Motorcycle enthusiasts frequently mention the thrill of speed and the love for the open road as the primary reasons behind their passion. However, if you’re an avid rider, you should be aware of a significant risk: research has connected this thrilling hobby to irreversible hearing damage.
A comprehensive study carried out by a notable German automobile association in collaboration with a manufacturer of hearing protection solutions evaluated the impact 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 permanent hearing damage.
Why do motorcycle riders get hearing loss?
While the concept of hearing loss might not come as a complete surprise, the main culprit might. The biggest threat isn’t the roaring engine, contrary to the common belief, it’s really the wind. Even though helmets offer significant protection from injury during crashes, the research stresses that they fall short in protecting the rider’s hearing. The wind noise whipping around the rider’s head isn’t reduced much even when a helmet has extra padding, vents, or other improvements.
Bikers are often affected by a condition known as temporary threshold shift (TTS), which is triggered by frequent exposure to excessive noise levels. The more often you are exposed to loud noise, the worse your TTS symptoms will be with this progressive condition. At first, TTS sufferers might notice minor symptoms like a temporary reduction in hearing clarity. However, over time, this condition can progress to permanent and irreversible hearing loss.
How do other noises compare to wind noise?
The German study sheds a lot of light on just how extreme wind noise can be while riding. The wind noise around a rider’s head can reach 95 (dB) at 62 mph. Workers in Europe, for instance, need to use hearing protection by law if the volume exceeds 80 dB. Bikers are enduring noise levels up to 19% higher than safe working environments when traveling at this speed.
As the speed increases, so does the noise level. Hearing damage can take place after only 7 minutes of riding at 74 mph which generates wind volumes of 98 dB. Many studies confirm that bikers are indeed at considerable risk of irreversible hearing loss.
How to safeguard your hearing
Fortunately, protecting your hearing while riding is both simple and effective: use earplugs. Most individuals are familiar with the old standard earplugs, but hearing specialists recommend the filtered versions instead. These advanced earplugs are manufactured to protect your eardrums from high-frequency noises like wind while still allowing lower frequency sounds to penetrate. This means you can hear crucial sounds like sirens, horns, and human speech, which are vital for a biker’s safety.
Moreover, these modern earplugs allow bikers to enjoy the sensations of riding without feeling cut off or numb, a common downside of older protective devices. With filtered earplugs, you can continue to experience the thrill of the ride while safeguarding your hearing from the damaging effects of wind noise.
While the passion for motorcycling is powered by the allure of speed and freedom, it’s essential to recognize and minimize the associated risks to your hearing. The wind noise produced at high speeds can cause considerable and permanent hearing damage in a really short time period. But bikers can safeguard 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 contacting us to talk about hearing protection.
