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What other forms of motorsport are you suggesting that I need to follow? 🤔
The irony of failing sound check when the team is running a header to supposedly comply with stricter sound rules that aren’t here yet…
Not suggesting you do anything. Just pointing out that all major motorsports do pre and post race inspections, (maybe not NHRA for post).
Thanks for clearing that up. So again, what’s the point? Other than just bureaucratic sanctioning body BS?
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I’ll take a shot at this..
Pre and post race inspection is common practice so that equipment isn’t built to strategically “fail” in a way that makes things work better. A blowout muffler packing, or a restrictor that falls off on the starting line would be really simple examples..
So you test before and afterwards.
I'll give a wordier reply than Gravel but with a specific example.
It's obvious the rules in a competition are there to define what is allowed and what isn't so that everyone knows what they can and cannot do. And some might find it surprising that there are people who would break them just to improve their chances at winning.
A pre-race inspection establishes compliance prior to competing and post-race ensures the compliance remained for the entirety of the competition.
If this seems reduntant or unnecessary, consider this creative attempt at cheating - an auto racing team passed pre-race inspection for engine displacement but failed it by a large amount in the post-race inspection (and the post-race was done only after complaints from other competitors, it wasn't mandatory at the time).
How can this be? The guilty team had poured parafin on top of the pistons to reduce the volume in the cylinders so when the pre-race displacement check was done (they measured the engine displacement by attaching a fluid-displacement gauge to the exhaust and rotating the engine one full cycle by hand when cold) it measured in spec, but when the engine was started the parafin melted off, giving the engine a larger (and illegal) displacement.
It's this sort of creativity that necessitates pre and post-race inspections.
Hope it helps.
Joking aside from Prado revving the bike like he won, Im guessing heat plays a big part in a change in sound. Which is why they allow 1DB extra post race. Do teams start dumping water on the bikes to cool it down quick after the race?
The change possibly permitted to allow for packing deterioration during competition?
I'm guessing they run absolute min muffler packing for weight purposes.
The muffler is one of the last places you'd want extra weight.
Shoot ...i thought the penalty was for the works frame he was running?????????????😉
Learn something everyday. I was not expecting that, I wonder if they think more people will run stock exhausts if the aftermarket’s can’t meet the sound requirement
That’s interesting, I get there’s a rule, and I hope it wasn’t KTM intentionally trying to gain an advantage by deliberately cheating but who knows. We have seen it before with fuel, displacement, etc.
Either test all bikes post race or not at all. The intent to keep stock bikes quiet by manufacturers to sell bikes shouldn’t have anything to do with it.
Nobody is showing up to race with stock equipment and the bikes will never be used outside of a closed course environment. Let them be as loud as they want.
So many examples of stuff like that in NASCAR. Like filling areas of the frame with lead shot to make weight then having a way to dump it mid race so the car gets lighter.
Bottom line, if you don't do a post-race inspection on certain stuff, nothing stops a rider from going back and changing parts/settings or running parts that "fail" and then don't comply with the pre-race inspection,
Wax rings inside the silencer.
Walk bike to tech, fire it up, pass tech.
Sticker applied to canister.
Wax melts in practice and your good to go.
Perfect example. I do wonder why they feel the need to push the limits on the 450s at this point though. Seems like the majority of riders even at the top have to work on mapping to make the power controllable. I would think having a slightly quieter but more restrictive or ever so slightly heavier silencer would be worth it to keep something like this from happening. Surely it can't make THAT big of a difference right?
The inconsistency is an eye-brow raiser; but, that’s aimed towards the testting methods and standards…not at the teams.
And this IS NOT a dig at the ANA techs: they do a job based on the standards they’re given and with the equipment/set-up they’re given.
I’m assuming the sound techs made a couple of extra run since they saw the meter go past 110…? That’s fair.
The other thing that surprises me is that Akro system on the Karoo NOT passing! It’s got that “2-Stroke Expansion Chamber” up on the header and a “Suitcase” for a muffler! 🤣
I wonder if Jorge’s bike has anything different than the other bikes?
I’m not a fan of 109 before the race and 110 after. I’d allow for a 2-3 db difference after years of witnessing these tests and methods.
Let’s see if this happens again.
There has been a lot of cheating sound tests when done before the race. With items that can be removed after the test before the race. Testing after gives a more realistic number since they are not able to pull as many of those tricks to pass sound after the race without exposing the cheating.
I do think its an odd rule for Pro racing to have a sound limit. Some of the reasoning behind the sound limit was meant to trikle down to the ametuer levels to help local tracks have less issues with noise. Pipe companies make the pipes to pass the Pro tests. So it trickles down some . And a rule is a rule, I would rather have the bikes not be so loud for Supercross and Arenacross races. Its so loud inside. On big open outdoor tracks its not as bad.
I miss the sound of a gate of 2 strokes dropping after the National Anthem plays and it goes from dead silent to bikes wide open and the clank of the gate drop. For the most part ,I dislike the sound of most 4 strokes when compared to a 2 stroke.
Torque. Its rarely about top en power at 10k for 450.
First thing you notice when using inserts is loss of torque. Torque makes bikes rideable.
Low rever like Prado needs a lot of it.
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A lot of sound comes from things not directly related to exhaust. Loosen a side panel bolt and vibration will make a few db difference.
I think that’s also part of the post race extra sound.
PDS - Prado Derangement Syndrome
Yup the sound of Constant rev limiter for 4 strokes is actually bloody awful, I get it that Prado was happy but heck the overrevving was boring and grating, can't he just do some somersaults instead ? lol
Or Dance like James Stewart. I am happy for Prado , after last year it must have felt so good. Hopefully he continues to stay upfront and do well. Another guy up in the mix adds to the excitement no matter if Your a fan of the rider or not.
Its strange I could have sworn I posted that reply yesterday, but it shows 2 hours ago on here.
The margins are very small in sound testing. If you test 100% of the field you would most likely always have a handful that fail the post-race test.
Quick, someone get Johann on the phone
The engine builder in me hates that rev-limiter shit.
Well, he's been there before
Agree. My past racing on a shoestring budget and stretching everything out as long as possible makes me hate that stuff too. I can buy whatever bikes/parts I want now, but old habits die hard..
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