AMA & Motorcycle Exhaust Sound Laws
 

American Motorcyclist Association drafts model on-highway motorcycle sound legislation

PICKERINGTON, Ohio -- The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) has developed model legislation for use by cities seeking a simple, consistent and economical way to deal with sound complaints related to on-highway motorcycles within the larger context of excessive sound from all sources.

The model legislation offers an objective method for municipal jurisdictions to evaluate motorcycle sound through science-based measurement. It's based on the Society of Automotive Engineers' (SAE) new J2825 standard, "Measurement of Exhaust Sound Pressure Levels of Stationary On-Highway Motorcycles." The AMA produced similar model legislation for off-highway motorcycles several years ago.

"Many cities and other jurisdictions already have excessive sound laws on the books, but when they get citizen complaints about loud motorcycles, they sometimes decide to single out the riding public with unfair or overly restrictive ordinances and laws," said Imre Szauter, AMA government affairs manager. "We believe that motorcycles shouldn't be singled out, but should be regulated as part of a comprehensive sound management policy that also addresses cars, trucks, leaf blowers, generators and other sources of excessive sound."

The J2825 standard, issued by the SAE in May, is based on a comprehensive study of a wide variety of on-highway motorcycles. It establishes instrumentation, test site, test conditions, procedures, measurements and sound level limits.

"Too many times, jurisdictions responding to citizen complaints about excessive motorcycle sound create laws that simply don't work in the real world," Szauter said. "They either set an unreasonable decibel limit, leave it up to a police officer to subjectively decide whether a bike is too noisy, or come up with another plan that is arbitrary or unworkable. Our model legislation is objective, workable and fair."

The model legislation adopts the SAE J2825 standard for stationary on-highway motorcycle sound testing, specifies the type of sound meter to be used, and allows for each city to specify the penalties for violating the law. Szauter stressed, however, that the sound-testing procedures and decibel limits established in the SAE J2825 standard should remain unchanged to ensure that the law remains objective and fair.

Under the SAE J2825 standard, decibel limits range from 92 dBA at idle for all motorcycles, to up to 100 dBA at certain RPMs for various motorcycles, depending on the type of engine.

In 2003, the AMA organized the National Summit on Motorcycle Sound to bring together riders and user organizations, representatives of the motorcycle manufacturers, the aftermarket industry, racing promoters, government agencies, law enforcement and others to develop proposals regarding the increasingly controversial issue of excessive motorcycle sound. The creation of a new on-highway motorcycle sound measurement procedure was a top recommendation of the summit's Motorcycle Sound Working Group.

"The motorcycling community, local governments and police officers have sought a practical sound field test for streetbikes for many years, and now it exists, thanks to a collaboration between the Motorcycle Industry Council and the SAE," Szauter said. "The next step is for jurisdictions struggling with motorcycle sound complaints to adopt fair and objective laws, and the AMA is providing the tool for them to do that."

Szauter encourages motorcyclists and government and law enforcement officials to download the model legislation from the "Rights" section of the AMA website at AmericanMotorcyclist.com.

So the AMA does do something other than ruin motorcycle racing?:lol: I agree with this whole heartedly! I think that they should set a db level that has to be followed period. Regardless if it's a wood chipper, a brother with a trunk full of woofers or a motorcycle.

That's the idea...

Damn, thought I replied to this earlier....

Anywho, there is a town near here called New Hope that has an 86 db motorcycle limit Only motorcycles, does not apply to cars or trucks). And while I can sympathize with anyone who wants a sound limit, when a company (achem Harley achem) makes a bike (achem StreetGlide achem) that comes from the factory at 100db. Unless specific federal standards are put into place this is really a waste of their efforts.

The town by me, New Hope, set their limit at 86 db, and there have been crazy reports of cops testing motorcycles wrong, holding the DB meter directly behind the bike at 10 ft instead of the correct way, 50 ft at a 45 deg angle. hundreds of tickets set at $300 per pop has been a huge revenue boost for the town. Not to mention that some street cars from the factory can beat 86 db easily, and trucks would blow 90 or 100 away with no problem.

Anyway, one federal standard from a certain model year and all bikes after that, that is what is needed

That Ninja of your brother's is pretty damn loud.

yes it is, 96 db at 5k

Laws are useless if they are not fairly enforced. And I bet cops will let Harleys off the hook more often than sportbikes, for one of the following reasons:

1) they are more afraid of Harley riders
2) they like Harley riders better (similar age & personality)
3) they think Harley riders are more "real men/patriotic" compared to "rice rocket riders"
4) they assume that sportbike riders are young punks who need to be taught a lesson

Why do you know that?

That was my question as well...

One of the track workers mentioned it.

And this track guy tested it or some shit... wierd

Yeh there was a 99db limit

somehow I doubt any Harley comes from the factory with a 100db level. Mine is pretty damn quiet.

But I would bet the % of Harley riders who buy exhausts is even higher than the % of sportbike riders who do.

werd. Apoc's crossbones is very quiet.

My buell was louder stock, and it sounded like an out of balance sewing machine.

If the bike is stock, there's no way those noise tickets are legal. A town can't make illegal what is federally (DOT) legal.

Ummm... I don't know, I think a city can make stricter restrictions... Hell, just like Myrtle has a helmet law even though neither SC nor the Fed Gov't do. If they could get the support, they could ban motorcycles period for that matter... look at California emission laws for example...

They can do anything they want, but it will cost a bunch of money, lots of time. and legal expertise tot get it thrown out of court. The noise ordinance in New Hope cost $100 under what the starting cost for a lawyer around here is, so why pay for a lawyer to get the tix dropped vs paying off the ticket anyway. I heard of a few folks that challeneged it in court and won, but I'm guessing they are s,art lawyers or payed more for the lawyer than the ticket cost.

I agree.

As far as HD loud. Ask the NERally peeps. I think Marko's buell was louder than mine. And I know the EX500 with micron was. That was the loudest bike there. THat being said, you couldn't even hear Tommy's aprilla run.

The Fed doesn't have a law stating that riding without a helmet is legal. Anything the Fed does not rule on, the states can. But if the Fed has a law, the states cannot overrule it. Technically medical marijuana is illegal because pot is federally illegal, no matter what the states say.

Yes, the CA emissions laws are legally questionable, this is exactly the argument Detroit has been making for decades.

As Derf noted, they can make a state or city law, but that doesn't mean the law is constitutional and it would take money and a legal fight to overturn it.

Yep, my Buell is definately louder than your HD.

But I didn't want it to be loud. Not for long trips.

Sucker.

Marko, I let my buddy ride my bike the other day while I rode his. I wanted to see how the drummer sounded in action.

There's not too much that's louder than it.. Lol

I don't think mine is crazy loud. Its the Drummer Original. Its loud but not obnoxious. I've never heard a Drmmer SS in person.

I know where you live... dont make me come over there again! MOFO!

SHIET! I won't even have to. I'll just blow in a call to your wife and get you locked out! PSST! Yea...take that!

Locked out? I put the damn locks on these doors, ninja.

Keep up son. I'm your jedi master.