You love the loud roar of your motorcycle engine and the thrill of riding down the highway, but have you ever considered the impact riding your motorcycle might have on your hearing health? Let’s discuss why motorcyclists are at an increased risk for hearing loss—not because we want you to stop riding your motorcycle, but because this knowledge will help you protect your ears from damage.
Why Are Motorcyclists More Likely to Lose Their Hearing?
Exposure to loud noise is a well-known cause of hearing loss. This is known as noise-induced hearing loss, or NIHL. It’s estimated that 24% of Americans have hearing loss due to loud noise exposure. NIHL can be caused by a single, deafening instance of a loud noise, such as a gunshot, or by prolonged exposure to loud sounds, such as machinery.
You might think that the loud, revving motor of your machine is the danger your motorcycle poses to your hearing, but it isn’t. Thanks to advances in engine and helmet technology, as well as responsive regulations, motorcycle noise is not louder than that of cars.
The primary culprit is wind noise. When the wind makes contact with your solid helmet and gets underneath, you hear the sound of the force of the impact as well as the continuous whirlwind-like movement that occurs due to the turbulence of moving so fast.
How Loud Can Wind Noise Get?
Sound is measured in decibels. Sounds at 85 decibels can cause hearing loss if you’re exposed for long periods of time or repeatedly. It takes about eight hours of continuous exposure to a sound at 85 decibels to cause irreparable damage.
A three-decibel increase is doubling in loudness, and therefore, the amount of time it takes for damage to occur is halved. It takes eight hours for 85 decibels to cause damage, so it takes 88 decibels four hours, 91 decibels two hours, 94 decibels one hour, etc. A single instance of a sound at 115 decibels can cause immediate hearing damage.
Underneath your helmet, depending on how fast you’re going and if there’s any side wind, wind noise can reach 100 decibels, if not more. At that rate, it would only take 15 minutes of riding to cause hearing damage, and we all know that you typically ride for longer than that.
How Can I Protect My Hearing While Riding My Motorcycle?
Hearing protection is highly effective, and there are numerous great options available. There are specialty filtering earplugs that filter out high-frequency noises—such as wind noise—while still allowing you to hear low-frequency sounds. You can wear these under your helmet. You can also wear a scarf or balaclava to prevent airflow from entering the helmet from below.
Regarding motorcycle helmets, numerous advances have been made to reduce wind noise. You want to minimize the amount of air that reaches your face. Full-face helmets will have significantly less wind noise than open-faced helmets. If your helmet has a chin guard, that can help reduce wind noise substantially, as it prevents airflow from reaching up to your neck.
Finally, it’s a good idea to stay on top of your hearing health by having your hearing checked regularly, especially if you engage in loud hobbies like riding motorcycles. Having regular hearing tests will help you track changes in your hearing so you can act on hearing loss early. Call Gary D. Schwartzberg, Au.D., Doctor of Audiology today to learn more and schedule an appointment.