Motorcycles are hazardous to your hearing!

Think of your ears next time you go cruising on your motorbike. The roar of the engine and the wind noise rival the noise of a rock concert or a chainsaw, and your helmet offers no protection for your ears.

Motorcycles look great but they are not for sensitive ears. A group of scientists revved up 33 different motorcycles and recorded the noise levels. Nearly half of them produced sound levels above 100 dB.

"Almost all of the motorcycles we tested reached action-level noise, which in the workplace would require ear protection," stated Joy Colle, an audiologist and researcher.

Exposure to noise in excess of 100 dB is safe for only 15 minutes.

Wind noise

Wind noise is another potential threat to the hearing of the riders. One hour at motorway speeds with unprotected hearing can cause permanent hearing loss.

An OSHA study found that a motorcycle ride at 60 kilometres per hour (37 miles per hour) with an open helmet and no hearing protection results in ambient noise levels of 75 to 90 dB, comparable to operating a leaf blower or lawn mower.

At 100 kilometres per hour (63 miles per hour) sound levels range between 103 dB and 116 dB. At those highway speeds a drive without hearing protection should be limited to less than 15 minutes.

Your helmet offers protection against bumps and even crashes but it does not keep out much of the noise. Studies have indicated that the maximum noise reduction from wearing a helmet ranges from 3 to 5 dB. An inexpensive set of earplugs reduces noise exposure by as much as 35 dB, allowing you to ride all day without the fear of hearing damage.

Sources: United Press International, Toronto Star.
Published on hear-it on June 15, 2009.

Smaller picture source: eborhearing.co.uk

What can you do?

Hearing Healthcare Ireland supplies and recommends the use of the custom-moulded "ELACIN Biopact FlexComfort" Ear Plug. This is a very compact hearing protector that was first developed to provide protection for motorcyclists of the Dutch police department.

It has a flexible silicone O-ring which makes it easier to fit the protector and remove it from the hearing canal.

The Biopact FlexComfort fits completely in the hearing canal, with no protruding parts. Therefore this hearing protector is well suited for usage under a helmet.

Wind noise during motorbike riding creates a noise level that will cause hearing damage. Because of the filters used you will not be isolated from your environment. Everything will keep its natural sound.

If you have a build-in headset in your helmet, you can keep using it in combination with our Biopact. Noise levels of more that 80 dB can cause irreversible hearing damage. The higher the dB level, the faster people will sustain hearing damage.

The following statistics indicate the time frame people can safely stay in a noisy environment:

Speed Noise level

100 km/h 94 dB
120 km/h 98 dB
140 km/h 102 dB

Max Noise level time within 24 hrs:

80 dB(A) 8 hrs.
83 dB(A) 4 hrs.
86 dB(A) 2 hrs.
89 dB(A) 1 hrs.
92 dB(A) 30 min.
95 dB(A) 15 min.
(according to European standards)

Source: Elacin Hearing Protection

Please contact our Clinic in Dublin to arrange an appointment for bikers ear plugs. Ear impressions are taken of both ears, which will take around 10 minutes. The Bikers Plugs/Moulds will then be ready in 2-3 weeks time.