Love of the open road and the thrill of speed top the list of reasons why people love riding motorcycles. But this exhilarating hobby comes at a high risk of irreversible hearing damage for individuals who ride a lot.
An in depth study done by a notable German automobile association in partnership with a maker of hearing protection solutions examined the impact of riding time 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 permanent hearing damage.
What causes hearing loss in motorcyclists?
You might not be surprised that bikers often suffer from hearing loss, but you may be surprised as to why. The greatest threat isn’t the raging engine, contrary to the common belief, it’s actually the wind. The research emphasized that even though helmets provide critical protection during crashes, they fall short in protecting a biker’s hearing. Enhancements to the helmet, like extra padding, vents, or weather stripping, do little to reduce the wind noise whirling around the rider.
Regular exposure to extreme noise levels often leaves bikers with a condition called temporary threshold shift (TTS). The more frequently you’re exposed to loud noise, the more intense your TTS symptoms will be with this progressive condition. At first, TTS sufferers might notice minor symptoms like a temporary decrease in hearing clarity. But irreversible hearing loss can, over time, be the outcome.
How do other noises compare to wind volume?
To comprehend the severity of wind noise while riding, the German study’s results are illuminating. At 62 mph, the wind around a biker’s head creates noise levels reaching 95 decibels (dB). Workers in Europe, for instance, have to utilize hearing protection by law if the volume exceeds 80 dB. Bikers are enduring volume levels up to 19% higher than safe working environments when traveling at this speed.
And the noise level only increases as the speed goes up. Hearing damage can take place after only 7 minutes of riding at 74 mph which generates wind volumes of 98 dB. Many studies corroborate that bikers are indeed at substantial risk of irreversible hearing loss.
Safeguarding your ears
The good news is, it’s easy to safeguard your hearing with earplugs. Hearing specialists strongly recommend utilizing filtered earplugs, which are far better than the old, uncomfortable versions most people are familiar with. These sophisticated earplugs are manufactured to safeguard your eardrums from high-pitched noises like wind while still allowing lower frequency sounds to get in. It’s important for bikers to still be able to hear important sounds like human voices, emergency warning sounds, and car horns.
Moreover, these modern earplugs let bikers enjoy the exhilaration of riding without feeling cut off or numb, a common downside of older protective devices. You can safeguard your ears from damaging wind noise while still experiencing the thrill of the ride by making use of filtered earplugs.
It is possible to enjoy the thrill of speed and the freedom of the open road while still keeping your ears safe from wind noise. The wind noise produced at high speeds can cause substantial and permanent hearing damage in a really short time. However, with the basic 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 contacting us to talk about hearing protection.