How loud is a motorcycle?
A cruiser motorcycle measured by the US National Park Service on the Blue Ridge Parkway reached 80 dBA at 15 m. That matches the US federal noise limit for new street motorcycles from model year 1986, which is 80 dB(A) in the EPA test.
- Level
- 80 dBAA-weighted sound level
- Distance
- 15 m15 m (roadside)
- Daily limit
- No daily limitNIOSH, at the loud end
- Versus conversation
- 56× energyabout 3.4× as loud
What the numbers mean
How it was measured. National Park Service measurement of a cruiser motorcycle at 15 m on the Blue Ridge Parkway (80 dBA). The US federal limit for street motorcycles from model year 1986 is also 80 dB(A) under EPA's test procedure (distance not stated in the quoted rule text).
The National Park Service lists a cruiser motorcycle at 15 m on the Blue Ridge Parkway at 80 dBA, and compares it with standing near a churning garbage disposal. In quiet parkland that can be 60 dB or more above the background; the same NPS page puts remote Grand Canyon trails at 20 dBA.
US federal rules limit new street motorcycles to 80 dB(A) from the 1986 model year (83 dB(A) from 1983), measured with EPA's drive-by procedure. Off-road motorcycles over 170 cc are allowed 82 dB(A). Machines with modified or removed silencers can be far louder than these limits, which is why some riders sound much louder than others.
How long is safe?
Below 85 dBA, the level NIOSH allows for a full 8-hour day.
| Level | NIOSH limit (85 dBA, 3 dB rule) | OSHA limit (90 dBA, 5 dB rule) | UK/EU 80 dB(A) action value reached after | UK/EU 85 dB(A) action value reached after |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 80 dBA | No limit | No limit | Not reached in 24 h | Not reached in 24 h |
Times are for a whole day’s exposure, with the rest of the day quiet. The workplace limits were written for adults at work, not for children. Work out a mixed day with the noise dose calculator.
Protecting your hearing
Riders can wear earplugs under the helmet on long rides. Keep the standard silencer if you want to stay within the legal limits.
Earplug and earmuff ratings (NRR in the US, SNR in the UK and EU) are lab figures; real-world protection is usually lower. How to read the ratings.
Compared with sounds nearby
Using midpoints of each range. Energy multiplies by 10 every 10 dB; perceived loudness roughly doubles (why).
- City bus (75.3–76 dBA): this has about 2.7× its sound energy and sounds about 1.4× as loud.
- Vacuum cleaner (62–90 dBA): this has about 2.5× its sound energy and sounds about 1.3× as loud.
- Piano (60–105 dBA): it has about 1.8× the sound energy of this and sounds about 1.2× as loud.
- Nail gun (83 dBA): it has about 2× the sound energy of this and sounds about 1.2× as loud.
- Normal conversation (55–70 dBA): this has about 56× its energy and sounds about 3.4× as loud.
Questions
How loud is a motorcycle from the roadside?
The National Park Service measured a cruiser motorcycle at 80 dBA from 15 m.
What is the legal noise limit for motorcycles in the US?
80 dB(A) for street motorcycles from model year 1986 under the EPA test, and 82 dB(A) for off-road motorcycles over 170 cc.
Sources
- Understanding Sound, US National Park Service. Supports: 80 dBA at 15 m.
80 Cruiser motorcycle at 15 m (Blue Ridge Parkway)
Checked 2026-11-03. - Understanding Sound, US National Park Service. Supports: comparison.
The noise levels of a cruiser motorcycle at Blue Ridge Parkway, however, can be compared to standing near a churning garbage disposal.
Checked 2026-11-03. - Understanding Sound, US National Park Service. Supports: 20 dBA comparison.
Along some remote trails in Grand Canyon National Park, sound levels, at 20 dBA, are softer than a whisper.
Checked 2026-11-03. - 40 CFR § 205.152 - Noise emission standards., US Code of Federal Regulations (Legal Information Institute, Cornell). Supports: 80 dB(A) limit from 1986; 83 from 1983.
A-weighted noise level ( dB ) (A) 1983 83 (B) 1986 80
Checked 2026-11-03. - 40 CFR § 205.152 - Noise emission standards., US Code of Federal Regulations (Legal Information Institute, Cornell). Supports: off-road category (82 dB(A) from 1986 in the same table).
(ii) Off-road motorcycles with engine displacements greater than 170 cc:
Checked 2026-11-03.
This page is general information, not medical advice. If you have ringing in your ears, muffled hearing or any change in your hearing, see an audiologist or your doctor.