How To Reduce Motorcycle Helmet Wind Noise In 3 Easy Steps

Today I thought I’d share my tips on how I reduce wind noise on my helmet. There are three ways you can reduce wind noise from your helmet.

Reduce Motorcycle Helmet Wind Noise In 3 Easy Steps…

1. Buy Earplugs

2. Wear A Scarf Or Balaclava

3. Purchase A Wind Reducing Motorcycle Helmet

1 – Motorcycle Helmet Ear Plugs

It’s important to note that some areas of the world and some areas of the United States I’m told you’re not allowed to wear earplugs or use your phones when you’re riding a motorcycle, so this part of this post isn’t going to apply to you.

I’ve tried so many different things and the biggest success I’ve had to date is using noise reduction earbuds. I have a pair, they are the Bose Quiet Comfort Acoustic Cancelling Headphones

You might have seen the big over the ears headsets when you’re flying on an airplane, these do the same job except they’re an earbud. Some people prefer over the ear because they’re more comfortable and that’s probably true but that’s impractical on a motorcycle.

I’ve used my earbuds on some long-distance trips and they’ve worked flawlessly, the only tiny hiccup I get with them is if you’re riding with your wind deflectors up on your helmet you get air blast which causes a little popping noise from time to time.

The great thing about these earbuds is you can plug it into your cell phone to take calls while you are driving. They also work on my Cardo Scala Q3 intercom system because they’re viewed as nothing more than an earbud.

Putting the earbuds on and keeping them on while you put on your helmet is easier than it sounds. Most people won’t wear earbuds of any kind, whether sound-canceling or not. The Boise earbuds have a larger outside housing than most earbuds so you think they’d be really obtrusive but they’re not.

I’ve had other people try them on then put on their full-face helmet or their open-faced helmet and they fit in just fine.

When I go for a ride I typically leave them unplugged from the Cardo system or my cell phone to start with. I’ll put them in my ears so they’re in there firmly enough to stay in, grab my helmet pull it on and once my helmets on the ear pockets of the helmet gently push the earbuds in and hold them in place.

I don’t have to worry about them falling out if they’re off-center a little bit, I can reach in with my hand and just fiddle each side with the tip of my finger and get them pushed in just nicely. Once I have them settled in I can then connect them to either my cell phone or my two way Cardo Scala Q3 intercom system.

When I am taking my helmet off I just reverse what I did to put them on. I first disconnect from my communication system or my cell phone then take my helmet off.

Motorcycle Wind Decibels?

These earbuds are the same as those 33 rated decibel bright or fluorescent orange earplugs you buy at most safety shops or drug stores but they last a lot longer. You buy sets of those disposable bright orange earbuds that are rated for 33, they cancel that much noise believe it or not so if I use them for a year and they wear out to me that’s money well spent.

If you’re looking for a cheaper alternative to earbuds you can use with your cell phone then Pinlock earplugs are a great alternative. Pinlock earplugs come in a box with different sizes, you just choose the correct size and push then snugly into your ear.

The advantage of the Pinlock earplugs apart from the price is there are no wires, the disadvantage is you can’t use them with your cell phone or two-way communication system.

2 – Motorcycle Wind Scarf Or Balaclava

A lot of wind noise comes from wind from around your neck, a cheap scarf will reduce a lot of noise but if you want to take that extra step you can buy a wind seal or balaclava.

A balaclava sits under your helmet and looks like a curtain, it’s basic function is to stop wind buffeting under your helmet to keep the wind noise down to a minimum.

There are three types of balaclava and they’re all geared towards cool to cold weather riding. There is the half balaclava with the full dickie that you’d wear underneath your jacket which is also a wind stopper.

Then you have probably the most expensive balaclava type of windjammer which is an over the jacket full-scale balaclava and hood that is fully gore-tex and waterproof.

When somebody says hey I think my necks getting cold or my necks getting wet I need a balaclava they’re gonna think about how they need to get the correct size, typically you can get them in two sizes, a small and a large.

What you get on the larger size is a bit more coverage. A large balaclava gives you more coverage covering the chest and back. They normally are a stretch material, that’s meant they are snug to keep out the wind and rain.

The smaller version fits under your collar or over your and the feedback I have had back is people love it. It’s great for the ladies who have long hair, it keeps the hair in place so you can just set it and forget it.

The smaller version is especially good for commuters who can just pop it on and go.

Finally, you have the full face option which covers the whole head shoulders and back. You can get them in a waterproof version or not so check before you buy.

3 – Noise Cancelling Helmets

And Finally, you can purchase the best noise-canceling motorcycle helmet that money can buy that are specifically designed to reduce wind noise. We have a separate article that discusses our top-selling wind reducing motorcycle helmets here.