Your Massachusetts Motorcycle Association is teaming up with the Princeton Police Department to conduct a Voluntary Motorcycle Sound Emissions Check at the Thomas Prince School on Route 62 in Princeton, Massachusetts on July 11, 2020 beginning at 11 AM.
This is a “no enforcement” and no cost awareness event aimed at educating riders and the public regarding the realities and implications of Motorcycle Exhaust emissions, specifically regarding sound levels.
On Tuesday, June 9, your Massachusetts Motorcycle Association was invited to participate in the Princeton Select Board meeting to address growing and continuing concerns among Residents concerning the problems of Motorcycle Sound Emissions and reckless riding in and around the town of Princeton.
Alerted by a MassMotorcycle member to the concerns, numerous potential approaches to tackling what is perceived as an invasion of residents rights to a safe and peaceful weekend were being discussed including Motorcycle Original Equipment Exhaust Enforcement, Traffic Restrictions for Motorcyclists, and other options. Your MassMotorcycle Association immediately contacted the Chief of Police, Michele Powers, to discuss the concerns and approaches. Chief Powers in turn discussed the MassMotorcycle feedback with the Select Board resulting in the invitation to speak with the Select Board at the June 9th Meeting.
In 2009, in response to similar concerns at the time and numerous town warrants and Legislative Bills aimed at addressing the issue, your MassMotorcycle Association created the “When in Town, Throttle Down!©” program to address a wealth of misinformation concerning Motorcycle Exhaust and Sound Issues, specifically aimed at education and awareness of “What’s the Noise about Noise?” The resulting program included a Voluntary Sound Check program, including investing in Sound Testing Equipment and Training. This program has been used with great affect around the Commonwealth in the following 11 years and the “noise” has significantly quieted down since.
This program has since also been used successfully in numerous towns across the Commonwealth, in other States around the Country, and education sessions have been given at regional and national conferences such as the ABATE of Oklahoma S.M.I.L.E. and Motorcycle Riders Foundation Meeting of the Minds.
To be conducted by the MMA in conjunction with the Princeton Police, the Voluntary Sound Check planned for July 11th will be a “no enforcement” awareness-only event. All riders are invited to stop by for a few minutes for a free bottle of water while they learn about the issues concerning Motorcycle Exhaust Sound Emissions, the legal limits of those emissions, whether their motorcycles are within them, and how to potentially control them. The testing takes only a few short moments – far less time than it will take to finish a bottle of water.
A motorcycle that legally passes these tests may still be perceived by some to be “too loud” depending on how the rider operates the motorcycle. Riders are aware that simple modifications regarding RPM control mitigates the motorcycles’ impact and sound emissions levels upon the public. All testing will be conducted according to Registry of Motor Vehicles stationary noise level standards defined by the Code of Massachusetts Regulations.
Non-riders are also invited to stop by to witness the testing and participate in the program.
Your MMA thanks the Princeton Police Department, Chief Powers, and the Princeton Select Board for inviting riders and the public to participate in this event.
For more information, please contact Chairman@MassMotorcycle.org or visit www.MassMotorcycle.org.
