Sometimes Daily

Motorcycles and Hearing Loss: Safety Tips to Keep in Mind Before Buying a New Bike

a man riding a motorcycle on a road

Looking to buy a motorcycle? Owning a motorcycle has huge benefits, like fun and easy transportation, but you’ll also want to consider a crucial factor, like safety, before you invest. Here are a few safety tips to keep in mind before buying a new bike. 

Hearing Loss

Riding a motorcycle is a very loud experience. When you’re traveling on the highway, you’re experiencing noise equal to the noise that’s produced when using a chainsaw. And that’s with a helmet. If you don’t wear your helmet, you experience noise 10 times greater than that, which means you could lose your hearing in as little as 30 minutes. Obviously, you should always wear your helmet while riding in order to protect both your hearing and your head. Since you still run the risk of hearing loss or damage while wearing a helmet, it would also benefit you to wear earplugs while riding. Hearing is very important to many people, so you want to try to protect your ears as much as possible.

You might experience slight tinnitus from riding. Tinnitus is not always permanent and there are things you can do to help your hearing. Check out reviews of Tinnitus 911 and invest in a product that will help you maintain your excellent hearing. 

Headgear

Proper headgear isn’t just important for your hearing. Wearing your helmet while riding can help prevent serious injury or death. You can always recover from a broken arm or leg if you’re thrown from your bike, but if your head is seriously injured during a fall, you will experience serious repercussions. Wearing your helmet makes you 37 percent less likely to die if you’re in an accident and 64 percent less likely to suffer a traumatic brain injury. 

Think you need to spend a ton of money on a fancy helmet? You’ll actually be ok with any old helmet. Most helmets are similarly constructed and just wearing a helmet will provide enormous benefits. If you love the look of one and that will make you more likely to wear it, then invest in that helmet. If you want to save a little cash and think skipping the helmet is the way to go, think again. You can purchase a cheaper helmet and still reduce your chance of injury or death. Don’t go riding without your protective headgear. 

Bike Maintenance

Anytime you’re planning to head out for a bike ride, make sure you thoroughly inspect your bike before you leave. You should be changing your oil every few thousand miles to keep your motorcycle working properly. You can do this yourself or take it to a shop if you’re not confident in your skills. Change your bike’s air filter frequently to keep it from clogging and slowing down your vehicle. Just like with a car, you want to make sure your bike’s tire pressure and tread are up to snuff. These tasks are even more important with a bike. If your car has a leaking tire, you won’t be thrown from the car, but you run the risk of serious injury if you let your motorcycle tires fall into disrepair. 

Whether your bike is new or you bought it in excellent condition from a motorcycle auction, you need to make sure it’s in working order before you ride. Performing simple maintenance tasks is a great way to spend some time with your bike while also making sure you’re staying safe. Don’t neglect the state of your bike if you’re serious about riding it safely. 

Owning a motorcycle is a great way to enjoy hitting the road and enjoy the wind rushing past you. Make sure you’re staying safe and keeping your bike in perfect condition, no matter where you bought it.