I'm getting really tired of the noise testing at UK tracks. It's getting worse each year. But what annoys me most is the inconsistency in their application of the rules. Running a BSB - no problems. Do a track day and you get black flagged!! The Panigale is NOT noisy!! its just the position of the cans that bounces the noise up and into the drive-by monitors. Someone needs to have a word with MSV.
That was with baffles and freshly rebuilt cans! I ran all day with no problem without baffles, then the second to last session I was warned that I was under investigation so we fitted baffles for the last session and they still black flagged me. I don't think they have anything better to do!
They should let someone with an appreciation for nice sounding bikes do the job. I'd black flag you for having baffles in. "You soft twat, get those earplugs & baffles out, get back out there and start backing it in!"
I used to do a bit of noise testing in my job and its a very complex subject and very subjective, with large error uncertainties, even using industry standard kit and that costs BIG bucks. Instruments are usually check calibrated before and after each test too, if out on the post the test results are binned. Its a complete farce I'm willing to bet, but give a jobsworth a toy and the power to shit on people and....................well you know the rest
Is that at Brands Nicky and were there any other Panigales there? After managing without problems at Donnington along with a bunch of other Panigales including 1299 recently I was getting hopeful that things were getting better
I was there (Specsavers group, white bike) on my 1199s with termis and baffles. Made 107dB on static but was told I'll be noise checked on drive by. I didn't get black flagged but after hearing about Nicky getting called in I did get worried
Currently struggling to get my bike on the track. I ride a standard 2014 1199 Panigale with the standard exhaust and the dB level is apparently around 107dB and almost too noisy to Snetterton, which is my local track. Last year the sound testers just waved me through but now they check the noise level at 5500 rpm. Other tracks I won't even bother to book as I won't be allowed on. I need to know if there is an aftermarket exhaust (slip on) that can get me on track without being told to sod off and losing a £100.00. The Termi slip on with baffles according to Ducati Coventry is borderline. Don't want to get rid of the bike but might have to turn Japanese to get my fix . If anybody riding the same bike knows which racetracks are Ducati 1199 friendly please let me know. Any suggestion / help would be appreciated. Thankyou Mike Marsh
This is disturbing stuff, the powers that be will not be happy until we are all riding around on electric bikes and have the personality of a slug. Bowlocks to the twats. Maybe we could buy our own track collectively and call it The Real Race Track, just a thought, or maybe just a dream?:Banghead:
Likewise with yours - in between the screaming inline fours yours made nothing more than a muffled humm going down the pit lane! How they can be considered noisy is beyond me. I'm back there this Monday evening for a session. Lower noise limit too (102dB) but I have an email saying it should be fine... Will see how it goes
This is now becoming quite a problem. Best case is 105 but for how much longer ? Councils are bound to start demanding lower levels in the future. I don't even bother booking the 1098R on track days, it's borderline passing at race meetings, but here's the thing. I get a friendly warning from the noise tester and told I might trigger the drive by but never do whilst inline fours who sail through get pulled up for being too noisy out on track. Clearly the measuring system is not perfect but until Ducati themselves discuss this with circuit owners such as MSV then I don't think it's going to get better
Most circuits (dont even go near castle doom!) seem to operate a fail but pass on drive by rationale for panigales, and tbf that is a considerable concession that other bikes dont get. Certainly the old RC8 never, which had the same resonance issues, and were as loud as thunder with a can. So its not all bad peolpe
The noise situation is usually for residents who live nearby, yet the sound of an inline 4 screamer, travels over a far greater distance than a full thumping twin (even though they may be louder when next to the bike). Surely they should be able to work something with perimeter sensors included. I.e. You get the usual noise sensor on the track and if you trip that they monitor the outer venue sensors to see if they are tripped too.
Yeah MSV who ran the event on Wednesday let me through with a failed static test of 107dB and told me they would just monitor drive by. Seemed fair to me, and if all circuits adopted the same attitude to Ducatis we'd see most problems go away
Or perhaps the way Ducatis are measured need to be looked at, we have the tools to do that already and they are in the hands of the noise testers... Sound Source: A- and C-Weighted Noise Measurements | HearForever
