---
title: "How loud is a motorcycle?"
description: "A motorcycle reaches 80–110 dB. How that compares to other things, and where the number comes from."
url: https://atoneplace.net/loud/motorcycle/
site: "At One Place"
---

# 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?](https://atoneplace.net/weight/motorcycle/) — 90–400 kg
- [How much does a motorcycle cost?](https://atoneplace.net/cost/motorcycle/) — 2,500–35,000 $
- [Motorcycle vs Jet ski](https://atoneplace.net/vs/jet-ski-vs-motorcycle/) — Side by side
- [Motorcycle vs Car](https://atoneplace.net/vs/car-vs-motorcycle/) — Side by side
- [Motorcycle vs SUV](https://atoneplace.net/vs/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?](https://atoneplace.net/weight/motorcycle/)
- [How much does a motorcycle cost?](https://atoneplace.net/cost/motorcycle/)
- [How loud is a fire truck?](https://atoneplace.net/loud/fire-truck/)
- [How loud is a ambulance?](https://atoneplace.net/loud/ambulance/)
- [Motorcycle vs Jet ski](https://atoneplace.net/vs/jet-ski-vs-motorcycle/)
- [Motorcycle vs Car](https://atoneplace.net/vs/car-vs-motorcycle/)
- [Motorcycle vs SUV](https://atoneplace.net/vs/motorcycle-vs-suv/)

## Sources

- What Noises Cause Hearing Loss? — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/hearing_loss/what_noises_cause_hearing_loss.html) [Public domain (US Government)]
- Occupational Noise Exposure — Occupational Safety and Health Administration (https://www.osha.gov/noise) [Public domain (US Government)]