Love of the open road and the thrill of speed are at the top of the list of reasons why people love riding motorcycles. However, if you’re an avid rider, you should know about a significant risk: research has connected this stimulating hobby to permanent hearing damage.
An in depth study done by a notable German automobile association in partnership with a maker of hearing protection solutions examined the effect of riding duration and motorcycle speed on hearing health. Alarmingly, at speeds of 62 or higher, for just 15 minutes, riders who don’t utilize hearing protection can suffer irreversible hearing damage.
What causes hearing loss in motorcyclists?
You may not be surprised that bikers frequently suffer from hearing loss, but you may be surprised as to why. The biggest threat isn’t the raging engine, contrary to the common belief, it’s really the wind. The research highlighted that even though helmets offer critical protection during accidents, they fall short in protecting a biker’s hearing. Enhancements to the helmet, such as extra padding, vents, or weather stripping, do little to mitigate the wind noise swirling around the rider.
Motorcyclists are frequently impacted by a condition known as temporary threshold shift (TTS), which results from frequent 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. People who are dealing with TTS may begin to notice that their hearing is less clear or other minor symptoms. However, over time, this condition can advance to permanent and irreversible hearing loss.
How do other noises compare to wind noise?
To understand the severity of wind noise while riding, the German study’s conclusions are illuminating. At 62 mph, the wind around a biker’s head creates noise levels reaching 95 decibels (dB). For context, European Union (EU) law mandates that workers must safeguard their ears if exposed to volume levels higher than 80 dB. This means that bikers riding at this speed without ear protection are exposed to volume levels nearly 19% higher than what is considered safe in a work environment.
And the noise level only gets louder as the speed increases. Hearing damage can take place after just 7 minutes of riding at 74 mph which generates wind volumes of 98 dB. Many studies confirm that bikers are indeed at considerable risk of permanent hearing loss.
How to safeguard your hearing
Thankfully, protecting your hearing while riding is both simple and effective: use earplugs. Most individuals are familiar with the old basic 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. It’s important for bikers to still be able to hear vital sounds like human voices, emergency warning sounds, and car horns.
Furthermore, these modern earplugs allow bikers to enjoy the sensations of riding without feeling isolated or numb, a common downside of older protective devices. With filtered earplugs, you can continue to enjoy the thrill of the ride while safeguarding your hearing from the damaging effects of wind noise.
It is possible to enjoy the thrill of speed and the freedom of the open road while still keeping your hearing safe from wind noise. Considerable and irreversible hearing damage can be caused by the noise of wind at high speeds. However, with the simple addition of quality earplugs, bikers can continue to enjoy their rides while safeguarding their long-term hearing health.
Give us a call today to find out more about hearing protection so you can keep on top of your hearing health.