Noise and earplugs ...

[mikew]

For those that wear earplugs on a regular basis, I have a question.

As you know, I've been having one or two probs with my bike making, in my opinin, excessive mechanical knocking sounds, but most of the dealers, with the exception of one, can't or won't believe me.

Is it possible that when I'm earing my plugs, that they are simply cutting out a large percentage of sound, and letting through just a particular frequency of sound that I am mistaking for a mechanical clatter?, and that the others who I ask to listen to the bike, can't hear it because it's mixed in with all the other stuff that's going on?

The only other person who heard and commented on the noise, without being prompted, was Mark Brewin from BSD, and he was wearing earplugs at the time having just finished a dyno-run.

IMHO when I'm riding my Strom, it's great, especially since the new clutch and salve cylinder, water pump and radiator have all been fitted , but every time I slow down for junctions, lights, traffic, I can hear this god awful clatter coming from the engine, over and above whatI would expect from any engine.

Any one else experience odd noises that are only apparent when wearing your ear plugs?

 

[Wolfie]

no because i dont wear plugs.

Mark Brewin from BSD

He is a sound bloke whom i trust in what he says, and as far as i am concerned knows his stuff.

 

[Aidey]

I wear ear plugs most of the time apart from short trips ino town, and thats when even the bird sounds like a bag of nails, as the plugs seem to eliminate a lot of the higher frequency noises. I have noticed that after a couple of trips my hearing becomes adjusted to the noise and I no longer seem to be so aware of it.
Have you thought of going to a couple of other Suzuki dealers and getting a "test ride" on different V-stroms? It might just put your mind at rest.

 

[Fat Bert]

earplugs debate~~~

I NEVER ride the bike without earplugs - even on the 3 miles into work

Not only is it more comfortable, it means that ALL I can hear is the bike and not the wind noise

There were some figues bandies around that suggested that without ear protection - using a bike at 40mph for 4 hours per month would result in partial deafness in 10 years and total deafness in 20 years [something like that anyway]

So why, given how cheap disposable earplugs are to buy, are people risking their hearing by riding without earplugs?


PARDON......????

 

[Wolfie]

Yep and i have been riding every day nearly for 20 years in 2 weeks time, except for about two months in total over that time, wore ear plugs for about 200 miles and have perfect hearing,(check up was 3 weeks ago)

Also have music on everytime i ride.

Wind noise ????? buy a decent helmet then.


Every time you put something into your ear you are pushing all crap(wax, disease etc) back down towards the ear drum, the ear is shaped the way it is to let the crap flow out and you go pushing it back in!!!?????

 

[roXXo]

Always used ear plugs for at least 10 years

Not only is it quieter without the wind noise it is also less tiring. Long distance journies without ear plugs and I would have a terrible headache and feel knackered and irritable. With ear plugs I am a lot more comfortable. Fortunatley I am sponsored by my work regarding earplugs. I use the Aero EAR classic. Cylindrical, made of quite firm yellow "foam".
I prefer these to the only others I have tried, also from work, and they are "Howard Leight MAX" in pre shaped salmon pink. These are a softer foam.
Carol also uses ear plugs when she's riding pillion and she feels a lot better now that she's got used to them and wouldn't ride without them.
Hygene isn't an issue. They're not in long enough although my eldest lad uses earplugs in bed after a night shift and can sleep 10 hours! Even though they are disposable you can wash them successfully.
A mate of mine had a pair specially made ?90 ish and initially he was pleased but then found that they wouldn't stay in as there is no expansion as with the foam ones. He now wears the disposable ones.
:beer:

 

[B1rdie]

frequencies

Good earplugs are designed to filter the higher frequencies like wind noise etc, therefore more low frequency mechanical noise comes through almost as if it has been amplified.

If you concentrate on the problem area you can filter without plugs in.

i.e. If you think the bike sounds ok without plugs, you then concentrate your hearing onto the problem frequencies that you hear with them to see if they are present.
This is hard to describe in a few words but I believe you may find them still present and once you have done that, try it with another Bird. with and without earplugs.

 

[MELSALTAS]

ARE THEY SPECIAL EARPLUGS OR ORDINARY?

 

[mikew]

Well at least someone answered the original query!

Good earplugs are designed to filter the higher frequencies like wind noise etc, therefore more low frequency mechanical noise comes through almost as if it has been amplified.

If you concentrate on the problem area you can filter without plugs in.

i.e. If you think the bike sounds ok without plugs, you then concentrate your hearing onto the problem frequencies that you hear with them to see if they are present.
This is hard to describe in a few words but I believe you may find them still present and once you have done that, try it with another Bird. with and without earplugs.

I can hear the knocking without the plugs, but it very difficult because the Strom engine isn't the quietest lump around anyway, but the engineer in me is saying that any two bits of metal that are coming into contact hard enough to make that sort of "clack" sound, aren't gonna last forever.

Having eliminated the clutch as a source of the noise, unless the replacement item is also duff, which is not unheard of, then I've got to be looking elsewhere. The sound is most noticeable when I'm sat on the bike, as it seems to be coming up through the headstock area, which could suggest the front cylinder valve gear maybe?

oh well, back to the dealer again ... :bang:


and yes I'd tried other Stroms both in the uk and in Germany, and none had this sound, so when the dealers say to me "they are all like that" I know it's bollocks. If any of the demo bikes had sounded as rough as this, do they really think I'd have bought one? Having been bitten hard by the debacle over Kylie, I wasn't going to get stiched up again.

so I thought. :xm

 

[R2B2]

Even though they are disposable you can wash them successfully.

LOL - I've heard it all now!! ... there is tight and, err, tight I suppose. Bloody 'ell...