Listening to music while riding....

[SCJJR65]

I may be opening up the proverbial "can of worms" with this topic, but I haven't seen it covered anywhere on this forum.

I've been commuting daily for almost three years now, M-F and figured out about the only "downside" to commuting (other than having to ride in crappy weather more often), is that it can be boring.  I had wondered if using an iPod could work to cure the boredom blues and still be safe.

My lovely wife had heard me talking about how dull the ride back and forth to school can be (42 mile round trip) and got me an 1-gig iPod Shuffle for our anniversary last week.

I was able to load all of the Beatles' US albums (15 total) and had enough space to put a 3-disc set of the Rolling Stones "Singles from the London Years" as well.  (Still have about 250 meg free, too!)

I have been using it for about the past week, and have been mightily impressed with it, to say the least!  It is so small and compact, and the earbuds fit quite well in my helmet, and the sound quality is crystal clear and can be turned up VERY LOUD!!!    (I have turned down the volume a good bit since the first time riding with the music on.)

I've found that I can still hear the motor quite clearly, and so far haven't noticed any tendency to let my mind wander while I'm riding.  I still do my "rotating glances" in the mirrors and up ahead as I always have.

I have to say that, speaking only for myself, it has been a real bonus to riding (at least on the commuting during the week).  I don't think I will use it on weekend rides or any kind of group ride, though.  Too many variables involved when with other riders or going down roads I'm not familiar with to be able to enjoy listening to tunes, I feel.

I know there may be some out there that will feel riding around with earbuds on and music playing is dangerous or irresponsible, and perhaps I'm the only one on this forum who has "tried it and likes it".

But I would be interested in hearing from others out there who use this forum!  

[NC Steve]

John, just don't do like the Harley dude I saw recently, using a hand-held cell phone while in stop-n-go city traffic!!
(...not that the bluetoothers are much safer...)

You probably want to hang around for a while yet, don't you?

[Rev._Eddie]

I've listened to music while riding for some 25 years now.

Depending on the bike, I use either custom molded earplugs with speakers (plugged into
an XM radio or Ipod), or a J&M headset inside of an Arai full face helmet plugged into
a J&M / Hondaline CB (again with XM or Ipod).  

While it seemed diferent the first couple times I ever did it, it's now just another part of the ride.

I've long maintained that if a person can be so distracted by music that they become
oblivious to their surroundings, they probably shouldn't be operating any motor vehicle.
The custom molded earplugs do such a great job of eliminating wind noise that I find I
hear other sounds better/sooner/easier.

If I recall correctly, currently 8 states have laws regulating the use of headsets while operating
a motorcycle. Some prohibit them completely, a few regulate only one ear allowed to be used,
some allow speakers for communication purposes only, etc.  

There are literally hundreds of thousands of touring bike riders in the US.
I couldn't guess how many have headsets in their helmets for music,
cb's, radar detector, cell phones, etc., etc.  

Eddie
p.s. For custom moulded earplugs/speakers, I think this woman's products are great: http://www.plugup.com/
Many years hard usage on mine and still going strong.
 Â 

[msbuck]

I have to admit that I don't listen to music when I ride.  But then I'm the weekend rider, not the commuter.  Part of the motorcycle experience for me is the peace and quiet and taking it all in of what's around me.  I do have speakers in my helmet, but for communication with my hubby.    It has the ability to plug in for music, but I've never tried it.  THe communicators have mad e a WORLD of difference in our riding pleasure, though.  No more hand signals and trying to figure out what the other person wants!   [smiley=clap.gif]

[Bob_Roller]

I personally do not listen to music when riding, but a significant amount of my riding is morning and evening rush hour death wish commute , so I need all of my senses tuned in to riding and save me from some brain dead idiot multi-tasking, when they should be driving. Now if I was a long distance touring type, I suspect I would in rural interstate riding.

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

Yeah, I can only sing "The Beverly Hillbillies" and "I've Been Working on the Railroad" so many times.

(I remember riding home from Ken's rally last spring, it was "someones in the kitchen with Joan-ee, someones in the kitchen I know-ow-ow-ow..."  all of the way through Illinois! )

I might have to look into some of those ear plug/phones.

I can't imagine ear buds inside a helmet.  They are torture for me in non-riding situations.

[Ed Miller]

I just sing, or else play the songs in my head.  I realized recently that I'm something on the order of a thousand gig or more ipod all by myself, but with significantly slower rip speeds and imperfect play back.  But it's OK.

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

My rip speeds are right up there with the best of them!

[Joan]

Singing in my helmet for 8-10-14-24+ hours really tires me out after a while. I really get into it, see. You can sing at full volume the worst songs ever (Happy Meal from the Happy Flowers ) and no one even knows you are singing!

To save energy I use a tiny digital mp3 player tucked into a jacket pocket or bun-ji'd to the GPS RAM mount arm. For super soft and comfy cheeep wind sealed sound, the $15 Koss earbuds can't be beat. Toss the stock black square foamies, run a red hot nail through a pair of Dr. Leight's finest orange 27db ear plugs and poke them on the Koss tubes, and YAY! Some users carve the plastic off the speaker ends, too.

FWIW, I did try helmet speakers and a Mix-it; huge sound volume was necessary to get the music past the ear plugs.

I gotta have tunes for those long rides.  

[nhmaf]

Maybe I'm a purist, or a throwback, or something, but I don't listen to music while riding, except for
the music of the engine spinning and the tires on the road and the rush of the air.   Sometimes I'll
playback songs in my head, but if feel that I need to have all my senses operating and relatively
non distracted to avoid cagers, deer, and moose (and in a few weeks, wild turkeys flying low across
the road)...

I ride on weekends, and occasionally to/from work.  The work commute is about 1.5 hours each way
and is a mixture of back road and interstate miles (~ 80  miles)

[Jon_P]

i am with nhmaf, i dont have to worry about the moose though. we have alot of kids and our house is always loud! and i mean loud. for me it is an escape, i work in a loud shop and live in a loud home. my daily commutes and the few rides i do get in a year are my only times to focus and recharge. no music or pods for me, plus in wisconsin they are illegal for any motor vehicle. i dont know about the single pods, if they are ok or not.

[milkman]

I find my i pod is like when I wear ear plugs on the tractor.. It breaks up a lot of teh "noise" and echo and lets me better hear the motor (as long as its not up too loud of course).

The biggest danger for me is when I have some ACDC going off.
Every car fine I've ever had has occured when Austrlia's finest were blasting through my stereo.