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Edmonton is set to be the first North America to have a really strict new noise bylaw.
Adopting the new SAE standards set out by the Society of Automotive Engineers.
Right now - ONLY Motorcycles are targets because the SAE have not completed their work on other vehicles noise emissions to develop the testing procedures.

Now - I get when people are not impressed with motorcycles and their noise - I truly do. Too many people - and I KNOW this statement will be met with disdain and anger but - too many people ABUSE their loud pipes. If the only time the were being used was in an urgent situation like some moron on a cell phone drifting in to your lane or the jerk who just moves over without swivelling his head -we wouldn't be in this boat!

Straight shooting here folks - we - complacent Canadians who ride motorcycles have allowed this crap to happen. We didn't police ourselves and so now look at us...

We have become a babysitting state - a police state if you will. Why? Because common sense isn't too darn common and the abuse of that right hand has landed us squarely where I have said it would 20 years ago.

The bylaw in Edmonton while strict is still in some ways generous if you look at what the manufacturers are supposed to build bike at for noise levels:

SCHEDULE V.1 (Section 5)

[SOR/97-141, s. 4; SOR/97-421, s. 15.]

Noise Emissions (Standard 1106)


3. Every motorcycle shall be so constructed that
(a) where tested in accordance with Annex 3 to ECE Regulation No. 41, Uniform Provisions concerning the Approval of Motor Cycles with regard to Noise, dated January 19, 1981, as amended September 14, 1984, excluding the requirements of paragraph 3.2 of that Annex, the exterior sound level does not exceed
(i) 77 dBA, in the case of a motorcycle with an engine displacement not exceeding 80 cm3,
(ii) 80 dBA, in the case of a motorcycle with an engine displacement exceeding 80 cm3 and not exceeding 175 cm3, and
(iii) 82 dBA, in the case of a motorcycle with an engine displacement exceeding 175 cm3;  or
(b) where tested in accordance with
(i) Appendix I-2 to subparts D and E, part 205, chapter I, title 40 of the United States Code of Federal Regulations, as amended by Vol. 45, No. 252 of the Federal Register of the United States published on December 31, 1980, at pages 86727 and 86728, the exterior sound level does not exceed 70 dBA, in the case of a motorcycle with an engine displacement not exceeding 50 cm3 and a maximum attainable speed of 48 km/h on a level paved surface, and
(ii) Appendix I-1 to subparts D and E, part 205, chapter I, title 40 of the United States Code of Federal Regulations, as amended by Vol. 45, No. 252 of the Federal Register of the United States published on December 31, 1980, at pages 86726 and 86727, the exterior sound level does not exceed 80 dBA, in any other case. 

The Edmonton Bylaw:
Under a bylaw amendment given tentative approval Thursday, bikers will face an initial $250 fine if they're caught blasting along the city streets at more than 92 decibels, about the level heard one metre away from a power lawn mower.

Now I do have ONE small issue with all of this stuff - the after market industry - is it going to become illegal to sell these pipes? Or will it be like radar detectors - illegal to use but OK to buy???

Anyway folks - anyone got any feedback? Any comments? Lets have some real dialogue and not the swearing, angry crap - let's figure this out - tourism won't be happy. What will happen to rallies etc?
I gotta tell yah folks - this is scary stuff in my books....

In other news - a man in Saskatchewan is rebuilding his life after an accident 4 years ago by building a special bike.

A man in Manitoba is in hospital after an accident

Reconnecting with Canada - the couple who rode Australia to do a documentary is riding Canada to do the same kind of documentary here.

If you are fortunate enough to be riding today or this weekend please ride like everyone around you IS blind and out to GET YOU! And please - Ride PROUD - NOT LOUD.


Belt Drive Betty
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  1. Anonymous8:59 AM

    Alberta...its becoming a police state. Now I agree some people blast their pipes to the extreme but some of us actually enjoy the sound of a good rumble from a bike but until they clean this so-called bylaw up to include ALL party machines that have high performance pipes (Fast & Furious), take the street racers off the road maybe make those cars illegal too and the guys who blast their stereos at 120db then come give me grief. Worst part is that I wont come back to ALberta to see family if they are gonna fine me just because my pipes are a lil loud. (And no I dont own V&H I bought Gatlings, nice sounds but not deafing)......P.S. I dont really believe they should make this bylaw I was being sarcastic when I said they should include everyone, they should just leave us alone.

    ReplyDelete
  2. You aren't saying anything I don't agree with - we have become a province not unlike Ontario where we are monitored for "Our own good"

    It is sad the number of "laws" that are being written in the name of being a baby sitting service.

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  3. robear9:34 AM

    I have said it over and over. If you race down the street or rev up your bike unneccesarily then you should expect to be fined. If you have a loud bike but only crack it open briefly to warn the unsuspecting cager about to cross into your lane then you shouldn't be punished.Police should target the inconsiderate riders and leave the rest of us alone. Listen to those who complain about the noisy bikes and they all say the same thing; its the ones racing thru town that annoy them, not the ones cruising down the street with the flow of traffic.

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