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In December, 1980, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a federal regulation on the noise emissions of motorcycles under the authority of the Noise Control Act of 1972. Although EPA's Office of Noise Abatement and Control (ONAC) was defunded in 1981, the regulation is still part of the Code of Federal Regulations (40CFR205). After 32 years of experience with the regulation, there is general agreement that it has not accomplished its intended goal of reducing motorcycle noise emissions. While the regulation has served to insure that all motorcycles entering commerce from major original equipment manufacturers (OEM) are in compliance with the regulation, as written, there are unintended consequences once the product enters service, including modifications that negate the noise control elements installed by the OEM. These regulatory deficiencies would benefit from clarifications and revisions. Motorcycle design has changed, the test procedure has proven difficult to implement, state and local government enforcement is rare, and there is widespread use of motorcycle exhaust systems that are not compliant with the regulation. Excessive motorcycle sound has become the single greatest threat to American motorcycling's future. It's among the most controversial and potentially divisive issues in motorcycling. President Obama's May 10, 2012, Executive Order, "Identifying and Reducing Regulatory Burdens," tasked government agencies to examine the effectiveness of regulations. This report is a summary of a roundtable sponsored by the INCE Foundation and the Noise Control Foundation that was hosted by the National Academy of Engineering on October 24, 2012. This report includes recommendations for revisions to 40CFR205 that will increase benefits to the public, and assist state, and local authorities as well as manufacturers and exhaust system manufacturers of motorcycles and aftermarket exhaust systems in assuring compliance with the regulation. Participants at the roundtable included motorcycle manufacturers and exhaust system manufacturers, trade associations, a standards organization, federal, state, and local government agencies, noise control engineers, and the public. |
