Sorrry, no I don't mean the scottish bagpipers lament, I'm talking about the sweet rumble of V-twin pipes, Which Edmonton city councillors have voted to create a bylaw specifically targetting motorcycles.
The bylaw calls for no more than 92 db(a) at idle and no more than 96 db(a) at a speed greater than idle. Police are planning to enforce according to SAE J2728 (hope I remembered that number correctly) which uses a calibrated sound meter, held 50 cm or 20 inches from the exhaust outlet at a 45 degree angle to the line of the pipes.
Since most cruisers dont have a tach, they are using a tach gage gizmo, which sits on your seat and measures vibration to estimate the rpm. The standard is to measure twins at 2000 rpm or at 5000rpm for three or four cylinders. Gizmo is not an induction based tach, so kinda sketchy as to calibration accuracy.
I visited the free amnesty testing this weekend... my pipes rumbled sweetly ... 84 db(a) at idle and about 93 at 2000 rpm. Far below either limit...
The law enforcement officer said that any bike that tested as low as 84 at idle probably wouldnt need to be tested at 2000.... I have access to a radioshack sound meter which also read my pipes at 84, so if needed, I can borrow it from work to listen to your pipes.
There were plenty of straight pipes there, clearly not passing. I measured one bike with straights at 95db at idle. Some brothers may need to pack some baffles back in.
If you are trying this test yourself, the sound meter needs to be set to fast response, and the A weighting scale (db(a)).
Not trying to stir up the pot, politics wise,,, but there is a petition being circulated against the bylaw, which does nothing to stop noisy cars, trucks, busses etc... Just specifically targeting motorbikes. Next there may be a bylaw against wearing black leather vests with patches on them as they frighten elderly women...
If you want, you can easily find the petition via facebooger.
It also seems that Calgary may be considering adopting this same standard of sound measurement in the near future, something to keep in mind before buying overly aggressive aftermarket pipes.