A quality, comfortable pair of earbuds allows you to communicate easily and stay entertained while riding your bicycle, even with the wind gushing past your ears. It also protects against the roaring sounds of your powerful engine. Unfortunately, getting quality motorcycle earbuds that guarantee the above-mentioned benefits, an excellent battery life, a durable build, and hand-free controls can be difficult. To give you an easy time shopping, we’ve included a buying guide, answers to essential questions, and six of the best earbuds on the market in this article. Let’s start with the questions.
It has a top-notch noise-cancellation feature and a long battery life.
It has a multi-functional touch panel for easy control. It also guarantees quick and stable connectivity.
It is designed for comfort and durability.
It has a top-notch noise-cancellation feature and a long battery life.
It has a multi-functional touch panel for easy control. It also guarantees quick and stable connectivity.
It is designed for comfort and durability.
Last update on 2024-12-10 at 19:35 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Best Earbuds for Motorcycle Riding Reviewed
When dealing with the choice of earbuds for motorcycle riding, identifying the perfect ones can pose a challenge. You seek earbuds that are compact enough to comfortably fit under your helmet yet provide sufficient audio quality to meet your needs on the road. Here, we’ve curated a list of the top earbuds that strike a balance between style, functionality, and efficiency, making them an outstanding choice for any motorcycle enthusiast. The featured earbuds are:
- Soundcore Life P3i
- Rulefiss Q38 Wireless Earbuds
- BLAST! Wireless Earbuds
- Tribit MoveBuds H1
- MALIHOO YYK-Q730
- Dascert Q-38
Buyer’s Guide for The Best Earbuds for Motorcycle Riding
Exercising care when buying complementary accessories such as earbuds is essential owing to the influx of shiny, low-quality goods. Just because a pair of earbuds looks aesthetically pleasing and fits snugly doesn’t mean it’s the best pick. Considering other qualities like form/type, durability, battery life, hand-free controls, overall comfort, communication ability, and noise-reduction features is necessary. Here is a list of what you should look out for:
The Type of Earbuds
Save for Bluetooth helmets, there are two main types of motorcycle earbuds: wired and wireless. Wired earbuds are cheap and don’t have to be recharged. However, they are less comfortable as they are likely to get entangled in your clothes or helmet. Sudden, heavy movements can also detach them from your device.
Wireless earbuds are the best option if you need something convenient. They don’t have cables and cannot get entangled in your helmet or clothing or detached from your phone with sudden movements. The only downside is that they are costly and must be charged regularly.
Durability
Durability is a critical factor when shopping for earbuds. You need an option that can handle harsh weather conditions, possible accidents, the wind, and rough handling. To confirm whether an earbud is durable, check its IP rating and materials. A good earbud should have an IP rating of at least IPX4, which means it’s protected against water splashes from any direction. It should also be made of materials that can withstand rough handling and vibrations, such as PC-ABS plastic (for the casing) and Kevlar (for wiring).
Battery Life
You don’t need a pair of earbuds that will run out of charge when you are in the middle of the road. Constantly charging your earbuds whenever you are about to ride is also inconvenient. Therefore, settle for a product that can guarantee you at least 8-10 hours of playback on a single charge. However, if you can stretch your budget, a pair that guarantees 50-60 hours per charge is highly recommended.
Comfort
An uncomfortable pair of earbuds can be a nightmare, considering they are worn under the helmet for prolonged durations. To prevent distractions occasioned by the need to adjust your earbuds, get a lightweight option with additional ear tips that fit nicely under your helmet.
Controls
You may not have time to touch or adjust your earbuds while on the road manually; therefore, consider one with hands-free controls. If you can afford it, settle for an option with voice assistant integration. Using voice commands for calls, messaging, and media playback saves you from constantly reaching for your phone or helmet.
Noise Reduction
A roaring engine and the gushing sound of wind can easily affect your earbuds’ experience. It is best to have an option with excellent noise cancellation that allows you to hear clearly. However, this feature can block coming and ongoing traffic sounds; therefore, even if you mainly rely on your eyesight while riding, keep your earbud’s volume and noise cancellation slow for enhanced safety. Additionally, check your earbuds’ NRR rating and ascertain whether they comply with OSHA’s sound safety regulations.
Communication Ability Can you communicate using your earbuds? This is essential, especially when riding in groups. Choose an option with a mic for easier communication. It should also be fitted with a mesh covering to reduce wind noise. Additionally, consider the earbuds’ volume and clarity. The volume should be high enough, and the earbuds should be devoid of static and audio feedback. It should be able to cut through the noise to allow people on the other side to get you.
The Best Earbuds for Motorcycle Riding
Here are the six best earbuds for motorcycle riding:
Pros
- It has a top-notch active noise-canceling feature
- It has an AI call enhancement feature
- It is incredibly light and has simple controls
Cons
- It lacks hand-free control.
At the top of our list is the fantastic Soundcore Life P3i, an in-ear wireless earbud with LP3i noise cancellation. Its sound quality, comfort, long battery life, transparent mode, amazing price, and fast charge ability make it our best pick. It has six dedicated microphones and a noise-isolating AI algorithm for enhanced call clarity. Additionally, it comes with a transparent mode that turns off the noise-canceling feature when necessary, allowing you to listen to your surroundings.
You will enjoy a powerful bass thanks to its 10mm drivers. You can customize your sound profile in the Soundcore application, allowing you to enjoy up to 22 equalizer options. The battery life is also remarkable, as it offers up to 10 hours of playback time on a single charge and an additional 30 hours with the compact case. A 10-minute charge provides 2 hours of listening if you are in a hurry, which is pretty interesting. Lastly, this product is equipped with Bluetooth 5.2 for faster and easier pairing and easy-to-use tactile buttons for audio control.
Pros
- It’s comfortable and flexible for extended use
- You can use one earbud at a time
- It works well with Google Assistant
Cons
- It can be too big for small ears.
Our second runner-up is these wireless, over-the-ear Bluetooth earbuds from Rulefiss, a smart device brand with a wide range of products. Its flexibility, comfort, quality build, and hand-free control make it an excellent choice for motorcycle riding. It has an in-built Bluetooth 5.3 chip and a high-sensitivity FPC antenna that supports quick and stable connectivity of up to 15m. A single charge offers 6–8 hours of playtime, but with its casing, you get up to 48 hours. You need only 1.5 hours for a full charge, and the charging case shows the remaining battery percentage for increased convenience. This product comes with an ultra-light, soft, and flexible 45-degree ear hook structure that allows it to fit into the ears smoothly. One single earbud weighs roughly 7g, which adds to its flexibility. For enhanced durability and all-weather usage, it uses IP7-certified waterproof technology, which you will find helpful. Each earbud has a multi-function touch panel that allows you to pause or play music, adjust volume, answer and end calls, and activate Siri or Google Assistant.
Pros
- It offers a 30-day money-back and free replacement guarantee
- It is excellently designed for long-lasting comfort
- It has intuitive and responsive touch controls
Cons
- Limited color options
The BLAST! pair of earbuds is highly recommended if you are looking for an affordable pair of motorcycle earbuds. At less than $20, users get a range of useful features commonly found in more expensive versions. For example, each wireless earbud has two built-in and four dedicated microphones for precise voice pick-up and external noise isolation. A single charge offers roughly eight hours of playback time, which is remarkable. It even has an LED power display that shows the remaining charge. You can easily switch between stereo and mono modes and use your earbuds together or separately. Its ergonomic design also offers a snug fit for long-lasting and fatigue-free comfort. For durability, the BLAST! Wireless earbuds have an IPX7 design that protects them from sweat and splashes.
Pros
- It offers up to 65 hours of playtime
- It has a transparency mode whose intensity can be adjusted
- It cancels 90% of background noise.
Cons
- It’s expensive
The Tribit MoveBuds H1 is one of the best options if you are looking for premium wireless motorcycle earbuds. It comes with many valuable features, including 15 hours of continuous listening. Although it’s quite costly, there’s a bright side to it. This device is one of the few IPX8 Bluetooth earbuds certified with SGS, which proves just how durable it is. Its built-in Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity guarantees uninterrupted connectivity while riding. It has a transparency mode that lets you hear ambient sounds and boosts your situational awareness. Upgrading its firmware to the latest version through the Tribit application allows you to use up to 24 equalizer styles. For quality music and noise cancellation, it uses Qualcomm Apt-X decoding and CVC 8.0, respectively.
Pros
- It has a unique open-ear technology
- It’s comfortable
- It comes with a 12-month warranty
Cons
- Its battery life is relatively short.
The MALIHOO YYK-Q730 on-ear wireless earbuds are great if you need a listening device with ear hooks. It is incredibly light, with every earbud weighing roughly 5g, making it one of the most comfortable products on our list. The latest V5.3 chip offers users smooth and immediate Bluetooth connectivity. You will enjoy rich bass, powerful volume, and clear sound.
This product also has a modern design that makes it aesthetically pleasing. It has other enticing features, too, like digital display charging and air conduction. A single charge offers roughly 6 hours of playtime, which extends to 36 hours with the case.
Pros
- It uses CVC 8.0 noise reduction
- It offers an immersive, rich base and noise reduction
- Its ear hooks are soft and comfortable
Cons
- Its touch-control feature is too sensitive.
Our last product on the list is Dascert Q-38, an in-ear earbud with various color options, including blue, black, green, orange, and rose red. It has 13mm dynamic driver speakers with a punchy base and a complete, textured midrange. You will enjoy a balanced, natural sound with excellent dynamic range and accuracy.
The adjustable and secure-fit silicone hooks and ergonomic design position them as you ride your bike, while the IP7 waterproof rating protects it from liquid spills or heavy rains. You will enjoy a stable connection, lower power consumption, and reduced latency thanks to its latest Bluetooth version (Bluetooth 5.3). Additionally, users get 6–8 hours of playtime on a single charge, which extends to 48 hours with the charging case.
Conclusion
A good pair of motorcycle earbuds is essential, especially if you like listening to music or communicating while riding. After reviewing all the products on our list, the Soundcore Life P3i comes out on top as the best motorcycle earbud, thanks to its solid build, clarity, and unique features. It is closely followed by the Rulefiss Q38 wireless earbuds, which have notable features such as Alexa integration. Blast Wireless Earbuds come in third, thanks to their ergonomic design, excellent battery life, and quality performance at a very affordable price.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I Need Good Motorcycle Earbuds?
Yes. Good motorcycle earbuds are essential for seamless communication, effortless navigation, and quality entertainment. They also reduce wind and engine noise and help you maintain situational awareness while on the road for enhanced safety.
Should My Motorcycle Earbuds Have Noise Reduction?
Although noise reduction is a worthy feature on motorcycle earbuds, it should be used responsibly. Most earbuds either offer passive noise cancellation by using physical barriers to block unwanted noise or active noise cancellation by playing a sound that cancels out surrounding noise. It’s important not to let this feature excessively muff traffic sounds and affect your situational awareness.
What are the Safety Concerns Associated with Having Motorcycle Earbuds on While Riding?
Riding with motorcycle earbuds can be dangerous, especially if the volume or noise cancellation is too high. It can reduce your awareness of surrounding traffic, prevent you from hearing horns and sirens, and limit your ability to hear auditory cues. Constantly checking or adjusting the earbuds, especially if they are uncomfortable, can also distract you while on the road. Fortunately, some earbuds have a transparent mode that filters ambient sounds.