Noise restrictions bylaw coming for Oakville

[the bandit]

Seems like the actions of a select few have affected many,oakville council is to vote on noise bylaw for oakville enforcement slated for july 2012.Bylaw is 96db at 2000 rpm,100db at 5000.Minimum fine $400 all because of some riders who are gathering at lakeshore timmies right next to a retirement home and reving the crap out their bikes at the stop light.Like what are they thinking,of course it was just a matter of time till residents complained.As I read in local oakville paper.

[turbodish]

Seems like the actions of a select few have affected many,oakville council is to vote on noise bylaw for oakville enforcement slated for july 2012.Bylaw is 96db at 2000 rpm,100db at 5000.Minimum fine $400 all because of some riders who are gathering at lakeshore timmies right next to a retirement home and reving the crap out their bikes at the stop light.Like what are they thinking,of course it was just a matter of time till residents complained.As I read in local oakville paper.

Good, and just as I predicted a while back when the Caledon bylaw was in the works. Look for the Caledon bylaw to be adopted by towns and cities across Ontario, and once a critical mass is reached, for it to become part of the HTA.

[Gummiente]

Good, and just as I predicted a while back when the Caledon bylaw was in the works.

I've been predicting this for many years, before the first such legislation was tabled in Canada. I've said it before and I'll say it again - this is just the beginning.

Memo to the loud pipes crowd: They've heard you.

[turbodish]

oakville council is to vote on noise bylaw for oakville enforcement slated for july 2012.

Not "is to vote", but have already voted.

Town Council voted Monday, to approve a bylaw, which seeks to muffle excessive motorcycle noise by limiting exactly how much sound a motorcycle in Oakville is allowed to make.Under the bylaw, a motorcycle cannot be operated in Oakville if it emits any sound exceeding 92 dBA (decibels) from the exhaust outlet as measured at 50 centimetres by means of a sound level meter while the motorcycle is idling.The bylaw also says a one, two, five or six-cylinder motorcycle cannot be driven in Oakville if its noise exceeds 96 dBA (at 2,000 RPM). A three or four-cylinder motorcycle cannot be driven if its noise exceeds 100 dBA (at 5,000 RPM).The bylaw will not be enforced until July 1, 2012 to allow for a public education/awareness campaign. http://www.insidehalton.com/news/art...ng-motorcycles

If you take a bit of time to look at staff reports and the minutes of town council deliberations, they are also working to encourage Halton Region to enact the bylaw as a region-wide measure through-out all of Halton Region. If that passes, then Cedar Springs Road, the roads around Campbellville and the Milton escarpment, 15th Sideroad, and some roads leading to the Belfountain area will all fall under a similar if not identical bylaw. On top of that is an additional long-term recommendation to encourage the province to incorporate the bylkaw into the HTA, just as the Town of Caledon is also seeking.

[ZX600]

This is one of those things I wouldn't disagree with. There is no reason why a motorcycle should make that much noise.

I just have a problem with the increase of all these laws, when can you say enough is enough? I don't have the answer

Every year many laws are put in place that are slowly restricting what we can and can not do.

[the bandit]

Wasn't aware vote had already taken place turbodish, I can definitely agree with said bylaw,have been on a few group rides and found myself shifting in the riding order due to crazy loud exhausts,and ya know oakville popo will enforce due to lack of activity.Gonna be an interesting 2012 season

[VinSter]

Seems like the actions of a select few have affected many,oakville council is to vote on noise bylaw for oakville enforcement slated for july 2012.Bylaw is 96db at 2000 rpm,100db at 5000.Minimum fine $400 all because of some riders who are gathering at lakeshore timmies right next to a retirement home and reving the crap out their bikes at the stop light.Like what are they thinking,of course it was just a matter of time till residents complained.As I read in local oakville paper.

I sometimes go down to that Timmies, and your absolutly right. Because of a few idiots who like to rev the crap out of thier bikes when arriving, leaving or passing that place, it was a matter of time, you know that saying, "don't crap where you eat". I guess thier will be some excitment down there next riding season if this law passes. Eventually, all cities and towns in Ontario will adopt this law, I predict 10 years for noise by-law in all of Ontario.

[ep1x]

Seems like the actions of a select few have affected many,oakville council is to vote on noise bylaw for oakville enforcement slated for july 2012.Bylaw is 96db at 2000 rpm,100db at 5000.Minimum fine $400 all because of some riders who are gathering at lakeshore timmies right next to a retirement home and reving the crap out their bikes at the stop light.Like what are they thinking,of course it was just a matter of time till residents complained.As I read in local oakville paper.

LOL @ revving engines @ tim hortons intersection. F**s.

[SunnY S]

Who rides in Oakville anyway? Aint no good roads there.

[the bandit]

I do cause I have to GET to the good roads

[Mercaholic]

I worked for the Town some 24 years and attended most Council meetings thru various Mayor's and Members of Council so not too surprised to see that they are cracking down on the straight pipes. Not too many folks know that there is already a by-law on the books prohibiting lawnmower noise after 8pm. I know for a fact that there are no motorcycle lov'n members on Council right now.

Oakville is a great Town with their residents taking pride in things, like the downtown area which is just a coiple of hundred meters east of this Timmies location.

I've watched the straight pipe guys go thru the downtown and felt the noise bounding off all the zero-set-backed buildings. Shame on them.

If you guys think cops are tough elsewhere, you haven't seen what the Halton Region cops will do.

[N3WMAN]

I don't forsee it making much difference to anyone but the straight pipe cruiser crowd. The same way the caledon law hasn't affected much either.

[ReSTored]

I have no issue with this. I'm sure virtually no one with a stock exhaust will be negatively impacted by this. The majority of the noise makers ride cruisers or SS bikes and those owners have paid big bucks to make the bikes significantly louder with minimal, if any, gain in HP.

I'd be curious to know how many riders were tested and then charged in Caledon this past fall as the bylaw became effective sometime in October, didn't it? Was there active efforcement? I never heard anything about actual testing or tickets.

[Myztyk]

I don't forsee it making much difference to anyone but the straight pipe cruiser crowd. The same way the caledon law hasn't affected much either.

You've obviously not heard a Two Brothers exhaust man. Those things put my bike to shame.

[jonpurdy]

Bylaw is 96db at 2000 rpm,100db at 5000.

At what distance away from the exhaust? Doubling the distance away from the pipe drops the noise level by 75%. A cop can't just come up and randomly place the microphone an arbitrary distance away from the exhaust. Surely the lawmakers would've included this measurement into the by-law.

What about bikes that came from the dealer that are louder than 96 dB? Shouldn't they just be chasing aftermarket bikes? I've got an F800R that came from BMW with the upgraded Akrapovic exhaust. I'm pretty sure it's under 96 dB (even at close microphone range) but it was sold and installed when I purchased the motorcycle new.

I have no problem with reasonable anti-noise laws. I've lived in Korea and been to Thailand and there were some obnoxiously loud scooters there (despite being like 125 cc, they'd put straight piped bikes here to shame). However, the laws need to be specific and fair. Without tight regulations about the testing in addition to regulations around the sale of aftermarket stuff it simply doesn't make sense.

[Brian P]

At what distance away from the exhaust? Doubling the distance away from the pipe drops the noise level by 75%. A cop can't just come up and randomly place the microphone an arbitrary distance away from the exhaust. Surely the lawmakers would've included this measurement into the by-law.

What you're reading in the newspaper is a "summary", a shortened "extract" of the actual test procedure. The wording of that extract in the paper is entirely consistent with SAE J2825, which prescribes the distance, angle, environment around the test, etc.

What about bikes that came from the dealer that are louder than 96 dB? Shouldn't they just be chasing aftermarket bikes? I've got an F800R that came from BMW with the upgraded Akrapovic exhaust. I'm pretty sure it's under 96 dB (even at close microphone range) but it was sold and installed when I purchased the motorcycle new.

When SAE J2825 was written, it was done as a collaboration between the SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers), the AMA (American Motorcyclist Association), and various other representatives. They took into account original equipment on new bikes, vintage bikes, reasonable aftermarket exhausts, etc. If there is an original-equipment motorcycle that makes more sound than this, including production bikes that pre-dated EPA standards, it hasn't been found. Your Akrapovic muffler should have come with a little insert that is stuck into the outlet. Akrapovic mufflers are of European origin and (over there) they come with a declaration of conformity which is valid as long as you don't take out that insert. It should be OK.

When Caledon did their bylaw, I had all of my bikes tested (thx GreyGhost). All of them passed - including my roadrace FZR400 with standard glass-pack Hindle muffler with *no* noise-reducing insert. That one was by a slim margin - but it passed. Also, one of the bikes with an aftermarket muffler was quieter than the one with a stock muffler. "Aftermarket" doesn't automatically imply "illegal".

I have no problem with reasonable anti-noise laws. I've lived in Korea and been to Thailand and there were some obnoxiously loud scooters there (despite being like 125 cc, they'd put straight piped bikes here to shame). However, the laws need to be specific and fair. Without tight regulations about the testing in addition to regulations around the sale of aftermarket stuff it simply doesn't make sense.

SAE J2825 is DESIGNED to be specific and fair. It DOES specify the testing conditions - it's just that those testing conditions are too lengthy to write into a cute little newspaper article. It DOES make allowance for reasonable aftermarket equipment.

If I recall correctly from the Caledon testing, the bikes that generally had a problem were straight-pipe exhausts (no muffler at all), and stylish "shorty" mufflers. Nothing that was stock had a problem and most of the aftermarket exhausts with reasonable mufflers were OK.

Don't use a stylish small-diameter or "shorty" muffler, don't cut your muffler shorter in the interest of vanity, and don't ride in an obnoxious manner so as to draw attention to yourself, and it should be fine.

[jonpurdy]

What you're reading in the newspaper is a "summary", a shortened "extract" of the actual test procedure. The wording of that extract in the paper is entirely consistent with SAE J2825, which prescribes the distance, angle, environment around the test, etc.

Ah, I didn't realize they were using a pre-existing testing standard. I also didn't read the article, only the first post in this thread.

After researching SAE J2825 it's definitely a fair and reasonable testing method. My reason for concern was the wording in the HTA (I think) that implied that any aftermarket exhaust was illegal. Though, IIRC, that was up to interpretation from the officer who pulled you over.

I was thinking of purchasing a sound level meter and testing according to that method but I figure I'll wait it out and see if I can get tested later on. I'm not overly concerned at this point because the Akra is definitely not much louder than stock; it simply has a deeper growl to it than the stock exhaust.

[freedomfighter]

. My reason for concern was the wording in the HTA (I think) that implied that any aftermarket exhaust was illegal. Though, IIRC, that was up to interpretation from the officer who pulled you over.

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well i guess midas,crappy tire,greenross,and every other non dealer ship should be closed.the gorv. only stands to loose billions in lost tax and put alot of people on the bread line.

here is a funny fact. walk into crappy tire by a k/n air filter install in your car in the parking lot. drive onto the road. and a cop can give you a 390.00 ticket....
as far as i'm concerned i pay taxes on it..it's legal.

[EngineerJoe]

What you're reading in the newspaper is a "summary", a shortened "extract" of the actual test procedure. The wording of that extract in the paper is entirely consistent with SAE J2825, which prescribes the distance, angle, environment around the test, etc.

I like that the law is following a specific testing standard, this makes it much easier to interpret and enforce. Now to get a copy of SAE J2825 without DRM.

[Brian P]

I like that the law is following a specific testing standard, this makes it much easier to interpret and enforce. Now to get a copy of SAE J2825 without DRM.

No need. If you have an Iphone, "there's an app for that" - to make it into a dB meter. It is not an "officially recognized calibrated instrument" that will stand up in court, but experience seems to be showing that it's accurate enough for you to establish whether your bike has a potential compliance issue or not.

Have the engine warmed up and park in an open area away from adjacent traffic, concrete walls, etc. (The standard specifies all this but just be "away" from all that stuff and it will be OK.) Measure height of exhaust outlet from ground. Hold dB meter at the same height as the exhaust outlet at a 45 degree angle outward from the centerline of the bike and 50 cm from the center of the exhaust outlet. If there are two exhaust outlets then repeat this test on both sides in the same manner.

Set dB meter on "A" scale, "slow" response (more on this in a minute).

Engine at warm idle -> test criteria is less than 92 dB as measured above
For 3 or 4 cylinder engine, hold at steady throttle in neutral 5000 rpm -> test criteria is less than 100 dB
For other number of cylinders, steady throttle in neutral 2000 rpm -> test criteria is less than 96 dB