Noise regs

[Kiwi91Fat]

Just went to ONROAD, with the Harley, its had a Vance and Hinds 2 into 1 since it was Vined in the early 90's. They passed everything else but failed the WOF on exhaust over 97db. Now the exhaust isn't modified its muffler is repacked and I have a sound meter with A and C weighting.
According to these INSPECTORS they can stand directly behind the muffler, not 45> off center as I understood the specs were for ISO 5130:2002. They tested it in what I would call a sound shell with over a dozen resonating surfaces present.
Has anyone else had any of these experiences

[JimO]

a guy 10 houses down the road has a heavily modded fatboy when he starts it up my windows rattle, chances are high he hasnt even got a wof

[avgas]

yep - sadly we all saw it comming.
I'm quite lucky as my yammy pipe still has all the standard markings on it and doesnt sound loud until you give it a lot of juice.
Shove some wire mesh, some goldilocks, and some more wiremesh down the pipe. You can pull this all out again latter if need be and it cuts half the noise.
Worked the trick on my gb

[Mom]

Even the quietest "noisy" cans are at risk of this new age of noise metering.

Good luck to you getting your NOISY exhaust approved.

[Gremlin]

Kiwi91: You certainly sound like you have done your homework, and know the regs.o I haven't had it happen, but I wonder who you complain to, when the bike has failed, its been noted (most likely) and the inspectors evidently have no idea how to test it. The manager? How do you politely tell him/her his/her staff know fuck all, and could you have your wof please :sweatdrop

Equally, 97db is not a fail. The limit is 100db.

fwiw, there must be a clear radius of 3m from the bike, with no reflecting surfaces in the zone and the surface must be firm, level as practiable etc.

[wofman]

for a wof the Dbs must be 97 or under .away from any thing that may cause
an eco. the meter needs to be the same hight as the exhaust and at 45degres to the exhaust.trafic regs allow 100 Dbs but you must have certified
and the paper work for the cert:

[Ixion]

Vance and Hines is, by definition, a modified exhaust.

The 97 is just a "rule of thmub" figure to give the AVI an indication of whether he should refuse a WoF and refer for a "full" test. They don't have to use a meter at all, they can just say "Oh, that's not a standard exhaust. And it sounds loud to me. Cert required".

[rudolph]

I am worried about my 1973 HD Sportster , it has Chinese mufflers witch look like the HD ones but it is still very noisy

[MSTRS]

To anyone with concerns about the noise level of their bike...a simple solution seems to be take it to a LVV Certifier, pay your $200ish and remove all doubt. Either it will pass and you get a plate affixed saying so, or you fail.
Easy.

[Headbanger]

My bike can be heard for at least 3 blocks.

I take it out for a fang just to make sure shes all shipshape and the wife tells me I never went out of earshot....Something tells me i won't be bother to get warrants from here on in.

[MSTRS]

....Something tells me i won't be bother to get warrants from here on in.

Or regos? Can't get one without a current WOF

[Headbanger]

Mere paperwork, Its all over rated.:innocent:

[Okey Dokey]

To anyone with concerns about the noise level of their bike...a simple solution seems to be take it to a LVV Certifier, pay your $200ish and remove all doubt. Either it will pass and you get a plate affixed saying so, or you fail.
Easy.

Sigh. Yet another expense handed down to the populace from our bureaucrats. Was this the law that was aimed at "boy racers" and their vehicles?

[MSTRS]

Sigh. Yet another expense handed down to the populace from our bureaucrats. Was this the law that was aimed at "boy racers" and their vehicles?

It started out that way, until some-one realised that it could apply across the board to all vehicles and then set what they thought were appropriate upper levels for noise. We can thank the boi-racers for getting the ball rolling, but you can be sure that it would have happened eventually anyway.

[Ixion]

Well, there might be several objections to this.

Firstly, it is $200. I am a poor impoverished old man eking out a frugal and penurious
existence on the smell of an oily rag (and oily rags aren't so common since they stopped making Triumphs at Meridan). $200 is a lot of money

Secondly , it is time. There are not many of these certifiers. There are bound to be delays

Thirdly, if I have a nice chrome zorst I don't want someone bashing holes in it for affixing plates. Bound to rust.

Fourthly, the existence of a plate is prima facie indication of a modified exhaust. That might be a bad thing on a classic bike. Devalues it.

[Griffin]

Those that sit behind desks trying to warrant their existence by making new rules for the masses to abide by wont be happy until we are all driving around in a small, economical, earth friendly, low noise, low cost, low impact, crash resistant, speed governed, mass produced vehicle that is government approved and micro chipped. The rules that govern the production and subsequent sale of this vehicle to the NZ public will be cited as the Can Not Be Too rules. ie

The vehicle can not be too:

big
powerful
shiny
noisey
different
tall
wide
colourful
interesting
old
american
fun
cool
cruisy
modified
costly
smokey

Im sure there are plenty of others to add but you get the idea... and when it comes to bikes, well, we probably shouldnt be on the road at all cos were all gang affilliated hoons with a penchant for death by adrenalin.

:apint:

[rudolph]

Well, there might be several objections to this.

Firstly, it is $200. I am a poor impoverished old man eking out a frugal and penurious
existence on the smell of an oily rag (and oily rags aren't so common since they stopped making Triumphs at Meridan). $200 is a lot of money

Secondly , it is time. There are not many of these certifiers. There are bound to be delays

Thirdly, if I have a nice chrome zorst I don't want someone bashing holes in it for affixing plates. Bound to rust.

Fourthly, the existence of a plate is prima facie indication of a modified exhaust. That might be a bad thing on a classic bike. Devalues it.

its ok they just drill some holes and rivit a 100mm x 50mm to your niceley painted frame in a place where everyone can see it

[crusa]

I have 2 sets of pipes as i kept the originals,put the factory ones on for WOF now ,then back on with the louder ones.:done:

[FJRider]

I have 2 sets of pipes as i kept the originals,put the factory ones on for WOF now ,then back on with the louder ones.:done:

If any vehicle is found (by an enthusiastic law enforcer)to be not up to warrant of fitness standard (regardless of a current sticker being displayed), and this will include a noisy exaust. It may be ordered off the road / impounded for testing, by a certified testing station.
Some "boy racer" checkpoints are set up in various places to do just that.

[crusa]

If any vehicle is found (by an enthusiastic law enforcer)to be not up to warrant of fitness standard (regardless of a current sticker being displayed), and this will include a noisy exaust. It may be ordered off the road / impounded for testing, by a certified testing station.
Some "boy racer" checkpoints are set up in various places to do just that.

Didnt realize that,obviously i have been lucky as have been past mr plod a few times over the past year now and not stopped.

[MSTRS]

Didnt realize that,obviously i have been lucky as have been past mr plod a few times over the past year now and not stopped.

Better believe you've been lucky. Or your non-standards aren't that loud as to draw unwanted attention.
Most people seem to forget that the WOF sticker only indicates a standard was met at the time of issue. As the bullshit regs continue to tighten, watch out for WOF testing 'anytime, anywhere'. In other words, your vehicle must pass a WOF, current sticker or not.

[sunhuntin]

My bike can be heard for at least 3 blocks.

I take it out for a fang just to make sure shes all shipshape and the wife tells me I never went out of earshot....Something tells me i won't be bother to get warrants from here on in.

im not sure i know your bike, but there is one in town that has mega volume on it. when i worked at the bp by the spash centre, i could hear him leaving the lights and coming up towards the roundabout. if i recall, he was an HA prospect with apes. it was loud to the point where you actually couldnt hear it properly, know what i mean? sounded good til it got too close, lol.

OP, maybe try a different testing station? i dont trust any of em to do the job correctly [heck, the last one had me doing most of the checks while he ticked the boxes. i dont call walking around the bike with a torch a good check over]

[The Stranger]

I hear tell that they test at 4,500 RPM.
Is this correct?
if so is it appropriate that one be tested at 25% duty and the other at 60%?

Also, I note that the factory exhaust on the XT is supposedly 95db, fark, doesn't leave much wiggle room to modify it at all.

[ajturbo]

the last two WOF times, i have had to re-pack my pipe before the next wof....

some day i will get around to it.........honest..

[Headbanger]

im not sure i know your bike, but there is one in town that has mega volume on it. when i worked at the bp by the spash centre, i could hear him leaving the lights and coming up towards the roundabout. if i recall, he was an HA prospect with apes. it was loud to the point where you actually couldnt hear it properly, know what i mean? sounded good til it got too close, lol.

OP, maybe try a different testing station? i dont trust any of em to do the job correctly [heck, the last one had me doing most of the checks while he ticked the boxes. i dont call walking around the bike with a torch a good check over]

Well no, thats not me. My bike is far too loud for my liking, and I generally don't fat around town on it. The few times I have arrived at work on it I have been immediately sent home to get the work wagon and the tools taht are carried on it.

There is a picture of my bike in my profile.

Anyway, The prior owner had removed all teh packing from the pipe, I was intending to put her all back in when a few months ago the entire internals of the exhaust blew out the back of the bike, resulting in a huge open cone effect.

I took her to a shop to fix the baffle and gave them explicit instructions to quiten her down, Against my wishes they decided not to as in there words it would "affect performance", Told them I wasn't happy and it was too loud, They in turn told me it was fine.

I must have been mistaken as to whose wishes were to be respected.:crybaby:

Anyway, After weighing up the fact I was about to lose my cool in an unfortunate manner and the fact the bike actually ran a billion times better with their tune-up I let it slide and hit the road.

I still have to do something about the noise though, even without these new regulations I'm not happy about attracting attention to myself or my bike.

[MSTRS]

I hear tell that they test at 4,500 RPM.
Is this correct?
if so is it appropriate that one be tested at 25% duty and the other at 60%?


I've having a look for this...best I can find seems to be 'halfway to redline or 4500 for inline 4s'

[The Stranger]

I've having a look for this...best I can find seems to be 'halfway to redline or 4500 for inline 4s'

Ah, thank you. That sounds more realistic.

[MSTRS]

Ah, thank you. That sounds more realistic.

Yep - I 'checked' my 750 with it's Yoshi TRS at 5000 and it came out at 87dB. Most of us won't have any problem with the noise regs.

[sunhuntin]

Well no, thats not me. My bike is far too loud for my liking, and I generally don't fat around town on it. The few times I have arrived at work on it I have been immediately sent home to get the work wagon and the tools taht are carried on it.

There is a picture of my bike in my profile.

Anyway, The prior owner had removed all teh packing from the pipe, I was intending to put her all back in when a few months ago the entire internals of the exhaust blew out the back of the bike, resulting in a huge open cone effect.

I took her to a shop to fix the baffle and gave them explicit instructions to quiten her down, Against my wishes they decided not to as in there words it would "affect performance", Told them I wasn't happy and it was too loud, They in turn told me it was fine.

I must have been mistaken as to whose wishes were to be respected.:crybaby:

Anyway, After weighing up the fact I was about to lose my cool in an unfortunate manner and the fact the bike actually ran a billion times better with their tune-up I let it slide and hit the road.

I still have to do something about the noise though, even without these new regulations I'm not happy about attracting attention to myself or my bike.

very nice. :yes: dont recognise it off the top of my head though. id love to know what shop that was? you going on the triumph ride this weekend? i was going to go, but cant afford the gas. will go down and give them a donation though.

[Headbanger]

Shop was in the direction of Wellington, In fact far closer to Wellington then Wanganui, I was working down that way for a few months.

Not going on that ride, first I have heard of it, But I generally don't participate in much, When I get the time to go for a ride I just head for the hills and disappear for the day.

[Toaster]

Apparently the cops have a mandate to hammer bikes/bikers with loud exhausts, especially Harleys with straight throughs (the choice of those dickheads that call themselves "motorcycle club" members).

We are basically stuffed. WOF stickers achieved by way of temporarily quietening the pipes is only good as long as you don't get pulled over later on only to be green stickered and fined for having a loud exhaust - hence making your WOF null and void.

Case-law also backs up subjective opinion too. Now they have more robust objective tests/standards to further assist in the demise of those that enjoy the rumble.

[Toaster]

So... any clever buggers do quality inserts for seriously loud exhausts????

[Jerry74]

I used to go to Onroad testing but came to the conclusion that they are COCKS...

Failed me on yellowing of headlight on car.

After a bloody good scrub I went back to be told that they were not the same colour.... bugger me i thought glass was clear.

VTNZ or On the Go are the only places I go now.


:argh::angry2::bash::motu::finger:

Stuff Onroad testing

[Gremlin]

So... any clever buggers do quality inserts for seriously loud exhausts????
Unless you're getting them with the pipes, that Virgin chap seems to have a good rep, hit him up, and see if he can do inserts?

[Timber020]

I dont trust VTNZ much after they missed major structural rust on one of my vehicles and it ended up costing me over 6k on a 6k vehicle.

[crusa]

Better believe you've been lucky. Or your non-standards aren't that loud as to draw unwanted attention.
Most people seem to forget that the WOF sticker only indicates a standard was met at the time of issue. As the bullshit regs continue to tighten, watch out for WOF testing 'anytime, anywhere'. In other words, your vehicle must pass a WOF, current sticker or not.
I removed both baffles from my pipes so its loud enough,getting some inserts done to take the bite out of them.

[gunrunner]

Kiwi91: You certainly sound like you have done your homework, and know the regs.o I haven't had it happen, but I wonder who you complain to, when the bike has failed, its been noted (most likely) and the inspectors evidently have no idea how to test it. The manager? How do you politely tell him/her his/her staff know fuck all, and could you have your wof please :sweatdrop

Equally, 97db is not a fail. The limit is 100db.

fwiw, there must be a clear radius of 3m from the bike, with no reflecting surfaces in the zone and the surface must be firm, level as practiable etc.

I was told its 100 db and its tested at 3500-4000 rpm:rockon:

[Gremlin]

I was told its 100 db and its tested at 3500-4000 rpm:rockon:
revs vary according to arrangement and number of cylinders, and valves per cylinder... don't have the link handy (ixion normally comes along with that) but I think its on lvvta.org... oh bugger it, went and found it, http://lvvta.org.nz/stdExhaustNoiseEmissions.pdf

standard IL4 sportsbike is 4500rpm

[FJRider]

the existence of a plate is prima facie indication of a modified exhaust. That might be a bad thing on a classic bike. Devalues it.

Unless it is the original pipe ... it has already been devalued...

[MSTRS]

Failed me on yellowing of headlight on car.

After a bloody good scrub I went back to be told that they were not the same colour.... bugger me i thought glass was clear.


It is. Yours were obviously plastic or polycarbonate. Very common for the older ones to show bad discolouration, or minute crazy-cracking. Cause may be longterm exposure to high temperature from over-rated bulbs and using the lights without moving (no air movement to cool lenses). Or sun damage.

[Toaster]

Unless you're getting them with the pipes, that Virgin chap seems to have a good rep, hit him up, and see if he can do inserts?

Thanks, will do.

um... virgin chap? Who's that?

[scumdog]

Didnt realize that,obviously i have been lucky as have been past mr plod a few times over the past year now and not stopped.


Maybe you weren't riding like a dick-head thereby attracting mr plods attention.

Often it's not the noise as such but the way the bike/car is being used.

A noisy exhaust that is not being 'advertised' will not get the attention a quieter one will if the user of the 'quieter' one is a twat.

[FJRider]

I have 2 sets of pipes as i kept the originals,put the factory ones on for WOF now ,then back on with the louder ones.:done:

I have known instances, when similar has been done with motorcycles down this way. When found by the law to not be up to WOF. They go to the place the WOF was issued and either remove WOF certification (extreme penalty if issuer knew it was not up to WOF standard) or "chat" strongly to issuer. This results in said motorcyclist refused a WOF test(told to bugger off) the next time he shows up for a WOF.
With WOF a "tidy little earner" to these business's, with the tightning of the reg's, they wont want THAT. Dont shit in your own nest.

[WarlockNZ]

well i'm screwed then, the yoshi's on the thou have got to be louder than 97, hell I can't even hear the choppers coming ... LOL.

[crusa]

Maybe you weren't riding like a dick-head thereby attracting mr plods attention.

Often it's not the noise as such but the way the bike/car is being used.

A noisy exhaust that is not being 'advertised' will not get the attention a quieter one will if the user of the 'quieter' one is a twat.
Normally ride by myself or with the wife,so we only need to worry about our own actions.

[xwhatsit]

100dB at the appropriate testing rpm (if it is 4500rpm or half redline) is seriously noisy. I very much doubt there'd be many bikes around that would eclipse that, unless they're open pipes on a Harley or summat. When you start getting that loud, unless it's something like an RC166, nine times out of ten it just sounds like flatulent arse anyway IMHO, so no great loss. I've noticed a disturbing trend in the GSXR1000 crowd to fit those little MotoGP-style smokestack things. In general they just make the bike sound like a boyracer tintop with a drainpipe exhaust on the back, doesn't even sound like a bike any more. Just fookin' loud *drone*.

I don't think this is going to make much of a difference to us.

[FJRider]

Normally ride by myself or with the wife,so we only need to worry about our own actions.

When on the bike, always worry about OTHERS actions... you live longer...

[chester]

I never take my bike or cage to vtnz (wankers),I always support the local garage now, Ive never failed a wof since.:Pokey:

[Toaster]

Maybe you weren't riding like a dick-head thereby attracting mr plods attention.

Often it's not the noise as such but the way the bike/car is being used.

A noisy exhaust that is not being 'advertised' will not get the attention a quieter one will if the user of the 'quieter' one is a twat.

Ain't that the truth!:niceone:

[Gremlin]

um... virgin chap? Who's that?
Real name is Warren, he makes Virgin pipes, I think he just did one on BigBossMan's 08 zx10, and done pipes for others, west auckland based I think?

I *think* his kb handle is blade1000

[duckonin]

To get my attention it is not a noisey exhaust, just the mutts next door with their Bass on their music box now that does exceed 97db hard to control:angry:

[fLaThEaD FreD]

I have 2 sets of pipes as i kept the originals,put the factory ones on for WOF now ,then back on with the louder ones.:done:

yep me too.....also I have a WOF. man that visualises the standered pipes when I present my ride. As far as he's concerned it had the standards on it when he tested it......all it takes is a box of Lion red in his lunchroom fridge.:msn-wink:

[thehollowmen]

um, get them to check the regs again.
Cars 95 db, bikes 105db.

[thehollowmen]

my bad
http://www.landtransport.govt.nz/rules/q-and-a/vehicle-equipment-amendment-2007.html

but yes, at 97 db you should still pass.

[Toaster]

yep me too.....also I have a WOF. man that visualises the standered pipes when I present my ride. As far as he's concerned it had the standards on it when he tested it......all it takes is a box of Lion red in his lunchroom fridge.:msn-wink:

The only snag is that once you have your WOF, the cops can nullify it with a green sticker if the loud exhausts are out back on taking it over the 100db limit.

I am getting a "quicky" $20 test on Monday to see if its too far over to bother with a formal objective test. I am pretty sure its well over 100db though.

The mechanic working on it today couldn't get over the bark the beast has now. Said it was the best looking modified M109R he had ever seen - nice to get that sort of feedback.

Sitting at the Kaukapakapa petrol station I managed to drown out the HD with drag pipes parked next to me.... he wasn't impressed.:eek5:

[Hailwood]

Or am I not correct? My FXST has Screamin Eagle mufflers that sound good but are under 100db I think..well it passed the last WOF through VTNZ anyway...and at 2500rpm as the test rev limit for the bike that should be ok...fingers crossed...

I guess it is aimed at the straight short pipes I have seen on some Harleys..they are just too loud..not nice just noise and some of those "race replica" pipes on sportsbikes as well....

[pritch]

I used to go to Onroad testing but came to the conclusion that they are COCKS...


Absolutely, my experience too.

I asked my local bike shop where to go for a WoF. They told me who they thought was best, he doesn't pass crap but he doesn't stuff you about either.

If in doubt seek good local knowledge.