Love of the open road and the thrill of speed are at the top of the list of reasons why individuals love riding motorcycles. However, if you’re an avid rider, you should be aware of a significant risk: research has linked this thrilling hobby to permanent hearing damage.
The effect of motorcycle speed and riding duration on hearing health was assessed in a detailed study performed by a hearing protection maker in collaboration with a prominent German automobile association. Alarmingly, at speeds of 62 or higher, for just 15 minutes, riders who don’t utilize hearing protection can suffer irreversible hearing damage.
Why do bikers get hearing loss?
While the notion of hearing loss might not be surprising, the main culprit could. Despite what many think, it’s not the motorcycle’s roaring engine but rather, the wind that presents the biggest threat. Even though helmets offer considerable protection from injury during crashes, the research stresses that they fall short in safeguarding the rider’s hearing. Enhancements 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 get. Individuals who are coping with TTS might begin to notice that their hearing is less clear or other minor symptoms. But permanent hearing loss can, over time, be the result.
Comparing wind volume with other noise levels
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. Workers in Europe, for example, have to use hearing protection by law if the volume goes beyond 80 dB. Bikers are experiencing volume levels up to 19% higher than safe working environments when riding at this speed.
And the volume level only increases as the speed increases. Hearing damage can happen after just 7 minutes of riding at 74 mph which produces wind volumes of 98 dB. Many studies corroborate that bikers are indeed at significant risk of irreversible hearing loss.
Safeguarding your ears
Fortunately, safeguarding your hearing while riding is both easy and effective: use earplugs. Most people are familiar with the old basic earplugs, but hearing specialists recommend the filtered versions instead. These advanced earplugs are designed to safeguard your eardrums from high-pitched noises like wind while still allowing lower frequency sounds to penetrate. 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 isolated or numb, a common disadvantage of older protective devices. You can protect 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 fueled by the appeal of speed and freedom, it’s important to acknowledge and minimize the associated hazards to your hearing. The wind noise generated at high speeds can cause considerable and irreversible hearing damage in a very short time period. 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 calling us to discuss hearing protection.