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 be aware of a significant risk: research has connected this exhilarating hobby to irreversible hearing damage.
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 conclusions were startling: bikers can suffer irreversible hearing damage after just 15 minutes of riding without hearing protection at a speed of 62 mph.
Why do bikers get hearing loss?
While the idea of hearing loss might not come as a complete surprise, the main culprit might. The biggest threat isn’t the raging engine, contrary to the common belief, it’s really the wind. While helmets provide significant protection from injury during crashes, the research highlights that they fall short in safeguarding 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.
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 more intense your TTS symptoms will be with this progressive condition. Initially, TTS sufferers may detect minor symptoms like a temporary reduction in hearing clarity. But irreversible hearing loss can, over time, be the outcome.
How do other noises compare to wind noise?
The German study sheds a lot of light on just how severe wind noise can be while riding. At 62 mph, the wind around a biker’s head produces noise levels reaching 95 decibels (dB). For context, European Union (EU) law mandates that workers must protect their ears if exposed to volume levels exceeding 80 dB. Bikers are experiencing noise levels up to 19% higher than safe working environments when traveling at this speed.
As the speed goes up, so does the noise level. Hearing damage can occur after just 7 minutes of riding at 74 mph which generates wind volumes of 98 dB. Other studies corroborate these findings, indicating that bikers are indeed at a considerable risk of hearing loss.
Safeguarding your ears
The good news is, it’s easy to protect your hearing with earplugs. Hearing specialists strongly recommend using filtered earplugs, which are far better than the old, uncomfortable versions many are familiar with. Filtered earplugs are a more advanced model that filters out high frequencies like wind while allowing lower frequencies to get through. It’s crucial for bikers to still be able to hear vital sounds like human voices, emergency warning sounds, 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 traditional style. With filtered earplugs, you can continue to enjoy the thrill of the ride while protecting your hearing from the damaging effects of wind noise.
While the passion for motorcycling is fueled by the allure of speed and freedom, it’s essential to recognize and minimize the associated hazards to your hearing. The wind noise generated at high speeds can cause substantial and irreversible hearing damage in a really short time period. However, with the simple addition of quality earplugs, bikers can continue to enjoy their rides while protecting their long-term hearing health.
Call today to find out more about hearing protection so you can keep on top of your hearing health.