There are three major noise sources, Engine, Tyres and wind. All three have vastly different frequencies and you need to work out which annoys you most before tying solutions.
For me the screen/wind is not a problem, The tyre noise will diminish when I change makes so it leaves the engine. Its so sweet on normal running and fast roads, its only really noticeable after prolonged town use.
I started with a set of home cast ear plugs made from a two part putty (available off ebay) These are very comfy but not a tight fit and do not reduce the engine noises much.
Second set were a pair of Alpine soft rubber plugs, These are quite expensive and need a tube to correctly insert them deep in the ear canal. They work well but made my ears wax up, after once needing my Leathermans pliers to extract one I now keep them in reserve.
Last I tried the soft foam inserts, these do not suit my ears and fall out or rub inside my helmet.
After all this experimentation I reverted to the cast plugs, ideal for all day comfort. After 6000 miles Im either deaf or the engine noise has dramatically reduced and the rattles are almost of no consequence. Im thinking these bikes need 10,000 to fully run in, great for me but not so good for those riding a few thousand a year. They may never know how a settled bike feels.
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