The Noise Snare Sound Test

Harley-Davidson Exhaust Noise

Noise Snare in Action VIDEO

http://youtu.be/yvH0krMJ3Ek

Motorcycle noise has been an issue for many in BC and elsewhere for many years. Furthermore, there is a growing controversy about “The Noise Snare” versus the “J2825″ Motorcycle Noise Test. The Noise Snare is a new device made by Street Noise Reduction Systems Ltd.. The City of Calgary is using the Noise Snare to catch and ticket vehicles that are louder than City bylaws and Provincial Regulations allow.

The Noise Snare is deployed in a similar way to photo radar. It is installed in the wheel well of an enforcement agency’s vehicle, and then measures the sound levels of vehicles that pass by. Belt Drive Betty spoke with the people behind the development of The Noise Snare. Here is Betty’s comment.

I actually talked to the inventor and he explained that an officer visually goes through the “tickets”. That arms length human overseeing helps to prevent tickets where say 20 bikes are riding together. And let’s remember, a lot of these devices will be set up in noise perimeters – e.g.: they would set one up on a street 2 or three blocks away from hostels, nursing homes, problematic residential areas, business areas like downtown and any place that is currently a hot spot for noise. Will they catch all? Nope, will some get an unfair ticket, it is possible but less likely than what is going on now with the J2825. And it can also be used to determine the volume of house parties! Out of the two tests out there, the Noise Snare is the fairest as all non commercial vehicles are targeted and there is wasting of police officers time. It’s cost effective and will no doubt result in fines sticking a lot more than they are now. I wished Grande Prairie would get one so that inconsiderate human with the white Subaru with the $30K stereo would get nailed, I am tired of him rattling the windows out of my house!

J2825 Motorcycle Noise Testing

The J2825 noise test is motorcycle specific. The J2825 test (when done properly) is performed on a stationary motorcycle with well defined procedures. These procedures have been defined by The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), who developed the test. The Motorcycle & Moped Industry Council (MMIC) paid for the development of the J2825 Sound Test. If the testing procedures are not followed correctly for an “accurate” result, the test results are null and void.
A lot of motorcycle riders have found that the prescribed procedures for the J2825 test to be done correctly, are not being followed. Some of the procedures for using the J2825 test are as follows (this is only a basic overview of what must happen during a road side test).

Field Calibration of the Sound Level Meter

Section 8.2.1 c. states clearly the apparatus must be calibrated “whenever the sound level meter has been dropped or transported from one location to another in a vehicle.” It is clear that the EPS must calibrate the apparatus before any test can be administered. It should be noted that the apparatus is also to be calibrated at the beginning of every test session, at the end of every test session and every hour on the hour.

The Test Site Conditions Are Important

Paragraph 5 States – Test Site of the J2825 clearly defines what that site should look like. This includes that the site shall be an open area free of large sound reflecting surfaces such as parked vehicles, signboards, or buildings located within 2.5 m (8 ft) of the motorcycle. The surface ground shall be paved or hard-packed early, level within the typical slope of a paved street or parking lot with no curbs closer than 0.25 m (10 in) of the exhaust outlet being measured.
Paragraph 6 States – Test Conditions indicates more important information. If you are pulled over and the set up takes a lengthy period of time, your bike may cool off. This will result in high revs when fired until it warms up again. According to the J2825, “the engine of the motorcycle under test shall be at normal operating temperature during the test”.
Section 6.6 States – “no more than one person other than the rider and the measurer and an assistant (if necessary) to operate the throttle shall be within 2.5 m (8 ft) of the motorcycle under test or the microphone, and that person shall be directly behind the measurer on a line through the microphone and the measurer.”

According to both the J2825 and the EPS tracking sheet created to record all information, the wind velocity and ambient noise levels must also be recorded. Just for knowledge, section 6.4 of the J2825 defines that the ambient noise cannot be more than 82 db where section 6.5 defines the wind velocity shall be less than 9 m/s (20 mph).
Then there are the procedures themselves. It is clearly stated that a “motorcycle rider shall sit astride the motorcycle in normal riding position with one or both feet on the ground” or the motorcycle must be on a center stand or held upright in a vice. This is mandatory for the above idle test but not for the idle test.
The idle test is a simple test where the engine is run for 5 seconds at idle with the microphone placed at a 45 degree angle 20 inches behind the exhaust. For the above idle test, with the microphone in the same position, the bike is slowly brought up to 2000 rpm (engines with less than 3 or more than 4 cylinders) or 5000 rpm (engines with 3 or 4 cylinders) and held for at least 2 seconds than slowly released. This test is to be done 3 times with the lowest of the three readings as the final test result.

Improper Testing Procedures

M.O.D.E.L. (Motorcyclists Opposing Discriminatory Exhaust Legislation) has been documenting and helping to fight cases of improper sound testing of motorcycles in Edmonton Alta. Over the past couple of years, they have been winning in court. The majority of the tickets have been thrown out of court because the J2825 testing procedures were not followed correctly.

Testing Should Be Fair For All Vehicles

In previous articles on this website, I have talked about motorcycle profiling and harassment of motorcycles riders by the RCMP. I am in favor of reducing the sound levels of the noisiest vehicles on the road. What I am not in favor of is the targeting of motorcycles. I believe that my John Deere lawn tractor is louder than my Harley-Davidson, even though it has performance mufflers installed. While I do agree that there are some bikes that do have excessively loud exhaust systems installed, in my opinion they are very much in the minority.
I think that we would all agree that there are lots of other vehicles on the road that are excessively noisy. It seems to me that the Noise Snare may be the most fair way of curtailing excessive noise from vehicles, as it measures the noise level from all vehicles that pass by. It therefore does not target motorcycles specifically. It may need further development to be accurate at all times, and the enforcement officers that use it should have proper training. The J2825 sound test seems to be more accurate if the correct procedures are followed. Unfortunately, the J2825 test being specifically for motorcycles is not used to measure the noise levels of any other kind of vehicle. What ever system ends up being used should be used country wide. I don’t think that sound levels that are legal is some parts of the country should be illegal in other parts of the country
Which sound test would you like to see used? Do you think that the same test should be used in all provinces and cities?