Motorcycle enthusiasts frequently mention the thrill of speed and the love for the open road as the primary reasons behind their enthusiasm. But this exhilarating hobby comes at a high risk of irreversible hearing damage for individuals who ride a lot.
The effect of motorcycle speed and riding time on hearing health was examined in a comprehensive study performed by a hearing protection manufacturer in cooperation with a prominent German automobile association. The conclusions were alarming: bikers can suffer permanent 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 often suffer from hearing loss, but you may be surprised as to why. Contrary to what many believe, it isn’t the motorcycle’s roaring engine but instead, the wind that presents the greatest threat. Even though helmets offer significant protection from injury during crashes, the research stresses that they fall short in safeguarding the rider’s hearing. Improvements to the helmet, like extra padding, vents, or weather stripping, do little to reduce the wind noise swirling around the rider.
Regular exposure to excessive noise levels often leaves bikers with a condition called temporary threshold shift (TTS). 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 decrease in hearing clarity. But permanent hearing loss can, over time, be the outcome.
How do other noises compare to wind volume?
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 be as high as 95 (dB) at 62 mph. Workers in Europe, for instance, have 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 increases as the speed goes up. At 74 mph, wind volume can reach 98 dB, a level that can cause hearing damage after only 7 minutes of exposure. Many studies confirm that bikers are indeed at considerable risk of irreversible hearing loss.
Protecting your ears
Fortunately, safeguarding your hearing while riding is both easy and effective: use earplugs. Most individuals are familiar with the old basic 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. This means you’re able to hear crucial sounds like sirens, horns, and human speech, which are vital for a biker’s safety.
Furthermore, these modern earplugs allow bikers to enjoy the sensations 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 damaging effects of wind noise.
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. 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 protecting their long-term hearing health.
Give us a call today to find out more about hearing protection so you can keep on top of your hearing health.