Motor magazine Promotor also conducted a sound test in their extensive motorcycle helmet review. They examined whether a helmet provides enough protection against wind noise and whether earplugs are necessary during rides. What do you think?
Hearing damage in just a few minutes, even with a helmet
For the sound test, ten full-face modular helmets from different brands and price ranges were tested. Helmets were tested at speeds of 50, 100, and 150 km/h. The helmet that performed best allowed 85 decibels (dB) at 50 km/h. At 100 km/h, the same helmet let through 100 dB—louder than a drill (95 dB)! The helmet with the worst sound insulation allowed 92 dB at 50 km/h and 106 dB at 100 km/h! Far above the safe limit of 80 dB.
The table below shows, for each speed, how long you can ride without risking hearing damage. Hearing can already be damaged from 80 dB. You can safely stay in 80 dB noise for eight hours a day. Every 3 dB higher halves this time. So at 83 dB, you risk hearing damage after 4 hours, and at 86 dB after just 2 hours.
| Speed | Average wind noise under a helmet | Maximum time without risk of hearing damage |
|---|---|---|
| 100 km/h | 94 dB | 15 minutes |
| 120 km/h | 98 dB | 7 minutes |
| 140 km/h | 102 dB | 3 minutes |
| 160 km/h | 106 dB | 90 seconds |
To better illustrate the results of the sound measurements published by Promotor, we calculated the average attenuation of the ten helmets. At 50 km/h, the tested helmets allow an average of 88 dB through. This means you can ride safely for about 1.5 hours.
After this time, you are at high risk of hearing damage. At 100 km/h, helmets allow an average of 103 dB. Hearing damage can occur in just 5 minutes. At 150 km/h on the highway, it’s even worse: the helmets allow an average of 110 dB. You can do the math…
Hearing damage from wind noise
Modular helmets, regardless of brand or price, provide insufficient protection on the bike. Even at low speeds, hearing damage can occur in a short time, and unfortunately, it is always permanent and irreversible. Fortunately, preventing hearing damage on the motorcycle doesn’t depend on your helmet. More and more riders are wearing hearing protection.
Motorcycle earplugs come in different models and offer several advantages besides preventing hearing damage. For touring riders, there are Alpine MotoSafe Tour earplugs with medium attenuation. For speed enthusiasts, there are Alpine MotoSafe Race earplugs with stronger attenuation. Want different attenuation levels depending on the ride? Choose the Alpine MotoSafe Pro. This gives you two complete sets of earplugs: one with medium and one with heavy attenuation.
If you ride frequently, custom-made motorcycle earplugs are worth considering. Custom earplugs last many years! The material is soft, fits perfectly in your ear, and you can choose from different attenuation levels.
Safer and more relaxed riding with motorcycle earplugs
Besides protecting your hearing, wearing earplugs on the bike has other benefits. First, you can concentrate much better on traffic because you are not distracted by wind noise. Concentrating on the road requires more energy when you are disturbed by, for example, wind noise.
Riding with hearing protection is not only safer but also much more relaxing.
