Love of the open road and the thrill of speed top the list of reasons why people love riding motorcycles. However, if you’re a devoted rider, you should know about a significant risk: research has linked this stimulating hobby to irreversible hearing damage.
An extensive study carried out by a prominent German automobile association in partnership with a maker of hearing protection solutions evaluated the impact of riding time and motorcycle speed on hearing health. Alarmingly, at speeds of 62 or higher, for just 15 minutes, riders who don’t utilize hearing protection can suffer permanent hearing damage.
What causes hearing loss in bikers?
You may not be surprised that bikers often suffer from loss of hearing, but you might be surprised as to why. Despite what many think, it’s not the motorcycle’s roaring engine but rather, the wind that poses the greatest threat. The research highlighted that although helmets offer crucial protection during accidents, they fall short in safeguarding a biker’s hearing. The wind noise beating around the rider’s head isn’t decreased very much even when a helmet has added padding, vents, or other improvements.
Regular exposure to extreme noise levels often leaves bikers with a condition known as temporary threshold shift (TTS). TTS is a progressive condition, meaning the more you’re exposed to loud noises, the more intense the symptoms can get. Initially, TTS sufferers may detect minor symptoms like a temporary decrease 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). To put into context, European Union (EU) law mandates that workers must protect their ears if exposed to noise levels higher than 80 dB. Bikers are enduring noise levels up to 19% higher than safe working environments when riding at this speed.
And the noise level only increases as the speed increases. Hearing damage can happen after just 7 minutes of riding at 74 mph which generates wind volumes of 98 dB. Many studies corroborate that bikers are indeed at considerable risk of irreversible hearing loss.
Protecting your ears
The good news is, it’s easy to safeguard your hearing with earplugs. Most people are familiar with the old standard earplugs, but hearing specialists recommend the filtered versions instead. Filtered earplugs are a more advanced model that filters out high frequencies like wind while allowing lower frequencies to get through. This means you’re able to hear crucial sounds like sirens, horns, and human speech, which are critical for a biker’s safety.
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.
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. Significant and permanent hearing damage can be caused by the noise of wind at high speeds. 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.