Actual Legal DB limits inontario?

EaZ8

EaZ8

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Actual Legal DB limits in ontario?

hey guys.i know most guys on this forum are on crotch rockets with a few cool guys on cruisers :) like me.so i just put on Vance and Hines Short shots with standard baffles in place (i think they are only there to keep them somewhat legal.)i knew these would be loud...buy holy fack... my head is ringing after a 30 min ride and ive got full face helmet on.so anyone know what the actual legal limits are and now its has to be tested?
 
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the HTA doesn't specify DB limit, however, Caledon and Oakville have limits in place.

Also, buy ear plugs.
 
What's this hollywood muffler thing?I've heard that once the pipes break in they are a little quieter...i think the guys that said that just got use to it lol.V&H makes quiet baffles for them...they lower it about 5db they say, I may buy them in a few weeks after I give the current ones a chance.My friend has a db meter..I'm going to get him to check them, and I heard the dealership does it for free.I do plan to get a sport or sport touring next year or on a off season sale/ owner can't store it :) ...the harley is my 1st bike.Probably looking at a 07 cbr600rr or r6. Or if I go sport touring the ninja 650 or yama fz8...we will see, it might not happen.
 
Noise, smoke, bells and horns
Muffler
75. (1) Every motor vehicle or motor assisted bicycle shall be equipped with a muffler in good working order and in constant operation to prevent excessive or unusual noise and excessive smoke, and no person shall use a muffler cut-out, straight exhaust, gutted muffler, hollywood muffler, by-pass or similar device upon a motor vehicle or motor assisted bicycle. R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 75 (1)
 
Check out SAE J2825 for the basis on the current batch of municipal standards (caledon, oakville and others have adopted something very similar). If the municipality has not passed a specific motorcycle noise bylaw, they either use the generic noise bylaw (typically "though shall not disturb") or the hta section with Hollywood mufflers etc as given above.

Using any of the above standards you likely deserve tickets for riding, either factor them into your cost of riding or switch to something less obnoxious.
 
Re: Actual Legal DB limits in ontario?

I love the growl of my V&H long shots.....
My friend can't even tell her Shadow is running when I pull up beside her...
(I don't think the pipes get any quieter when the break in).
 
Re: Actual Legal DB limits in ontario?

If you have loud pipes you are going to annoy people. I presume that's your intent.

It will also annoy cops. If it annoys them enough and they're bored they will ticket you. Same as SS riders with tail tidies. It's a red flag to a bull and only a matter of time and opportunity before you attract police attention.

In the meantime, the people at the patio may or may not act on their desire to punch your lights out depending on many factors.
 
Re: Actual Legal DB limits in ontario?

Considering Harley dealers consider this a stage 1 street upgrade I thinl even if I got a ticket it wouldn't stick.They are unmodified, and probably the most common pipes on the sporty's.I'm going to pack the baffles with insulation once I figure out where I can get the proper stuff.Highly doubt someone would be that ****** about my pipes...I got them for more sound yes, but mostly for the looks.
SeaBreez said:
I love the growl of my V&H long shots.....My friend can't even tell her Shadow is running when I pull up beside her...(I don't think the pipes get any quieter when the break in).
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I was next to my buddys CBR600rr with the stock exhaust and I couldn't hear mine running....I drilled out some stuff on the factory mufflers to get more sound, it worked but I wanted black pipes.Loud Pipes Save Lives
 
Re: Actual Legal DB limits in ontario?

EaZ8 said:
Considering Harley dealers consider this a stage 1 street upgrade I thinl even if I got a ticket it wouldn't stick.They are unmodified, and probably the most common pipes on the sporty's.I'm going to pack the baffles with insulation once I figure out where I can get the proper stuff.Highly doubt someone would be that ****** about my pipes...I got them for more sound yes, but mostly for the looks.I was next to my buddys CBR600rr with the stock exhaust and I couldn't hear mine running....I drilled out some stuff on the factory mufflers to get more sound, it worked but I wanted black pipes.Loud Pipes Save Lives
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Haven't been riding that long have you?

Like others have said you will likely get tickets. The only safe bet is stock.
 
Re: Actual Legal DB limits in ontario?

EaZ8 said:
.Loud Pipes Save Lives
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Umm, NO.

I've had loud pipes. Loud pipes annoy others. They do nothing for your safety.

If you feel you need loud pipes to influence your safety, perhaps you need to learn how to ride more safely.
 
Re: Actual Legal DB limits in ontario?

Griffin said:
Umm, NO.

I've had loud pipes. Loud pipes annoy others. They do nothing for your safety.

If you feel you need loud pipes to influence your safety, perhaps you need to learn how to ride more safely.
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+1 Couldn't agree more. Loud pipes are annoying.
 
Re: Actual Legal DB limits in ontario?

johnnie_c said:
+1 Couldn't agree more. Loud pipes are annoying.
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I agree that its obnoxious to have loud pipes. However, what angers me more are the "he appeared out of thin air" excuses that cagers give after they take one of us out. I keep my bike mostly stock, as thats always been good enough for me and I dont want to drawn unwanted attention, but I think the truth is somewhere in between. The problem is some guys have NO consideartion at all. There is a dude I see commuting sometimes with a blue harley that sounds like it has nothing at all on there. it is SO loud you hear the guy two blocks away. He forces all attention on him within a two block radius. I think thats pretty lame, but I do think its ok for bikes to have exhaust systems that make them more "noticable" to otherwise pre-occupied drivers. It just has to be a reasonable volume.

These short pipe guys also tend to skew public opinion of bikers in general. I had a friend commenting to me the other day about how "obnoxious" my exhaust is - simply because he was lumping me in with "bikers in general", some of whom have load pipes. Like I said, my bike is stock and is not very loud at all. But some people are just looking for an excuse to rip on bikers.
 
Re: Actual Legal DB limits in ontario?

Buddhacide said:
I agree that its obnoxious to have loud pipes. However, what angers me more are the "he appeared out of thin air" excuses that cagers give after they take one of us out. I keep my bike mostly stock, as thats always been good enough for me and I dont want to drawn unwanted attention, but I think the truth is somewhere in between. The problem is some guys have NO consideartion at all. There is a dude I see commuting sometimes with a blue harley that sounds like it has nothing at all on there. it is SO loud you hear the guy two blocks away. He forces all attention on him within a two block radius. I think thats pretty lame, but I do think its ok for bikes to have exhaust systems that make them more "noticable" to otherwise pre-occupied drivers. It just has to be a reasonable volume.

These short pipe guys also tend to skew public opinion of bikers in general. I had a friend commenting to me the other day about how "obnoxious" my exhaust is - simply because he was lumping me in with "bikers in general", some of whom have load pipes. Like I said, my bike is stock and is not very loud at all. But some people are just looking for an excuse to rip on bikers.
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I understand your logic and while it has some merit, to me, I think its flawed, based on my experiences.

Everyone can hear a loud bike if they are stationary. But I never notice a loud bike coming up from behind when I'm driving, I don't notice it until it passes me. The person coming from the other way will not hear your bike. So, the only thing the loud pipes helps with, IMO, is if you are beside someone and they are going to change lanes into you. BUT, you need to trade this "safety" against the negative actions the loud pipes cause, which is to say the rage and/or paranoia exhibited by drivers when they hear a very loud bike around them. And there are more effective ways of protecting yourself from these sideswipes.

My experiences are from what I've noticed from other's loud pipes as well as my experience from when I had loud pipes.

The amount of animosity from the general public about loud pipes makes me quite worried about impending future restrictions on motorcycles.
 
Re: Actual Legal DB limits in ontario?

Come across a truely obnoxious loud bike then stick their license plate number in a thread. They will get looked after soon enough.
 
Re: Actual Legal DB limits in ontario?

01cbr said:
Haven't been riding that long have you?

Like others have said you will likely get tickets. The only safe bet is stock.
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I've had my 2 bros slip-on for 3 years, live and ride in downtown Toronto alot and haven't got a ticket for it yet. I pass cops, sit beside cops at lights, drive behind cops and have yet to be questioned about or pulled over regarding the noise. Even I think my pipes are kinda on the obnoxious side and have to wear ear plugs every ride. I bought a db killer for it which supposed to reduce noise by 5 db and it's still on the loud side but meh, I still like it:p
 
Re: Actual Legal DB limits in ontario?

guys relax... "loud pipes save lives" is a common saying. yes i believe that loud-er than stock pipes is a good idea, but my goal is not to annoy the general public.
im having the bike db tested and tuned at the dealer next week with quieter baffles installed if needed. i also threw on a screaming eagle intake, which seems to have quieted her down a little(cant explain it..but it did), my ears dont feel it while im riding now.
the stock pipes were very quiet, soo quiet i couldnt hear them over my friends honda, call it what you will but there are a lot of careless drivers out there, and if a little exhaust tone will get me heard and have them notice im there, then great. i know when im driving i can hear bikes on the highway far before i see them.
i got the V&H for a little more tone but also for looks.

i passed a few cops yesterday...no issues, and i dont suspect their will be, ive heard MUCH louder pipes on other harleys. also noticed in my neighbourhood a few people look up and see me coming..mostly because ive lived here for a long time and they just want to wave, but most dont even flinch.

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Originally Posted by 01cbr
Haven't been riding that long have you?
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correct first year out in a while, but have ridden in the past and been licensed for about 6 years....im 28...not 16.. i do have consideration for others on the road.
 
Re: Actual Legal DB limits in ontario?

EaZ8 said:
im having the bike db tested and tuned at the dealer next week with quieter baffles installed if needed. i also threw on a screaming eagle intake, which seems to have quieted her down a little(cant explain it..but it did), my ears dont feel it while im riding now.
the stock pipes were very quiet, soo quiet i couldnt hear them over my friends honda, call it what you will but there are a lot of careless drivers out there, and if a little exhaust tone will get me heard and have them notice im there, then great. i know when im driving i can hear bikes on the highway far before i see them.
i got the V&H for a little more tone but also for looks.

i passed a few cops yesterday...no issues, and i dont suspect their will be, ive heard MUCH louder pipes on other harleys. also noticed in my neighbourhood a few people look up and see me coming..mostly because ive lived here for a long time and they just want to wave, but most dont even flinch.
Click to expand...

That's a pretty good barometer of loudness right there, I think. If the neighbours aren't doing the snarly look over their shoulders at you, you probably have it right.
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