City moves to muffle motorcycles

Edmonton is one step closer toturning inmotorcycle riders whose bikes are too loud.

A city committee voted Thursdayto make it illegal for a motorcycle to be louder than 92 decibels while idling and 96 decibels while in motion.

Riders with louderbikesface a fine of $250, once city council approves the change later this month.

Edmonton police have already purchased eight sound meters, Edmonton Insp. Brian Lobay told CBC News. Officers are expected to start enforcing the change in July on Whyte Avenue, Jasper Avenue and Groat Road, he said.

"The instrument is placed at a certain distance behind the exhaust and it gives you a digital readout on your decibel levelyou either pass or you fail," Lobay said.

According to the police, 150 motorcycles across Canada were tested when developing the bylaw.

Seventeen per cent failed the sound meter test, all of them had modified stock pipes. Motorcycles with regular pipes passed.

Luc Fournier, director of policy for the Motorcycle and Moped Industry Council, said he fully supports Edmonton's proposal. Theagency represents major motorcycle distributors across Canada.

"With all the testing that we've done I mean it's so easy to perform, takes less than a minute to complete and everybody gets treated the same way and there's no ambiguity either about it," Fournier said.

"Edmonton is the first to move forward on this, but many other jurisdictions will be doing the same thing very shortly I'm sure."