Love of the open road and the thrill of speed are at the top of the list of reasons why individuals love to ride motorcycles. But this exciting hobby comes at a high risk of permanent hearing damage for people who ride a lot.
An in depth study conducted by a prominent 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 only 15 minutes, riders who don’t use hearing protection can suffer irreversible hearing damage.
What causes hearing loss in bikers?
While the idea of hearing loss may not be surprising, the primary culprit could. The greatest threat isn’t the roaring engine, contrary to the common belief, it’s actually the wind. While helmets offer considerable protection from injury during crashes, the research stresses that they fall short in protecting the rider’s hearing. Improvements to the helmet, such as extra padding, vents, or weather stripping, do little to decrease the wind noise swirling around the rider.
Frequent exposure to excessive noise levels often leaves bikers with a condition called temporary threshold shift (TTS). The more frequently 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.
Comparing wind volume with other noise levels
To comprehend the severity of wind noise while riding, the German study’s findings are illuminating. At 62 mph, the wind around a biker’s head produces noise levels reaching 95 decibels (dB). Workers in Europe, for example, need to utilize hearing protection by law if the volume goes beyond 80 dB. Bikers are enduring noise levels up to 19% higher than safe working environments when traveling at this speed.
And the volume level only gets louder as the speed goes up. Hearing damage can happen after only 7 minutes of riding at 74 mph which generates wind volumes of 98 dB. Other studies validate these findings, indicating that bikers are indeed at a substantial risk of hearing loss.
How to protect your hearing
Luckily, it’s simple to safeguard your hearing with earplugs. Most people are familiar with the old standard 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 in. This means you’re able to hear essential sounds like sirens, horns, and human speech, which are critical for a biker’s safety.
Furthermore, these modern earplugs let bikers enjoy the exhilaration of riding without feeling isolated or numb, a common drawback of older protective devices. With filtered earplugs, you can continue to enjoy the thrill of the ride while protecting your hearing from the harmful 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 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 safeguarding their long-term hearing health.
Stay on top of your hearing health by contacting us to discuss hearing protection.