It can be difficult to describe to people who aren’t fans of motorbikes, but the sound of a finely tuned engine is truly one of the best sounds in the world. The warmth and richness of the music a motorbike makes showcases its performance, power, and personality; turning heads and getting hearts fluttering as it passes by.
Admiring the sound of a bike’s engine for a few seconds as it flies by is a passing fancy for an observer, but the person riding the bike is anything but that. They are continuously sat amongst the noise that other people appreciate but momentarily.
There’s a good chance that if you ride your bike regularly, no matter how long you ride it for, that you run the risk of damaging your hearing by subjecting yourself to all that noise. This is what motorcycle ear protection was made for. This is why we always recommend that you wear earplugs if you are a motorcyclist.
How Does Hearing Protection Work?
The reality is that you run the risk of damaging your hearing whenever you subject unprotected ears to a significant amount of noise for a length of time.
The human body is a wonderful and miraculous thing. It carries you through a lifetime of success and failure, but evolution has yet to give humans the protection they need against the noise of commuting to work on a bike or going out for regular drives on the weekend. How much noise a bike generates can vary based on the model and how it is ridden, but it’s fair to say that any prolonged exposure to significant noise can do permanent damage to your ears, and that’s not something you want to overlook.
Sound travels through the air in the form of waves of pressure. The louder a sound is, the more pressure it carries. Ear protection basically works by placing a barrier between the ears and the pressure that sound waves place on the eardrum.
Prolonged exposure to loud noises can damage eardrums and cause hearing issues. Hearing protection reduces the pressure, which reduces the risk of hearing damage.
How to Choose the Right Hearing Protection
Most riders wear some form of motorcycle earplugs; the simplest option is the disposable foam type, which is pretty cheap. Just roll them between your forefinger and thumb to soften them up and squash them, and then put them into the opening of your ear canals. They should then expand enough to fit snugly without coming out.
If you don’t mind spending a little more to protect your ears, then you can find more expensive varieties of this basic ear plug; rubberised washable plugs and silicon reusable varieties can be found just about anywhere.
Pinlock, for example, is a kind of washable plug fitted with a filter for reducing wind noise when riding a motorbike. There are other earplugs that use isolate technology to basically block the ear canal, leaving you hearing things at a low volume through the sound vibrations conducted by the bones around your ears.
Do I Really Need Ear Protection?
There are some experienced riders who might claim that you don’t need earplugs with a full helmet as the helmet muffles sounds enough to make them safe. Anyone who has ridden a bike for long enough knows that even a full helmet doesn’t block out sound properly and the sounds of the road can still be irritating enough to mess with your concentration levels.
Then there are people who may choose to avoid using ear protection because it blocks out sounds that you want to hear, such as the sounds of other traffic. Keep in mind that wearing ear plugs doesn’t completely block out sounds. You can still hear some things, they just cause a reduction in the level of noise that your ears need to deal with. Even if you fully block the ear canal, sound can still travel through the bones of your skull as vibration. It’s more like listening to music at low volume than completely shutting out the world.
Moreover, prolonged exposure to loud noises can cause permanent damage to your hearing. Riding a motorcycle can expose you to high levels of noise for extended periods, especially if you enjoy riding on the highways. The wind noise, engine noise, and traffic noise can all add up and cause a dangerous situation where you might miss critical auditory cues, such as the sound of an ambulance or police siren. The resulting hearing damage can be permanent, and it’s not worth taking the risk to your long-term health for a few minutes of motorcycle riding.
Ear protection is essential not just for your hearing, but also for your riding experience. By reducing the level of noise, you’ll be able to concentrate more, reduce fatigue and irritation, and generally enjoy your ride more. You’ll also be able to ride more safely, as you won’t miss any critical signals or sounds.
The Best Earplugs for Bikers
If you re looking for motorcycling earplugs, you’ve come to the right place! In a nutshell, here is our list of the best earplugs for bikers:
1. Haspro Moto Earplugs for Motorcycle Riding
Designed specifically for motorcycle riders, Haspro Moto earplugs are professional grade earplugs. They offer both comfort and safety, making them ideal for long and short trips alike. It is possible to experience noise levels of 98 dB or higher when riding a motorcycle at speeds over 120 km/h. As a result of this, you may feel disoriented, lose concentration, and be slower to react to potential threats. Using the moto earplugs helps you stay safe and alert on the road without worrying about sensory impairment, letting you enjoy the open road without worry.
Buy Haspro Moto Earplugs for Motorcycle Riding from Zoom Health for £17.95
2. 3M Ultrafit Tracer Corded Earplugs
These quality corded earplugs are made by 3M and will help protect your ears, even on the noisiest of journeys! They can be worn over and over again, and can be washed to keep them clean. The offer and impressive level of hearing protection too, up to 32db.
Buy 3M Ultrafit Tracer Corded Earplugs from Zoom Health for £2.99
3. E-A-R Classic Soft Foam Earplugs
E-A-R Classic Soft Foam Earplugs are also made by 3M. These are foam earplugs and were one of the first of this type on the market. Many bikers swear by them. They are relatively cheap and disposable, although most people wear them a few times before they get grubby enough to have to throw away. They are cheap enough to let you have a few pairs in your bag so that you are never caught short.
Buy E-A-R Classic Soft Foam Earplugs from Zoom Health for £2.99
4. Moldex Comets Reusable Earplugs
Moldex Comets Reusable Earplugs are another popular choice in this category. Another reusable plug, they come in both corded and uncorded versions, so you can choose which you prefer. Another well priced option that won’t break the bank.
Buy Moldex Comets Reusable Earplugs from Zoom Health for £2.99
Not Sure Which Earplugs to Choose? Try a Sample Pack…
We know what it’s like. With so many earplugs to choose from, how do you know which are best? We understand this dilemma which is why we have put together special sample bags that pull together many of our best earplugs in one selection. Now you can try before you buy!
Our sample packs include different types of earplugs from foam to silicone, with various noise reduction ratings (NRR) to fit your specific needs. Whether you are a bike rider, musician, a traveler, or a light sleeper, we have the perfect earplug for you. Our sample packs also come with instructions on how to properly use and insert each type of earplug.
Not only do our sample packs help you find the right earplug, but they also make great gifts for friends and family. Give the gift of peace and quiet at any time of year with one of our earplug sample packs.
Chose either the men’s earplug sample pack or the women’s earplug sample pack and you will be good to go!
Photo by Zoom Health
Zoom Health is a leading UK supplier of Home Health Tests and Earplugs
This post was originally published in November 2017 and has been regularly updated since.
