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Germany doesn’t want louder motorcycles anymore

They’re saying goodbye to aftermarket exhaust systems essentially.

Motodeal
BMW Exhaust

Germany is about to pass a piece of legislation that’s seeking to reduce noise pollution around the country and motorcyclists might not end up being so happy about it. The new measure seeks to maximize the utilization of acoustic cameras across the region which certain EU governments have been looking into for quite some time now. These acoustic cameras are specifically designed to capture both video and audio of violating motorcycles which then makes a recording of the sound and at the same time, measuring its noise levels. This could only mean one thing, aftermarket exhausts could be a thing of the past for the country.

The new bill, the ruling of which was voted upon by members of parliament this month, seeks to ban standard motorcycles from entering certain areas on Sundays and bank holidays. Only bikes with alternative drive systems such as electric bikes will be allowed on the road within these areas at the given times. The new measure also grants police officers additional powers to impound or confiscate vehicles including motorcycles should they make excess noise and violate the prescribed decibel levels. It would also authorize police officers to issue fines to violators producing excessive amounts of noise.

The new piece of legislation could also affect the motorcycle industry in Germany. The new noise limit to be set by the measure is leveled at 80dB. Most motorcycles used for track days have been given a limit of 100dB for use. With the new measure, motorcycles sold in Germany would be much quieter within the country than they actually are. This could mean more costs for motorcycle manufacturers seeking to remain or entering the market. While these new rules would generally have no effect on the other regions or other markets, motorcycle brands like BMW would have to consider reengineering their current models with different exhaust pipes just to comply with the new measure which at this point, could still be impractical and not feasible. In any case, as soon as the law is passed, everyone would have no choice but to comply, and the German roads will be filled with quieter motorcycles. 

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