Why Do MotoGP™ Riders Wear Earplugs?

The powerful motorcycles used in MotoGP™ feature 1000cc engines, delivering huge power of up to 250hp, reaching speeds of over 350km/h and producing very loud noise, of up to 130 decibels. Riding them and working next to them requires the use of specialist MotoGP™ earplugs by riders, whilst those professionals at trackside also need ear protectors to prevent long-term hearing damage.

For the riders, mechanics and other staff involved in the world’s most exciting sport, hearing protection in MotoGP™ is vital for their long-term health and their ability to focus intensely on performance at the most elite level of motorcycle racing. Earplugs are therefore an essential piece of kit in the MotoGP™ riders’ safety equipment.

In this guide to noise levels in MotoGP™ and the role of earplugs in protecting rider health, we’ll explore the comparative loudness of MotoGP™ bikes, the details of hearing protection in the sport for the riders and trackside staff, the potential impact of prolonged exposure to noise and how the riders use earplugs to stay ultra-focused in races.

The loudness of MotoGP™ Bikes

To put it in context, MotoGP™ bikes are louder than the sound you would encounter in a typical nightclub and also louder than a pneumatic road-breaking drill! When 22 monstrously powerful MotoGP bikes launch off the starting grid as the races get underway, the sight and sound is spectacular, but the riders on the bikes and all those closest by at trackside must protect their ears with high-quality ear protectors.

Unlike street motorcycles which often feature exhaust mufflers and typically produce a sound of around 95 decibels (dB), MotoGP™ bikes are prototypes built for racing only and have minimal sound restrictions. They are built to go fast and not to do so quietly, emitting noise from the engine and exhaust of up to 130 dB, meaning that with 22 bikes in a race, noise levels in MotoGP are considerable.

Let’s take a look at this table to understand how loud MotoGP™ bikes are in decibels in comparison with other familiar sounds:

Source: Yale University Decibel Level Comparison Chart

Some further context is that every 10 dB increase is approximately double the subjective loudness for the person hearing the sound. Likewise every 10 dB decrease is about half of the subjective loudness. At 125 decibels or above, sound can become notably painful for a person hearing the noise.

Health Concerns from Noise Exposure in MotoGP™

Prolonged exposure to noise above the 85 dB range can be damaging to human hearing. The World Health Organisation (WHO) state that the maximum time for daily safe listening (seven days per week) is one hour and 15 minutes for a street motorcycle at 95dB. Whereas for a noise of 130dB such as a pneumatic drill or a MotoGP™ bike, the maximum daily safe listening time would be less than a second.

As the MotoGP™ race weekend includes Friday and Saturday practice sessions, qualifying sessions, the MotoGP Sprint, Sunday warm-up and the Sunday full-length Grand Prix, this amounts to many hours of high-decibel exposure for the riders over the 22 Grands Prix-long season.

Without protection, exposure to loud noises can lead to permanent hearing loss, or tinnitus (persistent ringing sounds in the ears), as well as other auditory problems.

The specific role of MotoGP™ earplugs

MotoGP™ riders use high-quality earplugs which are custom moulded for their particular inner ear shape, crucially reducing noise exposure by 20-30 dB. Riders put their earplugs in before going out on track, with the helmets they wear also somewhat dampening the noise they are exposed to.

It is important for MotoGP™ riders to be equipped with high-fidelity earplugs designed specifically for racing. Unlike the standard foam earplugs which muffle sounds and distort audio, the riders use silicon-based earplugs which provide a secure, personalised fit that guarantees effective noise isolation.

The earplugs are designed to reduce harmful noise exposure without eliminating important auditory cues. Riders rely on certain sounds during a race, such as the pitch of their engines as they shift gear or the proximity of another rider/bike which may be attempting to overtake them.

In addition to providing hearing protection from a long-term health perspective, MotoGP riders’ earplugs also play a fundamental role in reducing the potential psychological fatigue caused by performing in a continuous loud environment.

We all know what it is like trying hard to concentrate on a task whilst a loud noise is being made nearby… It’s really hard to focus without being completely distracted.

MotoGP™ is the most intense, high-performance motorsport series in the world. The riders are controlling their prototype machines at speeds exceeding 350 km/h, braking at the last possible millisecond and leaning into corners at angles of over 65º from vertical.  

Lightning quick reflexes, continuous split-second decision making and the ability to focus with the utmost precision in races lasting 40-45 minutes is all part of the game. Without their earplugs blocking out some of the extreme noise around them this would be impossible, even for the almost superhuman riders who make it to the top level in MotoGP.

Do All MotoGP™ Riders Use Earplugs?

Although there may be varying preferences in terms of brand, materials, specific features and the fit of the earplugs, all the riders in MotoGP™ wear them under their helmets. From the six-time MotoGP World Champion Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) to MotoGP™ rookie Ai Ogura (Trackhouse MotoGP Team), all the riders wear them constantly when on track.

MotoGP earplugs are vital for the riders and other forms of additional hearing protection for trackside workers are crucial. Unlike the drivers in F1, the riders do not use team radios to communicate with the crew chiefs in their pit boxes, or the mechanics at trackside on the pit wall. By the way, if you’re unfamiliar with any of this racing vocabulary, be sure to check out the MotoGP Glossary.

Whilst there have been tests with radio communication to the MotoGP riders on their bikes, for now there are still no permanent rider-to-team radios in MotoGP. The teams communicate with the riders via messages sent to the riders dashboard on their bikes and via the use of pit boards, which are placed over the pit wall by the riders’ mechanics.

Being able to focus clearly on the pit board and the team communication coming from that source, rather than through potential team radio comms, was explained to motogp.com by rider Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) who says: “It's so important. With the team communication because you can be more calm, more relaxed, you can know at how many seconds is the rider in front, the rider behind and how many riders are behind you. With all these questions, normally all the answers are on the board, so I would say that it's really important.”

The riders must also observe instructions from Race Direction and marshals in the form of trackside flags and lights and dashboard indicators.

On the complexity of tests being done in 2023 to potentially introduce radio comms to MotoGP riders, Carlos Ezpeleta, the Chief Sporting Officer of Dorna Sports (the organisers of MotoGP), explained specifically how the technology would work, around the riders’ earplugs: “It’s a challenging one for us because as opposed to cars, the helmets for motorbikes are tight, especially in the face, and bikes are much noisier. There’s much more movement – riders need to be free to move on the bike, so it’s much more challenging.”

“We’re testing two systems. As everyone knows, riders wear earplugs for the noise so the system fits round there. Some riders have tried it already and feel comfortable, so during the test we sent pre-recorded radio messages. It should be quite advanced in terms of information and when to communicate information to the riders. The other system is directly through the ears but we think the other system is better.”

The team staff working at trackside do use radio communication between them (but not with the riders), wearing high quality noise cancelling headphones (or earmuffs), which also have microphones and earphones as part of the headset.

This means the crew chiefs and team managers – the senior team members responsible for race strategy, decision making and communication with the riders – can concentrate and communicate with other team crew staff such as analysts, mechanics and other technicians, without being distracted or having their hearing damaged by the trackside noise.

Staying focused to reach the chequered flag first

Adrenaline, speed and noise are all part of the beautiful mix which draws in the best riders on the planet and attracts the millions of fans around the world to MotoGP™. Yet control, endurance, precision and managing every possible variable for the riders and their teams makes the difference to ultimately taking the chequered flag first and clinching a Grand Prix victory.

The high-fidelity earplugs used in MotoGP are a vital tool in this equation, offering riders a simple yet powerful form of protection, contributing to their safety, performance, career longevity and overall well-being.

Want to learn more about how the riders are protected in MotoGP? Check out our ultimate guide to safety in MotoGP.