Denver passes noise ordinance affecting bikers

[fjrrider]

Well we all know what group of bikers were talking about. How many of these guys belong to the AMA? How many of you belong to the AMA? I do, buts its only because I race off road events that require it. AMA is all about keeping noise levels down, so as not to upset neighbors close to off road parks and tracks. Street bikes with loud pipes typically have not bothered most people, it used to be that they would pass by quickly and your only disturbed for a few seconds. Well obviously thats changed with the rapid growth of biking in the past several years.

For me, I dont like loud pipes and there totaly not necessary. I would go so far as to say less than 1% of riders out there, street and dirt, can gain a useful benefit from the increase in HP a hi-performance louder pipe will give you!

As for the stock bikes that are loud (HD) and yet have no performance value what-so-ever! At some point responsible partys are going to decide, we can choose to understand and cooperate or....not!

 

[Bustanut joker]

Well said fjrider.

We've a 'motorcycle club' hereabouts an I don't mind a little noise but, when 25 to 30 of these guys blow through here with 12 long open pipes at 2:30 am, it has a tendency to piss a guy off.

:jester:

 

[odot]

Kinda hard to hear after a fifth of mcallens aint it, bust?

 

[Bustanut joker]

Kinda hard to hear after a fifth of mcallens aint it, bust?

:rofl: :lol2: :lol2: :lazy: Ya got me there Boss

Don't be disin' the Mac !

 

[twistedcricket]

I notice that it's specifically targeting motorcyclists. What about the cars with stereos that can be heard over the crowd at Mile High? Locally, the city council passed a "vehicle noise" ordinance. It was initially aimed at the kids with stereo systems that cost more than twice the value of the car. It was vaguely worded on purpose; any noise emitted from a vehicle (moving or not) can be cited. This Denver city ordinance seems discriminatory

I wonder what will happen when the riders go through Denver on their way to Sturgis - will they be cited? Having an ordinance and enforcing it are two vastly different things.

 

[Big Sky]

Open pipes are only REALLY loud when the throttle is wide open, which is why the straight pipe crowd is ruining it for the rest of us - they tend to whack that twistgrip at start-up or when blasting away from a stoplight and when passing slow little old ladies, scaring and annoying the bejesus out of the citizens. I once asked my Harley-riding brother-in-law why he mounted straight pipes since it just pisses off all the citizens. He said, "That's the whole point." And he'll be pissed when the voting citizens fight back, which they will and are. I imagine the straight-piped Harley riders think I'm some kind of ricer-riding show off when I inevitably blitz past them at the first opportunity. Not showing off, just getting around unnecessarily slow traffic and unnecessarily loud traffic.

My 2¢.

 

[juniorfjr]

Thirty years ago, the police used to pull me over for running my headers uncapped. There was a noise ordinance (so they said). Now they turn a blind eye to the loud pipes on bikes. Had a custom chopper go by the petrol station I was at the other day and it hurt our ears it was so loud. So many spiders get carried away with it all. jr

 

[RatoneMuerto]

Well we all know what group of bikers were talking about. How many of these guys belong to the AMA? How many of you belong to the AMA? I do, buts its only because I race off road events that require it. AMA is all about keeping noise levels down, so as not to upset neighbors close to off road parks and tracks. Street bikes with loud pipes typically have not bothered most people, it used to be that they would pass by quickly and your only disturbed for a few seconds. Well obviously thats changed with the rapid growth of biking in the past several years.For me, I dont like loud pipes and there totaly not necessary. I would go so far as to say less than 1% of riders out there, street and dirt, can gain a useful benefit from the increase in HP a hi-performance louder pipe will give you!

As for the stock bikes that are loud (HD) and yet have no performance value what-so-ever! At some point responsible partys are going to decide, we can choose to understand and cooperate or....not!

Here is my rant! :angry: I agree whole hearted with you FJRRider.Most modern machines are so powerful now that in stock trim few can utilize their full potential.Thirty years ago it was a must to modify the exhaust as well as the carbs to gain any usable and significant power.The noise was sometimes way overbearing.Now just tweak your suspension,power up your laptop and map it out.So cool!I modified a 2003 Buell XB9 with the full factory race ECM,mapping,factory race can and it still was not as loud as my 76 GT500 Suzuki which is bone stock.The fact that modifying any part of a street vehicles engine or exhaust system has been illegal since the mid seventies but aftermarket manufacturers can legally continue to make their products as long as they put that warning/waiver on the product.Custom builders are allowed ONE EXEMPTION per vehicle for life from EPA noise and emissions regs.You can legally buy everthing to build a chopper and have no emmisons standards in 48 states.So is John Gottahavachopper going to get cited in Denver for the custom he built in accordance with federal law after building his dream machine??Stock HD product are quiet and powerful no matter if it is a Sporty,Buell or full bagger but it is the owners that make the changes with the factories blessings.There is no law against being a stupid fifty something trying to relive the Vietnam era(been there,done that,glad i'm gray, thank you) nor is there one to make someone put themselves in someone elses shoes.GIVE ME MY SEWING MACHINE AND SO I CAN RACE THE SUNSET!!.RANT OVER!

 

[Kevin Daly]

I personally love the sound of a well tuned HD as it clug-clug-clugs down the blvd. Its people like my neighbors a couple streets down that only rides his bike at night. usually fires it up around 11pm and doesnt exactly "blip" he REDLINES that HD and of course he has 12" staight pipes. I cant wait thill this law makes it to here and this prick can fry :****: :****: :****: Oh did i mention what time the F*&k wad comes home in the am? and he has to sit up there and "clean the carbon of his valves at 2-3 am!

Vinnie meet my neighbor :vinsent:

 

[Mike-H]

I personally love the sound of a well tuned HD as it clug-clug-clugs down the blvd. Its people like my neighbors a couple streets down that only rides his bike at night. usually fires it up around 11pm and doesnt exactly "blip" he REDLINES that HD and of course he has 12" staight pipes. I cant wait thill this law makes it to here and this prick can fry :****: :****: :****: Oh did i mention what time the F*&k wad comes home in the am? and he has to sit up there and "clean the carbon of his valves at 2-3 am!
Vinnie meet my neighbor :vinsent:

Just shows that assh@#es aren't limited to Denver.....

 

[Flyguy]

I live in the land of loud pipes - Daytona. Try 2 weeks of squids testing the laws of physics with Yoshimira's at full song not to be outdone by cruisers gaining maximum attention from their stoplight launchs and you're ready to go fully automatic!

Regulation is coming, not just in noise ordinances but in regulated power also, and it will be the ones who brought it on us crying the loudest when it does.

 

[Ignacio]

Regulation is coming, not just in noise ordinances but in regulated power also, and it will be the ones who brought it on us crying the loudest when it does.

While I don't disagree that somebody might propose regulating power...I think it would be way farther off than noise.

Noise would be much easier as it's mostly about enforcing what is already in many existing local ordinances...or tweaking for decibels or semantic threshold of noise, as well as enforcing federal stock or approved aftermarket exhausts.

Regulating power would be completely new language and area of law.

We already have the noise ordinances in our city and if it were to become a problem of enforcement, we'd work with our cops to tweak as needed to draw a line in the sand to stop the offending 10% or so.

Already done it for people with thumper stereos, modified foot scooters....and the problem is now a managable and not the norm.

The 10% cried and whined, but the 90% told them to shut off their stereos and quit ripping down the sidewalks on their scooters and things are quieter.

 

[pickax]

Regulation is coming, not just in noise ordinances but in regulated power also, and it will be the ones who brought it on us crying the loudest when it does.

While I don't disagree that somebody might propose regulating power...I think it would be way farther off than noise.

Noise would be much easier as it's mostly about enforcing what is already in many existing local ordinances...or tweaking for decibels or semantic threshold of noise, as well as enforcing federal stock or approved aftermarket exhausts.

Regulating power would be completely new language and area of law.

We already have the noise ordinances in our city and if it were to become a problem of enforcement, we'd work with our cops to tweak as needed to draw a line in the sand to stop the offending 10% or so.

Already done it for people with thumper stereos, modified foot scooters....and the problem is now a managable and not the norm.

The 10% cried and whined, but the 90% told them to shut off their stereos and quit ripping down the sidewalks on their scooters and things are quieter.

Daytona does have a decibel based local ordinance, 100db IIRC. Rarely and selectively enforced though.

Power regulation is a whole new can of worms that the AMA should fight tooth and nail.

 

[Geezer]

I spent the day yesterday at Americade. You know, the gathering of us old, sedate, quiet touring type motorcyclists. Well, after about a half hour of walking around the business district I had to get inside to get away from the noise. One guy, I think he was on a Victory, was doing everything he could to maximize the sound level of his open pipes as he crawled through town. I don't object to loud pipes, but there is a limit. Sound loud enough to be painful will cause permanent hearing loss. If the rider doesn't mind going deaf, then that's his choice, but his rights stop at the point where he causes damage to my hearing.

 

[charismaticmegafauna]

+ 1 The Polaris Victory engine is one of the louder I've heard with open pipes -- must have something to do with valve timing, compression, etc.? Altho, I was talking with an H-D owner the other day who bragged that his 'Rhineharts' set-off car alarms when he "raps 'em off".

Had lunch with my dentist a while back (he rides a Heritage Softail w/no mufflers -- mainly just annual Sturgis trips) and I had to repeat what the waitress said to us about the lunch special -- he's now deaf in his right ear...... :dribble:

 

[Mike-H]

I spent the day yesterday at Americade. You know, the gathering of us old, sedate, quiet touring type motorcyclists. Well, after about a half hour of walking around the business district I had to get inside to get away from the noise. One guy, I think he was on a Victory, was doing everything he could to maximize the sound level of his open pipes as he crawled through town. I don't object to loud pipes, but there is a limit. Sound loud enough to be painful will cause permanent hearing loss. If the rider doesn't mind going deaf, then that's his choice, but his rights stop at the point where he causes damage to "EVERYONE ELSIE'S" hearing.

There....fixed it for you Geezer....

 

[OrangevaleFJR]

What is loud? Is there a decibel level maximum? So if you get quieter, then quieter will become loud. Then what? I also hate excessively loud pipes. But are my Holeshots loud? Compared to what? How far will they go. Just because you are now on a motorcycle they have probable cause to pull you over and write a ticket. With no meter it is relative to who is listening. I vote for a decibel level maximum but not on some complaint from some cranky neighborhood troublemaker.

If you don't blip your throttle to show off them holeshots I bet you'll be fine. However, get pulled for something else, give attitude, and expect an additional citation for the pipes.

I support laws like this. For those guys that put on aftermarket pipes for the sound of it on the FJR, sorry guys, I just don't get it. If you put on the pipes to get more ground clearance I can buy that. We create enough noise in this world without adding to it for 1% or less gain in hp for a significant boost of ego. Can't we find some other way to feel good about ourselves? Donate to charity or something?

HD riders with straights...well..I have ALWAYS hated them. Perhaps this has something to do with growing up on a popular HD route to the bars in Morrison, Colorado. I think the fact that I pause so much while I speak is due to growing up with those things going by. Might as well pause the sentence as they roll by and commence when their noise fades.

I have actually been thanked by residents of Markleeville, California. They said, "Thanks for having a quiet bike, believe me, we hear too many loud bikes every weekend." They went on to explain that it wasn't only the cruisers that bothered them, but that the high pitched whine of a sport bike at high RPMs also bothered them.

Well, I figure many will simply not care and go on with their loud pipes and have their ego inflated by being rude. The more they get ticketed the better in my book. I strongly believe in a live and let live perspective and if you're being unecessarily loud, you ain't letting people live the way they'd like to.

 

[CraigRegs]

Do you think the AMA will go to bat & try & fight this?...Or could this be the start of a growing trend?....

AMA response

This ordinance is just plain one-sided. They aren't targeting noise. They're targeting a class of vehicles. Either enforce the noise ordinances for all vehicles, including engine-braking 18-wheelers, sub-woofer thumping teens, and rusted-muffler rattletraps or don't enforce it at all.

Craig

 

[odot]

Once again, kids......if it's too loud.....yer too old.......and you probably smell funny.

 

[rockwells]

Obiviously, everyone has a somewhat different defination of "loud'... Punks w/ those loud stereos blasting x-rated rap, ********* w/ straight pipes, those little metric "wanna-be sports" cars, usually in violation of loud exaust and the stereo thang!

Any living, breathing creation (read motorcycle) snould, by definition, have a pleasing, soothing rumble to her (usually not accomplished w/ stock pipes) Hell, even my grandma had modified pipes.

Pretty tough to "police our own" when most of the offenders are big, fat, ugly basterds, or folks pretending to be.

Maybe it's a good thang. It'll corral some of the badies, and in my modest experience, most laws like that will, like fads, pass after awhile..

Just thinkin...