Exhaust noise laws and rules on home made silencers.

[TONY R]

Been around bikes vertualy all my life, over the years i have kept a breat with laws regarding exhausts and the laws regarding their use, but some questions have never been asked as far as i can tell.

Pre 1983 it was pretty open on what you used and was not so clear cut on vpolume either.

Then from 1983 the first BS kite marked aftermarket systems came on the scene, it all went a bit more complex at this point.

As far as i know the law was 93DBA , and stayed like this with off road marked exhausts being not allowed for road use.

At some point off road comp exhausts were restricted to 105 DBA, not that relivant to this debate just added for interest really.

Now at some point quite recently i think, the government have reduced it again to 83dba.

i think the BS marks still apply to purchased exhausts, and i know its illegal to modiffy an existing exhaust silencer to make it louder than the stock EU standard for the vehichle, But on pree 2005 bikes i bellieve no tests or data are available.

And if a motorcycle has a self made sillencer what do you have to comply with, is it 83DBA or does it need a kite mark, or or what.?

If you have produced a silencer that muffles the noise to 83dba at the prescribed RPM if the sillencer is kite marked or not, is being responsible and law abiding.

I want a 1992 bike to look like it has no sillencer just a longere plain pipe, the baffle system i have made from mild steel to fit inside the pipe with a brass collar at the back, holding it up to the shoulder thats the start of the baffle plates in the pipe. Its 76DBa At 3000RPM with open induction on it at the moment, so as far as i can tell i have acchieved what the law requires, Now At the MOT station the lad said its his descretion and he would pass it no problem, but the kite msark he can not take into account because its not there, so it gets through, but a Police officer could decide it needs a kite mark.

So i am between the devil and the deep blue sea. No body seems to give me a straight answer, any enforcement vosa blokes on here switched on to the law regarding this?

I have done all i can both to acchieve the look i wanted and yet remain well inside current legislation re sound , both on an older bike, and even get it tested.

Any help please.

Edited May 25, 2016 by TONY R

[Jamesey1981]

Stick it on a Q plate and you can do what you like, (or always could last time I looked at least) open pipe after the turbo, all fine, run it rich so you get a four foot flame, go for it, look at the street fighters show bikes, all on a Q plate so they can be as obnoxious as they want!

(Some are on a Q plate because they get crashed a lot and are made from bits....)

Probably not that helpful a post to be fair, and it's probably why I got my license revoked years ago....

Edited May 25, 2016 by Jamesey1981

[TIGHTCHOKE]

Can you get a local engraver to put a "kite" mark on it?

[FalconFN]

There must be a British custom bike forum kicking around, that would probably be a good place to start.

 

Good luck with it, sounds an interesting idea.

Edited May 26, 2016 by FalconFN

[Hendrix's rifle]

This may help, may not. Off road comp bikes are now either 93 or 97db, any more and they cant race. To my knowledge you DON'T need the markings for it to be legal. I had a ccm 604 with a professionally made full system and that had no marking, was 96db at 3400rpm ish? And was absolutely fine. I think if you give them a reason to check it you've done something wrong anyway id go with your gut, if your tester will pass it crack on.

[sportsbob]

So what will happen to you if your exhaust is louder, my Harley has straight through 2 1/4 pipes My Vmax has a modified std exhaust and my sportsbikes generally have aftermarket mini cans. The point I am making is so what if it is louder than the legislation requires as the MOT tester does not have to record the level, he it not required to note the manufactures details and just who do you think will check?

[Hendrix's rifle]

Nothing i don't think or if it is overly loud I think plod will advise to change it. On my ccm I had a shotgun scorpion system on it and that was VERY loud. My ktm is 94db and is legal for enduro/motocross. I had an old xr previous to the ccm and that had a pipe that said 'not for road use', never failed on that

[pigeon controller]

In the dark and distant past we used to get hold of " mutes" that would fit into the end of the down pipe and reduce the noise and give a small amount of back pressure . Not sure it it helps.

 

Just just looked on google still available

Edited May 26, 2016 by pigeon controller

[69chris]

as long as it doesnt say 'not for highway use' on it anywhere your ok,

but...............

its all boils down to the discretion of whoever is challenging you - vosa/dvla/mot man etc, as to weather its louder than a similar/comparable machine

[Westley]

Been around bikes vertualy all my life, over the years i have kept a breat with laws regarding exhausts and the laws regarding their use, but some questions have never been asked as far as i can tell.

Pre 1983 it was pretty open on what you used and was not so clear cut on vpolume either.

Then from 1983 the first BS kite marked aftermarket systems came on the scene, it all went a bit more complex at this point.

As far as i know the law was 93DBA , and stayed like this with off road marked exhausts being not allowed for road use.

At some point off road comp exhausts were restricted to 105 DBA, not that relivant to this debate just added for interest really.

Now at some point quite recently i think, the government have reduced it again to 83dba.

i think the BS marks still apply to purchased exhausts, and i know its illegal to modiffy an existing exhaust silencer to make it louder than the stock EU standard for the vehichle, But on pree 2005 bikes i bellieve no tests or data are available.

And if a motorcycle has a self made sillencer what do you have to comply with, is it 83DBA or does it need a kite mark, or or what.?

If you have produced a silencer that muffles the noise to 83dba at the prescribed RPM if the sillencer is kite marked or not, is being responsible and law abiding.

I want a 1992 bike to look like it has no sillencer just a longere plain pipe, the baffle system i have made from mild steel to fit inside the pipe with a brass collar at the back, holding it up to the shoulder thats the start of the baffle plates in the pipe. Its 76DBa At 3000RPM with open induction on it at the moment, so as far as i can tell i have acchieved what the law requires, Now At the MOT station the lad said its his descretion and he would pass it no problem, but the kite msark he can not take into account because its not there, so it gets through, but a Police officer could decide it needs a kite mark.

So i am between the devil and the deep blue sea. No body seems to give me a straight answer, any enforcement vosa blokes on here switched on to the law regarding this?

I have done all i can both to acchieve the look i wanted and yet remain well inside current legislation re sound , both on an older bike, and even get it tested.

Any help please.

 

Yes, I think I have heard it...........................................................in Lancashire !

[deershooter]

If you gave most bobby's two ball bearings they would break one and loose the other ,forget the kite Mark

 

Deershooter

[TONY R]

Thanks for the replies everyone, i have searched and searched the net. And asked about everyone i can, 69 chris sports bob touched on a few points i have raised with people i know about this.

If it says nothing on it then it the general consensus of opinion is that they can not judge how loud it would be with a comparative system as its the only one that exists.

So they must revert to the next thing which is the max DBA which is 83DBA mine is 77DBA and a lot of that is induction noise.

Sportster bob raises a few valid points, and my addition to this is. ITS NOT A AFTERMARKET SLIP ON, its a self made silencer that on this bike makes less DBA than the law alows so its legal there, the MOT tester was happy and i can not see what court would ever do me for doing what i have done, its not like its dangerous or even anti social.

If you put the vmotor under load and open the throttle wide open it barks a bit but its not that bad, i had a Honda CB 175 as a kid with reverse cone meggas on it that was the loudest bike i ever had now that would be bad in this day and age, mines pretty quiet and as a 1500 v twin its not reving supder high so i am going with it i think.

[sportsbob]

There are no markings on the Samson big guns fitted to the Harley and I tend to use unmarked cheapo cans on the sportsbikes, provided it does not say "not for road use" or "track use only" etc then as you say the only method is a noise test. I was once pulled over due to suspected noise violation and although the officer did not like it he let me go without a ticket because there were no markings to prove him right and it was to much of a ball ache to get it tested.

 

I had a link somewhere on one of my computers I think I found it via MAG to the law regarding testing and out of memory it said something like the only persons empowered to do the test are a Police Sargent and an officer of the environment agency also they can not do it on demand. The advise given was to refuse the on the spot test which is your right at which point the persons trying to test then have to allow you to take it to an MOT station within a reasonable time frame where the MOT tester has the final say regarding the noise level so basically you get away with it.

[TONY R]

There are no markings on the Samson big guns fitted to the Harley and I tend to use unmarked cheapo cans on the sportsbikes, provided it does not say "not for road use" or "track use only" etc then as you say the only method is a noise test. I was once pulled over due to suspected noise violation and although the officer did not like it he let me go without a ticket because there were no markings to prove him right and it was to much of a ball ache to get it tested.

 

I had a link somewhere on one of my computers I think I found it via MAG to the law regarding testing and out of memory it said something like the only persons empowered to do the test are a Police Sargent and an officer of the environment agency also they can not do it on demand. The advise given was to refuse the on the spot test which is your right at which point the persons trying to test then have to allow you to take it to an MOT station within a reasonable time frame where the MOT tester has the final say regarding the noise level so basically you get away with it.

In that case i am home dry, he had no concerns about the noise whatsoever.

[Mike737]

If you gave most bobby's two ball bearings they would break one and loose the other ,forget the kite Mark

 

Deershooter

It doesn't seem to matter what the thread is, there is always someone ready to knock the police. Why? This is supposed to be a forum about pigeon shooting!

 

In this instance, the poster, whilst having a go at the police, with no supporting evidence whatsoever, can't even spell 'bobbies' or 'lose' correctly, or place his comma; yet seems to be trying to give the impression that he is superior to them...

 

Mike.

[TONY R]

Thanks for the advice here everyone, i just sold the bike its on its way to Manchester as we speak, I explained the exhausts to the buyer he was understanding, and he added his thoughts on the subject which were not repeatable on here. :lol:

Anyway i am comfortable i did everything i could to produce a road legal exhaust system with the look i am sure helped sell it.

On to the next one now, a bit smaller at 500cc and even more stripped down look, going LOW with this one.

[69chris]

my mrs has had her full bike license for years and has always wanted an old brit bike - just a tiddler like a bantam for bopping around town, but was put off by the r/h gearchange, so i got hold of a lil ****** 125 and made her this......

 

 

 

the exhaust was made up of odd bits i had kicking around the garage and a home made baffle mid way along the pipe, quite noisy for 125 (sounds like an old small cc brit single !!)

 

the mot man said he liked it - not even 1 advisory.....the laws a bit of an *** thats open to anyones opinion when it comes to noise

[amateur]

Wot?, no chain guard!

 

The bicycle saddle is a nice touch. though.

[mrwabbits]

Given the MOT tester has said its his discretion whether it gets pass or fail - id say there`s your answer .

He is a DVSA trained assessor and has the relevant certification accredited to it.

Why would you bother what a street bobby says ? Even the RPU`s struggle to keep up with relevant Eu reg`s - the sooner we`re out ' the better.

If the decibels fall within tolerances - crack on youth .

.

.

nice little pooter above too would prefer a chain guard though - makes quite a mess of your jeans and leg if owt appens lad

Edited June 8, 2016 by mrwabbits

[Marki]

You don't need a chain guard for a MOT.

 

What I did notice 69chris, but may have missed, is the rear reflector. I always seemed to get caught out without one.

[mrwabbits]

erm , with respect sir , I didnt say it needed a chain guard for MOT , I said `out of preference' ,

having been round bikes for longer than i can remember ,

- it still makes a mess if you snag your flappy trousers in the chain or it snaps

.. and your right , rear reflector is a `catcher' ,,, but i think that led unit has it built in in the centre point - beit small - i have a similar unit fitted

[Rimfireboy]

That's what used to catch me out with the daytime ticket, forgetting the rear reflector. As there's no rear light required, or allowed.

[69chris]

yep no chain guard needed unless pillion pegs fitted, but tbh iv seen a few chains let go over the years and have never seen a plastic guard do much to stop it, modern chain guards are only to keep chain lube off of everything else i reckon

 

the rear reflector was the usual little round one the mot guys stuck on the number plate.....it fell off on the way home

[TONY R]

Had three chain snaps 2 just leave the chain on the road, but one let go bunched up in the wheel and flew round hit me in the back of the leg, it was in old BSA 441. Dint half hurt.

On the subject of breakages BELTS? what happens there then, are they dangerous if they let go? I have a bike with a belt i am buiolding now, was thinking a bout cutting the tabs off the swing arm for the guard running it guardless, but not sure, might just drill big holes in it loose a little weight that way and keep the look, what happens with belts anyone know.

[69chris]

im sure its the same rule - no rear foot pegs, no guard needed