Do you need ear plugs when riding a motorcycle?

Answer 1

In the opinion of Timberwoof of Timberwoof's Motorcycle FAQ, "An hour at highway speeds will subject your ears to enough wind noise to cause some hearing loss."

Need: If you want to maintain your hearing as well as you can in your later years.

Want: Probably. While strictly speaking they aren't necessary. At higher speeds (50 or more), a helmet gets very loud. Hearing damage due to loud noise is cumulative, so the more you ride at 50+ MPH, the more you will benefit from ear plugs. It's also far less fatiguing to ride at highway speeds with ear plugs in--the fatigue being pretty much exactly what you feel after attending a long, loud music concert. That being said, many would argue that earplugs can be hazardous when riding through town at low speeds. They may keep you from hearing engines, brakes, horns, sirens, screams, etc. at low speed, but many do not find this to be the case. In fact, people often find they can hear more of the meaningful sounds such as those mentioned above and less of the unimportant ambiant sounds.

Conclusion: Use earplugs based on the riding you'll be doing that day. Be extra careful on your first ride with earplugs while you become comfortable.

Answer:

This question has been answered twice one saying yes and the other saying no or (not always). So based on those two answers we can be clear that one of them is right.

NOTE: When it comes to hearing loss there is only one thing we are in control of and that is noise. Noise is the enemy of hearing, and many doctors are discovering that it doesn't take as much noise as previously thought to cause temporary or permanent hearing loss.

I'm going to give you a quota I found in research done by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Which states that as little as 30 minutes of exposure to decibel levels measured on a Motorcycle has the potential to result in hearing loss.

With that said: I as a motorcyclist for many years have never used ear plugs... and my last hearing test did not show any hearing lost even after a good 20 some years riding a motor at least 5 days a week.. since I use it as my main mode of transportation from work and back..

My advice to anyone riding a bike... consider exactly what you are doing... if you are like me and ride it daily but for short periods of time and wear a good helmet... then you do not really need them... however if you going for a long trip... consider ear plugs..

My opinion is that people that use headphones have more to worry about their hearing then a motorcycle rider that is wearing his or her helmet and is operating their bike in a matter that is reasonable.

Another opinion from a rider who commutes over 500 miles a week on either a Kawasaki Concours or a Honda VTX 1800 - wear earplugs. Hearing damage is cumulative and does not recover. I have been riding for 25 years and only the last few have been wearing earplugs. I now have slight tinnitus (ringing of the ears). Wearing earplugs greatly reduces high frequency noise, but can also transmit low frequency noise from your hemet liner directly to your ear, if part of the earplug touches the liner. Consider a set of Eyptomic 20Db plugs, which allow you to hear some traffic noise while protecting you from louder noise damage. Costs about $15 for a set that will last about 15K miles.

Another opinion: All of your senses are needed for rider safety. Hearing included, obviously helping you be aware of engine tone, approaching vehicles, changes in weather conditions, a warning horn etc.