Motorcycle enthusiasts frequently cite the thrill of speed and the love for the open road as the primary reasons behind their passion. But this invigorating hobby comes at a high risk of permanent hearing damage for individuals who ride a lot.
An extensive study carried out by a prominent German automobile association in collaboration with a manufacturer of hearing protection solutions examined the impact of riding time and motorcycle speed on hearing health. The conclusions were startling: bikers can suffer permanent hearing damage after just 15 minutes of riding without earplugs at a speed of 62 mph.
Why do motorcycle riders get hearing loss?
While the notion of hearing loss might not come as a complete surprise, the leading culprit might. Contrary to what many believe, it’s not the motorcycle’s roaring engine but instead, the wind that presents the greatest hazard. The research highlighted that although helmets offer critical protection during crashes, they fall short in safeguarding a biker’s hearing. The wind noise whipping around the rider’s head isn’t reduced very much even when a helmet has added padding, vents, or other improvements.
Bikers are often impacted by a condition known as temporary threshold shift (TTS), which is triggered by frequent exposure to extreme noise levels. The more frequently you’re exposed to loud noise, the worse your TTS symptoms will become with this progressive condition. At first, TTS sufferers might detect minor symptoms like a temporary reduction in hearing clarity. But permanent hearing loss can, over time, be the result.
How do other noises compare to wind noise?
The German study sheds a lot of light on just how severe wind noise can be while riding. At 62 mph, the wind around a biker’s head produces noise levels reaching 95 decibels (dB). To put into context, European Union (EU) law mandates that workers must protect their ears if exposed to volume levels exceeding 80 dB. Bikers are experiencing noise levels up to 19% higher than safe working environments when riding at this speed.
And the noise level only gets louder as the speed goes up. Hearing damage can happen after only 7 minutes of riding at 74 mph which produces wind volumes of 98 dB. Other studies validate these findings, indicating that bikers are indeed at a substantial risk of hearing loss.
Protecting your ears
Thankfully, safeguarding your hearing while riding is both easy and effective: use earplugs. Most people are familiar with the old standard earplugs, but hearing specialists recommend the filtered versions instead. Filtered earplugs are a more sophisticated model that filters out high frequencies like wind while allowing lower frequencies to get in. This means you’re able to hear crucial sounds like sirens, horns, and human speech, which are vital for a biker’s safety.
Bikers are also able to get the full experience of riding without feeling isolated or cut off from the outside world which can’t be said for the old conventional style. With filtered earplugs, you can continue to enjoy the thrill of the ride while protecting your hearing from the harmful effects of wind noise.
It is possible to enjoy the excitement of speed and the freedom of the open road while still keeping your hearing safe from wind noise. Significant and irreversible hearing damage can be caused by the noise of wind at high speeds. But bikers can safeguard their long-term hearing while still enjoying the ride by simply utilizing a pair of quality earplugs.
Give us a call today to find out more about hearing protection so you can stay on top of your hearing health.