Motorcycle enthusiasts often mention 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 irreversible hearing damage for people who ride a lot.
A comprehensive study done by a prominent German automobile association in partnership with a manufacturer of hearing protection solutions examined the effect of riding duration and motorcycle speed on hearing health. The results were alarming: bikers can suffer permanent hearing damage after only 15 minutes of riding without hearing protection at a speed of 62 mph.
What causes hearing loss in bikers?
While the concept of hearing loss may not come as a complete surprise, the leading culprit could. The greatest threat isn’t the raging engine, contrary to the common belief, it’s actually the wind. The research emphasized that although helmets offer critical protection during crashes, they fall short in protecting a biker’s hearing. The wind noise beating around the rider’s head isn’t decreased much even when a helmet has extra padding, vents, or other modifications.
Regular exposure to excessive noise levels often leaves bikers with a condition called temporary threshold shift (TTS). TTS is a progressive condition, which means the more you are exposed to loud noises, the worse the symptoms can become. People who are dealing with TTS might start to notice that their hearing is less clear or other minor symptoms. But irreversible hearing loss can, over time, be the result.
How do other noises compare to wind volume?
To understand the seriousness of wind noise while riding, the German study’s findings are illuminating. The wind noise around a rider’s head can reach 95 (dB) at 62 mph. Workers in Europe, for instance, need to use ear protection by law if the volume goes beyond 80 dB. Bikers are experiencing volume levels up to 19% higher than safe working environments when traveling at this speed.
As the speed goes up, so does the noise level. 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
Fortunately, protecting your hearing while riding is both easy and effective: use earplugs. Hearing specialists emphatically recommend using filtered earplugs, which are far better than the old, uncomfortable versions most people are familiar with. Filtered earplugs are a more sophisticated model that filters out high frequencies like wind while allowing lower frequencies to get in. It’s important for bikers to still be able to hear vital sounds like human voices, emergency warning sounds, and car horns.
Bikers are also able to get the full experience of riding without feeling isolated or cut off from the outside world which can’t be said for the old conventional style. With filtered earplugs, you can continue to enjoy the thrill of the ride while protecting your hearing from the damaging effects of wind noise.
While the passion for motorcycling is fueled by the allure of speed and freedom, it’s important to recognize and minimize the associated hazards to your hearing. Substantial and irreversible hearing damage can be caused by the noise of wind at high speeds. But bikers can protect their long-term hearing while still enjoying the ride by simply using a set of quality earplugs.
Stay on top of your hearing health by calling us to discuss hearing protection.
