(WCCO) The sunny skies are sure to bring out many motorcyclists this weekend, but one Minnesota community is starting to crack down on too much cycle noise. The roar of the engine could soon get riders in Stillwater in trouble with the law.

With weather like this along the St. Croix River this weekend, all roads lead to Stillwater.

"It turns into a motorcycle haven," said Forest Lake motorcyclist Dan Schultz.

All the noise is driving some of the locals crazy. "We've counted them, 20 at one crack, 30 at another, 24 at another," said Stillwater resident Ted Gillen.

"A lot of motorcycles and a lot of groups come in. And when they do and there's a handful of them with the loud pipes, it can get pretty loud," said Schultz.

"When they crack the pipes here and it snaps you can hear echo off the houses you can hear it inside with the windows closed, said Gillen"

City leaders asked police to crack down on excessively loud motorcycles. "It's the number one complaint," said Stillwater police chief John Gannaway. "We don't want them roaring through town or revving the throttle. That's what we're trying to stop."

"It's about 10 years too late," Gillen contested.

The crackdown is still a welcome relief to residents. Motorcycles aren't the only target. Loud revving trucks and cars will also be ticketed.

"I think it makes sense to ask people just to be respectful and not make a lot of noise," said Tim Barker of Coon Rapids.

Bikers are surprisingly supportive of the stiffer enforcement. Right now police are only issuing warnings to noise violators. Starting May 1, they will be giving tickets with fines from between $100 to $180.

 

In Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, and Oklahoma, it all appears to be a local ordinance.
Interestingly, most of the small towns that have the ordinance, are actually targeting the big rigs with Jake brakes. Cause I have ridden in numerous small towns that have signs posted when you enter. The signs almost always say, "Noise Ordinance Strictly Enforced" "No Jake or Engine Brakes Allowed". Coincidentally, several in my group have pipes so loud we make them ride in the back, the local LEO's just wave as we pass through.

I am guessing as long as we are not being ridiculous, this is the case in most places.

 

In the 60's & 70's Daytona citizens complained about the noise, so the police stopped everyone that was even a little loud. They ran a night stick up the pipe to see if there was any baffle. Then Daytona hired a new police captain. He held a meeting with the movers & shakers, & asked "when do you make your most money?" After they all answered "Bike Week", he told 'em "let 'em make a little noise, they're payin' for it. We'll watch the really illegal things".

We had a lot of good years, but with the number of bikes going from 60,000 to 600,000 the noise has increased. The last few years has seen the appearance of "Ride Quietly" signs. The police are still reasonable, but show off how loud your pipes are too often, or in the wrong place, & you'll get a chance to contribute to the local economy.

I live on "The Loop" & often have bikes ride by that drown out TV or music in a second floor room. I don't mind, but I can understand how neighbors that aren't involved with motorcycles might be annoyed. All in all, I feel that Daytona takes a reasonable approach, but you *can* get a ticket here.

 

Yep, local ordinances here only. And usually it's a non-issue as long as you're not in one of those areas that always complains, and being a baboon by revving up your bike all the time.

I know of some of those places that weekender talks about too. Eureka Springs has those signs out also. But I think that is mostly because they don't want all their houses piled up on top of each other in the valleys. Those jake brakes have been known to cause landslides.

 

I never thought about that in Eureka Springs, landslide a real possibility in that terrain.

But that said, Eureka Springs is pretty bike friendly and one of the places that has never bothered anyone I have ever been around with loud pipes, they just wave as we go by.
Their main industry is tourism, and haggling bikers would be counter productive to that. It is an excellent destination with lots of twisties on the way in to town, and perfectly charming places to stay and spend money.

 

In so cal its really spotty. Sometimes the malibu cops will hassle you but they just do it for the ticket revenue sometimes. Especially if you got a bedroll bungee corded to the back. They try not to bother the locals. Other parts of so cal nobody reallu cares unless some ticketing initiative came down from the city to bring in ticket revenue. Generally if you're clean cut and professional-looking (RUB) they wont bother you.

 

I've never heard of anybody having a problem in TN. My UC isn't really loud, but does have a good bark. My Sporty sounds like a really pissed off Pig. LOL

 

No problems here in NJ.

 

Dude, I'm in NH and havn't got a loud pipe ticket since bout 1991. And that was drag pipes on a 10:1 compression motor. I've run Thunderheaders for 15-18ish years on my older bike and Bassani Road Rage on my TC. Neither of those pipes are quiet. In fact, I just got a speeding ticket a couple days ago and the Statie didn't look twice at my pipes. Don't believe the pipe hype bout NH.

 

I live in atl ga and never had issue or anyone that I ride with