AMA Sound Testing Kits

ck1racerx said:
If someone says they are not coming back because they can not adhere to the rules then bye - bye...... The sport does not need them.

Set the max sound level, define how the test is to be performed, check the bikes. You pass, great. You fail, you don't race until you fix it. DONE
Testing for nearly anything and everything is subjective. To bad. These are the rules. Don't like it? Take up tennis.

In a sport that is hated by the tree huggers because you are causing erosion, global warming (or whatever they are calling it this month). Taking away the natural environment of the rare yellow spotted dick moth. The government hates us since we are mostly a cash business which makes to hard to collect taxes. Local zoning laws are written to prevent tracks because of dust, eye sore, traffic, danger and any number of other BS. We can AT LEAST create a rule limiting the sound level of the bikes just to keep the neighbors happy.
Click to expand...
"the rare spotted dick moth" haha but i do agree with you 100% but i don't think its gonna make a difference to the tree huggers and people that live next or near the track, they are still gonna complain. They aren't gonna know the difference
 
They'll be so angry when all electric bikes are produced that people will say...AHH THAT TRACK IS SUCH AN EYE SORE! We must rid the community of it.
 
I find it very cool that people are willing to share their thoughts about the issue and offer to volunteer their time (as will I).
But find it interesting that those with so much to lose (organizational bodies and track owners with multiple hundreds of thousand of dollars invested) have yet to comment...
Possibly they have already submitted their application for a testing kit?
 
Thing is, the 4 stroke exhaust pulse wave is lower than a 2 stroke, the lower pulse wave travels much further and dissipates less than a high frequency 2 stroke.

Track set up and having a way to dissipate the pulse is key to keep the pulse wave away from neighbors.
A place like Smith Road where they are basically in a valley but having their starting line (exhausts facing the street) is a bad place to have it. The rest of the track is good that it is in kind of a valley (high mound train tracks on one side and high area by pond on the other) save them in keeping noise relatively dampened. Routing the direction of straights NOT exhaust facing neighbors should be a must. Summer tree coverage saves them.

Meadowlarks should be relatively quiet because most of the track is parallel to the highway/rail line, except down the hill where you enter (which I suggest they remove) because the noise of the bikes powering up the hill is a BAD idea, that and I would assume dust would be their number one complaint. Remove said area and make a raised berm across the top of the hill to contain the noise.
Walk around your track layout and think like an exhaust outlet, look where it would point under acceleration, if it points to mankind, re route or change direction.

Easy things that would help out with little or no cost on track owners.
 
That 4 stroke traveling long wavelength sound can also echo from a barrier. Our community track in a Hocking Hills river valley is proof of that.
 
ahrma479 said:
My first post.

A) You need a special non reflective surface to test on.
B) You need a totally quiet ambient testing area (no highway vehicle noise, no wind noise etc).
Click to expand...

Right, that's easier.

The AMA test method is pretty good for on-site testing and is certainly better than nothing.
SAE J2825 and J1287 were written, and approved by the Society of Automotive Engineers,
for just the situation you find at an event. No special anechoic surfaces and plenty of
ambient noise. Is it as accurate as doing it your way? No. Is it good enough for making
people aware that their bike is way too loud? Yes.

Note that neither J2825 or J1287 address accuracy beyond having a bunch of test conditions
that must be adhered to. Things like wind speed and ground surface condition.
 
Always remember a new test spec can be written at any time. Most if not all engineering spec are for testing in controlled conditions. There are also specs for field testing. Which I am sure will be developed before testing would be required. (Again, duh. What else would you be testing to)
 
STURD:
RE:
My first post.
A) You need a special non reflective surface to test on.
B) You need a totally quiet ambient testing area (no highway vehicle noise, no wind noise etc).


NOTE this is what I saw at the SAE test facility.
I had the chance to actually go to the "certified sound testing lab" at SAE to do testing on an exhaust we made for Indian Motorcycles where we did static and drive by testing.
A) You need a special non reflective surface to test on.
B) You need a totally quiet ambient testing area (no highway vehicle noise, no wind noise etc).
Im NOT SAYING THIS IS A MUST FOR IN THE FIELD TESTING

Im NOT saying you MUST have this for "in the field testing"
Ive done testing "in the field" at GNCC's using the 2 SAE J's no big deal.
I never said "in the field testing" was not a WAY of finding out a pass or fail.


AGAIN...sighs
Trying to hold the throttle steady with a multi dimensional ignition at "X" RPM is hard to do.
The average program we used is more FAIR, thats all.
Is the current batch of SAE tests ok for "in the field testing" to find a "pass or fail"? sure
 
#1 complaint in the Briarcliff Community is not bike sound, it is the noise from the PA and the music that is sometimes played over the PA. We have addressed this by turning down the volume and not using it on practice weekends unless absolutely necessary.

As far as testing bikes, I have heard many varying issues about consistency in the testing procedure. It hasnt become an exact science yet. Plus I am absolutely packed on time. I don't have the extra hours to babysit the manufacturers, riders, and aftermarket companies on their products that concerned citizens are deeming "too loud". I do agree that it should be a priority. But I'm not the guy to take up the fight, unless you want me to drop one of the following: the OMA, my family, briarcliff, my job, or my personal riding. All are very important to me. Maybe you should form a riding preservation council and push this agenda?? Just a suggestion. I think those that offer suggestions should pick up the sword or simply leave it on the table. Maybe it's fine laying on the table undisturbed.
 
BriarcliffMx said:
#1 complaint in the Briarcliff Community is not bike sound, it is the noise from the PA and the music that is sometimes played over the PA. We have addressed this by turning down the volume and not using it on practice weekends unless absolutely necessary.

As far as testing bikes, I have heard many varying issues about consistency in the testing procedure. It hasnt become an exact science yet. Plus I am absolutely packed on time.I don't have the extra hours to babysit the manufacturers, riders, and aftermarket companies on their products that concerned citizens are deeming "too loud". I do agree that it should be a priority. But I'm not the guy to take up the fight, unless you want me to drop one of the following: the OMA, my family, briarcliff, my job, or my personal riding. All are very important to me. Maybe you should form a riding preservation council and push this agenda?? Just a suggestion. I think those that offer suggestions should pick up the sword or simply leave it on the table. Maybe it's fine laying on the table undisturbed.
Click to expand...


Sounds like my "Plan A" from a prior post.
I'm not the guy to take up the fight
concerned citizens are deeming "too loud" THEY are correct and hold more clout than a track does.
"Maybe you should form a riding preservation council" yeah its called the AMA (remember the FREE sound testing kits from the OP)


Sounds like my "Plan B" from a prior post.
"Maybe it's fine laying on the table undisturbed"


HEY, don't get me wrong, Ive been through this since 1994 when I got involved when the Euro Community and JMCA decided bikes (on road) with aftermarket exhaust must not be louder than stock and not make "X" more HP than stock.
 
Instead of decibel level I think manufacturers should focus on a minimum outlet size (tail pipe diam), and muffler length. I think you can achieve a quiter exhaust through these means and create a much much easier way to check for these requirements. There is my contribution, now someone run tell that
 
BriarcliffMx said:
Instead of decibel level I think manufacturers should focus on a minimum outlet size (tail pipe diam), and muffler length. I think you can achieve a quiter exhaust through these means and create a much much easier way to check for these requirements. There is my contribution, now someone run tell that
Click to expand...

THAT would be your average STOCK ATV muffler.
 
#1 complaint in the Briarcliff Community is not bike sound, it is the noise from the PA and the music that is sometimes played over the PA. We have addressed this by turning down the volume and not using it on practice weekends unless absolutely necessary.



IF your neighbors are complaining about your PA system here are a few observations:
A) If you are playing music, 99% DO'NT CARE or are listening to their own style of music or would like to hear NO music at all.
B) If you are doing race commentary 98% DON'T CARE, the only one (s) who may care are the significant other (s) of the one person you are talking about at the time.
C) If you feel the need to announce race order. Post the schedule at sign up, if the riders are too brain dead to listen to starts and count, then they should take up something less stressful on the brain , like staring at a wall.

Solution:
Most "advanced race facilities" utilize FM transmission for communication. Those that want to listen do, those that don't, don't.
 
ahrma479 said:
#1 complaint in the Briarcliff Community is not bike sound, it is the noise from the PA and the music that is sometimes played over the PA. We have addressed this by turning down the volume and not using it on practice weekends unless absolutely necessary.



IF your neighbors are complaining about your PA system here are a few observations:
A) If you are playing music, 99% DO'NT CARE or are listening to their own style of music or would like to hear NO music at all.
B) If you are doing race commentary 98% DON'T CARE, the only one (s) who may care are the significant other (s) of the one person you are talking about at the time.
C) If you feel the need to announce race order. Post the schedule at sign up, if the riders are too brain dead to listen to starts and count, then they should take up something less stressful on the brain , like staring at a wall.

Solution:
Most "advanced race facilities" utilize FM transmission for communication. Those that want to listen do, those that don't, don't.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the feedback!
 
Ignore the sound issue today and tomorrow you need to worry about it, there wont be any tracks to ride.

Should we start a list of tracks closed because of noise in our area???

#1 Beechwood trails, one of my all time favorite tracks....the neighbors shut him down.
#2 Locon, another fantastic track. Neighbors got this one too

Anyone know of others?


Not shut down but close

OIR has operating rules and limited days allowed open because of neighbors. Sound and dust are issues and the track was there LONG before the houses.
Smith rd is in the same boat.

Being proactive is always easier in the long term. Once the public wants you shut down you have about 10% chance of not closing. And funding the battle isnt fun either.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top