Who listens to music when riding?

[Ant]

What it says on the tin. Who listens to music/books/radio while they're riding and who thinks that riding and listening to music is the work of the devil?

I'm on the fence, some days on long rides when the sky is clear and its a nice day I just really fancy some lively music to listen to, but then I also like the peace and solitude on a bike so I'm not sure. Contemplating getting some etymotics but I don't want to spend $130 until I'm a bit more decided.

[RickC1957]

I have tried to listen a couple of times....just on huge slab portions of the ride....I find it dangerous and distracting. I don't even listen to the radio in the car....it's my peace and quiet time. For those who listen "to kill the boredom"....that is the lamest excuse ever there is nothing boring about riding

[Ant]

For those who listen "to kill the boredom"....that is the lamest excuse ever there is nothing boring about riding

I agree with that whole heartedly... I'm not considering music as "something to do" to relieve boredom, just to add something to those long rides. It is the potential distraction that worries me, if I'm merrily singing away in my helmet then what does that say about what I'm watching out for? But then again I don't feel unsafe when I'm grooving away in my car (which I was doing this morning on the way into work - damn not being able to carry 3 PCs on the bike). For a good driver/rider is the difference between bikes and cars that big? I'm inclined to say no, you should be paying the same amount of attention in both vehicles, just the consequences of getting it wrong on a bike are greater...

[Bounce]

MP3 is old school. Works but I love my Sirius receiver better.

[squeezer]

I voted "Yes, all of the above," because I occasionally do both, but it's very occasionally.  I only do it to pass the time on long, straight slab runs, and I skip it most of the time then.  On every other type of road, I'm having too good a time just being with the bike, and the zen-like connection you have at that point is why I ride in the first place.  

[DNA]

I do listen, but mostly when I am on slab or between interesting sections.  Every time I have been pulled over I had music on - so it is distracting.
I never listen during rallies, but sometimes to and from.

[Ant]

MP3 is old school. Works but I love my Sirius receiver better.

Now originally I had a poll option for satellite radio but then I thought no one is that pedantic as to complain about the differences between MP3 and radio; obviously I was wrong    

[Lucky_Devil]

I don't always listen while riding, BUT I always bring it with me because I think it's nice to have the option.... especially after I start singing to myself in my helmet    time to turn on some music when that happens... nobody wants to hear me sing, not even me....  

[bizarro]

I don't, I find it distracting in the twisties and I don't ride the slab enough for it to be worth wiring up. I actually ride to get away from the daily noise (music, tv, people, etc). I just want to hear the motor, the tires, the wind, and my own thoughts, if I'm having any.

[desert_rider]

I've got Sirius sat radio hooked up to the Bandit and love it.  However, there are time when I turn it off in the tight stuff.

[Squareman357]

MP3 is old school. Works but I love my Sirius receiver better.

Old school and FREE!  I listen to my 40 GBs of music when on trips and slabbing.  It's not a distraction for me because when the road gets technical, I'm so focused on the ride I don't even hear the music playing in the back ground.  Later, my subconscious might remember what was playing if you were to hypnotize me, but if I'm riding a road like the Dragon, or similar, I couldn't even remember what was playing during that time, my focus is that tight.  It makes for a good time passer when you're just doing the miles in between the canyon bombing.

[turboderek]

ipod shuffle to make the sound of the wind less distracting.

[sfninja]

I used to but not anymore. I would zone out and get into trouble (ticket, speeding, too relaxed). The learning curve for me has been re-established anew and I need full concentration to work on better cornering. I might break out the iPod on a long deserted stretch of interstate... I used to like the slabs but now I can barely stand them (boring and dangerous.)

[Desmo Demon]

I like to listen to my bike's exhaust and engine noises. It especially helps to be able to listen to the bike when riding in the mountain twisties, as I am used to how it should sound at certain desireable rpms, especially when diving into the curves. I have never had a desire to listen to any music while riding a bike.

[evilmedic13]

I've been using music for so long as secondary personality that I refuse to be w/o it. Even if I don't hear it because I'm concentrating on something, I have it going. Usually listen to whatever will calm me down,if I'm not already.
  There's nothing like Slayer's 213 or War Ensemble after a rough day at work,fighting w/ cagers in morning rush hour after 24 hrs of watching pain,suffering or peole being stupid. Believe it or not ,it actually mellows me out, the music is playing out in front of me and I just watch the show. Also, when it's one of those just perfect days, the one's that remind me of SD, I throw a playlist in and just let the music be the background noise of another day I'll look back on when I'm too old to do this anymore.
  Unfortunately, music was the place I could go whenever I needed to get away from whatever w/o leaving(try being alone on a submarine at sea!) wherever. Sometimes a song'll come on that will remind the past and I'll chill just 'cuz tomorrow it can all disappear and BAM! I'm back to struggling to make ends meet and eat in the same week!

[dgunther]

On long slab hauls, I've got to have something to listen to besides wind blast.  Usually music MP3s, but sometimes audiobooks or podcasts.

[Ant]

I think I'll probably just stick with the voices in my head for the moment...  

I quite like the solitude and just the sounds of the bike, just sometimes some coherent noise might be good  

[denydog]

No music on local or curvy rides.  But on interstate rides of an hour or more, I will sometimes listen to my ipod shuffle.  185 of only my very favorite songs.

A buddy riding behind me on a 200 mile straight stretch of I-5 on the way to WCRM IV last week, told me he was laughing at my dancing to the music while riding.  I was tapping my toes, shaking my head and shoulders, and occasionally swerving the bike slightly in time to the music.  Made the miles go by faster until we headed off on the secondary roads to the coast

[Biglar]

I don't usually listen to music when I'm riding with a group or on technical roads. But on long rides the mere 5400 songs on the ipod works out nice.

[denydog]

on long rides the mere 5400 songs on the ipod works out nice.

You must ride some pretty long stretches