We listened, now kindly naff off...

[Drunken Monkey]

Check out the speedway guys -

That's becuase speedway used to be rediculously loud - you used to be able to hear it from 4 suburbs away, now you can only hear it from 2. I can hear Waikaraka park from Epsom and used to be able to hear Western Springs from our flat in Mt Eden. 2 suburbs is fine for a sport like speedway

[Motu]

That's becuase speedway used to be rediculously loud

All motorsport used to be ridiculessly loud,they will continue to tighten regs,bit by bit.I understand your cause about the noise level,but the exhausts and bikes with tested db levels stamped on are done at the manufacturers end,to do this in a cheap quick test for the consumer is an impossible task,much easier to just say it must comply with reg ****,everything is in place,they just have to say enough is enough.

[merv]

Actually the Kiwi Rider guys (John Nic in particular) were in the vanguard of the anti-noise push off-road, and I'm sure it has helped us to retain access to a lot of land over the years. I recall decibel meters being used at enduro's in the late '80's.

Yep, which I why I don't understand their attitudes to noisy pipes being recommended on road bikes.

[NordieBoy]

Yep, which I why I don't understand their attitudes to noisy pipes being recommended on road bikes.

Because in an enduro you are less likely to have someone in a Pajero do a u'ie in front of you.

[Oscar]

Yep, which I why I don't understand their attitudes to noisy pipes being recommended on road bikes.

Different guys. Vege & John are nuthin' to do with the editorial side these days.

[merv]

Different guys. Vege & John are nuthin' to do with the editorial side these days.

Yep realise that but the conflicting views for road and dirt are still written like that in the same mag these days.

[Drunken Monkey]

,to do this in a cheap quick test for the consumer is an impossible task,

Not impossible, just expensive. It's a cost people with stock exhausts should not and need not have to meet (it is a -stock- exhaust, anyway). It's a cost that people who wish to spend the extra money on an aftermarket exhaust will generally accept, and will have to accept if they wish to install an aftermarket silencer. No problem or practicality issues with that, surely?
A suggestion we put forth was for the exhaust fitter to include the cost & process of low volume modification certification in the fitting process. The result would be a tested aftermarket exhaust, that has been certified.

[Motu]

Well,haven't we just gone around in a circle - a modified exhaust will need a LVV cert....I have no problem with that,but those that just slap some can on (me with my home made mufflers for ex ) will be annoyed - as we have been seeing with all these posts.

[Deano]

As someone else said, if you want to make a noise, hit your horn. If your horn isn't loud enough, why not fit a louder one? Damn sight cheaper than an aftermarket can.

Like that is really practical - toot the horn everyone time you come up behind a vehicle and before entering intersections to let them know you're there - hey why not hardwire the thing so it is on constantly ??

If an aftermarket can meets the emissions regs and is louder than OE, then great. If it isn't road-legal, then apart from anything else, you just invalidated your insurance.

How would they know it doesn't meet relevant reg's ? There is no objective analysis being carried out at the moment. Bikes are also getting WOF's even though they would not meet noise reg's.

As far as invalidating your insurance - what effect does a louder pipe have in being a factor in an accident (or fire and theft) ?

Louder pipes would not invalidate insurance - Ive had insurance paid out despite not even having a warrant.

[Deano]

My case is simple - the more of us riding around with noisy pipes (justify them how you like), the sooner and harsher will be the legislation to quieten us down.

Oscar, why not put your money where your mouth is and do a poll on numbers of aftermarket exhausts.

Biker 'gangs' have generally had them for donkey's years.

Check out the bikes at the top of the Taka's on any fine weekend - I would say the majority have aftermarket exhausts. And louder than standard does not necessarily mean excessively loud, however noise is very subjective and one person's noisy exhaust is another's engineering symphony.

BTW - another factor worth mentioning is that people these days are much less tolerant of things such as noise. Why ? - pressures of modern day living, infill housing (what happened to the good old kiwi quarter acre) to name a couple.

People need to be less anal and get on with their lives, instead of making someone elses a misery, simply because they can, under the guise of a nuisance or decreased amenity.

[Drunken Monkey]

At 10:53AM NZT, 100% of Kiwi Bikers surveyed said they had louder than stock after market pipes fitted.

(the sample size was 1 = me! :P )

check out the new poll

[Oscar]

Oscar, why not put your money where your mouth is and do a poll on numbers of aftermarket exhausts.

Biker 'gangs' have generally had them for donkey's years.

Check out the bikes at the top of the Taka's on any fine weekend - I would say the majority have aftermarket exhausts. And louder than standard does not necessarily mean excessively loud, however noise is very subjective and one person's noisy exhaust is another's engineering symphony.

BTW - another factor worth mentioning is that people these days are much less tolerant of things such as noise. Why ? - pressures of modern day living, infill housing (what happened to the good old kiwi quarter acre) to name a couple.

People need to be less anal and get on with their lives, instead of making someone elses a misery, simply because they can, under the guise of a nuisance or decreased amenity.

The problem is that we have a Government that just knows better. Their whole social policy platform involves "saving us from ourselves", you know - no smoking in bars, a proposal to tax fast foods, that sort of thing. The fact of the matter is that noise pollution is on their agenda and they will act on it.

What we should avoid is the use of lame and illogical justifications for our vehicles being noiser than other road users. This makes us look less than serious.

What can we do? We can (as several people here have recommended) make representations on dB limts and try and make sure that the testing process is fair and equitable. What is inevitable in the long run, I believe, is the death of the aftermarket muffler on roadbikes - just look to California.

[Oscar]

Louder pipes would not invalidate insurance - Ive had insurance paid out despite not even having a warrant.

Correct. the insurer would have to prove that the muffler contributed to the accident in some way - Insurance Law Reform Act 1977.

[Oscar]

At 10:53AM NZT, 100% of Kiwi Bikers surveyed said they had louder than stock after market pipes fitted.

(the sample size was 1 = me! :P )

check out the new poll

My personal poll is 66.666%.
I have three bikes in the garage and two have aftermarket mufflers fitted.

[Deano]

Some smart cookie will invent an electronic valve, that works similar to supertrapp mufflers, thus allowing instantaneous adjustment of noise levels produced.

"No officer, wasn't me, that horribly loud bike went the other way......"

What do ya reckon?...... Coldkiwi ?