You have to bear in mind that these helmets do not entirely cancel out noise. Instead, it only reduces them to a tolerable level. There will be slight wind noise when riding. On average, a heavy-traffic area would have a decibel range of around 85 decibels. This does not include the incessant honking from impatient drivers. But if you wear a quiet motorcycle helmet, it helps reduce the noise by around 20 decibels, leaving you with a more tolerable 65-decibel sound.