An article on helmet noise and hearing .

[Sibbo]

Maybe you could install some noise cancelling headphones inside your Nolan Charlie , excavate into the foam and glue them in? I've just bought some Sony noise cancelling buds but haven't used them yet cos I've finally found foam plugs that work for me. I've become an addict.

I'm looking forward to seeing your helmet with the fingers attached, very tribal.



But seriously I had a helmet like that, if I looked down so I was looking at the tank it was dead quiet but riding like that I'd be dead too so it's sitting in the cupboard getting old and unused .

[Airbear]

Ha, thanks for that Peter. I was thinking that a max of two fingers would do, and I've been looking around for some spares.

But hey, sometimes two fingers are barely enough.

[SteveD]

Saw this back door helmet @ advrider.
http://vimeo.com/61179198
I wonder how noisy this might be? Ventilation?
The removal method if injured is great.

[Sibbo]

Steve, thanks for posting that ! That looks as if it has the potential to be very, very good . I'll certainly be watching for one !

[Sibbo]

I am using a Nolan N102 modular helmet. It is comfortable, dry and unfoggable with the Pinlock 'double glazing'. But it is noisy and I simply cannot have anything in my ears. At speed, if I turn my head to the right or left by about 10 degrees the wind noise goes away almost completely, and this has got me wondering if helmet designers bother to test for noise in a wind-tunnel. I can also stick a finger up against the helmet just behind my left ear and create almost complete silence. I think I need to do some experimenting - perhaps taping different shaped lumps to the outside of the helmet and hearing how that works. Helmets should be quieter, and I'm sure it's a design thing.

I was just out for a ride and tested Charlies solution, it worked ! Very strange! I put my gloved hand to various parts of my helmet, on the left side only and got complete silence touching some places but little difference in others.

I wonder if it somehow changes the turbulence around the helmet or dampens resonations ? Either way it works so I think I'll try Charlie's idea of taping on a few bits of foam to try to change the air flow .

[Zombie Master]

Helmets are changing every year. The shape of the interiors have drastically changed in just the last year with more medium and long oval shapes available to fit North American heads better. When you find the brand that matches your head shape, you will find it more effective on many levels. Not sure what kind of head shapes Ozzies might have.
Considering how their animals have evolved, anything is possible.

[Major Softie]

Helmets with pouches?

[Deleted User 62]

Helmets with pouches?

Not pouches... feed bags !

[Sibbo]

Helmets with pouches?

Half of us have pouches , the other half fit the pouches .

[Airbear]

I was just out for a ride and tested Charlies solution, it worked ! Very strange! I put my gloved hand to various parts of my helmet, on the left side only and got complete silence touching some places but little difference in others.

I wonder if it somehow changes the turbulence around the helmet or dampens resonations ? Either way it works so I think I'll try Charlie's idea of taping on a few bits of foam to try to change the air flow .

Sibbo, I'm now thinking that it's the hole under the helmet (where you stick your face) that causes the problem, and the act of putting your hand up beside the helmet is affecting the turbulence. It'd be easy to test, if we just had a hand without a life-support system attached.

Something I've noticed recently is that if I wear a balaclava under the helmet, the noise is a lot louder. I think this is because the balaclava is stretched over the ears and is making a mechanical connection that amplifies the sound.
I wonder if a thick scarf wrapped around the neck would make a difference. Some helmets (eg BMW) come with sound attenuating devices - panels that clip in around the neck and block off the unruly turbulence.