Why do cops allow such loud bikes?

[oldryder]

It's frustrating because it seems so simple. Even if the laws (and cops) allowed for a large "gray" area and only ticketed the fools with the REALLY loud pipes the problem would largely be solved.

I have aftermarket exhausts on several of my bikes but they're all only slightly louder than stock unless you're really in the throttle so I'm not a prude on this subject. However, the lack of enforcement on existing laws is creating a situation where we'll get more restrictive laws that affect everybody.

anyone thats ever driven a really loud car (like one with open headers) knows you can't make one pass thru town without getting stopped and probably ticketed.

how about this: every time a responsible motorcyclist gets the opportunity to do so he asks an LEO why they don't ticket loud bikes? if we all do it eventually they might start asking themselves the same question......

 

[ionbeam]

MA and NH have issued dB meters to police in many towns. They have established measurement methods, sound limits and have trained the police. It is not uncommon for the police to issue tickets in 'seasonal' areas. During a by-the-book inspection in NH the inspector is supposed to verify that the exhaust baffles are still in place, a.k.a. pass the broom handle test.

In NH you don't have to do anything, the State House nanny law has already set up laws and enforcement rules to govern sound levels beginning in 2010. All you may need to do is dime the police when you are offended by loud pipes. [SIZE=14pt]BUT WAIT --[/SIZE] there is more -- they have also legislated a requirement for motorcycles to have a tachometer too. The Saves Lives group ain't gonna love this bit of legislation.

Edit: I just did a NH General Court Bill Status check and found that the following bill was killed on the floor, they are now doing a rewrite and will try again. I have not been able to locate the revamped bill yet. I am leaving the now dead bill as an example of what NH and MA are trying to get done for state level noise programs. Local noise ordinances are still in place, with the sound inspections very much like the one outlined in this bill.

New Hampshire House Bill:

HB 95 – AS INTRODUCED

2009 SESSION

09-0234

03/01

HOUSE BILL 95

AN ACT relative to motorcycle equipment and noise levels.

SPONSORS: Rep. J. Day, Rock 13; Rep. Henson, Rock 13; Rep. Kepner, Rock 15

COMMITTEE: Transportation

ANALYSIS

This bill:

I. Prohibits motorcycle exhaust modifications.

II. Reduces permissible motorcycle noise levels.

III. Increases maximum fines for motorcycle noise violations.

IV. Requires motorcycles to have functioning tachometers.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b ) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Nine

AN ACT relative to motorcycle equipment and noise levels.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

1 New Paragraph; Motorcycle Muffler Modifications. Amend RSA 266:59 by inserting after paragraph IV the following new paragraph: V.

(a) No person shall modify the exhaust system of a motorcycle in any manner.

(b ) No person shall drive on a way a motorcycle that has after market equipment installed to replace the muffler.

(c ) Any person who violates the provisions of this paragraph shall be guilty of a violation and shall be fined not less than $100 nor more than $500.

2 Motorcycle Noise Levels. Amend RSA 266:59-a to read as follows:

266:59-a Motorcycle Noise Levels.

I. No person shall operate a motorcycle which has a measured noise level of more than [106] 95 decibels on the decibel meter when measured 20 inches from the exhaust pipe at a 45 degree angle while the engine is operating at 2,800 revolutions per minute for one and 2 cylinder motorcycles and 3,500 revolutions per minute for any motorcycle with 3 or more cylinders.

II. No person shall pass for the purposes of the inspection required by RSA 266:1 any motorcycle which has a measured noise level of more than [106] 95 decibels on the decibel meter when measured 20 inches from the exhaust pipe at a 45 degree angle while the engine is operating at 2,800 revolutions per minute for one and 2 cylinder motorcycles and 3,500 revolutions per minute for any motorcycle with 3 or more cylinders.

II-a. No person shall operate in this state any motorcycle which produces a sound level in excess of [106] 95 decibels on the A scale, when measured in accordance with the provisions of the Society of Automotive Engineers Recommended Practice ANSI/SAE J-1287 annual report on “Measurement of Exhaust Sound Levels of Stationary Motorcycles.”

III. Any person who violates the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a violation and shall be fined not less than $100 nor more than [$300] $500.

3 New Section; Equipment of Vehicles; Motorcycles; Tachometer. Amend RSA 266 by inserting after section 77 the following new section:

266:77-a Tachometer. No person shall drive on a way a motorcycle without a functioning tachometer. Any person who violates the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a violation and shall be fined not less than $100 nor more than $500.

4 Effective Date. This act shall take effect January 1, 2010.

 

[ponyfool]

In Oregon, the threshold is a lot higher than most would believe. I worked an event years ago with the City noise control officer with a sound meter, and we stopped nearly 2 dozen bikes. I thought all 24 bikes would have easily failed, but only 10 of them did.

As a result of others experiences similar to mine, no one has the desire to stop people only to be sued later for illegal detention.

 

[BikerGeek99]

Why don't cops actively pursue loud pipes? Cops ride, too, and some of 'em like loud pipes. Maybe that has something to do with why they don't typically pursue loud exhaust. It's just a theory.

Alan - I don't get the tach thing. Why would they legislate a tachometer requirement? My '99 Wide Glide didn't have a tach. Neither did my (I forget what model year it was) Virago. Vilifying the cruiser crowd, perhaps? :dntknw:

 

[ionbeam]

... I don't get the tach thing. Why would they legislate a tachometer requirement...

Thank goodness I don't understand some of these things either. If'en I were to guess, I would guess that it would facilitate the police being able to operate the engine at the 2,800/3,500 rpm specified in the noise test 2-II. Otherwise the police would have to carry their own tach and have some means of connecting it to any brand bike. This may also be the reason the bill was killed.

 

[BwanaDik]

That 20 inches is pretty stringent. Industry generally calls for three feet although recently we've been dropping all the way down to 85dB.

No problem with the intent of the law, problem I have with it, and has been the basis for similar bills failing elsewhere, is the targeting of motorcycles. I'd go for a full across the board "loudness" restriction so we can include diesel duallies with Kenworth mufflers, Geo Metro's with 12,000 watt stereos, and bikes with open headers.

 

[old&slow]

I really hate what the badass want-to-be's are doing to the motorcyclist..

Annoying "Illegal for street use" pipes are causing very negative John Q. Public opinion of all motorcyclist.

And causing attempted bans of annoying *** bikes all over the country ..

I'm also opposed to any new laws ,,, New laws are usually a knee jerk reaction with innocent bystanders getting hit in the cross fire....

I really don't think we need new laws ,,, If I go down the road with a small block chevy with just open headers ..

How far will I get ??? Probably until I pass the first cop....

There's an old saying, Something about,, a few bad apples spoiling the whole barrel...

So a few dumb ***** are going to spoil it for the rest of us,,,, I have NO use for them ... :angry2: :angry2: :angry2: :angry2:

 

[ionbeam]

I have NO use for them ... :angry2: :angry2: :angry2: :angry2:

You know how The Motor Company is known for the classic POTATO, POTATO, POTATO exhaust sound? Take the hint and put one in each exhaust pipe and there will be no more noise. Unless they catch you in the act. :lol:

 

[Toecutter]

This sure looks like a duplicate thread....

 

[old&slow]

This sure looks like a duplicate thread....

It is ... It's the,, "hate dumb ***** on annoying loud pipe bikes spoiling it for the rest of us" ,thread...

 

[FJRGuy]

I understand the need to quantify noise levels but am I reading the draft correctly???

Any Aftermarket exhaust would be illegal, regardless of sound level??? :huh:

 

[charismaticmegafauna]

I understand the need to quantify noise levels but am I reading the draft correctly???Any Aftermarket exhaust would be illegal, regardless of sound level??? :huh:

True...., and not anytime too soon, either.... :angry2:

If I never, ever, again hear an open-piped V-Twin it'll be just fine (I've endured many life-times of un-necessary noise).

One of a society's missions/responsibilities is to insure the well-being of its members -- and that includes protection from polution of the environment (air, water, light, and NOISE....).

 

[oldryder]

This sure looks like a duplicate thread....

Typically a loud pipe thread is just a lot of bitching. This one has a possible constructive proposal.

You're overlooking the part where it's suggested every responsible rider ask LEO's at every opportunity why the LEO's don't ticket the obnoxious bikes.

Perhaps, eventually, the LEO's will start asking themselves the same question and then start doing something about it.

 

[Toecutter]

You're overlooking the part where it's suggested every responsible rider ask LEO's at every opportunity why the LEO's don't ticket the obnoxious bikes.
Perhaps, eventually, the LEO's will start asking themselves the same question and then start doing something about it.

Maybe because they don't get any revenue from "fix-it" tickets, and the offender can pop in the baffles, get it signed off, then go loud again. Sounds like a total waste of energy for the LEO's to me.

I know of one very obnoxious local female rider who's done the routine several times....

 

[Bustanut joker]

Music to one.. Noise to another. ****ography to one... Art to another. 42 psi to one.... 38 to another. It's all rather subjective really

:jester:

 

[08FJR4ME]

Bust, Your making to much sense.

 

[FJRay]

Bust, Your making to much sense.

I get scared when he does that. :blink:

 

[charismaticmegafauna]

Music to one.. Noise to another. ****ography to one... Art to another. 42 psi to one.... 38 to another. It's all rather subjective really
:jester:

Well..., maybe?

Scientifically: https://www.asha.org/public/hearing/disorders/noise.htm

• Basically, noise is unwanted sound. It is a pollutant and a hazard to human health and hearing.
• Examples of noise levels considered dangerous by experts are: a rock concert, firearms, firecrackers, motorcycles
• Noise can also ...cause irritability.

Yep..., [irritable]hate those noisy Harleys..![/irritable] :angry:

 

[Bustanut joker]

Music to one.. Noise to another. ****ography to one... Art to another. 42 psi to one.... 38 to another. It's all rather subjective really
:jester:

Well..., maybe?

Scientifically: https://www.asha.org/public/hearing/disorders/noise.htm

[*]Examples of noise levels considered dangerous by experts are: a rock concert,

Well damn! the last few I've been to I've just about had to sit up front to hear the "noise".

I suppose a lifetime of attending these dang things has acclimated my hearing to 'em.. Curse you Pink Floyd, Metalllica,Poppa Raoch, Eminem....

:jester: