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Motorcycle News, News

MV Agusta partners with Akrapovic

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MV Agusta has announced an industrial partnership with Slovenian exhaust systems manufacturer Akrapovič.

The agreement includes the supply of exhaust systems designed and produced for specific MV Agusta models.

Akrapovič has similar deals with other manufacturers and for several years has been supplying original mufflers for BMW and now Indian.

It’s not unusual for motorcycle companies to develop such partnerships. The most obvious is Ducati and Termignoni, but many other companies have developed partnerships over the years.

Akrapovič claims to be a pioneer in the “innovative use of titanium and super-alloys, and are at the forefront of carbon-fibre components construction”.

The company was founded by racing champion Igor Akrapovič and works closely with several teams in MotoGP, World-Superbikes and MXGP.

Akrapovic sounds

New MV Agusta CEO Timur Sardarov says the sound of the exhaust on one of their bikes is critical.

“Sound is part of the MV Agusta experience. It’s a key element to its style and we pay a lot of attention to it,” he says.

“Our three and four-cylinders models have quite unique personalities and we’ve always worked towards matching them with hair-raising sound, but this partnership goes well beyond the look and sound; it is really about leading-edge technology, performance and uncompromising quality.

“MV Agusta and Akrapovič have a very similar approach to industrial excellence, accepting nothing but the best. I welcome this partnership as a natural alliance between like-minded leaders in their own field, which will bring about many synergies and even better products for the enjoyment of motorcycle enthusiasts around the world.”

Akrapovič CEO Uroš Rosa says the partnership is a “natural fit”.

“Count Domenico Agusta and Igor Akrapovič both came from a racing background and created winning global brands through their passion, making this collaboration a natural fit,” he says.

“Akrapovič will create innovative products for the beautiful MV Agusta models that are coming soon, with designs that have never been seen before.

“With high-tech, race-proven materials, such as titanium and carbon fibre, we will create systems that will enhance the ‘Motorcycle Art’ that MV Agusta prides itself on, and our engineers will produce a unique sound for the range. Our exhausts will make a statement for all to see and hear that perfectly complements MV Agusta motorcycles.”

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Motorcycle News, News

Is it legal to remove your motorbike’s cat?

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Police are allegedly fining riders who remove the catalytic convertor or cat from their motorcycle, according to several motorcycle dealers.

While the replacement of the muffler or exhaust system may contravene noise rules, removing the cat has nothing to do with noise, but with air pollution.

The cat is that ugly metal box often underneath your motorcycle.

It burns red hot to reduce toxic gases and the size of pollutants in the exhaust gas.

Some actually claim it causes more asthmatic reactions because it reduces the size of the airborne carbon which infiltrates the lungs easier.

Cat removal

cat catalytic convertor
Ugly muffler and cat on a Ducati Scrambler

Brisbane barrister Levente Jurth is currently investigating the laws as he is challenging a fine for an aftermarket exhaust on his Aprilia Tuono 1100.

Despite exhaustive legal research, he says he can find no mention in the ADRs of removing a catalytic convertor being illegal.

However, there remains conflicting views over whether it is illegal to remove the cat.

Mark Barnett, Product Manager for Link International which distributes Arrow exhausts says the gaseous emissions laws under ADR 79.04 do not apply to scooters, motorcycles or trikes.

“Some of our dealers have said they know of riders being prosecuted for removing cats,” Mark says.

He says the Federal Department of Transport and Regional Services told him that ADR 79.04 would never be applied to motorcycles as it was “too difficult to enforce and the numbers are too small to make it worth their while”.cat catalytic convertor

However, Motorcycle Council of NSW exhaust expert Brian Wood says bikes are also subject to environment laws.

“Once registered, a vehicle becomes subject to the ‘in-service’ regulations that apply in the state in which the vehicle is registered,” he says.

“In NSW, most ‘in-service’ regulations are administered by the Roads and Maritime Services (RMS).

“In the case of exhaust emissions, it’s the NSW Environment Protection Authority.”

He says that under the NSW Clean Air Act, it is an offence to remove, disconnect or impair a system.

The offence for an individual is 200 penalty units. A penalty unit is current $110. So 200 penalty units would be $22,000.

Similar rules apply around the country.

So while you may be able to remove the cat under ADRs, you may run foul of environment laws.

Aftermarket exhaustsAftermarket exhaust peeves enemy resale illegal cat

While on the subject of aftermarket exhausts, Mark says the ADRs override local state rules.

“We’ve had TMR officers in Queensland going to dealerships and saying every bike on the plot fitted with an aftermarket exhaust is illegal and the fine is $550,” he says.

“This is not true. A European homologated exhaust is legal under ADR and therefore is legal in all states and territories in Australia.

“I had an email from a TMR policy office agreeing that an aftermarket exhaust is legal providing it complies to ADR 83.00 and that for a LAMS bike it does not improve the engine performance.

“That’s a ‘gotcha’ for LAMS as most aftermarket exhausts will give an improvement, albeit in Arrow’s case only slight with the dB killer in place.

“However, for some bikes this may break the 150kW-per-tonne LAMS power limit.”

Brian also points out that the ADRs only apply up until the bike is registered and rolls out of the showroom.

Conclusion?

Sorry we can’t be more definitive on the legalities of removing a cat.

It seems to be a grey area that is exploited by police and transport officials to penalise motorists.

Stay tuned for Levente’s challenge to the laws. He is hopeful of a win that will set a legal precedent for all riders.

We will have the verdict on his case as soon as it is available.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Motorcycle News, News

Watch backhoe flatten motorcycle mufflers

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If you think the cops are tough on noisy aftermarket exhausts here, try India where they hammer them flat by the roadside, or confiscate them and flatten them with a backhoe.

Police in Bangalore take noisy exhausts off bikes and flatten them with a hammer by the roadside.If you think the cops are tough on noisy aftermarket exhausts here, try India where they hammer them flat by the roadside, or confiscated them and flatten them with a backhoe.

Now police in Danvangere near Bangalore are taking things to the extreme with a bunch of exhausts being flattened by a JCB backhoe.

It was a special presentation for the press to show they are serious about the crackdown on aftermarket mufflers.

Indian riders with noisy mufflers face a fine and warning to replace their exhaust.

However, if you are caught twice with a modified exhaust police may seize the motorcycle and destroy the muffler.

Flatten noise 

Police and local authorities around the world effectively flatten noisy motorcycles with various noise limits and punitive measures.

For example, in Australia, the stationary noise level for a motorbike built after February 1985 is 94dB, in India it’s 90dB and in Detroit Motor City exhausts are banned if they can be heard 50m away!

Yet, a 2017 World Health Organisation report found that the sound of car tyres on pavement is a bigger contributor to noise pollution.

Loud pipes save lives keyring - motorcycles EPA cars
Buy your “Loud pipes save lives” keyring now! 

Testing times 

Brisbane Barrister Levente Jurth argues that aftermarket exhausts are not illegal. Read his full argument here.

He says police and authorities do not have the expertise or objectivity to sustain a conviction for the alleged offence.

Meanwhile, longtime motorcycle advocate Wayne Carruthers says riders in regional areas have limited access to noise testing stations to find out if their pipe is legal.

We asked Queensland Police how riders who want to comply with noise regulations could confirm their bike’s noise output.

They replied that the motorcycle should have a label advising of the decibel level, that all new bikes complied and that “there are exhaust shops that have the required equipment to test the noise level of vehicles”. 

Call to challenge exhaust noise fines flatten
Police conduct roadside noise test

However, Wayne says the location of official noise-testing stations can be an expensive problem for rural riders.

“People in regional areas who have been issued a notice by police can have considerable time and expense wasted just in getting to a testing location to have the notice lifted,” he says.

“In NSW and Queensland, in particular, those in western regions can have 1000s of kilometres to travel with at times up to two days taken out of work simply to attend a testing station.

“This is not practical for many motorists not just motorcyclists and a clear example of the inequity of application of the state regulations.

“The testing for noise and emissions needs to be reconsidered by governments and authorities.”

He says it should be returned to authorised testers as per annual registration systems.

“The systems in place in the some states would surely be an embarrassment to the relevant Ministers and not sit well with regional voters,” he says.

Noise testing locationsnoise noisy exhaust pipes mufflers cars trial pink slips flatten

Queensland: This website (click here) does not refer to vehicle noise testing, while this website (click here) has a pdf re motorcycle noise but no information on location of testing stations.

NSW: The EPA website incorrectly states for motorcycles manufactured after 1 March 1984 is 94 decibels. Many motorcycles sold including BMW S1000RR 2015 have stickers indicating approval with 107dbA. 

There are only eight NSW test centres listed on this website and they are mostly based around the major centres of Newcastle, Sydney and Wollongong with only Coffs Harbour and Wagga listed for regional areas.

Examples of the distances a motorist would need to travel in NSW are:

Broken Hill – 1500km round trip to Wagga Wagga

Bathurst – 280km round trip to Richmond

Dubbo – 660km round trip to Richmond

Coonabarabran – 1150km round trip to Wagga Wagga

Tamworth – 600km round trip to Coffs Harbour

Tenterfield – 600km round trip to Coffs Harbour

Victoria noise testing locations (click here).

Tasmania noise testing locations (click here).

South Australia: Noise Testing appears to be done by DPTI inspection stations.

Western Australia: Only six authorised private Noise Level Assessors are listed.

ACT and Northern Territory: Unknown

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com