More New Brunswick cities may be cracking down on loud motorcycle pipes in the near future.
Bathurst, New Brunswick, recently joined Nanaimo, BC, and Edmonton, Alberta,in their stand against motorcycle noise, and now a high-ranking traffic officer in Saint John’s municipal police force and a Fredericton city councillor want to help draft bylaws against loud bikes for their cities.
CBC News reports that  Saint John’s Sgt. Jeff LaFrance wants to examine Bathurst’s bylaw and use it as a guide for cracking down on noisy bikes in his own city. He says loud bikes have been a problem in the city for three or four years now.
City police aren’t the only ones in favour of new noise bylaws. Saint Johners unhappy with the local sound levels have started a Facebook group titled Noise-Free Saint John, with the intention of reducing noise pollution in the city. They’re aiming at loud trucks, cars, and industrial activity as well, but noisy bikes are squarely in their sights.
In Fredericton, city councillor Stephen Chase is also pushing city leaders to crack down on loud motorcycles. Global News reports Fredericton city council has passed a resolution of support to the idea, and Chase also claims the Union of New Brunswick Municipalities is on board with the idea. If that’s true, then noise bans could soon be sweeping across the province.
Saint John’s LaFrance says he would like to see the new bylaw in place for this summer, but doesn’t figure city council has enough time to do so. It’s also questionable if the city would get the co-operation needed from the provincial government in time to implement the law this season . CBC says Bathurst is still waiting to put their new bylaw in action – they need changes to the province’s Motor Vehicle Act before they can do so.
I get a real kick out many (not some) of the guys who ride bikes with loud pipes. Most of the loud bikes are indeed Harleys like it not. The next class of loud bikes are those which have modified pipes and want to sound like Harleys. The logic of such a move escapes me and after riding for more than 40 years, I am still baffled (no pun intended) by the childishness that this practice displays. Loud pipes do not save lives as many of these clowns would have you believe. Instead it gives all motocyclists a bad name and scares the s–t out of our seniors, kids and others. I have been riding accident free for over 40 years and never owned or ever wanted to own a bike with loud pipes. It makes me laugh even more when these guys accelerate to make the bike even louder and when the bike settles on the front forks they may have attained a top speed of 40 kms per hour!!! breathtaking huh??. You would think they were travelling at the speed of light!!! I have attended rallies in the USA and have seen troopers stopping bikes with loud pipes and making them park them or have them towed to a compound..Harley Davidson now refuse to install factory pipes above a certain decibel level..Loud pipes are a mask for low horsepower and the riders male part deficiency…..absolutely no need and I say throw the book at all of them.I hope all governments will crack down on this unnecessary practice and the sooner the better.
[…] is a very good example of one of those cities. Back in 2011, we told you the city was thinking about passing laws to fight against loud motorcycles. City […]
Congratulations New Brunswick. Your doing the right thing.