Noise opponents are calling for tougher rules for motorcycles

"the main thing is, the Bike looks awesome and soundet loud. For everyone." So spring for an anonymous motorcycle driver in the Internet-Forum begins. For the majority of the Swiss, however, popping motors are a Nuisance. Especially of exhaust systems, with many harassed, such as the Aargau police informs the present day against noise. In the case of the noise League hooligans are the reason for every fifth message. "The displeasure is great," says President Peter Ettler. "Every spring the issue comes up, especially on the landscape along a popular Töffstrecken."

This may come as a surprise, because the environmental regulations are constantly being tightened. Since 2017, it should be with are two wheels, starting next year, new motorcycles must meet Euro 5 standards for pollutants, they emit hardly more emissions than cars. These limits are designed to Switzerland from the EU.

The police is powerless

The authorities are bound, often the hands, as the communication from the cantonal police of Aargau. She has controlled in the March and April, more than a hundred motorcycles. With the exception of two machines, all complied with the standards. In "types of compliant Changes, which serve for the increase of the engine noise, lacks the legal basis for Action," according to the Aargauer police. This means that motorcycles can, even today, legally, very loud roar – because the rules slip contain holes.

At the time of type approval is to be measured, the sound level in a test facility, standing, as well as at Speeds of between 50 and 80 kilometres per hour. The Motorbikes are allowed to reach a maximum of 78 decibels, less than a piano. On the Road and at higher speeds, they screech but with up to 96 decibels, as loud as a circular saw, such as a series of tests of the "observer" has shown. Many drivers equip their machines with exhaust systems, in which on the push of a button the Flaps open, whereupon the roar is louder still.

The loopholes in the law that allow the noise, only closed very slowly. Responsible for the world forum for harmonisation of vehicle regulations. In the UN body based in Geneva, whose requirements take all of the major industrial Nations, sits a whole bunch of lobbyists. There, the international motorcycle manufacturers Association IMMA EU proposals for new noise limits in the Euro 5 Standard torpedoed. Not the mass of the motorcycles be a Problem, but individual incidents, argued the IMMA, it's all a question of the controls.

"Would have the political will, could create the Switzerland of the Töfflärm from the world."Peter Ettler, noise League

After all, the decision of the world forum in March, after a long Back and Forth to tighten up the control requirements for exhaust systems a little. So far, it was enough if a manufacturer self-declared, the limit also outside the test environment to comply with. In the future, control your plants by testing. Also in the case of motorcycles, the bolt will be tightened a little: the manufacturer must complete the General self-Declaration for a detailed table.

In the Romandie don't like to settle for politicians with a snail's pace. The Geneva cantonal Parliament decided in January to leave the noise radar develop, in may, the Vaud cantonal Parliament will decide on a similar proposal. The Federal act, however, is too passive, and criticized Peter Ettler of the noise League. "Actually, we have exactly the same trickery and deceit as in the case of diesel cars," says Ettler. "Only that it Töfflärm legal is because it is provided for in the law." The objection that the Swiss market was too small to manufacturers to impose tighter regulations, he rejects: "If the political will exists, it could create the Switzerland of the Töfflärm from the world."

a study commissioned by the Federal office for the environment. The 4. January published and previously neglected paper proposes a "disruptive approach": to tighten the requirements such that only electric drives are permitted. The Obwalden Chancellery Nationalrat Karl Vogler supports this claim. "With electrification, the pollution and the noise problem would be tackled at the root, instead of that, we have to make expensive noise protection measures," says the Christian-social, which of the CVP-group belongs to.

In the bike industry, the proposal is not well received. "A required by law, immediate switching to electric motors would mean the end of the industry, with 10'000 additional unemployed, and 1 billion francs in revenue loss," says Markus Lehner, spokesman for the motorcycle importer-Association Moto Suisse. Only in the urban transport, the current drive will, after a period of enforcing a short period of time. 2018 were redeemed in Switzerland, around 715 electric scooter is new and just 127 E-motorcycles.

passport travel would be impossible

"With the big Motorbikes to drive on a nice weekend, maybe two-up with Luggage 800 miles above the passes of the Alps," says Lehner. "This Hobby is electric bikes currently not possible." The American manufacturer Harley-Davidson has recently presented a power-variant. With 36'500 Swiss francs, but it is twice as expensive as a comparable gasoline-engine, Land you with a charge of just under 150 kilometres. Lehner keeps the noise complaints due to engine wheels is exaggerated: "The time of the loud vehicles is legally ended a long time ago, and the real you will be gone, if the still approved the old Motorbikes will be for reasons of age except for put operation." In addition, the vast majority of the Arm drive considerate. "The few, but in the nature of things, unfortunately, more conspicuous other are eternal yesterday," says Lehner.

appeal To those of the noise opponents with the campaign "Loud is out": the motorcycle - and car drivers are not to accelerate unnecessarily, not high-speed driving and to Sound, and flaps exhausts do without. Also, the Aargau police, "asks a considerate driving".

(editing Tamedia)

Created: 24.04.2019, 10:23 PM