Motorcycle enthusiasts frequently cite the thrill of speed and the love for the open road as the primary reasons behind their passion. However, if you’re a devoted rider, you should know about a significant risk: research has connected this stimulating hobby to irreversible hearing damage.
An extensive study carried out by a notable German automobile association in partnership with a maker of hearing protection solutions evaluated the effect of riding time and motorcycle speed on hearing health. The conclusions were startling: bikers can suffer irreversible hearing damage after only 15 minutes of riding without hearing protection at a speed of 62 mph.
Why do motorcycle riders get hearing loss?
While the notion of hearing loss might not come as a complete surprise, the primary culprit could. The biggest threat isn’t the raging engine, contrary to the common belief, it’s really the wind. Although helmets provide considerable protection from injury during crashes, the research stresses that they fall short in protecting the rider’s hearing. The wind noise beating around the rider’s head isn’t reduced very much even when a helmet has extra padding, vents, or other modifications.
Motorcyclists are often affected by a condition known as temporary threshold shift (TTS), which results from frequent exposure to excessive noise levels. TTS is a progressive condition, which means the more you are exposed to loud noises, the worse the symptoms can become. At first, TTS sufferers may detect minor symptoms like a temporary reduction in hearing clarity. But irreversible hearing loss can, over time, be the result.
Comparing wind noise with other noise levels
To comprehend the seriousness of wind noise while riding, the German study’s findings are illuminating. At 62 mph, the wind around a biker’s head generates noise levels reaching 95 decibels (dB). Workers in Europe, for example, need to use hearing protection by law if the volume exceeds 80 dB. Bikers are enduring volume levels up to 19% higher than safe working environments when riding at this speed.
As the speed increases, so does the volume level. Hearing damage can occur after just 7 minutes of riding at 74 mph which produces wind volumes of 98 dB. Other studies corroborate these findings, indicating that bikers are indeed at a substantial risk of hearing loss.
Safeguarding your ears
Thankfully, 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 sophisticated earplugs are manufactured to protect your eardrums from high-frequency noises like wind while still allowing lower frequency sounds to get in. It’s crucial for bikers to still be able to hear vital sounds like human voices, sirens, and car horns.
Bikers are also able to get the total experience of riding without feeling isolated or cut off from the outside world which can’t be said for the old conventional style. You can protect your ears from damaging wind noise while still enjoying 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 hearing safe from wind noise. Substantial and irreversible hearing damage can be caused by the noise of wind at high speeds. 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.