How often do you ride without ear protection?
If you’ve got a superbike in the garage, you might make earplugs a daily ritual with the ride; if you’re like me and swing a leg over an unassuming (but sexy) Yamaha R3, however, that routine might get tossed a bit more frequently.
Tinnitus UK is urging riders like you and me to load up on ear protection in the name of hearing loss – as much as 80 decibels will cause trouble, despite the Heath & Safety Executive recommending that “anything over 85dB an employer should provide ear defenders.”
According to Motorcycle Cruiser, bikes average around 85 decibels of sound at 35-45mph, with a 30-bike pilot test completed by the University of Florida showing far higher levels at highway speeds.
“Measurements of motorcycle riding noise levels vary, but are generally around 85-95 dB at speeds up to 35 mph, climbing to 110-116 dB at 65 mph,” agrees Evan Kay in coverage from Motorcycle Cruiser.
“According to the chart, you shouldn’t ride on the highway for more than 15 minutes a day.”
Here’s a look at that same chart – she shows the max amount of time our ears should be exposed to certain decibels of sound:
| NOISE SOURCE | SOUND LEVEL (in dB) | Maximum OSHA Exposure Time |
| Conversation | 65 | unlimited |
| Motorcycle (at rest, idle) | 85 to 88 | 16 to 10.6 hours |
| Lawn mower, shop tools | {{{90}}} | 8 hours |
| Leaf blower | 95 (up to 105) | 4 hours (at 95 dB) |
| Chain saw | 100 to 105 | 2 hours to 1 hour |
| Woodworking shop, stereo | 110 | 30 minutes |
| Sandblasting | 115 | 15 minutes |
| Ambulance siren, rock concert | 120 | 7.5 minutes |
| Jet engine | 130 | 1 minute, 52 seconds |
“The loudest bike we tested measured 119 decibels with the engine revved, and the recommended exposure time at that level is only 11 seconds… Potentially, the vast majority of motorcyclists could be exposed to dangerous levels of noise,” a contributor named Colle says in the UF experiment.
“You might get away with [not wearing earplugs] once or for a short part of a day, but if you’re out on your bike regularly, that damage can build up, and it can’t be undone,” adds Nic Wray of Tinnitus UK in an interview with MCN.
“You can lose some of your hearing, and that can affect all aspects of your life.”
Do you plug in before you swing a leg over?