the major contributor to hearing loss in the motorcycle industry remains the "silent killer" known as "wind noise."

Most motorcyclists understand the effects of a “silent killer” which follows them every time they enjoy riding their bikes. “Wind noise”.
Motorcyclists and some commercial drivers regularly use earplugs to protect their hearing. Many are now turning to custom moulded earplugs, which offer greater comfort when worn for long periods.
Custom moulded products, now more affordable, are exact copies of the ear. They do not put pressure on the ear canals and are more hygienic than disposable foam ear plugs. Because of this custom products can be worn for eight hours or more and last for years.

Wind noise is a major contributor to motorcycle rider fatigue and stress. However, riders and drivers alike are affected by high noise levels from various sources. Drivers on the motorways are also being affected by high levels of road and vehicle noise, which constantly act to drain their concentration. Another way to think of the problem is to consider what role the brain plays in hearing. Essentially your brain is the primary filter for your hearing. As you drive you are trying to ignore unwanted sounds, while listening to informative and/or entertaining sound. If there is a lot of unwanted noise in or around the vehicle; your brain has to work harder to allow to you concentrate on the sounds you need to hear.

Now throw into the equation the complex act of driving a vehicle; a driver’s brain is very busy in deed! While this article primarily deals with motorcyclists hearing health, parallels can be drawn with all motorists. Take open top sports cars as one example. Driving this type of vehicle exposes occupants to higher levels of wind noise, when compared to an enclosed vehicle. Similarly drivers of commercial vans and trucks are frequently exposed to high levels of noise. The noises these drivers encounter are the product of road surface noise, vehicle design and wind at motorway speeds.

Over a period of time the noise experienced by drivers accelerates the onset of fatigue, which leads to accidents. Especially vulnerable is the ubiquitous ‘white van man’. From my own experience I believe that noise inside commercial vans, at motorway speeds, is around 80dB to 90dB. While exposure times to this level of noise are long (8 – 9 hours) before damage to hearing occurs; these levels can quickly erode concentration. The erosion of concentration due to moderately high noise levels has been identified as a serious problem in industry, and should not be ignored in driving. A simple remedy is good quality hearing protection.
Paradoxically wearing hearing protection in a vehicle allows drivers and riders to stay in touch with the surrounding traffic. Vehicle operators can also hear radio and communications better, because interfering noise is removed. Therefore drivers can experience benefits from wearing good quality hearing protection.

Although there are several versions of hearing protection devices on the market, a custom set of earmoulds is still the best answer in suppressing sound

Unfortunately, some motorcyclists still believe the causes of hearing loss are due to how loud the bike sounds, and/or that it affects only the people who do not wear full shell helmets. This is true to a certain degree. Based on several research studies, the major contributor to hearing loss in the motorcycle industry remains the “silent killer” known as “wind noise.” Wind Noise is generally known as the amount of noise, produced by turbulence, around the head while the rider is in motion. Its inherited consequences result in irreversible hearing loss damage over a period of time when adequate hearing protection is not worn. Similar to the shooting and aviation industries, if this issue is not addressed correctly from the beginning the amount of exposure to the inner ear is compounded every time the rider ventures out on his/her bike for hours at a time. Constant duration of harmful level noises gradually force the rider into becoming another statistic of the “silent killer.” To put this in perspective, according to OSHA’s regulation of industrial noise exposure, an average worker surrounded by levels around 85- 90dB for an eight hour day will not exceed the limits of exposure time within a 24 hour period of time.

However, when the sound levels exceed 100dB, your exposure time is reduced to two hours. When sound levels exceed 115dB, your exposure time is drastically reduced to 15 minutes. This puts riding a bike into a whole other realm as “wind noise” at highway speeds can measure up to 103dB, or comparable to a running chainsaw. At these levels the rider is not only fatiguing physically from the excess noise exposure, but it also puts him into a position of needing a hearing aid later in life. Another common ailment of motorcycle riding is a condition known as “Temporary Threshold Shift,” commonly referred to as TTS by audiologists and hearing healthcare professionals. TTS is caused by excessive noise exposure for a duration of time, which drops your actual acute hearing pattern to a lower level temporarily. Meaning, your hearing is less than what it was before the initial exposure. Continuous TTS exposure will result in permanent damage.
Everyone has experienced this phenomenon at one time or another, whether it is from going to loud dance halls, or concerts, or even work. Even some of today's movie theatres can cause this to happen, but this is a specific certainty for motorcyclists who disregard adequate hearing protection while riding their bike.

Riding position and style of windshield help in preventing the “silent killers” ability to fully be experienced. But even the best helmets on today's marketplace provide little help when considering “wind noise” levels at normal highway speeds. Obviously, this factor is increased in half shell models as well as skullcaps, but the common helmets used in today’s marketplace are designed to fit entirely over the head providing a snug fit. These types of helmets have the best attenuation value (reduction in noise) regardless of any airflow modifications done to the outside. But these helmets still produce wind noise readings of 110 to 116dB’s, from 35mph to motorway speeds.
When reflecting back to the comparison chart, 116dB will only be suitable for 15 minutes of riding a day. Not a lot of time to enjoy your hobby.... Is it?

Although there are several versions of hearing protection devices on the market, a custom set of earmoulds is still the best answer in suppressing sound. They provide excellent attenuation values and are comfortable to wear for extended periods of time. They can even be moulded with high-grade transducers, which allow for stereo compatibility or communications.

To find out more about these products go to - www.freehearingtest.com or www.greenleopard.co.uk Tel: 01536 500665

MAIN POINTS

• Wind and Road noise contribute to rider and driver fatigue.
• Wind noise can seriously damage a persons hearing.
• Road noise in a vehicle contributes to driver fatigue.
• Occupants of open top cars are exposed to wind noise.
• There is no significant difference in wind noise level as a function of speed, no matter what the helmet brand or model (all being full coverage).
• Neither the riding position nor the brand or style of motorcycle make significant difference in noise level.
• Padding inside the helmet, open or closed vents, or added weather stripping on the helmet to alter flow patterns, does not significantly alter the noise level in a helmet.