Motorcycle enthusiasts often mention the thrill of speed and the love for the open road as the primary reasons behind their passion. But this exhilarating hobby comes at a high risk of permanent hearing damage for people who ride a lot.
The impact of motorcycle speed and riding duration on hearing health was evaluated in a comprehensive study conducted by a hearing protection maker in collaboration with a prominent German automobile association. The results were startling: bikers can suffer permanent hearing damage after only 15 minutes of riding without hearing protection at a speed of 62 mph.
Why do bikers get hearing loss?
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 really the wind. The research highlighted that although helmets provide crucial protection during crashes, 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 added padding, vents, or other modifications.
Regular exposure to excessive noise levels often leaves bikers with a condition known as temporary threshold shift (TTS). The more frequently you’re exposed to loud noise, the more intense your TTS symptoms will become with this progressive condition. At first, TTS sufferers may notice minor symptoms like a temporary decrease in hearing clarity. However, over time, this condition can advance to permanent and irreversible hearing loss.
How do other noises compare to wind noise?
To grasp the severity of wind noise while riding, the German study’s findings are illuminating. The wind noise around a rider’s head can reach 95 (dB) at 62 mph. To put into context, European Union (EU) law mandates that workers must safeguard their ears if exposed to noise levels exceeding 80 dB. Bikers are experiencing volume levels up to 19% higher than safe working environments when riding at this speed.
And the volume level only gets louder as the speed increases. At 74 mph, wind volume can reach 98 dB, a level that can cause hearing damage after only 7 minutes of exposure. Other studies corroborate these findings, suggesting that bikers are indeed at a significant risk of hearing loss.
Safeguarding your ears
Luckily, it’s simple to safeguard your hearing with earplugs. Most people are familiar with the old basic earplugs, but hearing specialists recommend the filtered versions instead. These sophisticated earplugs are designed to safeguard your eardrums from high-frequency 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 critical 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. You can protect 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 excitement of speed and the freedom of the open road while still keeping your ears safe from wind noise. The wind noise generated at high speeds can cause substantial and permanent hearing damage in a very short time. However, with the simple addition of quality earplugs, bikers can continue to enjoy their rides while protecting their long-term hearing health.
Give us a call today to learn more about hearing protection so you can stay on top of your hearing health.
