The most successful trigger mechanisms to make a purchase are fear and (the hope of) sex.
In that order As far as sex is concerned, it often goes wrong in the average motorcyclist's practice. Women usually have a tolerance policy towards engines rather than being very excited about them. And a helmet is the plague for a carefully styled hairstyle. So!
But with fear sales, the sellers are getting away very broadly. Because who wants - for example - to become deaf?
The somewhat older people among us, or the fathers of the somewhat younger ones, may have been given it: masturbation makes you deaf. "WHAT DO YOU SAY ?!" I say: "Oh, never mind ..." That proven, unsubstantiated threat has been translated into the more current approach: "Motorcycling / visiting a concert makes you deaf." And a revenue model has been devised for this: Hearing Protection Articles. That is three times the word value by the way.
Motorcycling becomes deaf. Fortunately I didn't know that. Otherwise I would not have heard anything anymore. Because: when I was 15, my first motorcycle was stolen by the police. And in the meantime, I almost run into the four crosses on two wheels. Nearly 40 years of motorcycling with the lowest mileage a sad 2000 during a year where people worked very hard to a fat 40D + kilometer in a year in which the motorcycle was used not only as a home worker, but also as a travel companion for a very nice holiday. But by the way, I am on 20D kilometers a year. All that at most with a middle class helmet on the head. And without hearing protection. During my service, I had to use earplugs at the shooting range. But they always fell inside. Very traumatic.
I have never been a really fast driver. Only the drive home from somewhere under Milan in a jerk was something that made me think a few years ago. On the TLM demo Guzzi, the speed was kept constant at 150 + kilometers per hour. Almost 1100 kilometers long. Through the rain. That is a pace at which my favorite ROOF helmet does not feel completely happy. Rightly so. Because he didn't learn for that.
The next day I walked to bedtime with a whistle in my ear. In bed I wear earplugs because my love is snoring. The whistle is safely locked behind the plug. Then he will suffocate.
The next day everything was fine again. In the sense of: nothing whistled anymore. But that makes you think. Unfortunately I don't think so quickly.
But still: In company I have difficulty focusing on a speaker. For me, a normal speaking voice is only too easily absorbed in the buzz. Then I only hear an undefined "Rhubarb barber." It helps considerably if you then look closely at the gentleman or lady in question, but that can lead to misunderstandings. And with guys with beards you can't see what they say.
Prevention is of course better than cure, but it is then quite funny to test those hearing damage arguments afterwards. And in the meantime there is a whole row of providers who are taking a toll on the aging population; all companies or chains gambling on the coming decline of the baby boomers. You can't be quick enough! Of course, all those specialists are focused on conducting hearing tests to sell hearing aids.
But often they also provide mufflers / earplugs. Apparently for customers with a good hearing aid. Or for us motorcyclists. Based on the emotionally practical approach, I go for Better Hearing. Because what Willeke Alberti can do, I can do that too. And a visit to Beter Horen is easily arranged. Within a radius of 10 kilometers there is a branch on my side of the IJssel and on the other side of the IJssel. I'm going to Doesburg. Because there you also have terrace de Waag and an Italian ice cream shop.
At Beter Horen you simply walk in for a hearing test. The friendly sellers will certainly be in favor of purchasing such a sound pump in one or more ears. And they will probably score well with their target group.
By the way, Willeke Alberti appears to be advertising for the competition; for Schoonenberg. Beter Horen does it with father and son Jolink. Or with some DJ. So much for the usefulness of advertising. Or maybe I just wasn't paying attention.
But whether a young God already becomes a customer after forty years of motorcycling?
The test must provide a solution. I get a headset that beeps. Think of it as a visit for a new pair of glasses to the optician. But then for your ears. At home I still have a little Google browsing. It reflects on the net of the hearing tests. I prick a few and score 'good' to 'reasonable'. So that is also quite correct.
Better late than never: In fact, the damage turns out to be not too bad. In fact; I have excellent hearing for someone aged 65. That falls within the 10-year margins left and right of the average. And remember that those 65'ers are crass grunts. So I'm glad I never let myself be scared. Because apparently it is not too bad with all those broken hairs in my ears. So I can just continue to heat without hearing protection. Nothing to worry about! But I was curious about the ready-to-wear hearing protectors that I had plugged in. Because the auditor of Beter Horen had a cunning question: "But don't you think that the sound of the driving wind is a nuisance?"
Mwahhh. Never thought about it like that… Never heard anything else. And so now I am converted. Because with those soft silicone plugs in your ears, driving became much more comfortable. The filtering took the sharpness of the wind noise without having the feeling that I was sitting on the engine with hearing damage. The set of earplugs 'Road' cost 10 euros in the offer. Gross they go for 14,95 euros. A good investment in driving comfort. And that they prevent hearing damage? Fine right!
And what is the state of affairs now? Sound Protection 2.0 has arrived. The ten dollar soft plugs were so good that I became curious about a more structural approach. I ended up at the Schoonenberg after all. Even if it was only out of respect for Willeke Alberti. Schoonenberg also offers hearing protection from the higher price range.
They make measured otoplastics. You tap that for 130 euros or so, but then you also have something. Because where the soft pleated filters were such a surprise, there is such a fitting set of mufflers in your ears as well-worn jeans that do your butt. I received the hearing test for free.
The outcome was the same as with the colleagues.
After forty years of driving without hearing protection, my hearing is still good enough ..
What a wonderful article with many different eye-catching, interesting angles. Nice to read that after XNUMX years of motorcycling without hearing protection, you eventually took the trouble to try out earplugs out of curiosity and even have them fitted.
Good to read that you have now 'converted' and see the benefits of driving with hearing protection. It is always nice to receive confirmation that your hearing is still good, even though you have not driven with hearing protection. Even if you have not purchased Alpine earplugs, we think it is very good to read that you see hearing protection as a good investment.