Noise restrictions bylaw coming for Oakville

[ReSTored]

For me, 18 RWHP gain with pipe and tune. Hardly minimal.
As for noise, well sure - the volume of the bike has gone up to what is probably above the proposed limits, but I'm also respectful of my location. Do I have a heavy hand on the throttle in city or residential areas? Exact opposite. I give a bit of gas and short shift and coast longer distances at idle or barely ever break 4K rpm in city limits (10.5k redline v-twin).

So, please, don't lump all everyone with after market pipes and tunes into your "minimal, if any, gain in HP" group. Not everyone with after market pipes and tunes is an automatic jacka*s.

Maybe you should read the post again. I said the majority, which means more than half. It doesn't mean everyone and if you're actually making significantly more HP vs just more noise then good for you. What percentage of cruiser or SS riders change the exhaust and also look at airflow, remapping and all the other things you need to do the capitalize on a performance exhaust system vs just slapping it on, making a few more insignificant HP, but a lot more noise? That's the point I was making and it may be more relevant to cruiser riders vs those on SS bikes.

Aside from the real gain, or not, in HP ordinary people now seem to be motivated to target and actually act on motorcyclist and noise. Spend 30 minutes in Belfountain watching riders on cruisers or SS bikes go by and you will get sensitized to the issue. Many of these bikes have modified exhausts and many riders overrev their bikes or accelerate aggressively from the stop signs creating noise which is clearly is a PITA for local residents, who have had enough of it. In the minds of many people this must be a real issue to them and they're taking the trouble to create and enact bylaws to control noise. Same as the >50km laws that came into effect primarily due to a very few but well publicised road racing accidents or news videos of SS bikes doing wheelies on the 403. So look for more local municipalities enacting these bylaws as for politicians it's an easy and popular win.

[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.

[Brian P]

Just like Caledon. I believe they will have problems enforcing this law.

If you are subjected to this test ... pay particular attention to how they measure the engine RPM. Just sayin' ...

I've been hearing that Caledon might only be enforcing the idle portion of this test - the one that doesn't require an RPM measurement.

[Wingboy]

Oem pipe sale coming to your local shop.

[Rob MacLennan]

The ever increasing nanny state.

The nanny state exists because of stupid people who refuse to self-regulate, and believe that they can do whatever they please. The few screw over the many.

[OpenGambit]

if ppl can't behave themselves and get along the law does it for them.

[freedomfighter]

For me, 18 RWHP gain with pipe and tune. .

really 18 hp with just a pipe? tell me what is your secret? ive being doing this for 21 years and ive never seen more then a 9hp increase with a full exhaust.
3-4 with just a slip on.

[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.

.

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.

[macrider]

3-4 with just a slipreally 18 hp with just a pipe? tell me what is your secret? ive being doing this for 21 years and ive never seen more then a 9hp increase with a full exhaust.
on.
If you have a big bike.
18 Hp is very easy to achieve, if you do 3 things..
Increase air intake by upgrading your airfilters.
Changing to an increased exhaust flow aftermarket exhaust.
Changing the tune by downloading a tune from your laptop and installing it into the ECU of your bike,if it is fuel injected. ( this will increase fuel flow to prevent the engine from going lean.)
There are bikes out there that have increased HP by as much as 70 HP using these 3 things.
Getting a Dyno done is recommended as well.

[sircastic]

There are bikes out there that have increased HP by as much as 70 HP using these 3 things.

Which ones? I'd like to know which bikes I can do these cheap upgrades to and get 70 hp.

[macrider]

Triumph Rocket 3 , base HP is 140 and they can be tuned up to 200 HP.
I have a couple of buddies in the U.S. that have done this.
I have not done it on my bike yet as I am waiting for the warranty to run before I do these mods on mine.

[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.

[ZX600]

Triumph Rocket 3 , base HP is 140 and they can be tuned up to 200 HP.
I have a couple of buddies in the U.S. that have done this.
I have not done it on my bike yet as I am waiting for the warranty to run before I do these mods on mine.

isn't the base Hp on the Triumph less than 120?


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[911R6]

The ever increasing nanny state.

Lets just say certain people in Oakville are a special bunch.. We had complaints about us using our sirens at night at any time. Seriously? Oh thats right, wouldnt want to wake you up in your million dollar mansion, in your bed of money because one of Oakvilles less fortunate need assistance.

[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

[Brian P]

If you are subjected to this test ... pay particular attention to how they measure the engine RPM. Just sayin' ...

I've been hearing that Caledon might only be enforcing the idle portion of this test - the one that doesn't require an RPM measurement.

One other thing that I've just remembered once again. If you are subjected to this test, check for yourself whether the dB meter is correctly set on "A" scale and "slow" response as prescribed by SAE J2825.

I don't know what Oakville has done, but Caledon's law is incorrectly written. They specified "fast" response. (Yes, I emailed them about that error - and got no response. At the OPP test stations, they were correctly doing the test on "slow" response and were surprised when I told them that the bylaw had an error in it.)

THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT MATTER. If the meter is set on "fast" response, it appears that the test cannot be passed by a stock-muffler bike. (Yes, I checked with mine. No good.) If you find yourself in a situation that a bike that ought to pass, doesn't, check this. If you find yourself in court because of it ... you may wish to make use of this.

[Bigevildoer]

really 18 hp with just a pipe? tell me what is your secret? ive being doing this for 21 years and ive never seen more then a 9hp increase with a full exhaust.
3-4 with just a slip on.

18 hp with pipe AND tune. Buell 1125r, HMF exhaust, Erik Buell Racing ECM tuned specifically for that exhaust. Dyno sheet in hand - would post, but agreed not to distribute when EBR gave it to me. Sure, some people will cry foul 'cause I'm not posting it, but what can I say. I gave my word.

[mxs]

So you have gone from 140 HP to 158 HP for the street?

[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.