum. His conclusion was that motorcycles were
terribly loud machines, hence a danger to hearing. As most of you know,
the engine is invariably drowned out by wind noise at speed, and it is this
that certainly causes the reduced sensitivity he noted.
My experience over the past 15 years has prompted me to use the expandable
foam type ear plugs whenever I take a protracted ride. It saves me from
a very obvious hearing suppression that otherwise occurs whenever I
don't use earplugs on long trips (> 1 hr.).
For many years my helmet of choice was a Bell Magnum. When I finally
bought a Nava (it was the only full-coverage helmet to fit my strangely
shaped head), the noise reduction was enormous. The Magnum let an
incredible amount of self-generated noise in. Wearing glasses compounded
the problem because it destroyed the padding seal in front of the ears.
I bought a cheap set of "Walkman" type earphone that will fit in the space
available in my Nava. They haven't been installed yet largely because
of hearing-loss concerns as described in previous articles. The point
is important on these type of phones because they are specifically designed
not to mask external sound. Earphones that completely surround the ear
and seal to the side of the head DO mask sound and should be the phones
of choice for ear-conscious people. However, I haven't found any that fit
inside my helmet or that I'm willing to gamble bucks on for an experiment
after cutting them up to fit.
Perhaps the main point of all this is: hearing loss is insidious.
And once it occurs, you don't get it back in almost all cases.
Food for thought.
Don Chitwood
Tek Labs, Tektronixnotes@zeppo.UUCP (10/17/83)
#R:cbosgd:-258500:zeppo:6700006:000:1580
zeppo!mes Sep 3 11:31:00 1982
Mark, I have thought about using my Sony FM Walkman in my helmet for
a long, long time. I live near Succasunna, NJ, about 30 mi from NYC, but
close enuf so that most NYC radio stations are full quieting. My
NAVA helmet has enuf clearance from earpiece to ear, so that I can just
and I mean just, snake the Sony headfones upside down in the right place.
Sound quality? OK, but the Sony doesn't have enuf oomph (ie, watts) to drive
enuf loudness to overcome a Kawasaki 750 twin at 5000 rpm (about 65 mph)
on Rt 80... you can still hear it, but not all that well. However, at 4000
rpm and below (ie, 50 mph and down 5th gear), there are no problems at all,
and I really enjoy riding along with music, but knowing that I am not
blasting everyone in a three mile radius totally away, as the fairing radios
tend to do...
As far as permanent mounting is concerned, I would be careful about doing
anything to the helmet, to avoid damaging structural integrity. For example,
just drilling a mounting hole to mount the earpiece would totally change the
stress behaviour of the helmet...
Road sounds have never been a problem - I still hear horns, sirens and the
like, mainly because the Sony doesn't have enuf power to totally drown anything
out, and the headfones are, as you know, very open air...
Has anybody else done this????
Mike Sajor, BTL Whippany NJ 201-386-4409
zeppo!mes
PS - legality? who knows? I assume that this is ok, but only my local
magistrate knows for sure (maybe)...Does anyone know definitively?ziegler@lzmi.UUCP (10/17/83)
I missed the first article, but from the follow-up I saw I gather that someone is thinking about using a SONY Walkman or the equivalent on a motorcycle, and is having problems getting the headphones under his helmet. I have seen around here in several record and stereo stores headphones for such beasts that have no metal loop holding them together -- just the wires and two little speakers that are the right size to pop into your ears. These should work out fine under a helmet. I was considering getting a set, but our esteemed lawmakers decided to make it illegal... Joe Ziegler ...ihnp4!hogpc!pegasus!lzmi!ziegler
hsc@hogpc.UUCP (H.COHEN) (10/18/83)
Your Sony doesn't have enuf power to totally drown anything out!??!! Better read my lips: *** Running your stereo full on with earphones is damaging your hearing!*** Wind noise, especially on an unfaired bike, can easily damage hearing all by itself. Add enough earphone music to be listenable and you have sound levels WAY in excess of anything safe. OK, OK, I know you're not totally deaf - you have normal hearing for an average 65-year-old. Congratulations.
dave@rocksvax.UUCP (Dave Sewhuk) (10/27/83)
About 2 months ago NY passed a law making it illegal to wear headphones
on/in any motor vehicle. I tried it once, my helmet is a bit to small to
be very comfortable. But before my head complained it certainly was nice
to listen to tunes on the road. I think the law is stupid personally.
These new headphone with their open air construction does not restrict
much external noise. I hear less outside noise in the car when I have
had the windows up/ AC running and the tape deck on than I did
when I tried out the Walkman on the bike. If people are going to be
stupid enough to be on the cycle with their Walkmans on "10" then
they deserve to die, why should they restrict the people who use them
responsibly? I always look at these laws as opposed to Darwin, "survival
of the fittest..."
Dave
-----
Arpa: Sewhuk.HENR@PARC-MAXC.ARPA
uucp: {allegra, rochester, amd70, sunybcs}!rocksvax!dave
--
Dave
-----
Arpa: Sewhuk.HENR@PARC-MAXC.ARPA
uucp: {allegra, rochester, amd70, sunybcs}!rocksvax!dave