Love of the open road and the thrill of speed are at the top of the list of reasons why individuals love riding motorcycles. However, if you’re an avid rider, you should be aware of a substantial risk: research has connected this stimulating hobby to irreversible hearing damage.
The effect of motorcycle speed and riding time on hearing health was evaluated in a detailed study conducted by a hearing protection manufacturer in cooperation with a notable German automobile association. The conclusions were startling: bikers can suffer permanent hearing damage after just 15 minutes of riding without earplugs at a speed of 62 mph.
What causes hearing loss in bikers?
You might not be surprised that bikers frequently suffer from loss of hearing, but you may be surprised as to why. The biggest threat isn’t the roaring engine, contrary to the common belief, it’s actually the wind. 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 additional padding, vents, or weather stripping, do little to mitigate the wind noise swirling around the rider.
Frequent exposure to excessive noise levels often leaves bikers with a condition known as temporary threshold shift (TTS). TTS is a progressive condition, meaning the more you are exposed to loud noises, the more intense the symptoms can get. People who are coping with TTS may begin to detect that their hearing is less clear or other minor symptoms. But permanent hearing loss can, over time, be the result.
Comparing wind volume with other noise levels
The German study sheds a lot of light on just how extreme wind noise can get while riding. The wind noise around a rider’s head can be as high as 95 (dB) at 62 mph. To put into context, European Union (EU) law mandates that workers must protect their ears if exposed to noise levels exceeding 80 dB. Bikers are experiencing 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 trigger hearing damage after only 7 minutes of exposure. Many studies confirm that bikers are indeed at significant risk of permanent hearing loss.
Safeguarding your ears
Fortunately, safeguarding your hearing while riding is both easy and effective: use earplugs. Hearing specialists strongly recommend making use of filtered earplugs, which are far better than the old, uncomfortable versions most people are familiar with. Filtered earplugs are a more sophisticated model that filters out high frequencies like wind while allowing lower frequencies to get in. This means you can hear crucial sounds like sirens, horns, and human speech, which are critical for a biker’s safety.
Bikers are also able to get the complete experience of riding without feeling isolated or cut off from the outside world which can’t be said for the old conventional style. With filtered earplugs, you can continue to enjoy the thrill of the ride while safeguarding your hearing from the harmful effects of wind noise.
While the passion for motorcycling is powered by the appeal of speed and freedom, it’s important to recognize and minimize the associated risks to your hearing. The wind noise created at high speeds can cause substantial and permanent hearing damage in a really short time. But bikers can safeguard their long-term hearing while still enjoying the ride by simply making use of a set of quality earplugs.
Give us a call today to learn more about hearing protection so you can keep on top of your hearing health.
