Regarding headphones:
True if you are blasting musing through your ears to compensate noise but not 100% correct as earplugs usually isolate 29-32db as well enough to miss sirens or whatever. Checking the music level with my horn is my personal check ....horn in most bikes are tiny peeny anyways...If I can hear my own with engine on and music on... I will probably hear the siren as well unless that's even lower than my horn as that would mean that engine's noise will eat that siren's noise... :P
I usually dont use music for hills or where I need to be 75% but for long rides with bigger engines and highway noise, they are god send.....But I wouldnt just use normal earphones as you will impact your hearing more if you try to compensate the noise with blaring music...
To cut the highway noise, its actually nice if your earphones have some noise isolation like Etymotic ones. I use Etymotic MC5. If you have iPhone, you can actually use the program awareness which lets to you set the level of ambient sound you want to be pumped to your earphone along with music via phones microphone.
I know lots of ifs in my post but just putting which works for me... Hearing is important and protect it just like your head.. I never leave the house without earplugs or MC5s...

I agree with him totally and I do the same. Damn it could be me writing that post

also @aargee:

Thank you very much for the thoughts. I had indeed provided a link to the original source, no idea how that got pruned. Any way I am no way that philosophical to come up with these points. I will try to edit the original and provide the source link.

Warpspeed is incorrect. Using earplugs is a good idea, not a bad one. Ear plugs reduce but do not eliminate sound, so you can still hear important things like horns and sirens.

However, listening to music, even with earplug-style headphones is a bad idea in almost every circumstance. One, music by nature has variable tones, so it can and does cover other important sounds like sirens or engine noise. It is important to hear at least a little engine noise, as you need to be able to detect if your engine starts making noises it shouldn't. Also, as noted above, in order to hear music properly over wind noise and the engine, you need to turn it up, which not only covers those important sounds as I mentioned, but also can damage your hearing.

Note that the original list came from a US motorcycle page. In the US, listening to music is acceptable in one circumstance: riding on the US Interstate highway system outside of any major city. The interstate highway system is a limited-access highway, which means it has no traffic signals, and traffic is always moving in one direction at a steady speed, well separated from any oncoming traffic. Second, motorcycle helmets in the US are much better insulated, so there isn't nearly as much wind noise or engine noise to cover, and the rider doesn't have to turn the volume up as much.

That said, I have to agree strongly with the original list:

Don't wear sandals
Dont wear loose clothing
Don't wear shorts
Don't just wear a t-shirt
Wear your helmet
Avoid dark clothing at night
Avoid thin fabrics

And I'll add:

Don't wear slip-on shoes like loafers. If you can slip them on, they can slip off just as easily in a crash.

Don't just put your helmet on your head. Buckle it. Wear it all the time, and wear one that fits properly. You should not be able to get your helmet off your head when buckled, no matter how hard you pull. A properly fitting helmet should squish your cheeks slightly, and not slide around on your head at all.

Don't ride without mirrors, or with your mirrors folded in.

Don't ride at night with a tinted helmet shield. Except for hi-visibility shield colors like yellow, all tinted shields cut the percentage of light that gets through them, usually by 30% or more. Sometimes as much as 70-80%. Cutting bright daylight by that much still leaves plenty of light to get through to your eyes so you can see even fine detail. At night, cutting that much light means you won't be able to see important things like stones or potholes, and it will be much harder to distinguish shadows of persons crossing the road against the headlights of oncoming vehicles. If the headlights of oncoming vehicles overwhelms your eyes, train yourself to look at the left shoulder line on the road until you pass the oncoming vehicle. You will still need to glance up from time to time to make sure someone isn't crossing the road, or that there isn't some other obstacle. Do try to force yourself not to look directly at the headlights of the car. It is hard, as the brain is kind of hardwired to look at the light, but it can be overcome.

Don't ride more than 2 persons on the bike. Even the big bikes don't have stiff enough suspension to support that much weight, and the bike's handling will become dangerous.

Oh, and regarding the one about "Club patches". This one's important for safety too, but for a different reason. The article really understates the danger of this. Even here in India. Granted, you'll probably be ok if you wear the Delhi Harley Owner's Group patch, though they might hit you up to join. However, the warning really applies to wearing what are, in the US, known as "colors", particularly of the following groups: Hells Angels, Pagans, Outlaws, Bandidos. These are "clubs" in name only, and are really powerful criminal gangs. They have chapters worldwide, and if a member sees you wearing their "colors", or if they see you wearing a rival group's "colors", they may very well kill you. As in dead.

I know the Hells Angels have a fair amount of fame attached to their name, and have been featured in a couple of movies. It doesn't matter. They will not take your word for it if you say you were just joking, assuming they even bother to ask. This isn't like wearing a "Che Guevara" shirt (though you really shouldn't wear that one either; the guy was a murderer and terrorist), or any other "trendy" design intended to make you look "cool" or "tough".

Jumping the gun eh? I dont really care if you think i am wrong as opinions are personal to each and what works for me may not work for you.

Show me the post where I said use blaring music coming through your phones is a good idea? What I did write was about a simple test using your horn if that made any sense. I can hear the horn on *MY* bike with out going into
details in depth and thats enough for me. I also mentioned " What does long rides and bigger engines and Hwy noise means to you? You compare it with US Hwys, I am comparing it with Australian as i live here...They are even more boring than US....

Well sir... you are incorrect here as like you generalized my post, this one is generalized here... US helmets are better insulated? You were touring all the time when you were in US and never saw a track and hence needed the super quiet helmet isnt it?

In the US? Mate...it totally depends what you want and expect from your ride... I will probably sleep on long straight roads without music on *my* bike... and no I am not in US.
I ride with X-12 Shoei and like all race helmets its noisy just because of venting... now do a long trip on that without music. It helps to concentrate .. well at least to me...Once again... opinions are mine....what you think about them is not going to change them...
Have fun.... I tried to be as politically correct as I could be... .

I guess "jumping the gun" means something else down there in kangarooland. In any case, this board is primarily an Indian board, and the vast majority of its readers are located in India. Therefore, what works for you as an isolated case in Australia probably won't apply to the more than 95% of readers who are here. Case in point, the Shoei X12 isn't even available in India. My comment was regarding "western" helmets vs helmets in India. The helmets available here to the average rider are shoddy, poorly padded, improperly fitted, and extremely cheap. Compared to them, your X12 is very quiet and well-insulated (I nearly bought one before I moved here). Arai and Joe Rocket helmets are available from one or two sellers in the entire country, and are priced way outside an average rider's budget. My current helmet is the one pictured, and it's a noisy bastard compared to my previous AGV and my Shoei RFs, and it's still quieter than almost anything else I've seen here.

In any case, that aside, I see far too much bad driving here as it is. I see riders with cellphones wedged into their helmets, riders trying to text someone, and all kinds of other problems. Music would just be another distraction, hence my advising against it. Also, your horn-volume "test" would never work here, because there's so much road noise (horns, other vehicles, etc) you'd have to have the volume up to max to hear the music properly, even on what passes for highways here. Additionally, the vast majority of "sirens" here are nothing like the ones in Oz or the US. Unless the vehicle is less than 200 meters away, you have to be paying attention to hear it, and music would make that impossible. And, sirens here aren't just on the police vehicles and ambulances. All kinds of political VIPs use them too, and a rider here might just get run down or pulled over by the police for ignoring one. As for highways, there really is no such thing here, at least not like the wide-open stretches found where you are or in the US. Here, even the National Highways have all kinds of intersections and crap. Traffic on them runs the gamut from heavy trucks down to herds of goats.

So, in such a chaotic environment, trying to listen to music would be impossible. Plus, in my earlier post I never said the music had to be blaring either; even with the music at a reasonable level, you can't hear everything your engine is doing. There will be too many times where the music either blends with the engine, so it disguises the sound, or it counterpoints the engine, making it sound like something's wrong even when it isn't. I've tried riding with music before in the US, and found that it was too difficult to sort out potentially-dangerous engine noises from the soundtrack, even on the interstate, and that was on a 1000cc ZX11 with a Muzzy racing exhaust. The puny little bikes they have here are nearly all under 200cc, and so quiet you can barely hear them over the noise of the tires.

Oh, and just for reference, big engines to me means over 900cc, a long ride is anything over 4 hours, and highway speed is 140km/hr, not that I'll ever be able to manage that here.

... the forum itself is "xBhp.com : The Global Indian Biking Community " and what planet you really live in?...... What part of wasnt clear for you....Yes they work for me and may not work for 95%...that means I shouldnt post what works for me?.... I pity that you made my comments look like I am comparing gears and environment between Australia and India..... I think "My way or the Highway phrase came from the Yanks" and havent got out of your mind yet.....
Yes Its internet forum and so far I havent posted in which I dont believe in.... Forum has different riders and i guess they are mature enough to take it or leave it .....
You dont like my comments... I dont care and probably never....
This is last post from me and what you write next with your self acquired representation of 95% riders is at least not gaining my reply .... Good luck!

@ Warp speed & The Mountain: Chill buddies. The Mountain is somewhat right about using earplugs if you feel ok, but music in earphones? never.

Yes, its a Globally accessible community but we can't promote something which is not a rule in India. Its illegal to listen to music while riding and that's that. And, Leave the legality aside for a moment and read on...

You may argue that you can hear sirens and horns while listening to music. Fine, but who is giving us the guarantee that the overtaker WILL use horn/ siren? What if he overtakes ignoring you or without noticing you?

Approximately 80% of the overtaking 4+ wheelers specially cars, don't use horn or siren to signal a motorcycle rider, even when in close proximity. I have spent thousands of kilometres on Ajmer-Jaipur-Delhi highways and the more experienced guys will surely agree with me here.
I don't fear trucks that much. I fear the cars and SUV's with their speed-speed drivers who seldom use the horn...

Hence, the other engines' noise comes into play to alert you. This noise can come a bit late on the vehicle approaching, if you have the earplugs on.
But if music is playing, its highly unlikely you'll ever hear it.

Everything written above is correct except the Bold & Underlined part. Let's not do character assassination just because he was anti-West.

I'm at most time listening to music in my right ear so i dont get bored riding at 60-80 kmph :-p

Good points..!

I ride with headphones, but only pulgged into one ear.

On long, high speed highway rides, I use earplugs that block the wind noise and bring me some music. This helps keep me relaxed. I also listen to music when driving my car

I also think bikes (and cars) should actively use side mirrors so that they don't swerve in front of me without knowing what they are up to.

Re: 9 Things You Really Shouldn�t Wear While Riding a Motorcycle

Hi Friends! Don’t take risk to wear shorts in freezing winters but in summers, these are ideal dress along with the T-Shirts. But, remember; any headgear, other than the helmet, is strictly banned or restricted to some conditions at law and be ready to face police with heavy fine if violating them. Similarly, you are more prone to fatal accidents when you are with headphones. But, the dark clothes are not so important for the safety. But, lightweight fabrics or clothing or sandals while riding on bike as you would not like to see yourself in the hospital due to the severe weather conditions.

Re: 9 Things You Really Shouldn�t Wear While Riding a Motorcycle


This is incredibly ignorant and dangerous advice. An asphalt paved road is like a belt sander when combined with the motion of your motorcycle. If the bike goes down, you'll be sliding your bare arms and legs along that pavement, and abrading them right down to the bone. Wear proper clothing such as sturdy boots that cover your ankles, a good leather or motorsports-appropriate textile jacket (preferably with armor), a helmet, and gloves. Yes, you'll be hot during the summer. Being sweaty for a couple of hours is far preferable to the months-long agony of skin grafts.