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Short answer: Above roughly 40 mph (65 km/h), wind noise around the helmet is louder than the motorcycle itself, and a helmet alone does not remove it. ISVR Consulting at the University of Southampton reports this in its guidance on helmet noise. This page gives general hearing-protection information, not medical advice.
Definition and scope
Motorcycle earplugs are ordinary hearing protectors worn inside the ear canal under a helmet. They are sold as foam, pre-molded or filtered (high-fidelity) styles, and they are consumer accessories rather than a regulated device class with a dedicated FDA product code. This page covers the noise evidence and how to read a label for riding. For plug styles in general, see hearing protection types.
Why wind noise, not engine noise, is the issue above 40 mph
The ISVR Consulting page Noise levels under motorcycle helmets (University of Southampton, checked 2026-10-30) states that above about 65 km/h or 40 mph, wind noise exceeds the noise from the motorcycle itself. It also notes that daily noise exposures of working motorcyclists without hearing protection may regularly exceed 90 dB(A), and that a helmet that is relatively quiet on one motorcycle can be relatively noisy on another.
The US CDC NIOSH sets its recommended exposure limit at 85 dBA averaged over an eight-hour workday and describes noise of 85 dBA or higher as hazardous or loud (CDC NIOSH, checked 2026-10-30). NIOSH also notes that a sound 10 dB louder than another is ten times more intense, so the gap between 85 and 90 dB(A) is larger than the numbers suggest. Read against each other, the ISVR figure for working riders sits above the NIOSH level.
Windscreen and helmet effects
ISVR reports that low windscreens direct turbulence to the base of the helmet, while high windscreens direct it to the visor and forehead. The practical point from the same source is that the noise inside a helmet depends on the combination of helmet and motorcycle, so one rider’s experience does not transfer to another bike.
Plugs, helmets and active earmuffs compared
| Approach | What the source reports | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Helmet alone | In a 1973 US Forest Service test of 16 commercially available helmets, protection was insignificant at 45 mph or less and about 18 dB at 70 mph. The study is dated; helmets have changed since. | US Forest Service Equipment Development Center, 1973 (abstract, checked 2026-10-30) |
| Helmet with active noise reduction earmuffs | Wind tunnel tests with a flying helmet (not a motorcycle helmet) reached levels as low as 70 dB(A) at 80 km/h and 80 dB(A) at 115 km/h at the ear. | ISVR Consulting (checked 2026-10-30) |
| Earplugs under the helmet | ISVR describes good earplugs as another method of achieving similarly low levels. | ISVR Consulting (checked 2026-10-30) |
The three rows come from different tests and should not be added together or ranked against each other as a single experiment.
Reading the NRR label for riding
US earplug packaging carries a Noise Reduction Rating. Under 40 CFR 211.203 the NRR is a single-number noise reduction factor in decibels, and the label must read “(When used as directed)”. For occupational A-weighted measurements, OSHA 29 CFR 1910.95 Appendix B says to subtract 7 dB from the NRR first. Details are in the NRR guide, and the OSHA context is in the OSHA PPE standard guide.
A label checklist drawn from the sources
- Is an NRR printed on the package, with the “when used as directed” wording?
- If you compare against an A-weighted level such as dB(A), has the 7 dB OSHA derating been applied to the NRR?
- How does the expected riding noise (ISVR: above 40 mph the wind dominates) compare with the 85 dBA NIOSH level?
- ISVR cautions that with earplugs in you may seem to be travelling more slowly, so perceived speed is not a reliable guide.
Filtered styles and other types are covered in noise cancelling ear plugs; concert and shooting uses are separate topics (concerts, shooting).
Common misunderstandings
“My helmet is enough”
ISVR found helmet noise varies between helmet and bike combinations, and the 1973 Forest Service tests found little protection at lower speeds and about 18 dB at 70 mph. A helmet is not a rated hearing protector.
“Earplugs make riding unsafe”
ISVR’s caution is specific: earplugs reduce perceived noise, so speed can feel lower than it is. Rules on wearing earplugs while riding vary by place; check local rules.
“Ringing is normal after a ride”
ISVR states that ringing ears after riding indicate temporary hearing damage which, if repeated regularly, may become permanent.
FAQ
Why is a helmet alone not treated as hearing protection?
ISVR reports that noise inside a helmet varies between helmet and motorcycle combinations, wind noise above about 40 mph is louder than the motorcycle, and working riders’ daily exposure may exceed 90 dB(A). The 1973 Forest Service tests found about 18 dB of protection at 70 mph.
At what speed does wind noise take over?
About 65 km/h or 40 mph, according to ISVR Consulting.
What noise level is considered hazardous?
NIOSH calls noise of 85 dBA or higher hazardous or loud, with a recommended limit of 85 dBA averaged over eight hours.
Sources
- CDC NIOSH, Noise and Hearing Loss Prevention: cdc.gov/niosh/noise/about (checked 2026-10-30)
- ISVR Consulting, University of Southampton, Noise levels under motorcycle helmets: isvr.co.uk (checked 2026-10-30)
- US Forest Service Equipment Development Center, Harrison R., The Effectiveness of Motorcycle Helmets as Hearing Protectors, 1973: trid.trb.org/View/70819 (checked 2026-10-30)
- EPA hearing protector labeling, 40 CFR 211.203: ecfr.gov, section 211.203; OSHA 29 CFR 1910.95 Appendix B: osha.gov, Appendix B (checked 2026-10-30)
