Stock Exhausts for Switzerland / Germany / Austria??

[crotchrocket]

Hi all, me and SWMBO are headed to Europe next weekend. She had an MT07 with a full underlsung Akrapovic. I put a baffle in it but previous owner has cut that baffle down a bit. I have put the stock silencer on my 1200GSA but it has Akra headers with no CAT or Flap.

Is that an issue for the stricter countries? I can put mine back to stock however I don’t have a standard exhaust for the MT07. There is one for sale close though.

Any advise would be great. Plan on travelling in France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Austria, Switzerland.

Thanks

 

[NeilDD]

With Austria, just amble through the villages on a closed throttle and you should be fine.
The only time I got pulled over I was on a 50's classic, and the nice Police officer asked its age, and when I said 65 years, he just told me to go away

 

[crotchrocket]

Thanks, reading more. The MT07 has a baffle fitted and an E Marked exhaust so that should be fine. I’m going to put my stock exhaust on tomorrow rather than leave the race headers on.

 

[wilbjr21]

Thanks, reading more. The MT07 has a baffle fitted and an E Marked exhaust so that should be fine. I’m going to put my stock exhaust on tomorrow rather than leave the race headers on.

Sounds like wise precautions.

The Germanic races are very particular - I don't blame them for that.

 

[wessie]

Bear in mind some roads in the Tyrol in Austria (mostly near Stanzach including the Hahntenjoch) have a 95dB limit. Even some stock bikes are over this e.g. my S1000XR was excluded but my R1200RS was fine. This figure is given on your V5 and they do enforce this in that region.

 

[Wapping]

I was pulled over, noise measurement taken, reported and later fined through the post. Yup, I paid it, as I ain’t a pikey.

Location: Austria or maybe it was Germany, I forget now.

Bike: F800R with Akrapovic end can, without a baffle. A bloody good bike.

I think this might have been the same jaunt, where we were fined for overtaking a tractor. That was definitely in Switzerland.

 

[wessie]

and a linky to the Austria noise limits

these are all fabulous roads if you are compliant

and the road sign you will see where the limit applies

and for the disbelievers, a Streetview image of a road leaving Stanzach with the warning sign

Street View-Ansicht von „Stanzach“ · Google Maps

Österreich

maps.app.goo.gl

 

[crotchrocket]

How is the bike noise level tested? for instance my GSA exhaust says it meets requirements for 80DB and sure enough, I stood a meter behind it with a DB Meter and it registered around 77-79DB. But giving it some revs it peaked at 128db. The MT-07 was slightly louder at idle, around 87db but the peak was less at 124db. google suggests the Akra on the MT should also meet the 80DB limit, but it doesn't.

 

[er-minio]

The homologation should be passing by if I remember correctly.
Remember that the scale is logarithmic.

95 is fairly loud to be fair. As Wessie pointed out, this should affect some 4cyl sportsbikes by default.
There was a similar issue at trackdays in the UK where the limit was 98 and some bikes would go over that as stock.
Measurment (for UK tracks) done at 45 degrees ~1 meter from the exhaust tip. 5k RPM for twins. I think they want the RPM midway as it was a similar amount a couple of months when they noise tested my car.

If I remember the numbers correctly, at 5k RPM my GS should be below 90db (something like 88/89 or around that) with stock exhaust and no cat. HP2 (fully stock) was 92 last time measured.
My old Boxercup Replika with full laser headers and exhaust was a glorious 97/98 depending on the day.

 

[wessie]

The homologation should be passing by if I remember correctly.
Remember that the scale is logarithmic.

95 is fairly loud to be fair. As Wessie pointed out, this should affect some 4cyl sportsbikes by default.
There was a similar issue at trackdays in the UK where the limit was 98 and some bikes would go over that as stock.
Measurment (for UK tracks) done at 45 degrees ~1 meter from the exhaust tip. 5k RPM for twins. I think they want the RPM midway as it was a similar amount a couple of months when they noise tested my car.

If I remember the numbers correctly, at 5k RPM my GS should be below 90db (something like 88/89 or around that) with stock exhaust and no cat. HP2 (fully stock) was 92 last time measured.
My old Boxercup Replika with full laser headers and exhaust was a glorious 97/98 depending on the day.

The numbers the Austrians are interested in are on your V5 in section U1 for their 95dBA limit

U1 is for stationary dBA
U2 the revs this is recorded at
U3 drive by dBA

My understanding is that they periodically set up checks on the roads near Stanzach where they will initially check your V5 then make a measurement at the RPM in U2 if they feel your bike is not as described on the V5. Those on bikes like the S1000 that cannot meet the 95 limit will either be fined or turned around depending on the location of the check.

My V85 has U1: 91, U2: 3875, U3: 76

 

[Wapping]

Many vehicles now have the dB output, stamped into their VIN plate, alongside those shown on the V5. Mine was tested statically at tick over and at ‘x’ rev’s, again statically. It failed both, hence the fine. It was the last ‘noisy’ can I bought.

 

[er-minio]

Yep.
I love good engine noise, but I'm erring on the "sound of silence". Mostly because of the noise tests mentioned above, on track – with the Boxercup it was a gamble each time.

My DRZ had a direct slip on exhaust and sounded glorious - flames and all – a couple of months after buying it, I found an original exhaust on eBay to make it more silent (and piss off less people on the trails ).
Brigades of people (mostly 4 wheels) with "pops and bangs maps" are making the problem worse, especially in built up areas.

Italian & French police have the habit of sitting on top of passes sometimes and "listen" who is coming up and then stop them.
You want to be fast and reasonably silent.

 

[John Armstrong]

How is the bike noise level tested? for instance my GSA exhaust says it meets requirements for 80DB and sure enough, I stood a meter behind it with a DB Meter and it registered around 77-79DB. But giving it some revs it peaked at 128db. The MT-07 was slightly louder at idle, around 87db but the peak was less at 124db. google suggests the Akra on the MT should also meet the 80DB limit, but it doesn't.

Interestingly, my Tmax won't be assessed at MOT time https://www.gov.uk/guidance/mot-inspection-manual-for-motorcycles/8-exhaust-noise

 

[Redboots]

The French are different again
My docs (KTM 790) say 89db at 4125 rpm with a tolerance of +5db

 

[crotchrocket]

Thanks everyone for the information and clarifications, very much appreciated. !!

 

[Wegby]

If you get stopped, can't you just say "Laute Rohre retten Leben" to the police...?

 

[Udders]

I’ve never “ got “ the noisy exhaust thing.
I much prefer the burbling quiet noise from my 1150’s standard system.
Each to their own though innit.

 

[wessie]

If you get stopped, can't you just say "Laute Rohre retten Leben" to the police...?

You can say what you like, the response will always be, "papers please," whilst the colleague rubs his/her hands together and fetches the card reader from the glove box of the BMW X5

 

[Rasher]

Half of it comes down to not making a load of noise where people dwell or lurk in large numbers, as that is where plod may sit in wait.

I have an Akra can on my 1290 with standard headers and its not that different to stock, other than half a ton lighter.

On my old Super Tenere I got decat (Arrow) headers as it made a big power difference (6-7 BHP) and noise increased noticeably with stock can, and was bloody loud with the Arrow can, which only added another 2-3 BHP, so I just left the OE can on the bike to avoid aggro and hearing damage.

 

[Richeyroo]

The big issue I find living in southern Germany and travelling to the alps frequently is groups of bikes

I get the friendship and community aspect of it but 10 or 15 bikes riding closely together, too fast and with noisy exhausts is a bit shit in such beautiful environments (and I’ve been obsessed with motorbikes for 50 years)

I’m not surprised that regions are making life difficult for bikers. I can hear and see why they do it and in the summer, it gets incredibly noisy and busy

You can’t legislate against riding in groups, well you probably can) but noise - as an old duffer, it sort of makes sense