Laws on Exhausts?

[mikesaa309]

I brought a 600 Bandit of Ebay as some of you might know and it has a Viper exhaust on it. It's quite loud but haven't had chance to test the DB levels of it and not sure what RPM I need to measure it at.

I'm just wondering on the laws regarding exhaust levels, I haven't found too much on it except the legal level is 82 DB but nothing on at what RPM or speed this is at.

The exhaust also doesn't have a baffle or Db killer in it and not sure on the differences between the two, if someone could enlighten me on it?

The sound is a pretty decent sound but don't really want to be pulled for having a loud exhaust but it currently has no MOT, tax or insurance so haven't had chance to hear it going along, hopefully by April it should be on the road.

Does anyone have any idea on the laws regarding exhaust noise and do I need a baffle or Db killer?

[Clutchy]

Meh, you'll probably be fine. At least wait until you have heard it in person before you go buying things.


Mines loud, I just keep very low on the revs when near police or trying to be quite for horses etc
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Malaguti F12 Phantom-Dead, Suzuki AY50- Dead, NRG power DD LQ, CBR125.
*33 BHP restriction up on 10/12/14* Current bikes/car: SV 650 S/ MKIV GOLF
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[Scythe]

Don't worry about it, if it's slightly noisy you'll get a noisy exhaust advisory on the MOT.

You could get pulled but it's unlikely unless it's ridiculously loud.
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2009 Yamaha YBR125 -> 2000 SV650S -> 2005 Kawasaki ZX6R 636

[Kari-On]

Does it say anything about being road legal - ie does it have stamped 'not for road use/race use only' on it anywhere?

[andys675]

thats not legal, they're distributed by bike-it

in their catalogue they do sell baffle's / DB killers, but afaik that won't make it legal as it's not stamped

legal limit is something like 82db ride past at 5500rpm, which is bloody quiet

like most 4 cylinder bike's, it will make more noise the more you up the revs, so keep it low in town to avoid attention

my bike has a non legal silencer on it, I'm not going to do anything about it until I get any grief off the law, most likely get a rectification notice so you have to put it right and get the notice stamped by an MOT station to say they've inspected it
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[mikesaa309]

I have heard it in person, it's sitting in my garden. I revved it to about
4-5 rpm and it was pretty loud. That said my garden is quite small so could sound louder due to the reverb of the walls.

probably won't really know until I get it on the road. My dad's gonna ride it until I pass my test just need to get it MOT but needs a new rear tyre and other bits first and then needs tax and Insurance. Not gonna tax it until April though as we'd lose a month.

[Rogerborg]

As Andy says, the test is a "ride by" measured under strict conditions (it comes from Brussels, so of course it's mind bogglingly incomprehensible). I would be astonished if any police force in the country has a suitable facility for testing it.

Not that it'll be an issue for me, but I'd be minded to laugh off any "rectification notice", opt to defer their roadside test, and ask when they want me to show up at their test site.

However, the MOT test is an entirely subjective decision by the tester as to whether it makes significantly more noise than a standard system in good condition. You'll have to suck it and see. Worse case, you could quite literally put a sock in it.
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[Nobby the Bastard]

[mikesaa309]

[clancy]

It'll be fine my gsxr is over 100 db, never have problems even at mot
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KLX 300r

[Pete.]

To pass the MOT it#s supposed to be no louder than a stock system in good condition. Since most aftermarket exhausts fail miserably at that requirement they should almost all fail the MOT but since it's down to the discretion of the tester many still pass. My local tester has been warned a while ago for passing bikes with loud cans.

If you intend taking it for the test like it is, stop worrying. If not, find a stock silencer and fit that at least for the test. The gaskets are £15.
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a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good

[c_dug]

Put it this way, if it was too loud you wouldn't need to ask, you would know.
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[gavbriggs]

The louder the better in my view, get you noticed more by car drivers and they tend not to splat you as much

[andys675]

the only place you're likely to get noise tested these days is on a track day, where they usually have 105db limit, I have seen bikes break this, a 675 daytona that the guy had to stick his baffle back in and an S1000RR with some fancy £2k exhaust system that registered over 120db, thankfully he had brought a van with his track bike in, but he was pretty peed off that he couldn't take his BMW on the track.
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Some people feel the rain, others just get wet.

[Rogerborg]

[Llama-Farmer]

Sorry to jump on the thread, but regarding track days, how strict are they? I know its usually 99db or 102 or something like that, but say it's 1 or 2 over on their meter, will it be a flat out no you're not riding today, or will they be lenient as long as its not taking the piss, say 120db.

How are they measured, like whats the distance and direction the db meter is from the exhaust, what RPM for the test, or idle.

[Fladdem]

I just bought a DG O exhaust for my TTR 250, it's registered at 98DB, I have no idea where that is measured, but it sounds REALLY loud. I know most enduro places want 94 db, does anyone know how it is measured? What about MOT's, although I will probably stick the standard back on for them.

I went to get fuel just now, my dad said he could hear me sat at the lights half a mile away, revving it. Granted it's quiet at this time of day, but I still think that it is a bit loud.
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Current:1991 Honda MT50 (Soon to be a H100/MTX/MT5 hybrid), 1976 Honda Cub C70, 2005 Honda Varadero 125, 1993 Yamaha TTR250 Open Enduro , 2010 Road Legal Stomp YX140, 1994 Honda CRM 250 MK III, 1999 Cagiva Mito 125, 1992 Honda CB400 Super Four, Stomp T4 230, 1984 Honda H100s, 2009 Sym XS125K
Past:2003 Aprilia RS125, 1982 Kawasaki GPZ550(FREE BIKE!)
I'm having more fun than a well-oiled midget.

[Darylw27]

I wouldn't worry about it, my ER6 has an obnoxiously loud can and i've passed by many plod without the slightest hassle. Only issue may be MOT, but if you can get a removable baffle for those few hours out of the year you're sorted.

[Clutchy]

[Clutchy]

[clancy]

Yeah as above, the way decibels work is it doubles every time

101 db is twice as loud as 100, in terms of the energy involved in the noise, doesn't necessarily sound that way the ear though !

Basically it'll be fine, unless it's making your ears bleed. I've never been pulled or had anything said at an mot and it's over 100
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KLX 300r

[Llama-Farmer]

[Paris2]

[andys675]

you can always do a trackside mod, form an old alloy pop can into a cap over the end, get retested and passed and strangley the pop can disappears later
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[Aff]