Motorcycle enthusiasts often cite the thrill of speed and the love for the open road as the driving force behind their passion. But this exhilarating hobby comes at a high risk of permanent hearing damage for individuals who ride a lot.
The impact of motorcycle speed and riding duration on hearing health was assessed in a comprehensive study conducted by a hearing protection manufacturer in collaboration with a notable German automobile association. The conclusions were startling: bikers can suffer irreversible 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 concept of hearing loss may not be surprising, the primary culprit could. The greatest threat isn’t the raging engine, contrary to the common belief, it’s really the wind. While helmets offer considerable protection from injury during crashes, the research stresses that they fall short in safeguarding the rider’s hearing. Improvements to the helmet, such as added padding, vents, or weather stripping, do little to mitigate the wind noise whirling around the rider.
Regular exposure to extreme noise levels often leaves bikers with a condition called temporary threshold shift (TTS). TTS is a progressive condition, which means the more you’re exposed to loud noises, the more intense the symptoms can become. Initially, TTS sufferers may detect minor symptoms like a temporary decrease in hearing clarity. However, over time, this condition can progress to permanent and irreversible hearing loss.
Comparing wind volume with other noise levels
The German study sheds a lot of light on just how severe wind noise can get while riding. The wind noise around a rider’s head can reach 95 (dB) at 62 mph. For context, European Union (EU) law mandates that workers need to safeguard their ears if exposed to noise levels exceeding 80 dB. Bikers are enduring volume levels up to 19% higher than safe working environments when traveling at this speed.
And the noise level only gets louder as the speed goes up. Hearing damage can happen after just 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 considerable risk of hearing loss.
How to safeguard your hearing
Luckily, it’s easy to protect your hearing with earplugs. Hearing specialists emphatically recommend using filtered earplugs, which are far better than the old, uncomfortable versions many are familiar with. These sophisticated earplugs are manufactured to protect your eardrums from high-pitched noises like wind while still allowing lower frequency sounds to penetrate. 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 total experience of riding without feeling isolated or cut off from the external world which can’t be said for the old conventional style. You can safeguard your ears from damaging wind noise while still experiencing the thrill of the ride by utilizing filtered earplugs.
It is possible to enjoy the excitement of speed and the freedom of the open road while still keeping your ears safe from wind noise. Significant and permanent hearing damage can be caused by the noise of wind at high speeds. However, with the basic addition of quality earplugs, bikers can continue to enjoy their rides while safeguarding their long-term hearing health.
Stay on top of your hearing health by contacting us to discuss hearing protection.
