Sound questions
May 27, 2005 – ATV sound is becoming a major issue nationwide as communities try to balance the recreational needs of ATVers with the desires of some residents to silence the machines.
In the racing arena, the ATVA is enforcing a 102-decibel sound limit in the Pro class. This could mean sound limits for other classes in the future.
For more insight on sound, we spoke with Donnie Luce at White Brothers Racing. White Brothers built the Carbon Pro exhaust that Tim Farr (above) used when he captured an impressive win at the first round of the 2005 ATVA/ITP/Moose Grand National Championship Motocross Series at Glen Helen Raceway in San Bernardino, California.
ATVAonline: Why is there so much focus on sound issues now?
Donnie Luce: Sound is not a new issue. This is something that White Brothers has been working on for years. We work very closely with the U.S. Forest Service, the Motorcycle Industry Council and the American Motorcyclist Association. If we want to keep riding areas and race tracks open, we have to control sound. And White Brothers wants to be a leader in the solution.
We made the E-Series quiet exhaust in 1998. It featured a tunable disc system that worked very well for recreational and racing applications.
Our next model—the E-2 Series—included a U.S. Forest Service-approved spark arrester and complied with the 96-decibel limit that was established for all public riding areas in California.
ATVAonline: What about the myth that to make power you have to be loud?
Luce: The challenge has always been to make more power but to do it quietly. Recent advances in technology, materials and equipment are why we are able to create new exhausts that make horsepower and reduce sound at the same time.
We have been working with different lengths, different diameters and different shapes of mufflers that help reduce sound.
Also, new packing materials have evolved that reduce sound and are more heat resistant. This keeps the exhaust quiet for a longer period of time and extends the time between re-packing the muffler.
ATVAonline: Do ATVs pose any special challenges to reducing sound?
Luce: Most of the challenges and solutions are the same for motorcycles as they are for ATVs. ATVs are a little easier to keep quiet. Modern four-stroke ATV engines make horse power at a lower rpm than motorcycles, and this make all the difference in the world. In most cases, more rpms equals more sound.
ATVAonline: What do you see for the future?
Luce: Looking into the future is why White Brothers has been devoting so much time and money to develop a quiet exhaust system that increases performance.
Every day we lose more riding areas, more miles of trails, and race tracks get closed down. If we don’t come up with solutions now, there will be no riding or racing future for our children and grandchildren.