Decibel limits coming for motorcycles in Saskatoon

Saskatoon will proceed with an amendment to itsnoise bylaw, aimed atbanning loud vehicles.

Motorcyclists say they're disappointedby the move, which would lead to penalties for bikes emitting more than 92 to 100 decibels from their exhaust systems.

"If you want complete silence, move to an acreage,"- Neil Nemeth, 3rd Canadian Army Veteran Motorcycle Unit

More than a dozen motorcycle riders from Saskatoon's3rd Canadian Army Veteran Motorcycle Unit listened to the debate in council chambers.None were invited to speak. Mostfiled out quickly after the vote.

"You're hearing sirens, you're hearing fireworks, you're hearing all kinds of other noises going on," said NeilNemeth, who started riding a decade ago. "What makes motorcycles more offensive?It becomes very subjective."

"It's a city. You're going to have noise. If you want complete silence, move to an acreage," he added.

No decibellimits set for other vehicles

Currently, motorcycles are the only vehicles whose decibel readings can be taken consistently atroadside stops.

Saskatoon's city solicitor warned until similar noise measurement machines areavailable for other vehicles, it willbe more difficult for police and prosecutors to prove othervehicles produceexcessive noise.

"We're just setting ourselves up for failure and creating a lot of unnecessaryanxiety in the community," said PatLorje, councillor for Ward 1. "There's a whole host of enforcement issues that raises."

She and Troy Davies were the only councillors who did not vote in favour of the amendment.

Prohibiting 'excessive' vehicle noise

Officials drafting Saskatoon's bylaw sayit would prohibit 'unreasonable, loud or excessive' vehicle noise, for all vehicles on city streets. They say they areincluding provisions taking into account the time of day, the duration of the sound, and the character of the neighbourhood in which the sound is made.

"This is about jake brakes, this is about people driving down the street without mufflers on their cars," said Saskatoon's mayor, Don Atchison.

"This is not to single out motorcycles, And unfortunately it's been portrayed that way," said Atchison.

What do you think? Join the Saskatoon Morning live chat right now about this bylaw.