Kawasaki Concours Forum

The C-14, aka Kawasaki Concours-14, the new one :) => Accessories and modifications - C14/GTR 1400 => Topic started by: scgoan on April 05, 2013, 06:24:37 PM

Title: Has anyone tried the Quiet Ride Muffs? Update...Installed and Reviewed!
Post by: scgoan on April 05, 2013, 06:24:37 PM
I have the Sena SMH10. I recently decided to switch out the speakers for the Tork X-Pro. Before purchasing the speakers, I contacted Tork and asked them if I would experience more volume out of their speakers compared to the Sena speakers. The representative told me that I probably wouldn't notice any increase in volume but it would seem louder because the the sound is much better from the Tork X-Pro. Wrong!!! The music doesn't sound better or louder and when I'm talking with another paired Sena or making a phone call, I can barely hear them talking. I'm now considering options:

1) Go back to my Sena speakers (They weren't that bad).

2.) Go get some custom ear monitors. (approximately $300)

3) Try the Quiet Ride Muffs ($80)

I have a pretty tight fitting Shoei X-Eleven. I also have big ears that I always have to unfold after putting on my helmet. I worried that these ear muffs won't fit comfortably in my helmet. I'm going to give them a call and see if they can quell some of my concerns.     


http://www.quietridemuffs.com/videos.html (http://www.quietridemuffs.com/videos.html)
Title: Re: Has anyone tried the Quiet Ride Muffs?
Post by: VirginiaJim on April 05, 2013, 06:26:19 PM
Muffs, eh?
Title: Re: Has anyone tried the Quiet Ride Muffs?
Post by: maxtog on April 05, 2013, 06:30:37 PM
I gave up on speakers quite a while ago and just use earphones now (which are earplugs with speakers inside them that enter the ear canal).  The solution isn't perfect- it can be tricky to keep them from coming out when putting on the helmet, and there can be some sensitivity after a long time of wearing them.  But the relief they provide from noise is great, and I can hear music in high-fidelity.

The ear muff concept looks interesting, but also kinda complex.
Title: Re: Has anyone tried the Quiet Ride Muffs?
Post by: scgoan on April 05, 2013, 06:31:25 PM
I know, it sounds odd. Visit the website and then let me know what you think. I think it's an interesting idea. 
Title: Re: Has anyone tried the Quiet Ride Muffs?
Post by: ZG on April 05, 2013, 06:43:41 PM
Muffs, eh?

 :censored:
Title: Re: Has anyone tried the Quiet Ride Muffs?
Post by: PH14 on April 05, 2013, 07:13:53 PM
They sound like they would work, but I wonder what effect they have on the safety of the helmet in an accident. I simply use ear plugs and the speakers. If I could be assured the muffs wouldn't interfere with functionality of the helmet, I might try it. Of course on a sportbike my helmet is quiet, it is the bad airflow on the C14 that causes the noise.
Title: Re: Has anyone tried the Quiet Ride Muffs?
Post by: VirginiaJim on April 05, 2013, 07:27:06 PM
My wife would hurt me if I tried them.
Title: Re: Has anyone tried the Quiet Ride Muffs?
Post by: katata1100 on April 05, 2013, 07:54:09 PM
Just get one of these:
http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/14/67/905/40568/ITEM/ONeal-Racing-Fastrack-II-Bluetooth-Helmet.aspx (http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/14/67/905/40568/ITEM/ONeal-Racing-Fastrack-II-Bluetooth-Helmet.aspx)

It is a comfortable helmet, batteries have never ran out of charge during a ride. I got back from my ride to Canada last week, listened to pandora while GPS ran, even made a phone call to my wife while riding on 1-5 doing 80mph.
Nice fiberglass helmet, I think mine was $200 on sale.
Title: Re: Has anyone tried the Quiet Ride Muffs?
Post by: scgoan on April 05, 2013, 08:28:42 PM
That looks like a nice helmet. I'm curious, though, do you wear ear plugs? How well can you hear the music/calls with ear plugs?
Title: Re: Has anyone tried the Quiet Ride Muffs?
Post by: katata1100 on April 05, 2013, 08:55:56 PM
That looks like a nice helmet. I'm curious, though, do you wear ear plugs? How well can you hear the music/calls with ear plugs?

I don't wear ear plugs. I used to but not anymore. When  I got the helmet, found that it was hard to hear music/whatever over the built in speakers. The problem was wind noise.
I got a larger shield (Calsci) and that cut down wind noise a lot! I set the volume to low, non ear damaging level before I ride and even at highway speeds, it is loud enough. If I want to change the volume, just turn the knob on the helmet.
If someone calls, you hear the ring come over the music and see the phone number on the iphone. If you want to answer the phone, you tap the screen and talk. I have found that if you have GPS and Pandora running at the same time, you can't answer phone or make phone call, at least that is how it is on my 4s.If someone texts me, I can use Siri to read me the text.
Even without listening to music, that larger shield is real nice to have. Combined with the bazooka muffler, it makes for a very quiet ride.If you ride with plugs, you won't need them with a larger shield, trust me. I used to travel on a katana 1100 and always used Earos foam plugs, i even used them on my C14 before I got a larger shield.
Tell you what, with helmet speakers turned off, and Iphone in its waterproof case mounted on the tree, I can still hear the Iphone (through its iphone speakers) play while I am doing 50 mph, if that gives you any idea of how much a larger shield helps!
Title: Re: Has anyone tried the Quiet Ride Muffs?
Post by: martin_14 on April 05, 2013, 11:32:28 PM
I gave up on speakers quite a while ago and just use earphones now (which are earplugs with speakers inside them that enter the ear canal).  The solution isn't perfect- it can be tricky to keep them from coming out when putting on the helmet, and there can be some sensitivity after a long time of wearing them.  But the relief they provide from noise is great, and I can hear music in high-fidelity.

+1
Title: Re: Has anyone tried the Quiet Ride Muffs?
Post by: Conrad on April 06, 2013, 06:15:25 AM
Muffs, eh?


 :censored:

My wife would hurt me if I tried them.

Muffs on your ears? Sounds kinda kinky but who am I to judge?    :P
Title: Re: Has anyone tried the Quiet Ride Muffs?
Post by: twowheeladdict on April 06, 2013, 06:27:10 AM
I wear contour foam earplugs in Kawasaki Green that I get at Walmart.  They work great with the SENA speakers.  The wind noise is blocked so I can enjoy the sound from the speakers.  Sure I have to put the volume up louder, but it works great.
Title: Re: Has anyone tried the Quiet Ride Muffs?
Post by: simply40 on April 06, 2013, 08:47:51 PM
I tried to make a pair of these a while back from a set of old headphones.  YMMV but I found them hard to get lined up so they did not put pressure on ears.  I have a Nolan 104 with SENA SMH10.  I went back to plugs or good ear phones.  I did do the firmware update and it may provide a bit more volume.
Title: Re: Has anyone tried the Quiet Ride Muffs?
Post by: scgoan on April 07, 2013, 09:02:31 AM
I did do the firmware update and it may provide a bit more volume.

I did the firmware update, as well. You are right, the update does add more volume, however, I find that when the volume is turned up all of the way, the music becomes distorted. Sena seems to listen closely to its customer base. However, in this case, unless they can address the distortion, I don't think it's a good update.
Title: Re: Has anyone tried the Quiet Ride Muffs?
Post by: connie1 on April 07, 2013, 11:02:39 AM
Those ear muff things seem like a neat idea but maybe a little cumbersome.

My Arai is a very quiet helmet by my standards but when I had the windshield down and all the vents open I got fairly annoyed with the ambient wind noise, though I could still hear my helmet speakers fine.
I used a set of in-the-ear buds and made a molded silicone set of custom earplugs.  Wow, what a difference.  Cuts wind noise, can hear my music and comm with the volume turned way down.  The caller usually doesn't know I'm riding during calls because I can hear them so easily that I talk normally.  Great if you're ditching work.
They are easy and inexpensive to make.  If you don't end up using them for riding they're a great way to listen to music without ambient noise interfering.

I'm trying to post a pic.  Technology vexes me.  I'll keep trying.
Title: Re: Has anyone tried the Quiet Ride Muffs?
Post by: scgoan on April 07, 2013, 01:23:19 PM
I would love to see some pictures.

Thanks!
Title: Re: Has anyone tried the Quiet Ride Muffs?
Post by: clogan on April 07, 2013, 06:44:54 PM
Wow...I'm surprised at how many listen to tunes/phone etc while riding.
I prefer to ride with no added sound at all. Years ago, maybe, but not in a long time...not even in the car.

Interesting...
Title: Re: Has anyone tried the Quiet Ride Muffs?
Post by: connie1 on April 07, 2013, 07:25:36 PM
Here's the pic.
They're easy to make.  The silicone is a two part putty you can get at craft shops for making molds.
Clip all the hair out of your ears first or don't (someone will get a laugh).
Get a feel for how far you can get your earbuds in so they don't protrude past your outer ear.  Remember to remove the little silicone fillers that come with the earphones before you start. Fit something into the hole on the end of the bud to keep silicone from blocking the sound. Mix about a teaspoon (half teaspoon of each component) and goop it around the bud, paying attention to the ear canal portion (you want this to fit well).  Install the whole thing into your ear and shape the outer portion to fit in your outer ear.  You want the silicone to form fit to the canal and the folds above the ear canal (these are what hold them in).   Looking in a mirror helps with final shaping.  Get rid of the excess and let cure.  Holding your mouth open with something about the size of a wine cork while you're doing this changes the shape of the ear canal so they are a little more snug when wearing them.
Don't worry about silicone going to far into your ear and scratching your brain it's pretty gentle and will all come out when you remove the final product.
Remember to pay attention to the right and left before installing.
If it doesn't turn out well just peel it all off and try again.  It took me about three tries till I was happy with them.
You will be amazed with the sound.  I used $15 buds from the Wally-mart thinking I would upgrade once I knew what I was doing but there's been no need.  Once they crater I will get some real good ones.
Title: Re: Has anyone tried the Quiet Ride Muffs?
Post by: maxtog on April 07, 2013, 07:38:34 PM
Wow...I'm surprised at how many listen to tunes/phone etc while riding.
I prefer to ride with no added sound at all. Years ago, maybe, but not in a long time...not even in the car.

Interesting...

I would go *crazy* if I could not listen to music while in car or on bike.   Very occasionally I want silence, but usually I am listening to music, in random mode.
Title: Re: Has anyone tried the Quiet Ride Muffs?
Post by: maxtog on April 07, 2013, 07:41:16 PM
I used a set of in-the-ear buds and made a molded silicone set of custom earplugs.  Wow, what a difference.  Cuts wind noise, can hear my music and comm with the volume turned way down.  The caller usually doesn't know I'm riding during calls because I can hear them so easily that I talk normally.  Great if you're ditching work.
They are easy and inexpensive to make.  If you don't end up using them for riding they're a great way to listen to music without ambient noise interfering.

I'm trying to post a pic.  Technology vexes me.  I'll keep trying.

http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=4448.0 (http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=4448.0)
Title: Re: Has anyone tried the Quiet Ride Muffs?
Post by: ZG on April 07, 2013, 08:18:04 PM
Wow...I'm surprised at how many listen to tunes/phone etc while riding.
I prefer to ride with no added sound at all. Years ago, maybe, but not in a long time...not even in the car.

Interesting...

 :o
 
Title: Re: Has anyone tried the Quiet Ride Muffs?
Post by: VirginiaJim on April 08, 2013, 04:15:23 AM
Wow...I'm surprised at how many listen to tunes/phone etc while riding.
I prefer to ride with no added sound at all. Years ago, maybe, but not in a long time...not even in the car.

Interesting...

sound of silence (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hUy9ePyo6Q#)

I do as well at times.  Sometimes I just want to 'be there'.
Title: Re: Has anyone tried the Quiet Ride Muffs?
Post by: Conrad on April 08, 2013, 04:42:43 AM
Wow...I'm surprised at how many listen to tunes/phone etc while riding.
I prefer to ride with no added sound at all. Years ago, maybe, but not in a long time...not even in the car.

Interesting...

I listen in the car rarely on the bike.
Title: Re: Has anyone tried the Quiet Ride Muffs?
Post by: scgoan on April 09, 2013, 07:30:50 AM
Thanks Connie1.

Last night I gave it a try and made two set of custom ear monitors. However, I don't know if these are going to work for me with my current helmet of choice. I have a very tight fitting Shoei X-Eleven. Using a Wick-it helmet liner and the first set of monitors in my ears, I put on my helmet without too much trouble. Although, when I took off my helmet it felt like my ears were getting ripped off. So, I made another set, this time a bit smaller, taking off some of the bulk before it set. They sound awesome, however, I haven't tried this set with my helmet yet. If I can get my helmet off with my ears still connected to my head, then I won't be needing to try the Quiet Ride Muffs. I hate having such large ears!!!
Title: Re: Has anyone tried the Quiet Ride Muffs?
Post by: Rhino on April 09, 2013, 08:04:33 AM
I'm pretty happy with the stock SMH-10 speakers. The overall sound quality streaming Bluetooth form my Droid Razzr is quite good. At higher speeds especially with cross winds it gets too loud to use but for leisurely cruising and even at highway speed with the CB Ultra tour up I can listen to music if there is no cross wind. I had to modify the cheek pads in my Shoei Hornet DS and put the little Velcro pads to move the speakers right up to the ear. That helped a lot.
Title: Re: Has anyone tried the Quiet Ride Muffs?
Post by: connie1 on April 09, 2013, 08:11:04 AM
Thanks Connie1.

Last night I gave it a try and made two set of custom ear monitors. However, I don't know if these are going to work for me with my current helmet of choice. I have a very tight fitting Shoei X-Eleven. Using a Wick-it helmet liner and the first set of monitors in my ears, I put on my helmet without too much trouble. Although, when I took off my helmet it felt like my ears were getting ripped off. So, I made another set, this time a bit smaller, taking off some of the bulk before it set. They sound awesome, however, I haven't tried this set with my helmet yet. If I can get my helmet off with my ears still connected to my head, then I won't be needing to try the Quiet Ride Muffs. I hate having such large ears!!!



Hope you can get them to work.  Mine are also easy to get into my lid but a little uncomfortable coming out again, but not too bad.
Maybe give your ears a rest for a couple of days, with all the muckin' around they could be a little tender or swollen.
Title: Re: Has anyone tried the Quiet Ride Muffs?
Post by: scgoan on April 10, 2013, 04:29:13 PM
I gave the custom ear molds a good try. Although, they are really great for listening to music at home and exercising, IMHO, not good enough at blocking the wind noise. I think it is because I'm so used to my ear plugs that block almost all sound. I also didn't like to the feeling of the helmet pressing against the molds in my ears. My ears were sore after about ten minutes of riding.

In my search for the perfect listening experience, this morning I went ahead and purchased a set of the Quiet Ride Muffs. I was concerned that they might not work in my tight fitting helmet, so I emailed Al, the inventer of the Quiet Ride Muffs. Al stated that he hasn't come across a helmet that it didn't work in and guarenteed that if it didn't fit, that I could return them for a full refund. I'm hopeful! Before stumbling on this design, I was trying to design something very simlar to this invention. We'll see! As soon as I receive the package, I'll post pictures and a review. If I'm happy with them and if there is an interest on the forum for these, maybe Al could setup a group buy.
Title: Re: Has anyone tried the Quiet Ride Muffs? Update...Installed and Reviewed!
Post by: scgoan on April 16, 2013, 06:27:10 PM
As I stated earlier, I have been on an exhaustive search for a way to comfortably listen to music and take calls without having the volume so loud that it causes distortion. Finally, I think I have found what I have been looking for, something that blocks wind noise enough that I don’t need ear plugs. Over a month ago, I downloaded the newest beta version for the SMH10, which added more volume. I was happy with the idea of getting more volume, however it wasn’t added without hearing distortion. Then, I switched out the speakers with a supposedly better quality, the Tork X-Pros. In my opinion the Tork speakers did not perform any better than the Sena speakers. Maybe that was a little harsh, they may perform a tiny bit better, but not worth the price tag. The Tork speakers definitely didn’t sound better with calls than the Sena. Then, while surfing the net, I stumbled across a site (The Quiet Ride Muffs) that promised to solve all of the issues I was having. However, before deciding on purchasing these, I decided to post this thread and ask if anyone had tried them and no one had. But then Connie1 had an interesting idea that I hadn’t tried, custom molded earbuds. Although, after trying them, I didn’t feel that they blocked enough wind noise and they were uncomfortable. My helmet pressed hard against the drivers of the earbuds in my ear. Additionally, it hurt like hell when I took off my helmet.

The next day, I emailed Al, the inventor of the Quiet Ride Muffs. Al answered all of my questions and assured me that they would work in my helmet. There is a hard ABS cup and a soft muff that snaps onto the cup. If you had speakers to install, they would go inside the ABS cup. Behind each of the hard ABS cups there is a velcroed air bladder with a hose and then a pump. After your head is in the helmet, you simply squeeze the pump a few times. The bladder fills like a balloon, pressing the muffs against your head. At first, you feel this pressure against the sides of your head. After a few minutes, you forget about the pressure.  Although, I had my reservations, I tried it. After all, the installation is not for the faint of heart. I had to do major surgery on my helmet to get these muffs installed correctly. After fussing with the installation over the weekend, I think I’m happy with the setup. I actually had to turn the volume down considerably. The music sounds so good, I feel like I’m in a concert hall. The best part was that I didn’t even need ear plugs! It was wonderful, to just put on my helmet and I go!

So, if you are after peace and quiet or you want to listen to your music without distortion or the need of plugs or earbuds, then this might be the answer for you.

If anyone would like pictures or more details, just let me know.
Title: Re: Has anyone tried the Quiet Ride Muffs? Update...Installed and Reviewed!
Post by: deepseamdv on April 16, 2013, 09:36:27 PM
I'm using the Scalarider Q2 linked to an iPhone 4s. It was just ok but I also wanted more volume and better sound quality. I tried several equalizer apps and finally settled on 'Bongiovi Acoustics DPS'. After playing with the settings it now sounds great and I have to set the volume at less than full on. Very happy with this setup.
Title: Re: Has anyone tried the Quiet Ride Muffs? Update...Installed and Reviewed!
Post by: ARS on May 18, 2013, 10:14:08 AM
Scgoan – Great review, thanks!  2 questions. . .
How are they in the hot weather?  They don’t look like they’d breathe well.
Do you think it’s possible to mount the mini-pump internally like behind the mouth guard?  I stow my helmet in the luggage bag and I’m sure it won’t fit with anything external.
Title: Re: Has anyone tried the Quiet Ride Muffs? Update...Installed and Reviewed!
Post by: scgoan on May 18, 2013, 06:15:38 PM
Scgoan – Great review, thanks!  2 questions. . .
How are they in the hot weather?  They don’t look like they’d breathe well.
Do you think it’s possible to mount the mini-pump internally like behind the mouth guard?  I stow my helmet in the luggage bag and I’m sure it won’t fit with anything external.

I live in San Diego and since we haven't had really hot weather since I've installed the muffs, I can't answer yet. However, tomorrow, I'm riding to Palm Springs and it is suppose to be over a 100 degrees. So I'll be in a better position to answer that question tomorrow. As of yet, I haven't had any problems with the heat bothering me. As to your second question, I actually installed the mini-pump towards the rear of the helmet. Not exactly in the center in the rear, more like left rear. I think this would solve your issue better than installing it behind the mouth guard. I would think it would be a pain to pump it up in the mouth guard and not to mention that it would get in the way of the mic if you have a bluetooth system installed, such as the Sena. I hope this answers your questions. I'll try update this posting tomorrow evening.

 
Title: Re: Has anyone tried the Quiet Ride Muffs?
Post by: PH14 on May 18, 2013, 08:43:38 PM
Wow...I'm surprised at how many listen to tunes/phone etc while riding.
I prefer to ride with no added sound at all. Years ago, maybe, but not in a long time...not even in the car.

Interesting...

How far do you ride at a time? I find listening to something on an 850 mile day a good thing. Usually I go for an audiobook to keep me awake. For short rides of a hundred or two hundred miles I really don't care.
Title: Re: Has anyone tried the Quiet Ride Muffs?
Post by: PH14 on May 18, 2013, 08:48:35 PM
I gave the custom ear molds a good try. Although, they are really great for listening to music at home and exercising, IMHO, not good enough at blocking the wind noise. I think it is because I'm so used to my ear plugs that block almost all sound. I also didn't like to the feeling of the helmet pressing against the molds in my ears. My ears were sore after about ten minutes of riding.

In my search for the perfect listening experience, this morning I went ahead and purchased a set of the Quiet Ride Muffs. I was concerned that they might not work in my tight fitting helmet, so I emailed Al, the inventer of the Quiet Ride Muffs. Al stated that he hasn't come across a helmet that it didn't work in and guarenteed that if it didn't fit, that I could return them for a full refund. I'm hopeful! Before stumbling on this design, I was trying to design something very simlar to this invention. We'll see! As soon as I receive the package, I'll post pictures and a review. If I'm happy with them and if there is an interest on the forum for these, maybe Al could setup a group buy.

You need custom ear mold done by a professional. That professional also needs to know how to make the mold for noise protection. For noise protection, the mold should be done using a bite block. This keeps the jaw open and limits movement while taking the impression. The ear canal is more open when the jaw is open, so the mold will be larger than had you made the impression with the mouth closed. This gives a tighter fitting ear plug, which will block more sound.
Title: Re: Has anyone tried the Quiet Ride Muffs?
Post by: scgoan on May 18, 2013, 09:08:12 PM
You need custom ear mold done by a professional. That professional also needs to know how to make the mold for noise protection. For noise protection, the mold should be done using a bite block. This keeps the jaw open and limits movement while taking the impression. The ear canal is more open when the jaw is open, so the mold will be larger than had you made the impression with the mouth closed. This gives a tighter fitting ear plug, which will block more sound.

Honestly, I don't need anything in my ears anymore. I'm sold on these ear muffs. For the first time, the wind noise is reduced enough where I can listen to my tunes at 50% volume without having anything in my ears. Could these be designed to be quieter? Sure. But are these quiet enough? You betcha!
Title: Re: Has anyone tried the Quiet Ride Muffs?
Post by: PH14 on May 18, 2013, 09:27:33 PM
Honestly, I don't need anything in my ears anymore. I'm sold on these ear muffs. For the first time, the wind noise is reduced enough where I can listen to my tunes at 50% volume without having anything in my ears. Could these be designed to be quieter? Sure. But are these quiet enough? You betcha!

I was only commenting on the ear plug issue since it may help others who aren't going to use the ear muffs. A little knowledge in anatomy helps wonders when making ear molds.
Title: Re: Has anyone tried the Quiet Ride Muffs?
Post by: scgoan on May 19, 2013, 06:20:13 AM
I was only commenting on the ear plug issue since it may help others who aren't going to use the ear muffs. A little knowledge in anatomy helps wonders when making ear molds.

I know. I was just reiterating how happy I am with the ear muffs.
Title: Re: Has anyone tried the Quiet Ride Muffs?
Post by: PH14 on May 19, 2013, 08:58:15 AM
I know. I was just reiterating how happy I am with the ear muffs.

They are interesting. Keep us posted as to how they feel in the heat.
Title: Re: Has anyone tried the Quiet Ride Muffs? Update...Installed and Reviewed!
Post by: scgoan on May 19, 2013, 08:03:35 PM
How are they in the hot weather?  They don’t look like they’d breathe well.

So today, my daughter and I went on a 300 mile ride through some warm areas, which hit nearly 100 degrees. Although my whole body was hot, I didn't notice that my ears were any hotter than the rest of my body. My ears didn't sweat any more than the rest of my head, either. My daughter, who doesn't have the Quiet Ride Muffs installed in her Arai Corsair V, wore ear plugs. Actually, I should qualify that, she wore them for half of the ride. Because it was such a long ride, the ear plugs started hurting her ears so much that she had to remove them. Then, she asked if we could change helmets. She wants me to install them in her helmet now. The only thing I don't like about the Quiet Ride Muffs is the name!  :o
Title: Re: Has anyone tried the Quiet Ride Muffs? Update...Installed and Reviewed!
Post by: BeaverMatt on May 20, 2013, 07:35:36 AM
Sounds like the Quiet Rides have been a positive experience, and well worth it.  I'm quite interested.  Any chance we can see a few pics of them installed in/on your helmet?
Title: Re: Has anyone tried the Quiet Ride Muffs? Update...Installed and Reviewed!
Post by: PH14 on May 20, 2013, 09:01:42 AM
So today, my daughter and I went on a 300 mile ride through some warm areas, which hit nearly 100 degrees. Although my whole body was hot, I didn't notice that my ears were any hotter than the rest of my body. My ears didn't sweat any more than the rest of my head, either. My daughter, who doesn't have the Quiet Ride Muffs installed in her Arai Corsair V, wore ear plugs. Actually, I should qualify that, she wore them for half of the ride. Because it was such a long ride, the ear plugs started hurting her ears so much that she had to remove them. Then, she asked if we could change helmets. She wants me to install them in her helmet now. The only thing I don't like about the Quiet Ride Muffs is the name!  :o

Thanks for the update. Your wife's experience is exactly why I had custom ear plugs made. I wear mine all the time, to sleep, while traveling on planes and while riding the motorcycle. I can wear them all day and not even feel them. Of course in your case, you will be buying another set of Quiet Ride Muffs.  :finger_fing11:
Title: Re: Has anyone tried the Quiet Ride Muffs? Update...Installed and Reviewed!
Post by: GordonM on May 23, 2013, 09:02:10 PM
The pictures below show the Quiet Ride Muffs installed in a Shoei Neotec XL helmet.  I decided to give them a try, not being an earplug sort of guy.  I have a shelf with many of those so called quiet helmets that did not do the job for me.  When commuting I like to crack the windscreen to keep my glasses from fogging and get more air flow when it is hot, well that does not help the noise levels.  I never liked blasting the speakers loud enough to make it through earplugs.  The thing I like with these muffs is you can vary the amount of quiet by how much you pump them up.  And you can totally release the air out to pull the muffs away from your ears for a break.  Putting the helmet on and taking it off is a breeze, my ears don't get tangled with the muffs which is great.

You can see that I hid the pump and release valve in the padded neck roll near the Cardo G9. G9 speakers sound great with muffs too.  The closer you get them to your ear the better.

Gordon

(http://imageshack.us/a/img96/2710/neotecearmuff2.jpg)
(http://imageshack.us/a/img28/1787/neotecearmuff1.jpg)
Title: Re: Has anyone tried the Quiet Ride Muffs? Update...Installed and Reviewed!
Post by: Cougr67 on May 23, 2013, 11:31:23 PM
I can't see the picture, anybody else??
Title: Re: Has anyone tried the Quiet Ride Muffs? Update...Installed and Reviewed!
Post by: Conrad on May 24, 2013, 04:56:08 AM
I can't see the picture, anybody else??

I see 'em.
Title: Re: Has anyone tried the Quiet Ride Muffs? Update...Installed and Reviewed!
Post by: BeaverMatt on May 24, 2013, 07:55:45 AM
Great pics, thank you Gordon!  You integrated the pump quite seamlessly.
Title: Re: Has anyone tried the Quiet Ride Muffs? Update...Installed and Reviewed!
Post by: BeaverMatt on July 19, 2013, 06:51:30 AM
It's been about 2 months since you installed the muffs.  How do you like them now? Would you recommend them to others?
Title: Re: Has anyone tried the Quiet Ride Muffs? Update...Installed and Reviewed!
Post by: scgoan on April 03, 2014, 08:27:12 PM
It's been about 2 months since you installed the muffs.  How do you like them now? Would you recommend them to others?

I'm so sorry that I didn't reply to your question sooner. i haven't been on the forum for a long while. I love the muffs!!! I can't imagine being without them. It's so nice to listen to my music without wind noise. When it's time for a new helmet, the first thing I'll be doing is installing another pair.
Title: Re: Has anyone tried the Quiet Ride Muffs? Update...Installed and Reviewed!
Post by: VirginiaJim on April 04, 2014, 04:16:01 AM
You know, for 80 bucks or so, this isn't a bad farkle to try.   I usually don't listen to music unless it's a long ride...300+, but I do answer the cell, especially when I'm on a business trip.  I also find that using ear plugs hurts after awhile.   Wind noise actually wears me out mentally and physically and I find that if the ride is quiet, I'm in much better shape.  I'm going to try these out.

Thanks, Scogan, for bringing this to our attention.   :finger_fing11:   And stop by more often!
Title: Re: Has anyone tried the Quiet Ride Muffs? Update...Installed and Reviewed!
Post by: katata1100 on April 04, 2014, 08:06:01 AM
Just get one of these:
http://www.amazon.com/ONeal-Fastrack-Motorcycle-Bluetooth-Technology/dp/B005H5Z4NQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1396620319&sr=8-1&keywords=O%27Neal+Racing+Fastrack+II+Bluetooth+Helmet (http://www.amazon.com/ONeal-Fastrack-Motorcycle-Bluetooth-Technology/dp/B005H5Z4NQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1396620319&sr=8-1&keywords=O%27Neal+Racing+Fastrack+II+Bluetooth+Helmet)
Title: Re: Has anyone tried the Quiet Ride Muffs? Update...Installed and Reviewed!
Post by: scgoan on April 04, 2014, 12:20:46 PM
You know, for 80 bucks or so, this isn't a bad farkle to try.   I usually don't listen to music unless it's a long ride...300+, but I do answer the cell, especially when I'm on a business trip.  I also find that using ear plugs hurts after awhile.   Wind noise actually wears me out mentally and physically and I find that if the ride is quiet, I'm in much better shape.  I'm going to try these out.

Thanks, Scogan, for bringing this to our attention.   :finger_fing11:   And stop by more often!

For full disclosure, the setup is a bit intensive. The foam has to be cut out where the bladder and muffs go. In addition, I took it one step further and moved the chin strap for even a better fit, although this is not a necessary step.
Title: Re: Has anyone tried the Quiet Ride Muffs? Update...Installed and Reviewed!
Post by: BeaverMatt on April 04, 2014, 09:17:16 PM
I'm so sorry that I didn't reply to your question sooner. i haven't been on the forum for a long while. I love the muffs!!! I can't imagine being without them. It's so nice to listen to my music without wind noise. When it's time for a new helmet, the first thing I'll be doing is installing another pair.

Thanks for the follow up.  Glad to hear they are working.  I'm still thinking about trying them myself.
Title: Re: Has anyone tried the Quiet Ride Muffs? Update...Installed and Reviewed!
Post by: VirginiaJim on April 04, 2014, 09:35:27 PM
I'm going to have to have a good look at my helmet.  I just remembered that it has the pump you up cheek pads (Scorpion)...
Title: Re: Has anyone tried the Quiet Ride Muffs? Update...Installed and Reviewed!
Post by: JS_racer on April 05, 2014, 06:04:18 AM
.........., I took it one step further and moved the chin strap for even a better fit............

how did you do that ??
Title: Re: Has anyone tried the Quiet Ride Muffs? Update...Installed and Reviewed!
Post by: scgoan on April 05, 2014, 10:05:19 AM
I have a very tight Shoei X-11 that I really like. I also have very large ears that I have to unfold every time I put on my helmet. It's not the cheapest helmet around and so the thought of moving the chin strap made me nervous that I would ruin my helmet. However, in my situation the bladder was sitting on top of the chin strap. When I mentioned this to the owner (Al) of the Quiet Ride Muffs, he suggested me moving them and gave me instructions on how to do the operation. First, I went out and purchased stainless steel rivets, but that isn't necessary. I used stainless because it is exposed to the weather and I feel that stainless is stronger. When the cheek pad is removed, it exposes the inner helmet shell with the metal chin strap connector that would be under the ear muff. Al suggested that I grind off the rivet holding the metal connection and relocate the metal chin strap connection piece lower and forward of the original whole. I used a rotary tool to do this. With the metal chin strap connection piece removed from under the ear muff the ear muff will be about 1/4" closer to the helmet shell on each side.  This will give you another half inch distance between ear muffs.  This will make it more comfortable to take the helmet on and off. I used short 3/16" pop rivets to reinstall metal chin strap in new location. It was actually easy to do and only took about a half hour to do complete. I think I stressed way too much about this. If this is something that you are not comfortable with and you are worried about your helmet warranty or your safety, then I would pass on this part of the instructions. IMHO, after doing this project, I feel the strap is more secure than it was in the first place. The rivets I used were stronger than the original rivets, being that I used stainless. Also, with the original installation of the straps, the rivets didn't go all the way through the helmet, mine do. I believe that Shoei didn't want the rivets showing for appearance sake. I don't feel that take away from the look, though. If anyone wants pictures of the rivet installation, let me know. I know some of you may feel that this isn't worth it, but I would do over again heartbeat. As a matter of fact, when I purchase my next helmet, it will be the first thing I do, unless they are already installed.
Title: Re: Has anyone tried the Quiet Ride Muffs? Update...Installed and Reviewed!
Post by: VirginiaJim on April 05, 2014, 10:09:00 AM
I have a very tight Shoei X-11 that I really like. I also have very large ears that I have to unfold every time I put on my helmet.

I can see that you would have to fold your ears, but what do you do with the horns?  Drill two holes in the top?
Title: Re: Has anyone tried the Quiet Ride Muffs? Update...Installed and Reviewed!
Post by: scgoan on April 05, 2014, 10:43:50 AM
 ;D I just fold those down, too!