Love of the open road and the thrill of speed top the list of reasons why individuals love to ride motorcycles. But this exciting hobby comes at a high risk of irreversible hearing damage for people who ride a lot.
An in depth study carried out by a notable German automobile association in collaboration with a manufacturer of hearing protection solutions examined the impact of riding time and motorcycle speed on hearing health. The results were alarming: bikers can suffer irreversible hearing damage after just 15 minutes of riding without hearing protection at a speed of 62 mph.
What causes hearing loss in motorcyclists?
You might not be surprised that bikers frequently suffer from hearing loss, but you might be surprised as to why. In spite of what many think, it isn’t the motorcycle’s roaring engine but instead, the wind that presents the biggest threat. The research highlighted that even though helmets offer crucial protection during accidents, they fall short in protecting a biker’s hearing. The wind noise beating around the rider’s head isn’t reduced much even when a helmet has extra padding, vents, or other modifications.
Regular exposure to extreme noise levels often leaves bikers with a condition known as 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. Initially, TTS sufferers may detect minor symptoms like a temporary reduction in hearing clarity. But irreversible hearing loss can, over time, be the outcome.
How do other noises compare to wind noise?
To comprehend the seriousness of wind noise while riding, the German study’s results are illuminating. The wind noise around a rider’s head can reach 95 (dB) at 62 mph. Workers in Europe, for example, have to use ear protection by law if the volume goes beyond 80 dB. This means that bikers traveling at this speed without hearing protection are exposed to noise levels nearly 19% higher than what is deemed safe in a work environment.
And the noise level only gets louder as the speed increases. Hearing damage can occur after just 7 minutes of riding at 74 mph which produces wind volumes of 98 dB. Many studies corroborate that bikers are indeed at substantial risk of permanent hearing loss.
Protecting your ears
Fortunately, protecting your hearing while riding is both simple and effective: use earplugs. Most people are familiar with the old standard earplugs, but hearing specialists recommend the filtered versions instead. These advanced earplugs are manufactured to safeguard your eardrums from high-pitched noises like wind while still allowing lower frequency sounds to penetrate. 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 experience the thrill of the ride while safeguarding your hearing from the damaging effects of wind noise.
It is possible to enjoy the excitement of speed and the freedom of the open road while still keeping your hearing safe from wind noise. The wind noise produced at high speeds can cause significant and permanent hearing damage in a really short time period. However, with the simple 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.