noisey exhaust,officer? me?

[RobG]

Got a Micron race can on mine, not had any problems. As everyone else says, just dont go screaming when your in built up areas. Been pulled a while back, but that was for a tiny strip numberplate, they commented on the race can but took it no further,
I wouldnt add a BS stamp tho..my Micron had an aftermarket stamp added and Ive removed it.

[furry]

Well BS stamp just shuts them up, but by law if it hasn't got "For Race Use Only" on it, there is nothing they can do!

[Bikerbird]

Been pulled once and had mine "looked at!"
No marks on it at all (luckily i'd taken the "not for road use" off
Have since put BS numbers on and not been pulled since.
Do tend to throttle off a little if i go past any police.

Other half did tell the copper it had been MOT'd with that can on, he just said in a very sarcastic voice "I'm sure it has sir!"

[jason]

My Akrapovic has a "Not for road use" engraved into the titanium on the side of the pipe. So unless you want to befoul your pipe with a sticker to cover it up - its there for all to see.

The Akrapovic I had on my last Gixxer had the same Engraving but far more visible over the top of the can. It got a couple of comments from the police but I never got done for it.

Mind you they arent that loud - relative to TL's and Ducs with race pipes on anyway. and I have never had a fine for them.

Used to get Vehicle defect forms for the Allspeeds on My RD350ypvs many years back.Police dont seem to be as bothered by race pipes as they used to be.

Some bikes are just to damm noisy though
Harleys with straight through pipes. TL's with Phase one Endurance cans.Obnoxiously and unnecassarily loud.

[Jewell]

Some bikes are just to damm noisy though
Harleys with straight through pipes. TL's with Phase one Endurance cans.Obnoxiously and unnecassarily loud.

god damn harleys,do my nut in.
so a little "race" can on my bike is illegal yet a harley is not but its still about 5 times as loud.

[jason]

Those straight throughs that you hear on some Harleys have got to be illegal, surely. They are deafening.

I wonder if the cruiser drivers get harrassed for loud pipes? or if the police leave them be??

[Jewell]

Those straight throughs that you hear on some Harleys have got to be illegal, surely. They are deafening.

I wonder if the cruiser drivers get harrassed for loud pipes? or if the police leave them be??

i do doubt it......because they dont have a reputation. "sportsbikes" do

but to prove there illegal ya need a Db reader thingy which most traffic cops dont have.

but if i was a traffic copper.......you know every harley would be pulled

[jason]

i do doubt it......because they dont have a reputation. "sportsbikes" do

but to prove there illegal ya need a Db reader thingy which most traffic cops dont have.

I thought the onus was on you to prove it was legal not the other way around - i.e if your pipe hasnt got the relevant British Standards approval stamp thingmy on it then its irrelevant how loud or quiet the pipe is its illegal and they can do you for it if they want to.

I might have that wrong though.

[Jewell]

i do doubt it......because they dont have a reputation. "sportsbikes" do

but to prove there illegal ya need a Db reader thingy which most traffic cops dont have.

I thought the onus was on you to prove it was legal not the other way around - i.e if your pipe hasnt got the relevant British Standards approval stamp thingmy on it then its irrelevant how loud or quiet the pipe is its illegal and they can do you for it if they want to.

I might have that wrong though.

your probably right mate,know nout about traffic laws.

[furry]

No the law states they have to prove the can is giving you a "power gain" before they can fine you, which is only going to be £30, hence they don't bother...

However they make the assumption that a loud can means you will have an increase in bhp, so they pull you, and if it's got "for race only" on it, then they issue you there and then with a fine, problem is most people are stupid enough to pay it, really you should grow some balls, and say to them "prove it"...

To make your life easyier, if it's got "for race use only" get fine wet n dry + polishing kit and take it down, then for extra peace of mind, quickly bung a BS stamp on there, that way they have no leg to stand on

[jason]

There is no law about how much BHP you can add to your bike with a race can. Race cans are "not for road use" purely because they cant meet the noise limits.

As I understand it The BS standard stamp is proof that the silencer meets the required noise limits. Although like I said earlier im not 100% sure on that.

Id bet money that if you went to court to fight an "illegal" exhaust they wouldnt have to prove much other than it didnt have the required standard stamp - More likely you would have to prove to the magistrates that your pipe was non Stamped for a valid reason and did conform to Noise regulations.

It would never be worth the hassle, and the vastly increased fine and costs you get hammered with if it didnt go your way.

[CBR Sam]

Run your bike with two things "Illegal"

when pulled by the fuzz, e.g. for a small plate make him or her aware of the second fault, e.g. loud/not for road use can.

This as i am told puts your veichle into a different catagory and they shouldent issue out a hefty fine for either, but you will get a producer which you must get stamped by a MOT station within seven days, this will only cost you about £7-8.

the fuzz down in plymouth dont seem too bothered with cans and small plates as long as u dont take the P*ss by speeding round built up areas!

Just be warned there are a few bent coppers down here who will try to make your life hell soon as they have caught you the first time!!!

This is what fuels my hatred for coppers

Anyway hope this helps some one out there even if i did go off track bout bent coppers!!! ( I KNOW THERE BENT --- MY DAD WAS ONE!!!!!)

[georgie_d]

just found a bit of metal covering the 'NOT FOR ROAD USE', been out scratching it off feel much better now

[furry]

4th April 02 Almost failed the MOT due to a lack of the Kite Mark (In Burton-on-Trent) on the exhaust. Allowed through if I scribed the BS number on the silencers. My machine is a 1100 Virago, 1994. Can't remember the name of the test centre but the required etching is 'BS AU193a', this is the British Standard covering exhaust pipes.
Follow this link to the BS Site . Regards, Barry

A good link to look at is this...

Motorcycle MOT (Pdf format)

All is specify's is...

"Fuel & exhaust system leaks - complete, secure, and not too noisy"

Now that's a bit of a grey area in itself...

But it's NOT stating that you need a "BS mark" to pass the MOT, NOR does it say you will fail the MOT if you have "for race use only" on the can!


What this means is, if you get pulled, it comes down to the general assumption of the police officer at the time...

If you have "For race use only" on the can, then it's pretty obvious that the can is NOT for road use, so off they go giving you a fine...

So simple, make the "For race use only" disappear!

Then for extra peace of mind, get the can BS stamped, that way, they won't have a leg to stand on...


I've read up on this in the past, in a classic mag somewhere, as exhausts on classic bikes were very loud in some cases, and owners were asking about the law, and that's where what I said about them having to prove the exhaust system you have is giving you a power gain over the stock system (Which for the sake of a £30 fine, they ain't gonna be assed to do).


Reason I read up on that, is my GSXR400 is going on 19 yrs old now, the exhaust that I had on there recently, a DIC system, was on the bike when it was imported from japan, and they are loud as fook, but their is no other aftermarket exhaust for my bike, infact Mr suzuki doesn't even supply the standard ones anymore... Anyway I used to get pulled all the time for it, but it had no markings on it what so ever, the copper looked for "Race Use Only" but as that was not on the can, all he could do was "ummmm and arrrrr" about it, in the end to make the process quicker when I get pulled, I just BS stamped the can, that way they only need to look at it for 2 seconds, and say "on ya way son".

I hope that is a conclusive explination for anyone with questions about this topic, if not let me know

[Mattmoo]

if you get the BS standerd plate put on the can they cant do jack
put my blade in for an mot in superbikes southwest and they made the plate,and fitted it for 20 quid
been pulled,show them the plate BINGO
so you can MOT your bike with a race can from then on too