Motorcycle enthusiasts often cite the thrill of speed and the love for the open road as the primary reasons behind their enthusiasm. However, if you’re a devoted rider, you should be aware of a substantial risk: research has linked this stimulating hobby to irreversible hearing damage.
The effect of motorcycle speed and riding time on hearing health was examined in a detailed study performed by a hearing protection manufacturer in collaboration with a prominent German automobile association. The conclusions were startling: bikers can suffer permanent hearing damage after just 15 minutes of riding without earplugs at a speed of 62 mph.
What causes hearing loss in motorcyclists?
You may not be surprised that bikers often suffer from loss of hearing, but you may be surprised as to why. Contrary to what many think, it isn’t the motorcycle’s roaring engine but instead, the wind that poses the greatest hazard. Even though helmets provide considerable protection from injury during crashes, the research highlights that they fall short in safeguarding the rider’s hearing. Improvements to the helmet, like extra padding, vents, or weather stripping, do little to reduce the wind noise swirling around the rider.
Motorcyclists are frequently impacted by a condition called temporary threshold shift (TTS), which results from frequent exposure to excessive noise levels. The more often you are exposed to loud noise, the worse your TTS symptoms will be with this progressive condition. Individuals who are dealing with TTS may start to detect that their hearing is less clear or other minor symptoms. But permanent hearing loss can, over time, be the result.
How do other noises compare to wind volume?
The German study sheds a lot of light on just how extreme wind noise can be while riding. The wind noise around a rider’s head can be as high as 95 (dB) at 62 mph. To put into context, European Union (EU) law mandates that workers must protect their ears if exposed to noise levels higher than 80 dB. This means that bikers riding at this speed without hearing protection are exposed to volume levels nearly 19% higher than what is considered safe in a work environment.
As the speed goes up, so does the volume level. At 74 mph, wind noise can reach 98 dB, a level that can cause hearing damage after only 7 minutes of exposure. Many studies corroborate that bikers are indeed at considerable risk of permanent hearing loss.
How to protect your hearing
Luckily, it’s easy to protect your hearing with earplugs. Most individuals are familiar with the old basic earplugs, but hearing specialists recommend the filtered versions instead. These sophisticated earplugs are manufactured to safeguard your eardrums from high-pitched noises like wind while still allowing lower frequency sounds to get in. This means you can hear essential sounds like sirens, horns, and human speech, which are vital for a biker’s safety.
Furthermore, these modern earplugs let bikers enjoy the sensations of riding without feeling cut off or numb, a common disadvantage of older protective devices. With filtered earplugs, you can continue to experience the thrill of the ride while protecting your hearing from the harmful effects of wind noise.
While the passion for motorcycling is motivated by the appeal of speed and freedom, it’s essential to recognize and mitigate the associated risks to your hearing. Substantial 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 protecting their long-term hearing health.
Stay on top of your hearing health by calling us to talk about hearing protection.
