Do Helmets impair hearing?
You will be interested to learn of findings from a study conducted at the California Institute of Technology and the USDA forests service. At highway speeds (approximately 80 kmph) wind noise levels with a helmet on, can reach 100 db (A) which is the permitted mechanical sound level of a motorcycle sold in the USA). In case you feel then, that riding without a helmet is better, let me hasten to inform you, which at the same speed the wind noise level without a helmet are 120 db (A). So, to come back to the original question, you can now see that what may appear to be a loss of hearing while wearing a helmet in a stationary situation is actually quite the reverse while in motion on a motorcycle.
