How We Can Protect Our Hearing While Riding a Motorcycle
Summer is in full swing, and with it, the motorcycle season is in full swing as well. For many motorcyclists, riding isn’t just a means of transportation—it’s part of their lifestyle. However, riding a motorcycle can pose some risks to our hearing. Having the right gear is therefore essential to ensuring you can continue to enjoy your summer rides on your two- or three-wheeled vehicle.
What are the risks to hearing associated with riding a motorcycle?
For many motorcycle enthusiasts, riding a motorcycle means freedom. As soon as the first rays of sunshine appear, they get their two-wheeled companions ready for a new season and dust off their gear.
But anyone who rides a motorcycle frequently and reaches high speeds should be aware of the risks to their hearing.
The high noise levels to which the rider is exposed result from a combination of wind noise, the helmet, and the fairing, reaching levels that experts consider harmful to health. Several helmet tests have found that our hearing is exposed to a sound pressure level of around 85 to 100 decibels when riding a motorcycle at a speed of 100 km/h.
If a rider is exposed to this noise pollution for several hours, it can lead to temporary hearing loss. As a result, sounds are perceived less clearly, and everything sounds farther away than usual. While this may not seem dramatic in the short term, permanent damage can occur with prolonged exposure to this noise.
Furthermore, prolonged exposure to noise can lead to difficulty concentrating and increasing fatigue. This puts not only the rider but also other road users at great risk.
Why doesn't a motorcycle helmet alone protect against hearing damage?
While a motorcycle helmet does offer some protection against this high level of background noise, it is by no means sufficient. Often, the engine noise lingers in the form of an unpleasant humming, ringing, or beeping.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that all motorcyclists will eventually suffer sudden hearing loss. However, anyone who rides frequently should be aware of the risk of permanently damaging their hearing without proper protection.
It is now clear that noise levels are influenced by the type and fit of the helmet, which is why most manufacturers are focusing specifically on noise reduction and adapting their helmets accordingly.
However, this optimization isn’t always easy, especially when considering other factors such as crash safety. Furthermore, even good helmets do not offer comprehensive protection against the loud noises generated at high speeds of 100 km/h and above.
An additional problem is that a helmet designed for one motorcycle may perform differently on another. This is due to the interplay of the angle at which the air flows, the motorcycle’s fairing, and the rider’s seating position and size. Therefore, every rider is advised to take a test ride before purchasing a helmet.
Specialized Hearing Protection for Motorcycling—What Are the Options?
However, there’s also good news for motorcyclists: there are other ways to reduce noise! This means you can enjoy the motorcycle season without any worries. There are hearing protection options for motorcyclists from various providers on the market that already offer excellent hearing protection.
If you’re not comfortable with these options or would prefer hearing protection customized to your specific needs, you can have custom-made hearing protection created by a hearing care professional. Well-fitting hearing protection effectively counteracts the high noise levels while riding and helps protect your hearing. The only important thing is that warning signals in traffic are still clearly audible.
These earplugs are usually made of acrylic, silicone, or nylon and are customized to fit your ear canal. With optimal comfort and proper care, they can last for several years.
If you repeatedly find that you have trouble understanding the person you’re talking to, have to ask them to repeat themselves often, and feel like your hearing isn’t what it used to be, your next step should be to see an ENT specialist. An ENT doctor can medically determine whether and why hearing loss is present. In general, it’s important to have your hearing checked regularly by an ENT doctor or audiologist through a hearing test so that any hearing problems can be addressed in a timely manner.
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