Motorcycle enthusiasts often mention the thrill of speed and the love for the open road as the driving force behind their enthusiasm. But this invigorating hobby comes at a high risk of permanent hearing damage for people who ride a lot.
The impact of motorcycle speed and riding duration on hearing health was evaluated in a detailed study conducted by a hearing protection maker in collaboration with a prominent German automobile association. The results were startling: bikers can suffer permanent hearing damage after just 15 minutes of riding without hearing protection at a speed of 62 mph.
Why do bikers get hearing loss?
While the idea of hearing loss might not be surprising, the main culprit could. The greatest threat isn’t the roaring engine, contrary to the common belief, it’s actually the wind. The research emphasized that although helmets provide critical protection during crashes, they fall short in safeguarding a biker’s hearing. Enhancements to the helmet, like additional padding, vents, or weather stripping, do little to reduce the wind noise whirling around the rider.
Motorcyclists are often impacted by a condition known as temporary threshold shift (TTS), which results from regular exposure to extreme noise levels. TTS is a progressive condition, meaning the more you’re exposed to loud noises, the more intense the symptoms can get. At first, TTS sufferers might notice 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?
To understand the seriousness of wind noise while riding, the German study’s findings are illuminating. At 62 mph, the wind around a biker’s head creates noise levels reaching 95 decibels (dB). Workers in Europe, for example, need to use ear protection by law if the volume goes beyond 80 dB. Bikers are enduring noise levels up to 19% higher than safe working environments when traveling at this speed.
As the speed goes up, so does the volume level. Hearing damage can take place after just 7 minutes of riding at 74 mph which generates wind volumes of 98 dB. Other studies validate these findings, suggesting that bikers are indeed at a significant risk of hearing loss.
How to safeguard your hearing
Luckily, it’s simple to protect your hearing with earplugs. Most people are familiar with the old standard earplugs, but hearing specialists recommend the filtered versions instead. Filtered earplugs are a more advanced model that filters out high frequencies like wind while allowing lower frequencies to get through. This means you can hear crucial sounds like sirens, horns, and human speech, which are vital for a biker’s safety.
Furthermore, these modern earplugs allow bikers to enjoy the exhilaration of riding without feeling cut off or numb, a common disadvantage of older protective devices. You can protect your ears from damaging wind noise while still enjoying the thrill of the ride by making use of filtered earplugs.
It is possible to enjoy the thrill of speed and the freedom of the open road while still keeping your ears safe from wind noise. The wind noise generated at high speeds can cause substantial and permanent hearing damage in a very short time period. But bikers can protect their long-term hearing while still enjoying the ride by simply utilizing a set of quality earplugs.
Stay on top of your hearing health by contacting us to discuss hearing protection.