Motorbike fans who just love hopping on their two wheels and whizzing away need to be a little more cautious before setting off, as leaving something behind as simple as their ear protection could do serious damage to their hearing.
Here are just a few reasons why investing in good-quality motorcycle earplugs will benefit you greatly in the long-run.
Wind noise
According to a study by Germany’s automobile association ADAC, wind noise can result in considerable damage to your ears if they are not protected properly.
It found that riding a motorbike at 62 miles per hour (mph) tends to generate a wind noise of 95dB. Being exposed to this can permanently damage hearing in just 15 minutes, while those travelling at 74 mph can expect to experience the same hearing loss in as little as seven minutes.
Those who travel as fast as 84 mph can enjoy just three minutes on the road before their ears are damaged for good, Visor Down revealed.
Noise Induced Hearing Loss
While this is above Britain’s national speed limit, motorists who go over 70 mph without sufficient earplugs are likely to suffer from Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL).
According to NIDCD, this can mean sounds become muffled or distorted, meaning you find it hard to understand people when they speak and you struggle to hear everyday sounds.
“The damage from NIHL, combined with aging, can lead to hearing loss severe enough that you need hearing aids to magnify the sounds around you to help you hear, communicate, and participate more fully in daily activities,” the NIDCD stated.
NIHL can also lead to tinnitus, which is a constant sound of ringing, buzzing or roaring in the ear. While the noise can subside, it typically lasts a lifetime, becoming a rather unpleasant experience for the sufferer.
Damaging motorcycling forever
As well as damaging your hearing, not wearing adequate ear protection when on the road could end up detrimentally affecting your motorcycling hobby in the long-run.
If you end up suffering from NIHL, your ability to hear sounds clearly could be severely affected, making your experience riding potentially dangerous.
Not being able to hear other vehicles, pedestrians, the sounds of traffic lights and so on can make even the shortest journey perilous, as you are not fully aware of your surroundings and, therefore, your responses cannot be as quick as they should be.
You might think that wearing a helmet is enough to protect your hearing, but these only go so far to limit the noise from the outside when you are on a ride. According to ISVR Consulting, noise levels underneath helmets can still be extremely high, particularly when travelling above 40 mph.
It stated: “Daily noise exposures of working motorcyclists without hearing protection may regularly exceed 90dB(A).”
Placing discreet motorcycle plugs in your ears before putting your helmet on will give you added protection, which could mean you are able to extend the time you can enjoy motorcycling by several more years.
