For example, removing baffles can make your exhaust illegal because it violates noise laws. When buying a replacement exhaust, you need to make sure it is approved for on-road use in the UK. Remember the part above about motorists that I said was important? Well, Cambridgeshire Police are focusing on using the XL2 on modified cars at meetings where anti-social behaviour takes place, rather than on general routes favoured by motorbikes. However, they pointed out that the XL2 could be used on motorcycles if needed. In 2019, Hampshire Police conducted seven operations around noisy motorcycles and issued 95 speeding tickets. Police did not break down the offenses for which tickets were issued, but the noisy hoses draw attention and reinforce the perception that motorcycles are dangerous and noisy. A July 8 Times article said, “It`s time to cut decibels,” calling motorcycles “unnecessarily noisy.” While noise cameras are typically configured to detect noisy vehicles, in Paris, devices specifically target motorcycles, with a facility in Saint-Forget, a hilly rural area near Paris that is popular with motorcyclists. “It is illegal to modify the exhaust system to make a vehicle noisier after being `homologated` (verification that it meets environmental and safety standards). In the UK, noise limits for motorcycles are set at 80 decibels. To put that in context, it`s about as noisy as a hair dryer, dishwasher, or old vacuum cleaner. Some forum participants shared concerns that some motorcyclists might add exhaust systems to their motorcycles that raise noise levels to levels above the legal limit, which could explain the big difference in motorcycle noise when travelling in London. It is not possible to run the engine on torsion and takeaway motorcycles.

This is also the case with motorcycle track days – race tracks set strict noise limits; Not only because they can, but because the limits have been set by the local authority, which tries to balance everyone`s needs. If the tracks do not respect these limits, they are not allowed to run on track days. It`s as simple as that. With the news last week that Cambridgeshire Police was the latest force in the UK to purchase noise testing equipment to combat anti-social exhaust noise, I spoke to the officers involved to get the facts on what this means for drivers in the area. This is not a new problem and there are many stories from all over the UK – such as Hampshire or noise camera tests – and in Europe about reducing the speed limit for bicycles on mountain passes in the Alps. Or even ban them completely on some roads in Cyprus to reduce noise. We have not yet achieved this in the United Kingdom, but in this context it is not exclusively focused on motorcycles and the problem of noise is not new; I was once warned not to use the sirens of a police car at night when I left the station because it disturbed the sleep of local residents. An important note is that it is illegal to modify your motorcycle to make it noisier if it has been homologated.

Sometimes it works, and the manufacturer does it well from a styling standpoint, and sometimes less, which leads owners to look elsewhere for a replacement exhaust system. Since noise and emissions laws go against what is legally allowed when it comes to exhausts, we thought it was worth taking a look at to make sure you and your bike were on the right side of the law. The exhaust does not need to bear the British standard markings for the TÜV and is not checked for these. The best way to do this is to buy from a reputable exhaust dealer that offers warranties on their exhausts. The original silencing system shall bear the manufacturer`s name and part number; In order to comply with the law, you must not remove the deflector. If your motorcycle does a technical inspection, the tester tests the noise emitted. Several European countries are closing more and more roads to motorcycles because of noise. A German state is proposing crackdown, including noise restrictions in built-up areas and a complete ban on aftermarket exhaust.

This means that manufacturers have had to get creative with their exhaust and catalytic converter designs. a law prohibiting the supply of exhaust systems and silencers for motorcycles that may cause excessive noise; and related purposes. The experience of lockdown in our cities has made many people much more aware of noise pollution. “It could also help trap those who run car or motorcycle engines beyond legal limits, making life a misery for those living nearby. Noise pollution makes people`s lives in communities across the UK absolutely miserable and has a very serious impact on health. 1(1) Every person who contravenes section 1 of this Act is guilty of a criminal offence and, on summary conviction, is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months or to a fine of up to the fifth level of the standard scale. E+W+S In the UK, the noise limit for a motorcycle is set at 80 dB, with an additional 6 dB added to account for mechanical noise. First of all, every new motorcycle on UK roads must comply with UK noise laws and comply with Euro 5 emissions regulations. There are limits to the amount of noise vehicles can make on public roads. This applies to all types of vehicles.

The situation is different when a driver removes the deflectors that the manufacturer has placed there in order to reduce noise. The UK Department for Transport and French noise regulator Bruitparif have both tested such “radar systems” that detect noise, identify the perpetrator, take a photo and automatically impose a fine.