Is it cool to wear earplugs when you are riding?  I guess you can be “Cool” even when you are deaf.  I have been riding for years and every time I go on a long ride, I feel like I am deaf.  Lately, my left ear has been hurting while I have been riding.  This leads me to believe that I have or had some sort of ear infection or something.  Since I have some degree of high frequency hearing loss as it is; I have been doing a little research about hearing loss and protection.

You may think that wearing a full face helmet protects your ears.  From personal experience, my ears were ringing just as much when I wore my expensive Shoei full face helmet as they did when wearing my quarter helmet.  The noise from which you are trying to protect your ears is not exhaust or engine noise.  Your exhaust really only affects those who ride behind you.  Studies have shown that a full face helmet only reduces the noise about 3db.  While that is something, many who ride cruiser style motorcycles don’t wear a full face helmet let alone any helmet at all.

On The Topic Of Motorcycle Jackets

There is no good way to really start out writing about the topic of motorcycle jackets without mentioning the history, or little bit of the background information about the motorcycle jacket as it stands today, giving the generations after its’ fashionable push a new way to glimpse the motorcycle jacket as more than just for motorcyclists.  Classically motorcycle jackets are tough and usually leather jackets with linings to keep the motorcycle rider warm throughout whatever length their trip goes, and the leather makes the rider able to struggle through the erosive pull of the wind.

Directing most of this through the manufacturing process is usually a person who has the ability to keep the machines moving, as the manufacturing process becomes much more mechanical to save costs on the materials being combined with the effort, and the brands that create their own spin on the leather motorcycle jacket become more unique as the times begin to shift trends in a new direction.  It can be difficult to condense all the processes into a short synopsis to explain appropriately the way in which a design becomes a reality, and the creation becomes a wearable good that can be shipped all over the world.

In America, where this look really seemed to take off, the leather is still hand-cut from premium-quality American leather to be custom-tailored to a rider’s personal measurements.  Perfected over sixty years of designs, these jackets are still popular with riders the world over, and can be shipped to any destination relatively easily and affordably.  Ordering information can be just as easily acquired over the Internet, as well as through any number of catalogs that will give the shopper a good choice of materials, and can make the most of the amount of money that the average consumer would be willing to spend.

Helmets For Motorcycles

Open face helmets for motorcycles provide the same rear protection as full face helmets for motorcycles and little protection to the face.  When the rider’s face is not protected, bugs, dust and wind to the face and eyes can cause a rider great discomfort or significant injury.  It is not uncommon for riders to wear wrap-around sunglasses or goggles to supplement eye protection with open face motorcycle helmets.

The half helmet style of helmets for motorcycles is made with essentially the same front design as open face helmets for motorcycles but with a raised rear.  Half helmet helmets for motorcycles provide the minimum coverage generally allowed by law in the United States.  Riders using half helmet helmets for motorcycles commonly add to their eye protection through other means.

Full face, open face and half helmet style helmets for motorcycles are all secured by a chin strap.  All of the protective benefits that helmets for motorcycles give are drastically reduced if the chin strap is not fastened.

There are other helmets for motorcycles on the market.  Some of these helmets for motorcycles are called “beanies” or “novelty helmets”.  These kinds of helmets for motorcycles are are not certified and they are generally used only to provide an illusion of compliance with mandatory helmet laws.

Novelty helmets for motorcycles are often smaller and lighter than Department Of Transportation approved helmets for motorcycles and are unsuitable for any kind of crash protection.  They are unsuitable because they lack energy-absorbing foam that protects the brain during a crash by allowing it to come to a gradual stop during an impact.

Novelty helmets for motorcycles can protect the scalp against sunburn while riding and it might protect the scalp against abrasion in a crash, but they are not designed to protect the skull or brain.

Helmets for motorcycles are believed to reduce injuries and fatalities in motorcycle accidents.  Many countries, including the United States, have enacted laws requiring acceptable helmets for motorcycles to be worn by motorcycle riders.  The laws vary considerably.  Sometimes mopeds are exempted.  Some countries have significant popular opposition to compulsory use of motorcycle helmets.  There is a group called the Helmet law defense league that deals with the philosphical objections to helmet law enforcement.  Although the State of Florida repealed its helmet law, there was an increase in head injuries among riders who did not wear helmets.  It should be noted that the number of motorcycle registrations increased “37%.”  You can check out the short report here:

NHTSA Report

Described therin is the amount of medical insurance you must have when not wearing a helmet.

Ride Hard, but Safe