by Seowerkz

For the adventurous riders out there, the motorcycle tours and vacations offered by Tracked Out Adventures are a perfect warm-weather outlet. Whether you’re taking part in a single guided ride, a half-day experience or any of our other options, we’re here to ensure you have a great time in a safe, fun environment.

When it comes to safety and maintaining your health while riding a motorcycle, whether on a tour or in any other situation, one area that’s often overlooked is hearing protection. Motorcycles are loud by nature, and it’s important to understand how their noise impacts your hearing and the kinds of protection you should consider here. Let’s take a look at some vital areas to consider.

Decibels and Hearing Damage

Sound is measured by decibels, and the average human begins to experience hearing damage when noise levels reach about 85 decibels or so. Unfortunately, the average motorcycle moving at 40 miles per hour gives off 90 decibels of noise, meaning that much of your time spent on the motorcycle will include decibel levels that could damage your hearing. And down similarly unfortunate lines, this damage often cannot be reversed once it happens. Once we lose hearing, it’s impossible to get it back.

One of the more common responses we hear to this basic data: Well that’s okay, I’ll simply use my helmet to block out some of the noise. Sadly, this is a mistaken viewpoint – helmets actually only increase noise levels reaching the ear because of the way they vibrate during riding, and they are not designed to prevent sound at all. With this in mind, our next section will dig into your options for limiting decibels and protecting your hearing.

Hearing Protection Options

There are a few options available for protecting your ears and hearing, most of which involve inserting some kind of plug to block sound. Most of these options will remove at least 30 decibels from your hearing, allowing you to get back to within normal, healthy ranges while riding. Options include:

· Disposable earplugs: These are easy to find at any store, plus cheap and simple to use. You can buy bulk packs that reduce the cost of each pair to a few cents apiece, valuable since you can only use them once.

· Wax or rubber balls: These are multi-use earplug formats you can mold into the shape of your ear. They’re preferable for those with unusual ear shapes or who struggle with disposable earplugs and comfort.

· Custom-fitted earplugs: Other frequent riders opt for fully customized earplugs, which contour to your ear and also don’t grease up on hot days like wax or rubber can. These options will usually be the most expensive, however.

For more on protecting your hearing while riding a motorcycle, or to learn about any of our dirt bike rentals or motorcycle tours, speak to the staff at Tracked Out Adventures today.