Car, motorcycle enthusiasts have mixed feelings about SGI's new vehicle noise policy

Light vehicles louder than a jackhammer could be forced to quiet down in Saskatchewan.

Beginning in July, SGI is rolling out a new policy putting a cap on vehicle noise in Saskatchewan at 101.3 decibels.

"We're not saying your vehicle can't be noisy, we're not even saying it can't be pretty noisy, what this does is it just draws a line in the sand about how loud is too loud," said Tyler McMurchy, SGI spokesperson.

He said right now police officers issue tickets at their own discretion. The new policy will set an objective limit and a way to test it.

Excessive vehicle noise can distract other drivers and disturb people at home, McMurchy said. 

"There's always been rules about not having excessive vehicle noise … but what this does is removes the subjectivity of it and establishes a line about how loud is too loud," he said.

According to McMurchy, the cap was selected after researching the noise from stock vehicles, like a Ford Mustang Shelby.

Car, motorcycle enthusiasts have mixed feelings

Robb Hertzog, the owner of Prairie Harley Davidson in Regina, is uncertain how much the new policy will affect his business, but is certain it will.

"Anytime that SGI or the government adds something, and mostly SGI has been the issue, it really affects our business huge," Hertzog said, adding that motorcycles often have louder exhausts.

Hertzog said SGI dropped by one day to ask if they were open to being an inspection centre, but hoped there would have been more consultation with people and businesses like them about the change.

Hertzog is concerned that customers with Harleys with modified exhausts may not pass the test.

McMurchy said SGI invited feedback after announcing the upcoming policy and will continue to accept feedback.

He also said SGI tested a Harley Davidson motorcycle and a Chevrolet Camaro during a live demonstration Monday and both passed the noise test.

Chris Klein, a car enthusiast from Warman, Sask., who works in the car industry and has organized car events in the province, said he works hard to keep his cars within vehicle standards while improving them.

He agrees with having a noise cap on loud vehicles because obnoxious drivers give a bad name to car enthusiasts, who are then the targets of vehicle inspections — but doesn't believe noise should be a priority.

"Exhaust systems don't necessarily pose a safety threat to other people on the road, whereas those other things do: proper working lights that would not pass inspection … people that don't signal," he said.

He added that he had run a shop for a year where people would decline vehicle maintenance even if it was unsafe.

If drivers don't comply, registration can be cancelled

A pair of noise testing events are scheduled for June 17 in Regina and June 24 in Saskatoon for vehicle owners to learn how loud their vehicles are without having to pay the fee, which McMurchy estimates will cost less than $200.

SGI in Saskatoon and Regina will be the first to have tests available to determine how loud vehicles are, with a rollout to the rest of the province as stations elsewhere are equipped and trained to conduct them.

Tests will be conducted depending on vehicle type, number of engine cylinders and maximum speed, according to SGI.

Light vehicle target engine speeds will be:

• 75 per cent of the rated engine speed S for vehicles with S ≤ 5000 rpm.
• 3750 rpm for vehicles with a rated engine speed > 5000 rpm and < 7500 rpm.
• 50 per cent of the rated engine speed S for vehicles with S ≥ 7500 rpm with a tolerance of ± 5 per cent.

Motorcycle target engine speed will be:

• Engines with 3 or 4 cylinders: 5000 rpm (±200 rpm), or 75 per cent of maximum engine speed, whichever is less.
• Fewer than 3 cylinders or more than 4 cylinders: 2000 rpm (±200 rpm), or 75 per cent of maximum engine speed, whichever is less.

According to McMurchy, if police find a vehicle's exhaust system has been modified or the muffler is broken, officers can order it be repaired. Otherwise, they can order the vehicle be noise-tested and force it to meet the noise constraints.

If they don't, drivers can have their registration cancelled.