Do you wear earplugs when you ride?  

I wore earplugs on the long rides to and from Sturgis last summer, but then put them away when I got home. I tried riding with earplugs again recently, and didn't care for it. I found that I depend on the engine sound as an audible cue for shifting gears. The Road King doesn't have a tachometer (I could add one but it would be an expensive and mechanically complex proposition) so I listen to the engine. Also, I think it's important to be able to hear emergency vehicles' sirens. I know that most times, I hear the siren before I see the fire truck.

But I also know that the wind noise in my ears must be close to dangerous levels. What I'd like to do is find a good compromise: an earplug that will cut that wind noise to a safe level, but still allow me to hear sounds around me- my engine, emergency vehicles, and car horns. I think it's potentially dangerous to ride in a bubble of silence.

Your comments are welcome.