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It should come as no surprise to anybody that riding a motorcycle can be fairly loud. Between the rumble of your V-twin and the rushing of the wind as you ride, riders are exposed to a great volume of sound each time they get behind the handlebars. But at what point does the noise become too much?
Our ears are generally supposed to only endure a maximum of 85 decibels of sound before it starts to cause irreparable damage. Riding a motorcycle at just 40 miles per hour can subject a rider’s ears to 90 decibels of noise and – thanks to wind noise – the faster you ride, the more noise you have to deal with and the more damage can be caused as a result.
While the damage to your ears caused by loud noises is impossible to reverse, it is quite simple to prevent. Just about any form of earplug can decrease incoming noise by about 30 decibels, enough to keep you under the 85-decibel limit even at highway speeds. Whether you opt to go with disposable, reusable or custom-fitted earplugs, we recommend that all riders strongly consider seeking ear protection to prevent any unnecessary hearing loss.
In addition to preventing damage to your ears, most varieties of earplugs won’t reduce your overall safety either. While some may think that earplugs can be a hazard as they block out sounds that riders need to hear, such as horns, sirens or other vehicles, the actual effect is simply a reduction in overall sound pressure, which can allow you to more effectively distinguish sound. The result is actually the inverse where using earplugs can actually help riders hear important sounds better as their ears will be operating in a normal range.
Subjecting yourself to sustained sound at high decibel levels can also cause fatigue in riders, which can be incredibly dangerous in itself as riders need to be as alert and focused as possible while riding. Keeping your sound intake to a more normal and comfortable level will ensure that your ears aren’t working overtime and draining your energy as a result.
Get A Free Set of Earplugs!
So, next time you decide to take your bike out for a ride, maybe consider grabbing some earplugs and seeing what a difference they can make for you. Click here to request a FREE pair of our earplugs courtesy of Hupy and Abraham.
For more relevant articles for motorcycle enthusiasts, check out our Current News for Riders page on hupy.com.
