Love of the open road and the thrill of speed are at the top of the list of reasons why people love to ride motorcycles. But this exhilarating hobby comes at a high risk of irreversible 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 performed by a hearing protection manufacturer in collaboration with a prominent German automobile association. Alarmingly, at speeds of 62 or higher, for only 15 minutes, riders who don’t make use of hearing protection can suffer permanent hearing damage.
What causes hearing loss in motorcyclists?
You might not be surprised that bikers frequently suffer from hearing loss, but you might be surprised as to why. Contrary to what many believe, it’s not the motorcycle’s roaring engine but instead, the wind that poses the biggest threat. The research highlighted that although helmets offer crucial protection during accidents, they fall short in safeguarding a biker’s hearing. Enhancements to the helmet, such as additional padding, vents, or weather stripping, do little to reduce the wind noise whirling around the rider.
Frequent exposure to excessive noise levels often leaves bikers with a condition called temporary threshold shift (TTS). TTS is a progressive condition, meaning the more you are exposed to loud noises, the worse the symptoms can become. At first, TTS sufferers might 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 noise with other noise levels
The German study sheds a lot of light on just how extreme wind noise can be while riding. At 62 mph, the wind around a biker’s head creates noise levels reaching 95 decibels (dB). Workers in Europe, for example, have to use ear protection by law if the volume goes beyond 80 dB. This means that bikers traveling at this speed without ear protection are exposed to noise levels nearly 19% higher than what is deemed safe in a work environment.
As the speed increases, so does the noise level. At 74 mph, wind noise can reach 98 dB, a level that can trigger hearing damage after just 7 minutes of exposure. Other studies validate these findings, suggesting that bikers are indeed at a significant risk of hearing loss.
Protecting your ears
The good news is, it’s easy to safeguard your hearing with earplugs. Hearing specialists strongly recommend utilizing filtered earplugs, which are far superior to the old, uncomfortable versions many are familiar with. These advanced earplugs are designed to protect your eardrums from high-frequency 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.
Furthermore, these modern earplugs allow bikers to enjoy the exhilaration of riding without feeling isolated or numb, a common drawback of older protective devices. You can safeguard your ears from harmful wind noise while still experiencing the thrill of the ride by making use of filtered earplugs.
While the passion for motorcycling is motivated by the appeal of speed and freedom, it’s important to acknowledge and mitigate the associated risks to your hearing. The wind noise produced at high speeds can cause significant and irreversible hearing damage in a very short time. But bikers can safeguard their long-term hearing while still enjoying the ride by simply utilizing a set of quality earplugs.
Call today to find out more about hearing protection so you can keep on top of your hearing health.
