OP ED - OHV Sound Compliance Paints Bright Future for Motorized Recreation

Chris Real Administers SAE J1287 at NOHVCC Workshop

OP ED

I believe agency adoption of the SAE J1287 20 inch sound test @ 96dBA for OHVs is the single most important factor in the land-use equation as it relates to sustainable motorized recreation on public lands.

QWR/D36 Sound Tech Station @ 2016 Fools Gold Enduro

As a member of the 2002 California State Park OHV Sound Working Group, I commend that diverse interest group (which included representatives from the OHV Industry, motorized organizations, environmental groups, land agencies, and the Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division) that came together to address the number one user complaint at the time which was excessively loud OHVs.

OHV Sound Education Day @ Carnegie SVRA

(circa 2003)

 That collaborative effort laid the foundation for eventual enactment of the 2003 California Sound Law which adopted the SAE J1287 20 inch sound test @ 96dBA for OHVs.

2003 CA OHV Sound Law

http://ohv.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=23037

While working the sound/spark arrestor tech station at the 2016 Fools Gold Enduro, I discussed the progress made over the last 13 years on the “sound issue” with AMA District 36’s sound guru, Ed Santin.

Agency Staff Practice SAE J1287

2014 OHV Workshop - Foresthill OHV Area - Tahoe NF

Both of us agreed the OHV community has largely embraced a “quiet ethic” when operating a motorized vehicle on State Park, Forest Service, and BLM lands in California.  This has resulted in the “loud OHV” complaint being reduced to a non-issue in California and other states that have adopted a reasonable sound law.

Our collective success can be attributed to the following factors; OEMs producing high quality sound compliant exhaust systems, outreach by land management agencies, peer pressure, law enforcement, OHV sound education/tech at events, training of certified personnel, and availability of sound compliant aftermarket mufflers.

Quest Type 1 Law Enforcement Grade Sound Meter

In closing, I must give credit to Chris Real who is the go-to-guy when it comes to OHV sound technology and who also certifies both civilian and agency personnel to administer the SAE J1287 Sound Test.

Sound Certification for Don Amador

I also want to thank the dedicated trail advocates, FS, BLM, and State Park staff that I have had the privilege to work with over the last 18 years on sound compliance issues and application of the SAE J1287 Sound Test.

THANK YOU!

Lastly, I want to thank all my sponsors and supporters who have helped me develop my skill-set in the field of OHV sound.  I think the OHV community has a lot to be proud of.  The work we have done to address what once was the number one complaint against OHV is a major factor in helping create a positive future for motorized recreation in the 21^st Century.

Don Amador is President of Quiet Warrior Racing/Consulting.  Don is also a contractor to the BlueRibbon Coalition and serves as their Western Representative.  Don writes from his office in Oakley, CA.  Don may be reached via email at: damador@cwo.com

Amateur Off-Road Events are Educational Opportunities

Youth at Tech Station

2015 Shasta Dam GP

Amateur off-road events are great family-oriented venues where competitors challenge their skills on designated OHV trails.  In addition, they can provide an important real-time in-the-field educational opportunity for professional advocates, volunteers, club members, and land managers to share new management concepts, review trail maintenance and restoration projects, and practice enforcement of OHV-related rules and regulations.

Recently, QWR had the privilege to help with tech services at the AMA National Shasta Dam Grand Prix held at the BLM’s Chappie-Shasta OHV Area near Redding, California.   Hosted by the Redding Dirt Riders, this event afforded us chance to help educate riders - young and old alike - about riding with current vehicle registration, sound compliant exhaust, and U.S. Forest Service approved spark arresters.

QWR Riding with BLM Staff on Trail Review

Chappie-Shasta OHV Area

Before and after the event, QWR was able to tour a number of recent and proposed trail and restoration projects with BLM recreation and fire/fuels staff.  This was a great opportunity to see how the use of modern trail management techniques are used to address water quality and soil erosion.  In addition, it was important to see how fire/fuel reduction projects might help reduce the intensity of a wildfire.

BLM's, Sky Zaffarono, at Current Trail Maintenance Project

Chappie-Shasta OHV Area 

This last weekend, QWR was at Round One of the AMA Sanctioned SRT D36 Northern California Championship Enduro Series.  The 61^st Annual Sawmill Brand Q Enduro was hosted by the North Bay Motorcycle Club. 

Sara Mathews, the Outdoor Recreation Planner for the BLM’s Ukiah Field Office, was on hand to help oversee the event and to practice the field-level application/enforcement of California’s OHV regulations related to spark arresters, registration, and sound compliant exhaust.   QWR, RDR, and BLM were also able to tour trail and restoration projects.

BLM's, Sara Mathews, Checking Spark Arrester

Cow Mountain National Recreation Area

Trail Armor on Climbing Turn

Cow Mountain National Recreation Area

The 2015 Sawmill Enduro was held at the BLM’s Cow Mountain National Recreation Area (NRA) near Ukiah, California. This NRA was designated by Congress specifically for OHV use in 2006.

The ever growing number of retiring BLM and Forest Service recreation staff and line-officers who are experienced with managing OHV recreation is problematic.  QWR believes a lot of corporate knowledge is being lost.  Additionally, said retirements have even a greater impact on OHV because those personal and professional relationships that have been developed over the last 20-30 years are lost as well.  

QWR believes it is incumbent on the OHV community to make sure that relationships are cultivated with new federal and state recreation staff and leadership.  It is not just enough to ask for a meeting at the district office.  While those meetings are important, it is even more critical that you ask for agency staff to meet you in the field to review issues, ideas, and solutions.

Often times, new agency staff are not familiar with OHV recreation and in some cases have never taken a ride in a 4WD, ATV, dirt-bike, or SxS.  At that introductory meeting in the office, try and schedule a time when you can meet recreation staff in the field or at an event.  There is no substitute for taking a ride together in a SxS or other OHV and discussing trail and resource management from that close perspective.

"Sound" Advice DS Trail Tip - Two Mirror Law in Nevada

As QWR prepares to attend the 2013 Ride Reno 200 Dual Sport and Adventure Ride to operate our OHV sound education booth, we want to remind riders that two mirrors are required when you are operating a motorcycle on roads in the State of Nevada.

 

Link to 2013 Ride Reno 200

http://www.dustdevilsmc.com/Participant/ParticipantFlyer.aspx
 

According to NRS 486.311  (Mirrors) -  Every motorcycle or moped shall be equipped with two mirrors, each containing a reflection surface not less than 3 inches in diameter, with one mirror mounted on each handlebar, in positions enabling the driver to view clearly the highway for a distance of 200 feet to the rear.

 

QWR is providing this reminder so that riders coming from “one-mirror” states such as California can comply with the law and reduce the risk of being pulled over by a law enforcement officer.

 

Our good friends at the AMA have a handy website that contains current motorcycle-related laws for all 50 states.

 

AMA Motorcycle Laws

http://www.americanmotorcyclist.com/Rights/State-Laws
 

If you are coming up to the ride, be sure and stop by the sound station and say hi.

 

 

 

Thanks to Readers in the USA and other Countries

QWR wants to send a special thank you to our readers in countries outside of the USA.  We get a lot of hits from off-road and trail management interests in Russia, Latvia, Poland, and the UK.  If you are in a country outside of the USA, QWR would appreciate a note letting us know what topics are of most interest to you.

Thanks to all of you for your support and interest in responsible motorized use on public roads, trails, and areas. 

Send notes to: damador@quietwarriorracing.com

California County Postpones Vote on Noise Ordinance

 

 

As you know, QWR supports responsible rules and regulations that address excessively loud on and off-road motorcycles.  Recently QWR became aware of a poorly crafted ordinance being considered for adoption by Calaveras County in the Central Sierra.  As written, it would criminalize basically all sound emitting activities within the county including the operation of sound compliant OHVs, using a riding lawnmower, or starting up your stock Ford F-250 diesel pickup.

 

Here is an article on the issue

http://thepinetree.net/index.php?module=announce&ANN_user_op=view&ANN_id=32259

 

The Calaveras County Board of Supervisors was supposed to vote (Sept. 11) on it (many expected it to pass), but thanks to many letters from concerned citizens and businesses, that vote was postponed until September 25, 2012.  QWR will be checking in with the supervisors regarding this issue.

 

QWR letter is below:



 

 

 

 

 

September 9, 2012

Board of Supervisors

Calaveras County

891 Mountain Ranch Road

San Andreas, CA 95249-9709

Re: Proposed Noise Ordinance

 

Dear Board Members:

 

As a sound testing professional who promotes management of responsible motorized recreation on public and private lands, I urge you to postpone adoption of the proposed noise ordinance at your September 11, 2012 meeting.   Adoption of the proposal with the inclusion of Section 9 02 030 would make criminals out of a parent calling their children in from the yard for lunch,  a resident starting up their stock 2005 Ford F-250 Diesel pickup, and a person operating  their riding lawnmower or using their gas-powered modern weed whacker.  Here are the sound readings from the aforementioned sound sources that would be impacted by the plan. 

 

The readings were taken using a calibrated Quest Type-1 law enforcement grade sound meter. The SAE J-1287 “20-inch” sound test for OHVs was used as the test procedure.   The tests were taken 20-inches respectively from the mouth of a male parent calling kids in for lunch, the left front bumper of a stock Ford F-250 Diesel, the exhaust tip of a 2010 Craftsman 17.5hp riding lawnmower, and the exhaust tip of a Troy Bilt Model TB21EC weed whacker.

 

RESULTS

 

·         Male parent – 88.7dBA

 

·         2005 Ford F-250 -  700 rpm – 77.3 dBA and 2,000 rpm – 83.4dBA

 

·         Troy weed whacker – 5,000 rpm – 89.2 dBA and 7,000 rpm – 92.5 dBA

 

·         Craftsman lawnmower – 2,000 rpm – 78.7 dBA and 3,300 rpm 90.5 dBA

 

According to the proposal as I read it, all of the aforementioned activities would exceed the sound limits of the proposed ordinance.

 

As you know, local municipalities often adopt either a decibel-based or a disturbance/nuisance-based sound or noise ordinance or a hybrid that uses portions of both concepts.   If not properly crafted, local sound laws can end up being functionally unenforceable and/or face constitutional challenges.

 

At this point, QWR urges the county to postpone a vote on the plan until the unintended consequences of the proposal on residents within its sphere of influence are more completely analyzed.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Don

 

Don Amador, President

Quiet Warrior Racing/Consulting

555 Honey Lane

Oakley, CA 94561

Office: 925.625.5309

Email: damador@quietwarriorracing.com

Website: www.quietwarriorracing.com

Certified Sound Technical Inspector – J1287 Level 2 - # 12100635

 

Quiet Warrior Racing promotes a responsible trail and road ethic for both non-street legal and street legal motorized vehicles by offering quality recreation-oriented consulting services to its clients for the benefit of their customers, stakeholders, and the public good.

 

 

 

Buyer Beware of Purchasing Exhaust from Private Parties

QUIET WARRIOR RACING

NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Don Amador

Phone: 925.625.5309

Date: May 21, 2012

Email: damador@quietwarriorracing.com

BUYER BEWARE WHEN PURCHASING MUFFLERS/SPARK ARRESTORS FROM ONLINE PRIVATE PARTIES

OAKLEY, CA - Quiet Warrior Racing (QWR) urges riders to beware of buying sound and spark arrestor compliant exhaust from private parties. Several riders at Oakland Motorcycle Club’s 2012 SheetIron 300 Dual Sport Ride were turned away from the event after failing to pass tech inspection.

The QWR tech team was not able to pass those exhaust systems because they did not have an officially approved spark arrestor or the spark arrestor had been compromised.

Don Amador, president of Quiet Warrior Racing, states, “Be careful when purchasing exhaust systems from online private parties. Several riders new to the sport had to be turned away from a recent dual sport event because they had unwittingly purchased a non-sound/spark arrestor compliant muffler from a private source.”

“With the price of travel, entry fees, and other costs associated with riding a dual sport or off-road motorcycle being so high, riders must take time to make sure their exhaust meets sound and spark arrestor land-use laws. QWR urges riders to include a review of their exhaust system on their bike prep check list before riding on public lands,” Amador concludes.

For further review, please go to the Forest Service spark arrestor link below:

http://www.fs.fed.us/eng/pubs/html/03511307/03511307.htm

                                                                              # # #

Quiet Warrior Racing, a recreation consulting business, promotes a responsible trail and road ethic for both non-street legal and street legal motorized vehicles

Marin County Motorcycle Association Joins QWR as Bronze Sponsor

Quiet Warrior Racing is honored to announce that the Marin County Motorcycle Association has joined as a Bronze sponsor for the 2012 riding season.

MCMA has shown its commitment to the sport over the years via it support for many land use organizations.   This MCMA sponsorship will help QWR continue its effort to promote and protect responsible OHV recreation on private and public lands.

Oakland Motorcycle Club Joins QWR as Silver Sponsor

News Release

For Immediate Release

Contact: Don Amador

Phone: 925.625.5309

Email: damador@quietwarriorracing.com

Date: October 3, 2011

Website: www.quietwarriorracing.com

Oakland Motorcycle Club Joins QWR as Silver Sponsor

OAKLEY, CA (Oct. 3) - Quiet Warrior Racing, an off-road recreation consulting company, is proud to announce a new silver sponsor.  The Oakland Motorcycle Club – long known for its support of land-use efforts – recently signed up to help QWR champion responsible motorcycle use of public roads, trails, and areas.

Don Amador, President of QWR, states, “The Oakland Motorcycle Club, which is over 100 years old, has a long tradition of helping keep trails open by their support of organizations such as AMA District 36 and the BlueRibbon Coalition.  They are a great club to work with and QWR greatly appreciates their support.”

“Land-use professionals would not exist without the support of clubs, businesses, and individuals who understand the importance of our work.  Thanks again OMC for your support and vote of confidence,” Amador concludes.

# # #

Quest/3M is Official Sound Meter Partner for QWR in 2011

Quest Model 1200 Type One Sound Meter Kit

Quiet Warrior Racing is proud to announce its selection of Quest Technologies as the provider of official sound testing equipment for 2011.  QWR will be using the law enforcement-grade Type 1 1200 sound meter for testing both street and non-street legal motorcycles and OHVs at events and outreach efforts throughout the country.

We are pleased to be teaming up with Quest Technologies here at QWR to help get us the word out about riding quiet on public roads and trails.

I have used Quest sound meters over the last 10 years and they have proven to be accurate, reliable, and rugged.  Here in Northern California, they are the sound meter of choice used by Forest Service and BLM law enforcement officials to enforce sound laws. It’s great to partner with Quest on our never ending journey to promote a responsible sound ethic on public travelways.

Roseville Yamaha Joins Quiet Warrior Racing as Copper Sponsor

Quiet Warrior Racing is proud to welcome Roseville Yamaha as a COPPER sponsor.  I know Roseville Yamaha supports the efforts of QWR to get the word out about riding with sound compliant exhaust on public roads, trails, and areas.

Roseville Yamaha as Copper Sponsor

http://www.quietwarriorracing.com/Sponsorships.html

Quiet Warrior Racing wants all its supporters and potential sponsors to know it works hard everyday to promote a responsible land use ethic.   That commitment will help keep our travelways open for both non-street legal and street legal motorized vehicles.

If you are a Quiet Warrior, feel free to stop by Roseville Yamaha and thank them for helping keep routes open.

QWR Website Launched Today - Stay Tuned as QWR Grows

To all the riders and my supporters out there who care about keeping trails and roads open for responsible motorized use, I just wanted to give you a heads-up to stay tuned to the Quiet Warrior Racing Website and Official Quiet Warrior Racing Blog for updates on new programs, sponsors, and other info.

Even my local paper the CCT did a story

http://www.insidebayarea.com/crime-courts/ci_17139484

We just got our sponsor logos posted and watch the website as new sponsors are added.  There are already several in the pipeline and I am excited about the potential QWR has to increase the effectiveness of ongoing and new efforts to champion responsible use of public roads, trails, and areas by both non-street legal and street legal motorized vehicles.

I want to thank the gang at Touch Plate for its generous support and sponsorship in helping get QWR launched on the net.  Those guys are great!

Support Quiet Warrior Racing

As Quiet Warrior Racing gets ready to launch its website and add our sponsor links, I have had riders and sponsors ask why I used the term “Racing” rather than “Consulting” in Quiet Warrior Racing.  That is a good question.

There are three reasons. 

ONE - I wanted to use the term Racing to convey the hectic lifestyle of a professional recreation and land-use consultant.  Often I am racing to meetings, racing to get a story out, racing to get a sound check station set up, racing to digest legislative policies and let riders and clients know what they mean, or racing to stop a land closure.

TWO - Racing conveys a winning attitude.  Racers work hard to win.  Racers want to come in first place.  Racers never give up.

THREE – Racing is a more energizing term than “consulting.”  My goal is that riders of all ages will see that keeping trails and roads open – just as in racing - can be hard work and fun at the same time. 

At QWR we realize that access interests are in the race of their lives to protect their rights to enjoy public roads, trails, and areas and keeping them open for responsible use is what drives us everyday.

By sponsoring QWR you can take pride knowing that your support is being used to ensure continued access to those roads, trails, and areas that we love to use.  That support also means that QWR will be able to continue to consult for non-profit groups such as the BlueRibbon Coalition. Also, your support enables QWR to help clubs that may not be in a position to cover all the costs related to effective land-use advocacy in their area.