Perhaps the following quotes can help clarify some doubts.



Consider that the test is done using a well known and respected brand costing around 17000+. Far superior to what we generally use.

Anyone interested can read the full text here.

I've been using 3M earplugs over 5 years now. Keeps most of the wind noise at bay during touring.
Its available at all stores selling 'Industrial safety equipments'
You can also get similar pairs at Sports retailers selling ear plugs for swimming.

Guys, its true that wind noise and vehicle honking are both subdued while using earplugs, while former is not desirable and the latter is, for safety reasons.

Anyways, to some extent an alert mind can perceive the road better than a "lost soul" whether or not he's equipped with earplugs. The mind can make a major difference instead of earplugs.

Well, what can we say? To each his own. You want them, wear 'em, and the opposite too...

Gosh, I never thought this issue was important enough for you to personally check out street walkers

Is it legally allowed to listen music wearing earphones while driving bikes?

Couple of things:

First, as alluded to upthread, while *some* helmets allow enough wind noise inside to cause hearing damage, wearing no helmet at all is worse. Helmets that fit closely around the neck/jaw, and that have a good seal around the face shield, will keep the vast majority of wind and road noise out. This is especially true of lower-frequency noise.

Second, all motorcycle magazines in the US encourage the use of earplugs when riding, even around town. Pretty much all earplugs will mute wind and road noise even further than a good helmet will, while still allowing "important" noises like horns and sirens to get through. In conjunction with that, there is the phenomenon where the brain filters out repetitive noise. With the noise reduction afforded by earplugs, the brain will filter the rest of the "drone" out, which will make the horns etc (and possibly even some problematic engine noises) come through even more clearly.

Remember that it takes only a few minutes of exposure to high-decibel noise to cause permanent damage, even if that damage isn't immediately apparent. So wear those plugs even in town.

As for listening to music, I have no idea of the legality here in India, but except for long-distance superhighway rides (which don't exist here in India anyway), that kind of thing is frowned on by the motorcycling community. First, you have to listen to the music at a fairly high volume in order to hear all of it over the noise of the bike. Second, because of the varied noise involved in music, it *does* drown out important noises like horns, sirens, and mechanical failures. Don't do it. And don't play with your cellphone either. If you just *have* to take the call right then and there, pull *OFF THE ROAD* (yes, I have seen many riders just stop right where they were, blocking the lane) and answer it. Better yet, wait until you reach your destination. Unless you're expecting a call from your pregnant wife or similar, you're probably not so important that your incoming calls can't wait ten minutes.

Oh mate I think you got it mixed up!
The study that you linked here is the older study "Noise mechanisms in motorcycle helmet noise" by authors Michael Carley*, Nigel Holt and Ian Walker while the one being quoted in the TOI article is "Aeroacoustic sources of motorcycle helmet noise" by J. Kennedy, O. Adetifa, M. Carley, N. Holt, and I. Walker. This one you can find in J. Acoust. Soc. Am. Volume 130, Issue 3, pp. 1164-1172 (2011)

The study you quoted drew a conclusion that wind shields like the one on tourers are greatly responsible for creating the vortex and making the inside of helmet noisy. the also concluded that helmets are pretty much not that responsible for the noise.

So they followed up on this research with the mannequins against the wind tunnel study which reported levels of 90db+ noise levels at 112kmph speed and this is the one being quoted extensively by various news portals.

Now the flaw with this research is the use of dummys instead of real bikers.
The reason why they put dummys in wind tunnels is to gain some consistency for their results but what they overlooked is the simple parameter that when people buy helmets they do check for stuff like fit and snugness of the lid, which no dummy or pressure senser can replicate. Even they have acknowledged this flow and hope to again follow up this study with real bikers probably facing the real life roads.

The problem with this study is same with lab testing of a medication. They always work in petri dish but never in Mr. Peter!

The dumb street walkers are the worst off in this situations. In delhi if you were to visit a major trauma center like AIIMS you would for sure find 2-3 such idiots daily who were close to meeting their maker b'coz of some damn whorishly named women screaming double meaning lyrics in their ears! Damn your sheila, jalebi and chameli!

Seriously though, most emergency ward doctors would tell you that listening to music while walking in streets is a sure recipe for disaster and is very common thing nowadays!

The survey tells that it could cause deafness in the provided scenarios but a normal city rider would rarely fit that scenario.

Really

I am totally comfortable and I don't have any trouble hearing when I wear the Helmet... Well, some are not used to wear helmets and somehow the hearing capacity of different people are usually not same.. So, lower hearing people may find it bit difficult...

25 years of wearing a helmet and I have not turn deaf . Helmets have saved my life on at least one occasion. Yes, I do use a good set of ear plugs due to use of free flow exhaust & expansion chambers. But even if I didn't have a pair of plugs handy, the helmet will still go on to my head. Its not optional!!!

I think music - with sealed in-ear monitors - can serve a purpose which is similar to earplugs. Interesting conversation here, especially the second last post:

Suggestions for a IEM Under $100 (Motorcycle Helmet w/Sansa Clip+)

Just My Observation...........

I have two bikes, Samurai and Shaolin and am fond of the awesome exhaust sounds both the bikes make.
For the last one year i have been using my bikes to go to work alternatively offcourse Shaolin being used mostly on fridays and weekends.
I started using my helmet inorder to avoid traffic police.
Now, during this time or while i was coming back from work my shift ends at 3am so there's no other vehciles noise and i would be hearing my bike's exhaust note more clearly as compared to without helmet and yes the sound creeps in to the ears more loudly.
Just because am able to hear the sound clearly i would feel the urge to rip my bike so that i can hear the exhaust note more clearly and loudly.
HHmm, i need to be more carefull from now on i guess..........put some ear plugs and ride.

Peace.

Bought these from ebay, below 200bucks. now riding is more comfortable. now i find myself riding at least 10kmph faster than before using these ear plugs. things are quite now like in a car but at the same time you can hear the 'horn' etc...

No offenses meant, but I have never seen dildos for ears until I watched the attachment pic

A balaclava is a good option I think. These ear plugs would be uncomfortable to ears, say in a long ride, according to me.