Noise testing of race bikes - what's the answer?

[quickbuck]

The measuring of sound, sounds like a very complex science. It doesnt seem like the sort of thing an unqualified person can just stand on the side of a race track when 20 bikes are whizzing around, generators and PA systems are buzzing away then say oh that bike is going to be black flagged.

I cant imagine any appeal court would hold up a judgement to exclude any rider but if they were black flagged mid race then that could really cause an upset.....

Exactly Choppa.
This is why Billy and co are really keen to get it sorted.

Would hate the whole thing to wreck our sport.

Funny thing is at Wanganui Sam Croft's exhaust got a little open on his Ninja 250R.
He was worried that it was too loud. I said it didn't actually sound out of place in F3.
He didn't want to get pinged though..... But in reality he didn't actually need to quieten it down.

The thing is that 28 HP doesn't make a lot of noise anyway, and as illuded to, noise can come from anywhere, like induction and chain..... This adds to the total noise produced (Yes, along with the sound system, generators, crowd, other bikes, and echos from concrete walls).

As an aside, the noisest place to stand on a jet aircraft is actually beside the intake, not the "Exhaust"...

So, it is really in our best interests to get the issue sorted, otherwise to enjoy motorcycle racing the ProLite field will be huge (may be)... I love competition, but not that much ;-)
I also love to watch the Super Bikes....

PS. Heal up well Deano.

[Paul in NZ]

The measuring of sound, sounds like a very complex science. It doesnt seem like the sort of thing an unqualified person can just stand on the side of a race track when 20 bikes are whizzing around, generators and PA systems are buzzing away then say oh that bike is going to be black flagged.

I cant imagine any appeal court would hold up a judgement to exclude any rider but if they were black flagged mid race then that could really cause an upset.....

This thread should get interesting haha

The problem is an unqualified kill joy or neighbour will say 'Oh thats too loud' and call the council who will seand out a semi qualified noise control dude with limited gear who is going to find it really hard to replicate an official noise test on the fly....

Ultimately if HE (or she) says its too loud its too loud.

Sigh....

[Paul in NZ]

The thing is that 28 HP doesn't make a lot of noise anyway

I don't agree - the loudest bike I ever had was a muffled (well it was muffle shaped) BSA B44VS that made 28 bhp on a good day but it made you blink with pain every time it fired.

noise can come from anywhere, like induction and chain.....

Totally agree - my Guzzi came stock with velocity stacks and the induction roar was really loud. When they were developing the anular discharge mufflers for the Norton 850 they found putting in an airbox made a huge difference.

PS. Heal up well Deano.

I think we all agree on that ;-)

[CHOPPA]

The problem is an unqualified kill joy or neighbour will say 'Oh thats too loud' and call the council who will seand out a semi qualified noise control dude with limited gear who is going to find it really hard to replicate an official noise test on the fly....

Ultimately if HE (or she) says its too loud its too loud.

Sigh....

The thing about council by laws and noise control is that it is all measured at the perimeter of the property its only the MNZ rule that measures our bikes from 30m.

Personally I dont like noisy bikes and we are taking measures to quieten the bike down as we did at HDs. I still believe the testing procedure needs to be more accurate.

[Biggles08]

Personally I dont like noisy bikes ....

Hahahahaaaaa........oh....you were being serious?!

[Burrt Badger]

Biggles.

Can you name one permanent motorsport venue that has received a dispensation for noise. I can name many that haven't. Levels, Teretonga, Manfeild, Bay Park, Pukekohe, Western Springs etc etc.

[p.dath]

I have no special knowledge on this subject. I also don't participate in racing. So this is more of a rambling by someone who doesn't know what they are talking about.


The biggest problem that I see is the uncertainty. Events run the risk of being shutdown because they can not be confident of complying before they start. Riders run the risk of being "kicked off" the track for excessive noise.

Before every event there is always a machine inspection. I wonder if the local councils might agree to perhaps having a more specific noise test done at that stage - like a WOF test. Your bike then either passes, or it doesn't. And being at machine inspection stage, you then have a chance to do something before racing starts.
My thinking is that you then know if you make it onto the start line that there is no risk of either the event being shutdown, or of being black flagged for excessive noise and pulled off the track.

Perhaps the test could be something like the noise at 1m must be below 105dB at 75% of the bikes red line. Don't know. Just wishing there would be more certainity for everyone.

[Biggles08]

Biggles.

Can you name one permanent motorsport venue that has received a dispensation for noise. I can name many that haven't. Levels, Teretonga, Manfeild, Bay Park, Pukekohe, Western Springs etc etc.

Nope I can't...but thats why the question was asked, how do the drags get around it? How can the Formula 5000's race a couple of weekes earlier on the same track (Hampton Downs) and get away with it?

[gixerracer]

Nope I can't...but thats why the question was asked, how do the drags get around it? How can the Formula 5000's race a couple of weekes earlier on the same track (Hampton Downs) and get away with it?

If the council dont turn up with a complaint then there aint no problem. People like creating things to do sometimes, or so say us premadonas

[p.dath]

If the council dont turn up with a complaint then there aint no problem. People like creating things to do sometimes, or so say us premadonas

That's the answer! If the council only employs, say, 2 noise testing officers - then make sure to make 10 complaints about addresses all over town before the event. Make sure at least one of the addresses is a large gang.

[SPman]

Do we have any specialist acoustic people on KB that may be able to assist ?

Coldkiwi is such a person - unfortunately he's not often on here these days

[Billy]

If the council dont turn up with a complaint then there aint no problem. People like creating things to do sometimes, or so say us premadonas

Read the rulebook lately Einstein,Try rule 10.6.3.1

[gixerracer]

Read the rulebook lately Einstein,Try rule 10.6.3.1

Shut up dick face I dont care about no stupid rule book you should no that rules are made to be broken

[AllanB]

Stupid F-in rules - they are race bikes - they are meant to be loud.


Having said that a old banger with a open cone pipe makes a shit of a lot of noise! It is very surprising how much a small reverse cone shuts it up.

[budda]

Nope I can't...but thats why the question was asked, how do the drags get around it? How can the Formula 5000's race a couple of weekes earlier on the same track (Hampton Downs) and get away with it?

The F5000's run a top-hat type cover over the stacks to deflect the sound .... the more astute among you will note I said SOUND - there is a difference between what we perceive as mechanical music, and what the trendy life-styler calls anti-social noise.

The days of "noise equals horsepower" are long gone, and NOT by MNZ's doing. For example, the limit for Speedway tracks is also 95db, and some of those suckers are churning out 700HP, and regularly test at around 92-93Db ....... as did a couple of the Supers.

This isnt about being punitive, its about futureproofing our Sport ....... as has been pointed out, each decibel increase is not an increase by a factor of one, its a lot more than that. All thats needed in the immediate future is for a bit of muffler repacking.