A Lot Can Happen In Three Minutes If You Don’t Wear Earplugs When You Ride

“I feel the need for speed,” said Tom Cruise’s Lt. Maverick Mitchell in the 1980s cinema classic Top Gun. You may feel the same. To ride fast and to hear the rev of the motor as you zoom past idle cars on the road may definitely be exhilarating, but when it can be the cause of a permanent hearing loss, it’s not so fun anymore.

(Image: Auritech)

It has been reported that motorcyclists are at risk of Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) if they continue riding without earplugs regularly. A study done by a German automobile club, ADAC, showed that after just 15 minutes of riding at 62mph, seven minutes at 74mph or three minutes at 87mph, motorcyclists are at risk of damaging their hearing permanently.

To ride a motorcycle at 62mph (101km/h), it will generate a wind noise of 95dB, which can seriously harm one’s hearing after a quarter of an hour. At 74mph (119 km/87h), the wind noise can be expected to reach 98dB, dangerous after just seven minutes of exposure. Even worse, to ride at 87mph (140km/h) can result in permanent damage after three minutes.

This is, of course, only really applicable to countries with high speed limits unlike Singapore with a 50km/h minimum on roads and 90km/h on expressways. It’s probably a good thing since less of or fellow motorcyclists here in the Red Dot won’t be getting permanent hearing loss anytime soon.

NIHL occurs when one is exposed to long or repeated sounds of 85dB or above; prolonged exposure could result in tinnitus, a form of permanent ringing in the ears.

(Image: Ride Apart)

Earplug manufacturer Auritech has drawn attention to these shocking figures and issued a stark warning of the dangers of not wearing earplugs.

“Many motorcyclists are not aware of the dangers of riding without hearing protection while others may have tried wearing foam ear plugs but didn’t like them,” said Director of Appia Healthcare Wendy Faulkner. “These cheaper ear plugs do a good job of blocking out sound but can often place the rider in a ‘bubble’ and make them feel removed from the environment around.”

Appia Healthcare produces Auritech ceramic filtered ear plugs that reduce harmful noise but retain the sounds necessary to maintain situational awareness.

“With Auritech we have developed a patented ceramic filter, which allows the ‘good’ noise to pass through while reducing harmful wind noise,” she continued. “This not only reduces the risk of damage to the wearer but should also enhance the riding experience and road safety by allowing them to hear the sounds around them, such as traffic noise, horns, police sirens and the revving of their engine.’