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I don't like loud bikes at all, but noise is just the easy target here. If it wasn't the noise it would be the dust, the traffic, etc.
Lets be real here. Those stock KTM mufflers sound like pure trash...Made worse by the horrendously lean tune from the factor to pass emissions.
I like the idea of quiet bikes, but you will not convince me that they sound good.
And that's why many tracks have been forced to close. Wasn't so much an issue back in the 2 stroke days.
AAAAHAHAHAHAHA 120 dB generator! Thanks, I needed that! Never change, Vital!
For reference, here's a 2.2 MW generator that's 76 dBA at 7 meters. It can be put on a trailer and fast charge over 300 Vargs simultaneously at maximum charging rate 7 kW, while producing less than 1/4 the loudness of the new 109 dBA standard. (120 dB loudness is off by a factor of 21 times, and to fast charge 300 bikes at once.)
And when a developer comes in and builds homes a mile from the track, sells them all and leaves town with the money, and the taxpayers learn the noise Code and use it to shut down the track.
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Maybe it's because I've been in Ca for almost 68 years and I've had it up to here and beyond with this kind of stuff, but to me the noise has never been the problem. Never. The problem is the over sensitive whining delicate little crybaby snowflakes who've never done one dangerous thing in their whole lives, who are somehow so upset by hearing some motors in the background of their oh so sheltered perfect little boring ass lives that they feel the need to complain and have "Something done about it" Fuck them. Just 100% shut the fuck up. All the problems we have on this planet and they're upset because of some motor noise. Meanwhile there's freeways and sirens and jets flying overhead and noise from 10 million other sources, but they want a bunch of people to stop an activity that 10 times out of 10 was going on before they moved there, because they can hear it. Fuckin whaaaa.....Fuck you, fuck off, go take a long walk on a short pier.
So hear (pun intended) we are again trying to "Save" our race tracks by catering to some straight laced cornflake douchebags. What difference does 3 decibels make ? Oh now they can only hear it from 400 feet away instead of 407 feet ? God I wish there was some common sense in this world and a govt that tells them no, this is not a big problem, sorry thanks for playing. Here's some earplugs now gtfo of here before we charge you for wasting our time. Oversimplified I know but you know what I'm saying. I'm starting to hate people more and more everyday. Who cares. A little noise is the least of our problems. Meanwhile the electric industry has a smug grin and is rubbing it's hands together.... Make em noisier, fine by me.
Seems you lack common sense 🤦
We and most other tracks, have to measure sound levels at nearby houses (for us, it's over 0.5 miles away).
The drop in DB over the last 15 years from 115 to 109 makes a HUGE difference for if we can stay within the limits. If not we need to build expensive sound barriers (needs permits) or reduce opening hours, and even worse spend time dealing with complaining neighbors that may get the track permanently closed.
+/- 3dB is TWICE the energy +/-
115 to 109 is a very noticeable change in output, especially when you have 20 bikes making that sound all at once.
And monster trucks aren't running around outside at local moto tracks, in the national forests, at the beach, in the pastures close to residential areas...
If this gets them to lower the speaker volumes at events then that’s great. If they stay the same then I don’t get it. The announcers blaring through the speakers is the loudest thing at a SX and was the same for the last national I attended. I won’t get this noise issue at the pro level until this is acknowledged since they have the PA systems loud enough to cause permanent damage. When I was at Ironman in 2024 it was so loud they finally turned it down and the place started clapping. Crazy.
The teams dont want different sound levels for different races. Why is that so hard to understand!?
Technology finds a way.
Look at a 777 jet. Two huge engines that make over 90,000lbs of thrust each. It is surprisingly quieter by a very large margin to older jet engines. If you've ever been to an airshow...
My bike has a loud exhaust....old school 650 with a full Big Gun exhaust. On street I ride with earplugs. For forest riding I have made my own stainless steel mesh/screen spark arrestor insert, I can barely tell a power difference at full throttle but my ears notice the reduced sound. Its still loud.
Look at the numbers KTM are pumping out now, lower sound but stronger bikes. As you say, development gets pushed and technology finds a way to make it better
THE OEMS DEMANDED THE CHANGE FIVE YEARS AGO TO PRODUCE QUITER BIKES, SAVE RIDING AREAS AND SELL MORE BIKES … THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH FELD, MONSTER JAM, AMA… THE OEMS DEMANDED IT!
The local tracks should want quieter bikes more than any other venue!
So you're mad at the legislature and complaining that motorcycles won't be 3 dB louder?
The sound level change won’t be huge. What I don’t like is the power loss. OEM engineers create these bikes to get out as much hp as possible and the AMA is going to throw a cork in the exhaust. It’s going backwards. It’s Off-road competition. Race vehicles should be allowed to run any exhaust they want.
How hard is it for most of you guys to understand that it isn't just about noise. As stated earlier this is also a power limiter. -3db is a new rule that will lower the power output of the bikes. They could have made a spec fuel rule, rpm limit, fuel flow limit, throttle body bore size restriction etc etc etc etc . But they chose sound. Sound kills two birds with one stone. Slows the bikes down a little and makes them quieter.
This isn't just about placating to the enviro douches, this is about reducing power. Don't forget that.
Monster jam isn't trying to slow the trucks down
NFL isn't trying to quiet the fans
Lemans moved to a spec fuel and lowered dB limits to slow the cars down. AND as a byproduct reduce noise for the annoying complainers
Less noise is the future of dirtbikes, that's a fact. It won't take long till we have quieter bikes that match or nearly match the performance of what we've currently got.
KTM bike gains HP and have lower sound. So sorry, might want to puddle that one.
Factory team also found more power using the new exhaust Herlings said before he left KTM.
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so I take it half of this thread didn’t listen to weege’s vid where he explained this whole ordeal is the manufactures themselves pushing for this & wants the ama to enforce it so they can sell more motorcycles to the public , as much as we shit on feld & the ama , this time it isn’t on them
No power loss on the new bikes, you will have more power. 63.8 out of the box is the most powerful stock KTM 450 ever. 0.8 more than the 2022-generation.
Making more power with a restrictive/quieter exhaust is great engineering feat.c
With an open, less restrictive exhaust it will make more power. 4 stroke engines Dont need back pressure.
That was a tongue in cheek rant to point out that it’s the people complaining that are the problem, more so than noisy bikes. The list of track we’ve lost within 75 miles of my house over the last 50 years is mind blowing. I point the blame at the people who complain Kind of like discussing politics in here. If no one was sending texts to ML complaining about it, would it still be a problem? Maybe, maybe not. My frustration stems from the hordes of people complaining about the noise. It wasn’t always like that around here. I’m sorry you have to deal with them, I wish you didn’t. Thank You !
Note : 109 Db is Not whisper quiet, Boys and girls.
It's not as if you will be watching in silence, as people fear and gripe about how E Bike racing will end up being.
Hey, I think this means the US Team will have one less 'hassle' with their MXdN efforts, from now on in - bonus!
But, it also appears they'll still have the Fuel ' problem ' to tackle, each year. Heck, Britain couldn't overcome that, this year ............ 😁
To me, noise has always been our Biggest problem - but, the 'haters' of us, will Always find other things to try to shut us down. Me, I make my own , Very Effective Mufflers, to keep riding in my local areas that I've ridden in for over 5 decades - doing so, keeps me riding, where I want.
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