Love of the open road and the thrill of speed top the list of reasons why individuals love to ride motorcycles. However, if you’re a devoted rider, you should be aware of a substantial risk: research has connected this thrilling hobby to irreversible hearing damage.
The effect of motorcycle speed and riding duration on hearing health was examined in a detailed study conducted by a hearing protection maker in cooperation with a prominent German automobile association. Alarmingly, at speeds of 62 or higher, for just 15 minutes, riders who don’t utilize hearing protection can suffer permanent hearing damage.
Why do bikers get hearing loss?
You may not be surprised that bikers frequently suffer from loss of hearing, but you might be surprised as to why. The greatest threat isn’t the raging engine, contrary to the common belief, it’s actually the wind. The research highlighted that although helmets offer crucial protection during accidents, they fall short in protecting a biker’s hearing. Enhancements to the helmet, such as added padding, vents, or weather stripping, do little to decrease the wind noise whirling around the rider.
Motorcyclists are frequently affected by a condition called temporary threshold shift (TTS), which results from regular exposure to excessive noise levels. TTS is a progressive condition, meaning the more you’re exposed to loud noises, the worse the symptoms can become. At first, TTS sufferers may notice minor symptoms like a temporary reduction in hearing clarity. But permanent hearing loss can, over time, be the result.
How do other noises compare to wind volume?
To understand the severity of wind noise while riding, the German study’s conclusions 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 protect their ears if exposed to noise levels exceeding 80 dB. Bikers are enduring volume levels up to 19% higher than safe working environments when traveling at this speed.
And the noise level only increases as the speed increases. At 74 mph, wind noise can reach 98 dB, a level that can cause hearing damage after just 7 minutes of exposure. Other studies validate these findings, suggesting that bikers are indeed at a significant risk of hearing loss.
How to protect your hearing
Fortunately, safeguarding your hearing while riding is both simple and effective: use 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 in. It’s crucial for bikers to still be able to hear vital sounds like human voices, emergency warning sounds, and car horns.
Moreover, these modern earplugs allow bikers to enjoy the exhilaration of riding without feeling isolated or numb, a common disadvantage of older protective devices. You can safeguard your ears from harmful wind noise while still experiencing the thrill of the ride by using filtered earplugs.
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. The wind noise created at high speeds can cause significant and permanent hearing damage in a very short time. But bikers can protect their long-term hearing while still enjoying the ride by simply making use of a pair of quality earplugs.
Call today to find out more about hearing protection so you can stay on top of your hearing health.
