Bonneville America Forums Forums Rider Safety Forums Legislation D&D pipes too loud for Ausie Cops & EPA

Well today was an interesting ride, I was cruising on the speed limit (for a change) so was very suprised when a highway patrol car pulled me over. I thought maybe I was going a little over the speed limit (?). Then he walked up and started going over my bike, was this copper a triumph fan? Well then I understood when he said those pipes ae a little loud aren't they?

He told me to follow him to a roadside truck stop where the police and Environment protection authority were checking over a few modified cars.

Anyway the bottom line is that they measured my bike at 113db which is a $500 fine and I need to get it re-tested <93db within 21 days! For a little pride they told me that my bike was the loudest vehicle they had tested today!

Geez dont like hearing that seeing as I have D&D's on my bike also. Just hope the QLD cops arent so strict. Havent had any trouble so far sorry to hear you have.

I keep my stock pipes in the garage for just such an occasion.

Yer it was a bit suprising to me, but I think (and hope) it was just unlucky to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. The police were simply pulling up the cars/bikes for the EPA. The copper actually said to me as I was leaving "just put your stock pipes on to get retested then if you want to put the loud ones back on, just do it because the chances of getting caught again are very slim".

The only bonus (if I can call it that) was that the police let me go with a 'warning' for no front fender (normally $110), smaller mirrors (normally $80), and speeding 5kph over the limit (normally $190) even though cars were overtaking me!

I have my stock pipes hanging in the shed also (covered in WD-40) for rego time, looks like I will need to pull them down early in the next 21 days.

Dicks
Plain and sinmple, dicks!

They sure are dicks, even the mechanic that re-tested my bike yesterday (another $40) had a smart ****** sly look on his face the whole time.
Anyway, my bike is now legal again, that is until my D&D pipes go back on!

Yeah that's the NSW cops for you... they started doing that a few years ago and then pulled it because of public pressure. Looks like they just waited till people stopped complaining and started it up again.

Technically the sound laws are the same throughout Aust, but only NSW is anal enough to test for it and fine you.

10 db of sound over the limit is a $500 fine?

I'm with you guys. They are dicks.

I think it's awfuly nice of you guys to call them dicks. Then again, maybe it's good that we have these fellas to protect us from ourselves and make sure we remain politically corect at all times. I'd hate to ofend anybody with my loud pipes.

Paul, I travel through NSW regularly on my trips around and particular to go up to QLD twice a year. Can you tell me where you were pulled up? I'm thinking on the Pacific somewhere but that's just a guess. I have TORs which were on when I bought the bike and don't have the originals so if I got caught I would probably have to buy the Staintune with the removable baffle. Anyway, if you can tell me where I might be able to avoid the area - maybe

Heya Stacka,
I was on the M5 freeway about 10km before Liverpool exit, the EPA was set up in the truck stop on the eastern side of freeway. My suggestion to anyone in that area would be to pull the clutch as soon as you see a cop just incase they have sensitive ears!

If your pipes are too loud, and you get pulled over just pull your plug wires and pretend your bike is broken and call a tow truck, that is cheaper than the fine you will get!

Heaven forbid someone should have a little fun,the man is always right there to smack you down! Scumbags.

Well, the story thickens regarding loud exhausts in NSW. My next door neighbour has a standard bonneville with British customs predator exhausts, they are not that loud compared to my D&D's but the catch is he rides his bike to work probably 3-4 time a week and I ride mine most weekends only.

Well yesterday he got a letter in the mail from the Environmental protection authority stating they had received public compaint about his loud exhaust! He has been advised to fix them and if he receives another complaint he risks a fine and will need to get them compliance checked!

Now we want to find out who reported his bike!

Why didn't they just come and knock on his door?

A while back I was working regularly at a suburban house in a normal middle class area. Work involved leaving or arriving at either 7am or 11pm. At the time I had standard pipes that'd had the first two baffle slightly enlarged - still within legal noise limits though. We had "anonymous" complaints from a neighbour about bike noise, though when the manager door-knocked about it no-one would own up to it. Pity I'm not still working there now I have the Thunderpipes on.

Yes, I live on a street with 30% retired people who work all day in their gardens, and others who are 9-5 workers so I'm thinking that it must have been one of the retired couples who were looking for a bit of drama in their life.

I just don't undestand because my neighbour is just a middle aged guy who surfs most of the time and has never caused any dramas so I don't know why they didn't just knock on his door? why involve the EPA to get involved?

Anyway he is now looking into getting an extras baffle put in his pipes to quieten it down. I'm leaving my D&D's on.

Really not any problems here in Texas with loud pipes (at least so far.) The general feeling is that the louder they are the safer the rider (from the people that can't seem to see a headlight on high beam) Also, so many places in Texas enjoy the revenue from bikers and don't mind a little noise with their dollars. However, Many cities in Colorado and a number of other states with national parks will only allow motorcycles and autos with stock pipes. This is the main reason I have chosen to keep the America stock.