How loud is a motorcycle?
Typical loudness
80–110 dB
A two-wheeled motor vehicle, from 50 cc commuter scooters to full-dress touring bikes.
CDC puts a motorcycle at about 95 dB; NIDCD gives a range of 80-110 dBA for motorcycles and dirt bikes.
How that compares
Motorcycle against things of a similar loudness.
Chainsaw 100–115 dB
Drum kit 95–115 dB
Jackhammer 95–115 dB
Church bell 90–120 dB
Motorcycle 80–110 dB
Blender 80–95 dB
Hair dryer 75–95 dB
Pressure washer 75–95 dB
How long you can safely listen
About 48 minutes a day before damage risk begins.
Decibels are logarithmic, which makes the intuitive arithmetic wrong in a way worth knowing: every 10 dB is ten times the sound energy, and two identical sources together are 3 dB louder than one — not double. So two 70 dB fans are 73 dB, not 140 dB.
Levels are measured at roughly one metre unless stated otherwise. Sound falls off with distance — about 6 dB per doubling — so the same appliance is noticeably quieter across a room than beside your ear.
More about a motorcycle
- How much does a motorcycle weigh? 90–400 kg
- How much does a motorcycle cost? 2,500–35,000 $
- Motorcycle vs Jet ski Side by side
- Motorcycle vs Car Side by side
- Motorcycle vs SUV Side by side
Common questions
- How loud is a motorcycle?
- A motorcycle reaches 80–110 dB. CDC puts a motorcycle at about 95 dB; NIDCD gives a range of 80-110 dBA for motorcycles and dirt bikes.
Related pages
- How much does a motorcycle weigh? 90–400 kg
- How much does a motorcycle cost? 2,500–35,000 $
- How loud is a fire truck? 110–129 dB
- How loud is a ambulance? 110–129 dB
- Motorcycle vs Jet ski Side by side
- Motorcycle vs Car Side by side
- Motorcycle vs SUV Side by side
Sources
- What Noises Cause Hearing Loss? — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Public domain (US Government))
- Occupational Noise Exposure — Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Public domain (US Government))