Has all this talk about motorcycle noise restrictions got you edgy, wondering if your bike will pass a police officer’s examination? If you live in Edmonton, the police are offering free noise checks to give you peace of mind.
With all the talk about Canadian cities clamping down on motorcycle noise this spring, riders across the country are concerned that they’re unwittingly breaking the new decibel restrictions – it’s not as if most of us have a noise meter in the back of the garage to check our machine.
The Edmonton Police Service realizes that some riders could be in trouble for loud pipes without even knowing it, so they’re offering free exhaust level noise readings a couple times in the coming weeks; show up on June 4 or June 11 at the NAIT South Campus Parking Lot,  7110 Gateway Boulevard, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. and they’ll check your bike out for free. They won’t hand out tickets if your bike fails the test, thankfully.
Edmonton police offered this service for free last summer as well, before they passed their town’s noise bylaw. The Alberta city was one of the first to jump into the growing fight against motorcycle noise, but it’s nice to see that they’re giving bikers a way to avoid a $250 fine.
For those who can’t make it to Edmonton for the free noise level check…”there’s an app for that…”…you can download an app for your iPhone that has a sound level meter for free…not sure how well it works (I only have an iPod…no mic), but maybe the wifey will let me borrow her iPhone to check it out…I do ride through Edmonton sometimes, and I wouldn’t mind being sure my stock exhaust is compliant…
Even the review on CMG of my bike (Yamaha MT-01) said they couldn’t beleive the exhaust made it past the sound nazis, and that was before all this sound level violation stuff started…I’m sure it does, but I’d like to know…
Later.
Your stock exhaust shouldn’t be a problem. The manufacturers have to follow guidelines for noise, emissions, etc. They usually manufacture to meet the most stringent of those regs. A California or A EU spec is usually the benchmark.Â
 If your bike is un-altered, there shouldn’t be a problem since the benchmark levels a a far bit less that what most of the anti-noise by-laws are calling excessive.