I have been riding motorbikes for the thick end of 35 years and it is only in the last five that I have worn earplugs. I suppose there were so many years without them because at the time, so few other riders I knew wore them. I was also worried that they were dangerous, fearing that they alienate you from your surroundings by eliminating all sound. This simply isn’t true – as it turns out, you can still hear everything, but at a reduced volume.