Caledon Noise Bylaw for motorcycles

[turbodish]

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If not for the noise produced by my Hindle I may have gotten hit 5 or 6 times.......and that is just today.

If you're constantly being "threatened" by other traffic, maybe the problem is just as much you as them. Pay attention to what's around you. Proper defensive riding skills trump loud pipes.

My bike would probably pass the noise bylaw even if tested at redline. The stock exhaust is that quiet. Despite that and despite a lot of riding miles each year, I can only remember being "threatened" by one car n all of this season, and even then I spotted the potential problem before it happened so I was ready for her.

**** that town. I say we all rip through that town on a nightly basis to protest this complete disregard for yet another one of our 'Fundemental Freedoms'.

Did you ever stop to think that rips through that town by loud bikes is what prompted them to propose the noise bylaw in the first place?

Go ahead and rip through town. See what their next reaction is, whether it be acts in the form of additional laws and restrictions through official town channels, or individual acts of unauthorized push-back by disgruntled residents in the areas. Best bet - riders will lose, either as a group or individually.

If we the people do not start standing up for ourselves agains this greedy money hungry government and there flock of sheep enforcement we are all as good as slaves (even more so than we are now). And to all police people who read this......Smarten up. I am sure if you actually used your brain you could see which laws are enforce for the protection of the people and which are purly for the profit of the 2% who control 98% of the wealth. I respect u have a job to do but please, we are all on the same side.....try to keep that in [in the part that has not been brainwashed] mind. Freedom of thought, the one freedom they will never have total control of!!!

Greedy money hungry government? What, are they setting up toll booths on area roads?

No. The only people who will be handing over money for this are the loud pipes crowd, and that will be by their choice in travelling through the area AND not having more reasonable pipes.

Local government is reacting in response to long-time complaints from local residents. Look at the signs as you enter Belfountain, the signs asking you to please travel through slowly and quietly. http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&sour...=DSpqVioe4lELvA8u3G3kiA&cbp=12,225.01,,1,5.21 Those signs have been there a very long time but have virtually no effect on certain members of the loud pipes and screaming revs crowd.

Asking didn't help. Now there is another tool available that's going to be used. For some it may be a hard-hitting hammer, but try and remember that local residents did try asking using the words "please" first.

 

[FullMotoJacket]

If you're relying on exhaust noise for safety and find yourself having close calls 5 or 6 times a day, you might want to take a critical look at your riding habits. (Unless you ride in Markham, of course, in which case, carry on).

RetroGrouch in 3......2......1.......

 

[Gummiente]

If you're relying on exhaust noise for safety and find yourself having close calls 5 or 6 times a day, you might want to take a critical look at your riding habits. (Unless you ride in Markham, of course, in which case, carry on).
Loud Pipes Save Lives might make for a cool slogan on a helmet sticker but the science doesn't support it.

Well, holy crap... all these years I've been thinking I'm the only Harley rider who doesn't buy into the whole "loud pipes save lives" myth. Nice to see I'm not alone after all.

 

[CanadianBiker]

Well, holy crap... all these years I've been thinking I'm the only Harley rider who doesn't buy into the whole "loud pipes save lives" myth. Nice to see I'm not alone after all.

Nope, there are a few of us out there. I live in Caledon, own property there and have neighbours. I absolutely hate the idea of any legislation targetting motorcycles but understand why it's coming. Unfortunately, the ones responsible will just go elsewhere and the rest of us will continue to be subject to random roadside tests.

 

[iridebikes]

this is an outrage. Our exhuast is a riders last line of defense against these poorly trained, overly distracted, and utterly ****** drivers. If not for the noise produced by my Hindle I may have gotten hit 5 or 6 times.......and that is just today. **** that town. I say we all rip through that town on a nightly basis to protest this complete disregard for yet another one of our 'Fundemental Freedoms'. If we the people do not start standing up for ourselves agains this greedy money hungry government and there flock of sheep enforcement we are all as good as slaves (even more so than we are now). And to all police people who read this......Smarten up. I am sure if you actually used your brain you could see which laws are enforce for the protection of the people and which are purly for the profit of the 2% who control 98% of the wealth. I respect u have a job to do but please, we are all on the same side.....try to keep that in [in the part that has not been brainwashed] mind. Freedom of thought, the one freedom they will never have total control of!!!

First of all, if you're relying on your crappy exhaust to keep you alive, you should probably either take a riders training program, or just stop riding entirely because you're obviously not very good at it and you'll hurt yourself.

Secondly, ripping through that town like a mindless hotshot is what prompts the residents to seek this kind of by-law enforcement in the first place.

And lastly, could you please show me the section of our Charter of Rights where it states a fundamental freedom to annoy the sh*t out of other Canadian citizens and disturb their peace? I'd love to see it

 

[unL33T]

Loud pipes save lives is crap. In my experience the people that hear it the most are the people behind you and in the houses around you. At the most I hear them when the guy is like 10 ft behind me. By the time I figure out where he is he already passed me so I don't think it improves safety at all. Mostly just annoys people and sounds like *****.

 

[gav.man]

Loud pipes do save your ***! Years ago (20+) I was riding down the Danforth and was cut off 8 times. The drivers were crazy! I had stock pipes and I was shaken so much I couldn't ride for days. I bought a louder set, not crazy loud but nice, and the daily incidents dropped to only a few every week. They do make a difference.... Don't tell me I had bad lane positioning or poor skills, my skills saved my life that day.

This town can take a flying leap. Well maybe not the town but the few that are rule happy. Obviously they have an issue and the OPP doesn't want to deal with it. I was ticked years ago for excessive noise under the MTO laws. If they have issues they can use these laws already, as well, modifying a stock exhaust is technically a no-no but retailers like the aftermarket and money talks. I agree with the crazy loud harley and sport exhausts, they bother me as well. And some people need a brain adjustment when they rip through residential areas at 12k rpm! I have no use for them. Some joker was trying to pop wheelies 1 1/2 km from my house last night and was pissing everyone off in the area.

I think as punnishment someone should erect a sign entering the town that they are not bike friendly and shortsighted. To not include cars, trucks and any other noise generating machinery is not fair and should be shot down in a court of law! I'll never visit the town if this is enacted!

 

[pm127]

Loud pipes do save your ***! Years ago (20+) I was riding down the Danforth and was cut off 8 times. The drivers were crazy! I had stock pipes and I was shaken so much I couldn't ride for days. I bought a louder set, not crazy loud but nice, and the daily incidents dropped to only a few every week. They do make a difference.... Don't tell me I had bad lane positioning or poor skills, my skills saved my life that day.

I agree, my ZZR600 wasn't deafening with a Hindle pipe when cruising with traffic through town but I am 100% sure that cages were more likely to stay out of my personal space.

I think as punnishment someone should erect a sign entering the town that they are not bike friendly and shortsighted. To not include cars, trucks and any other noise generating machinery is not fair and should be shot down in a court of law! I'll never visit the town if this is enacted!

Um, I thought keeping people out of town was the whole point and they just couldn't come up with a better way. I don't see how this is different than those backyard fire pits that are also illegal but are in 20% of every yard around here. I have to keep my windows closed just so I don't smell like a forest fire. Same thing as keeping them closed so that I don't hear motorcycles, or engine brakes on trucks.

 

[iridebikes]

Loud pipes do save your ***! Years ago (20+) I was riding down the Danforth and was cut off 8 times. The drivers were crazy! I had stock pipes and I was shaken so much I couldn't ride for days. I bought a louder set, not crazy loud but nice, and the daily incidents dropped to only a few every week. They do make a difference.... Don't tell me I had bad lane positioning or poor skills, my skills saved my life that day.

This town can take a flying leap. Well maybe not the town but the few that are rule happy. Obviously they have an issue and the OPP doesn't want to deal with it. I was ticked years ago for excessive noise under the MTO laws. If they have issues they can use these laws already, as well, modifying a stock exhaust is technically a no-no but retailers like the aftermarket and money talks. I agree with the crazy loud harley and sport exhausts, they bother me as well. And some people need a brain adjustment when they rip through residential areas at 12k rpm! I have no use for them. Some joker was trying to pop wheelies 1 1/2 km from my house last night and was pissing everyone off in the area.

I think as punnishment someone should erect a sign entering the town that they are not bike friendly and shortsighted. To not include cars, trucks and any other noise generating machinery is not fair and should be shot down in a court of law! I'll never visit the town if this is enacted!

If you agree then what are you f'ing blabbering on about?? The idiots with open exhausts are precisely why the town people want to enact this new bylaw. Did you even read anything in this thread? Its better they enact a law based on a defined set of standards than have the OPP enforce existing laws which have no standard.

 

[bonner_stabone]

In response to CanadianBikers rebuttle (it is quoted below incase u want to read his rubbish)

First off, you actually get paid to sit on this four and see what we are up to and shitlike that....?.......wow our tax dollars hard at work
secondly, if you ever actually rode a bike you would understand how the loud ehust is more than just "a cool slogan on a helmet sticker". so that brings us to the obvious conclustion......in which case
i don't talk to cops, especially one as brain washed as you. So you and all your other traffic cop buddies who frequent this fourm go find a real job. have fun being a glamorized meter maid...oh sorry it is no longer called a meter maid, the politically correct term now is "first class constable".
'this four hereby sentances you to a term of life imprisonment of being a first class constable with no chance of promotion for the rest of your copper life"

If you're relying on exhaust noise for safety and find yourself having close calls 5 or 6 times a day, you might want to take a critical look at your riding habits. (Unless you ride in Markham, of course, in which case, carry on).
Loud Pipes Save Lives might make for a cool slogan on a helmet sticker but the science doesn't support it.
As for the poorly trained drivers, exactly how much professional training have most motorcycle riders had, beyond the weekend necessary to get the M2? No argument that there are lots of bad car drivers out there but I've sure seen a lot of bad riders as well.


Exactly where in the Charter are loud exhausts addressed? Or do you mean the "Fundamental Freedom" to deliberately cause disturbance to others by 'ripping through that town'?


Yup, that oughta bring 'em around. Who wouldn't respond positively to being told to "smarten up", "actually use your brain" and that they're "brainwashed"? Have you considered a career in motivational speaking?

I hate the idea of motorcycles being targeted but we can thank those few riders who insist in making as much noise as possible for bringing this about.

 

[Rotten_Ronnie]

I'm sorry, but I agree with CanadianBiker.

In fact, in my experience, aftermarket loud exhausts usually lead to more tickets for HTA violations.

The officer HEARS the bike, the officer sees the bike and begins pursuit.

I'd much rather they just played with their iPhone or read the paper.

In response to CanadianBikers rebuttle (it is quoted below incase u want to read his rubbish)

First off, you actually get paid to sit on this four and see what we are up to and shitlike that....?.......wow our tax dollars hard at work
secondly, if you ever actually rode a bike you would understand how the loud ehust is more than just "a cool slogan on a helmet sticker". so that brings us to the obvious conclustion......in which case
i don't talk to cops, especially one as brain washed as you. So you and all your other traffic cop buddies who frequent this fourm go find a real job. have fun being a glamorized meter maid...oh sorry it is no longer called a meter maid, the politically correct term now is "first class constable".
'this four hereby sentances you to a term of life imprisonment of being a first class constable with no chance of promotion for the rest of your copper life"

 

[backmarkerducati]

I love how some here have the attitude "how dare THEY tell me how loud my bike can be!" I do agree that the reg must be enforceable and fair (follow a standard).

As for the loud pipes save live crap, if you were really concerned you would remove the sound deadening baffles from you intake so people here you coming not after you have passed. Even then, if loud pipes save lives was actually true it is loud not "stupid loud because I have a small penis pipes save lives." Show some restraint.

Restraint is what this all comes down to, some bike owners can't--now everyone pays the price.

 

[Rixter]

Unfortunately, the ones responsible will just go elsewhere and the rest of us will continue to be subject to random roadside tests.

I agree, and we as Caledon residents will be left with what they have dealt us, and they will turn up making noise in another area where it will be easier and faster to put the by-law in effect because Caledon has already put it in place as a bench mark.

 

[AGAVE]

I'm not gonna go so far as to claim "loud pipes save lives", but they do help avoid many inner city incidents, such as those clueless deaf, dumb and blind drivers that say they didn't us.

Whoever says they can't hear a loud bike until it passes is deaf for sure.
I can easily hear harleys and sportbikes, at least 4-5 cars back on the highway before i see them, even with the radio on and the manly rumble of my subaru motor.

If they weren't loud, people wouldn't be complaining.
The bigger problem is the idiot operating the throttle.

 

[turbodish]

I agree, and we as Caledon residents will be left with what they have dealt us, and they will turn up making noise in another area where it will be easier and faster to put the by-law in effect because Caledon has already put it in place as a bench mark.

The same people that developed the motorcycle noise test are currently working on developing a corresponding noise test that would be applicable to cars and light trucks.

When that happens, don't be surprised if the standardized noise tests go province-wide and are then incorporated into the HTA within a couple of years after that.

 

[Rixter]

I'm not gonna go so far as to claim "loud pipes save lives", but they do help avoid many inner city incidents, such as those clueless deaf, dumb and blind drivers that say they didn't us.

The bigger problem is the idiot operating the throttle.

You know my V Star and have heard the 123Db passes at the grass drags while standing pipes side, and you also know that I rode that bike for eleven seasons and never been stopped for noise infarctions, never got a ticket, never had anything stuck up my pipes and only once I had a close call on Mississauga Rd, with a taxi cab that ended up with a boot mark and dent in the rear passenger door and the he just drove on the 401 ramp and kept going, not bad for 11 years of riding a bike that could produce 123 db.

I tend to agree that load pipes save lives but I also agree to use it when needed!

 

[Rixter]

Just found this article..

If Caledon passes a proposed bylaw on motorcycle noise on Tuesday, it will be tougher than the standard that most bikes currently have to meet in Canada.
Under the new law, OPP officers and the town bylaw officer would be allowed to stop motorcyclists anywhere within the town limits and test their bikes’ noise levels.

If a bike’s sound level exceeds 92dbA at idle, or 96dbA at any other engine speed, when the sound meter is held 50 cm from the end of the exhaust pipe, the rider could face a fine of $150. If riders choose to fight the ticket in court and lose, they could be fined $1,000.
Repeat offenders face fines of up to $5,000.
Town council has held public meetings of its draft bylaw and intends to pass the law Tuesday.
After an undetermined “grace period” of testing next spring, tickets would then be issued.

If it’s passed as written, the Caledon test is certain to fail a substantial percentage of standard, unaltered late model and new motorcycles that are equipped with Canadian government-approved silencers.

At a public information session held earlier this month at the town hall, about 100 people showed up, including town council and officials, the Caledon OPP, a representative of the Motorcycle and Moped Industry Council (the industry’s lobby group), a large number of citizens (mostly from the Belfountain/Forks of the Credit area) and many motorcyclists.

At the meeting, Staff Sgt. Greg Sweeney of the Caledon OPP supported the proposed motorcycle testing bylaw, saying that the current provincial law regarding noisy motorcycles was “unenforceable” because it does not have numerical standards.

Luc Fournier, director of policy and government relations for the motorcycle industry lobby group, told the meeting he has given presentations to town and city councils across the country, promoting the concept that they adopt a motorcycle sound testing method, with standards based on a Society of Automotive Engineers test known as SAE J2825, as their noise control bylaw.


The Caledon draft bylaw uses a 96 dBA maximum level without specifying the r.p.m. at which that test will be done, which means there will be no proper scientific or technical basis to the test.

Fournier’s test was developed by professional engineers under contract to the motorcycle industry in Canada and the U.S., to ensure that current motorcycles manufactured or imported to Canada and equipped with silencers that meet the Canadian government standards will not be ticketed.

What the town of Caledon is currently considering is potentially a much more restrictive standard than the standards proposed by Fournier.
Nadia Koltun, director of legal services for Caledon, said this week that the bylaw as drafted, unless altered by the council in its meeting on Tuesday, would be adopted in its current form.

If challenged in court the Town’s policy is to defend its bylaws unless otherwise directed by town council.

 

[turbodish]

Just found this article..

If Caledon passes a proposed bylaw on motorcycle noise on Tuesday, it will be tougher than the standard that most bikes currently have to meet in Canada.
Under the new law, OPP officers and the town bylaw officer would be allowed to stop motorcyclists anywhere within the town limits and test their bikes’ noise levels.

If a bike’s sound level exceeds 92dbA at idle, or 96dbA at any other engine speed, when the sound meter is held 50 cm from the end of the exhaust pipe, the rider could face a fine of $150. If riders choose to fight the ticket in court and lose, they could be fined $1,000.
Repeat offenders face fines of up to $5,000.

I think the bolded part is an incorrect assumption by the reporter who wrote this article. The Edmonton bylaw is written in the same manner, but enforcement there is based on the J2825 noise measuring specification. Caledon is basing their bylaw on Edmonton's, so I don't expect that their standard or measuring criteria would be any different.

 

[AGAVE]

Let me toss a couple questions into this mess.

My bike has no tachometer, how will they accuratly measure the engines rpms for the test?

I wouldn't let anyone sit in my car and rev the motor, certainly not my bike.
Let's assume i have stock pipes and i know it would pass the test. what if i refuse to let them touch it?
Can i ask to have it tested by a mechanic instead?

What if the bike should pass, but they botch the test somehow :roll: and write up a ticket?

 

[turbodish]

Let me toss a couple questions into this mess.

My bike has no tachometer, how will they accuratly measure the engines rpms for the test?

They're using portable tachs in other locales:

An idle test (engine at idle) was conducted on each as well as a swept RPM test (engine RPM is increased from idle to a specified peak RPM and back to idle. The specified RPM is determined by the number of cylinders. A portable Tachometer was used for the bikes without tachometers. The tests were observed by the working group participants. http://www.mainebiker.net/profiles/blogs/ld-1675-inspectionnoise-bill

I wouldn't let anyone sit in my car and rev the motor, certainly not my bike. Let's assume i have stock pipes and i know it would pass the test. what if i refuse to let them touch it?

Well, then you sit on the bike and rev it. If you don't let them do the test, at minimum that would be an automatic assumed failed. Then the cop will pull out the HTA s82 motor vehicle inspection trump card together with the HTA 82.(8) owner requirement to assist clause, following up with the $1000 HTA 82.(9) failure to assist penalty.

Can i ask to have it tested by a mechanic instead?

Sure, after it gets tested roadside.

What if the bike should pass, but they botch the test somehow :roll: and write up a ticket?

Plead not guilty and bring your mechanic to court.

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