Wilsons Sandbox

Listers, Thought I'd mention what little I know about exhaust noise and the US Forest Service in the Black Hills of South Dakota. I'm currently one of the recipients of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Black Hills National Forest Travel Management Plan. This is a 369 page document and also has numerous attachments including maps of 5 different alternatives which show possible future road and trail possibilities. In Chapter 2, Alternatives, Including the Proposed Action, on page 22, they address Sound. My condensed version for you is the proposed sound regulation will be 96 decibels (dB(A)) for ATVs and motorcycles operating on areas administered by the Forest Service. To see what sound test procedures would be google SAE J1287. I checked it out and then asked some detailed questions of the Mystic Ranger District in a meeting with them last Saturday. They said it will be easy to enforce the standard and their experience is most of the users ask for tighter restrictions of noise once the rules are in place. If you are riding quietly you aren't letting folks know where you are and they don't get upset about your use of the forest even when it doesn't mesh with their use. I just called the Forest Service to ask about spark arresters since it doesn't appear to be addressed in the statement. They are doing a little research for me but the bottom line is you must have a spark arresting device that meets Department of Agriculture Forest Service Standard 5100-1a OR SAE J335b AND SAE J350a. I haven't looked up either SAE standard yet and they are going to call me back with the particulars on the 5100-1a standard so I don't yet know exactly what they say. They did say OEM exhaust systems normally meet the requirement unless altered. I asked how they inspect for the spark arresting device and they said they put a stick up the exhaust. I asked what they want to happen and they want the stick to stop. I mentioned the earlier comment on list about using a hose to check and they said same idea and concept. So to ride in the Black Hills on Forest Service administered roads and trails you must have a functioning spark arresting device and have a muffled exhaust. Here is a link that might be interesting to some folks about exhaust noise, testing and spark arresters. http://www.quietbike.org/Noise_Presentation_Supplement_7_03.pdf I hope this gives folks some idea of what might help them and others enjoy their riding experience. Best, Jeff Saline ABC # 4412 South Dakota Airmarshal Airheads Beemer Club www.airheads.org The Beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota 75 R90/6, 03 KLR650, 79 R100RT . ____________________________________________________________ Faster loans with less paperwork. Compare rates. Click to find the right loan. http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL2141/fc/BLSrjpTIrTl8gAtv0nWEcLoXUydvRtsyAOlaIfw34SwN3c3GLog8sOffMbO/

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, greg saunders wrote:

> Do you ever hunt grouse from your KLR? Does anyone else who lives in Minnesota or Wisconsin hunt grouse from their KLR.

No, but I have gone trail riding on my DRZ in Nemadji during deer season. From the looks I was getting from some of those hunters, perhaps loud pipes do save lives. ;-{>