City of Toronto motor vehicle sound limits
- Thread starter TK4
- Start date
The RPM measurement issue had to do with SAE J2825, which specifies the test RPM. "Any speed greater than idle" as written into the bylaw is a problematic requirement, because that could include bouncing off the rev limiter, and nothing will be compliant with that.
That was the recommendation, the actual by-law was 288-2024 which amended Chapter 591 Section 2.5.
There is no mention or requirement in the by-law for rpm. It specifies idle or any speed greater than idle. You could try to attack that path in court but it won't be easy.
Take pictures and video of the measurement as they're happening. Lots of pitfalls and while the justification mentions SAE J2825, none of the associated procedures and qualifications made it into the by-law. As written, there are easy ways they can cheat to move the numbers in the desired direction.
GP exhaust and straight pipes should fail the idle test. The vast majority of other mufflers will pass at idle (even aftermarket).
Afaik, they are doing measurements at idle as they don't want to touch the vehicles. As Brian said, if they want to test at redline, I think most bikes would have trouble passing. I would be shocked if they ever did that as what if it blew while they were winding it out in neutral? Another casualty of half-implementing a well-written standard.
I wouldn't be too worried. Cops don't have the equipment and aren't interested in learning about measuring sound. They don't like wasting time issuing by-law tickets. By-law officers have the equipment but have no authority to stop vehicles. In practice that means they need a team of cop plus by-law officer to conduct a stop for noise. That will rarely happen. If you like to hang out with an obscenely loud vehicle at a gathering that already has a high heat score or if you rip up rosedale valley road at night, I could see them running a blitz occasionally to hit the worst offenders.
EDIT:
They applied the same standard for bikes and cars. For a vehicle with a valved exhaust, where should the measurement be? Nothing in the by-law mentions whether valves should be open or closed. On that note, you might get away with slipping in a baffled plug while they are setting up. Gravity should hold it in at idle. With multiple exhausts, where do you measure the 50 cm from? Lots of vectors to attack in court.
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